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wannabekingpin's review against another edition
3.0
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night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Colony of many different races, humans included, are slowly nearing a new planet, where they’ll live and try to make it hospitable enough for second batch of people. All the fun stuff, from home building, to infrastructure, to domesticating animals, and planting whatever possibly grows there. It’s just that someone changed the plans in secret, and it’s no longer the previously decided upon planet. Nor can they use any technology, all to protect them from a threat greater than they’ll face out here, in an unknown wilderness…
My Opinion: Tale of a primitive living on an alien planet full of sentient beings, told from perspective of high-school students, by an adult author who is not, in fact, a teenager, and likely hasn’t been for a lil while now. As these are shallow, stereotypical characters that were hard to read due to just how stereotypical. You met them in every young adult series ever, from Vampire Diaries, to Sabrina, to whatever else there is. Could predict dialogues from the start of the scene, how lacking it felt. The only saving grace is that the book provides an additional perspective on the previous one. If you do not feel a burning need for such, just skip it.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Colony of many different races, humans included, are slowly nearing a new planet, where they’ll live and try to make it hospitable enough for second batch of people. All the fun stuff, from home building, to infrastructure, to domesticating animals, and planting whatever possibly grows there. It’s just that someone changed the plans in secret, and it’s no longer the previously decided upon planet. Nor can they use any technology, all to protect them from a threat greater than they’ll face out here, in an unknown wilderness…
My Opinion: Tale of a primitive living on an alien planet full of sentient beings, told from perspective of high-school students, by an adult author who is not, in fact, a teenager, and likely hasn’t been for a lil while now. As these are shallow, stereotypical characters that were hard to read due to just how stereotypical. You met them in every young adult series ever, from Vampire Diaries, to Sabrina, to whatever else there is. Could predict dialogues from the start of the scene, how lacking it felt. The only saving grace is that the book provides an additional perspective on the previous one. If you do not feel a burning need for such, just skip it.
scheu's review against another edition
4.0
Writing a sequel that takes place concurrently with the original book is rough going - how much more can you say, really? Nonetheless I enjoyed this. If you liked _The Last Colony_ you're bound to like this; if you haven't read _The Last Colony_, get that book out of the way first.
teachinsci's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Ok... For those of you who don't read the book cover, this is a retelling of Scalzi's last book (The Last Colony). It is just from the perspective of a teenage girl.
That being said, the first third-ish of the book was just that. In fact, I commented to a friend that all of the major characters seemed to have the same voice. Then, suddenly, the parts of the book came where John and Jane were not integral and were not in the first book. Zoe began to have a fuller voice, and the reader even gets to hear more about the Obin (very cool extra-terrestrials). Scalzi proved again that he is a great writer and this book is a fulfilling continuation of the Old Mans War series.
That being said, the first third-ish of the book was just that. In fact, I commented to a friend that all of the major characters seemed to have the same voice. Then, suddenly, the parts of the book came where John and Jane were not integral and were not in the first book. Zoe began to have a fuller voice, and the reader even gets to hear more about the Obin (very cool extra-terrestrials). Scalzi proved again that he is a great writer and this book is a fulfilling continuation of the Old Mans War series.
infinispace's review against another edition
2.0
Scalzi's Old Man's War (great) series probably should have ended with Ghost Brigades (good), and certainly with The Last Colony (so-so). As the works within the series clearly declined over time, Zoe's Tale is the inevitable cash in novel. It's just a re-telling of The Last Colony from the point of view of an annoying and pretentious teenage girl...yes, the protagonist (Zoe) is immensely unlikable. 90% of the story is told through character dialogue. There's nothing more boring than reading page after page of characters describing loosely what happens to them via endless "he said" and "she said" types of passages as opposed to inserting action and descriptive narrative. Using dialogue to almost exclusively tell a story is lazy storytelling and world building. And writing a book that just re-tells a story from a different perspective (without being IMMENSELY compelling) is what I call a cash in. Orson Scott Card has been guilty of doing this for years with his endless Ender's Game books.
Unfortunately Zoe's Tale cured me of Scalzi's writing. There are far more compelling books and authors coming out on a regular basis for me to waste my time and money (and who's time and money isn't precious these days). He struck a cord with Old Man's War, but sadly I'm afraid he may be a one trick pony.
I'm utterly aghast that this book was nominated for a Hugo award, even though it's the equivalent of the Golden Globes. It just smacks of fanboism to nominate such a dismal book because it was written by an author you happen to like from previous works. Shame on you Worldcon attendees.
