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jennybun's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
3.75
I liked the Star Trek parts the most 🖖🏻
His books are hit or miss. If you like Star Trek (a strong familiarity with TOS is needed) and also like making fun of Star Trek (especially TOS), this will probably land with you. If you’re only familiar with TNG or later (including the alternate timeline films), or not a fan of Star Trek, OR you’re a diehard Trekkie who refuses to accept any faults within the (original) universe, this will likely be a miss.
Scalzi, you need a better editor. Some typos and other errors found mainly in the second half, like the editor became bored.
It gets a little weird towards the end. Seems like a couple plot twists were thrown in just to make the book longer, so minus a little from my rating for that, and also minus some for having away parties and away missions in a satire of TOS (they had landing parties!!!).
His books are hit or miss. If you like Star Trek (a strong familiarity with TOS is needed) and also like making fun of Star Trek (especially TOS), this will probably land with you. If you’re only familiar with TNG or later (including the alternate timeline films), or not a fan of Star Trek, OR you’re a diehard Trekkie who refuses to accept any faults within the (original) universe, this will likely be a miss.
Scalzi, you need a better editor. Some typos and other errors found mainly in the second half, like the editor became bored.
It gets a little weird towards the end. Seems like a couple plot twists were thrown in just to make the book longer, so minus a little from my rating for that, and also minus some for having away parties and away missions in a satire of TOS (they had landing parties!!!).
wyvernfriend's review against another edition
4.0
Surely, if you were a crewmember on a spaceship, an intelligent person who is hired for intelligence and capability and you noticed that there was a high statistical likelyhood of dying if you were in this role, you'd start to wonder how to increase your chances of living? This is what this is about, and I did enjoy the read. My husband loved it, then again he is an actual fan of Star Trek and he now wants a copy of this to hug close.
I probably didn't get some of the references, but I still enjoyed the read and the codas. It was an entertaining book. I really must read more Scalzi.
I only really read this now because I was bringing it back to work and forgot to bring a book of my own, and forgot to charge other devices that would distract from a two bus trip to work and also forgot my headphones. I was going to wait until my husband bought his own copy.
I probably didn't get some of the references, but I still enjoyed the read and the codas. It was an entertaining book. I really must read more Scalzi.
I only really read this now because I was bringing it back to work and forgot to bring a book of my own, and forgot to charge other devices that would distract from a two bus trip to work and also forgot my headphones. I was going to wait until my husband bought his own copy.
lowkeymattp's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
pfuller91's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
waheinz14's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lorendia's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
At first I didn’t want the codas. They felt extraneous after a fun, adventurous novel. But the codas were worth it: what happens after the main characters solve the big problem? They find love, understanding, and purpose.
blaje42's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
(Mild spoilers ahead)
I had a lot of fun with the first third of the book. It was silly and absurd commentary on bad science fiction and I definitely enjoy exploring minor characters and "behind the scenes" meta-fiction like Jasper Fforde. The second third was a little less compelling for me. Not quite sure why, but the fictional meets real world didn't work as well for me here. Then, once the sci-fi story ends and we spend the last third on the real-world people I really had to push myself through it. I wouldn't say it wasn't interesting, but I wanted about half the length. It was playing with styles, which I don't mind, I just wasn't invested in these characters or this part of the story like I was for the fictional characters.
I had a lot of fun with the first third of the book. It was silly and absurd commentary on bad science fiction and I definitely enjoy exploring minor characters and "behind the scenes" meta-fiction like Jasper Fforde. The second third was a little less compelling for me. Not quite sure why, but the fictional meets real world didn't work as well for me here. Then, once the sci-fi story ends and we spend the last third on the real-world people I really had to push myself through it. I wouldn't say it wasn't interesting, but I wanted about half the length. It was playing with styles, which I don't mind, I just wasn't invested in these characters or this part of the story like I was for the fictional characters.
lirien's review against another edition
4.0
(4.5/5) Strange, brilliant, moving and oh so meta. Loved it. Only quibble is that the dialog/writing could have been less sparse and repetitive in places - there were places where it all kind of seemed to run together.
flrnz's review against another edition
4.0
Das Buch ist im Wesentlichen ein Meme in Romanform. In guter Romanform und ich musste öfter beim Lesen laut lachen.
Warum es mit einem etwas trockenen Dialog enden musste, der fast ein Fünftel des Buchs ausmacht, bleibt mir jedoch verborgen.
Warum es mit einem etwas trockenen Dialog enden musste, der fast ein Fünftel des Buchs ausmacht, bleibt mir jedoch verborgen.