Unfortunately Zoe's Tale cured me of Scalzi's writing. There are far more compelling books and authors coming out on a regular basis for me to waste my time and money (and who's time and money isn't precious these days). He struck a cord with Old Man's War, but sadly I'm afraid he may be a one trick pony.
I'm utterly aghast that this book was nominated for a Hugo award, even though it's the equivalent of the Golden Globes. It just smacks of fanboism to nominate such a dismal book because it was written by an author you happen to like from previous works. Shame on you Worldcon attendees.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Zoe Boutin-Perry, teenage colonist and idol to the Obin race, gets stranded on Roanoke along with her parents, John Perry and Jane Sagan. While the Roanoke Colony survive with the Conclave breathing down its neck?
Zoe's Tale is a retelling of the previous John Scalzi book, The Last Colony, from Zoe's point of view. Instead of being a pointless rehash, Zoe's Tale ends up being an emotional tale and completely worth the effort.
Re-telling The Last Colony from Zoe's point of view served multiple purposes. It fleshed out some bits of the Last Colony that weren't very clear, like why the werewolves stopped attacking the colony and where the sapper field came from. The society of the Obin and their relationship to the Consu was expanded. It also gave us an insight to the lives of Zoe and her friends.
Zoe's telling of the events was hilarious, as funny as Abby Normal narrating Christopher Moore's Bite Me without being so distracting. The Scalz did a good job of recreating teenage relationships and the relationship between Zoe and her Obin protectors nearly yanked a tear from my manly tear ducts.
Any complaints? Not really. Zoe's Tale was quite an enjoyable read. I loved the additional scenes with General Gau and the interplay between Zoe and her friends and family. Once again, Scalzi has me wrapped around his little finger.
Zoe's Tale is a retelling of the previous John Scalzi book, The Last Colony, from Zoe's point of view. Instead of being a pointless rehash, Zoe's Tale ends up being an emotional tale and completely worth the effort.
Re-telling The Last Colony from Zoe's point of view served multiple purposes. It fleshed out some bits of the Last Colony that weren't very clear, like why the werewolves stopped attacking the colony and where the sapper field came from. The society of the Obin and their relationship to the Consu was expanded. It also gave us an insight to the lives of Zoe and her friends.
Zoe's telling of the events was hilarious, as funny as Abby Normal narrating Christopher Moore's Bite Me without being so distracting. The Scalz did a good job of recreating teenage relationships and the relationship between Zoe and her Obin protectors nearly yanked a tear from my manly tear ducts.
Any complaints? Not really. Zoe's Tale was quite an enjoyable read. I loved the additional scenes with General Gau and the interplay between Zoe and her friends and family. Once again, Scalzi has me wrapped around his little finger.
_jamie's review against another edition
3.0
A great complement to the series and answers some of the outstanding questions from the previous books.
Unfortunately Zoë's character is too much like John Perry sometimes, and I could have done with some dialing back of the sarcasm (and I do enjoy snark) - it was just too much at times and rather exhausting. Overall the story was good and enjoyable. I'd say 3.5*
Unfortunately Zoë's character is too much like John Perry sometimes, and I could have done with some dialing back of the sarcasm (and I do enjoy snark) - it was just too much at times and rather exhausting. Overall the story was good and enjoyable. I'd say 3.5*
fshguy's review against another edition
3.0
A retelling of the Lost Colony, fills in some of the gaps from that story. but I guess I was expecting more.
jennitheghost's review against another edition
5.0
Different than the other books in the series I loved it. I think he took a chance to right from a pov of a different character and for me it worked out. I think it helps that I hadn't just finished reading the third book, since this is basically a retelling of that story. But it has a lot of new pieces
whichthreewords's review against another edition
4.0
Scalzi does a pretty impressive job writing a teenage girl, I have to say.
ppetropoulakis's review against another edition
3.0
Zoe's tale is a retelling of the Last Colony novel by John Scalzi. It's narrated from the point of view of a teenage girl that was instrumental in the previous novel. Instead of the more mature themes of Old Man's War this novel reads like young adult fiction, which is pretty much what it is. As a young adult story it is quite entertaining although the dialogue is repetitive some times and the characters are not that strong in my opinion. Overall I enjoyed the novel and it did help me freshen up on the Old Man's War novels that I last read in 2009.