Scan barcode
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
2.0
11/8/16 - Many years ago I met a guy on the Excite message boards. We kept running into each other on different threads talking about books. We started verbally sparring, poking at each other while reviewing books. I created a thread called "Don't peek unless your name is Orbitsville", that was his screen name (also one of his favorite books). Of course a lot of people "peeked" so we had a giant conversation about what books everyone was reading that lasted almost 2 years. Obritsville and I became close e-friends and eventually I went up to visit him in Toronto where he lived. We hung out and it was great. At some point he dropped out of the internet sites that we both frequented.
The point is that this was one of his favorite books. I believe he probably sent it to me more than 10 years ago. I'm finally getting to it and missing/wondering about my old friend. If you're out there reading this Seth, let me know you're still among the living, it would definitely brighten my day.
12/23/16 Well I finished this today and unfortunately it was really kind of underwhelming for me. Pretty much a straight "thriller", which I usually avoid, set in the modern world, which I also usually avoid, but with an interesting/unique premise. I didn't hate the characters, but I didn't love them either. So me and Orbitsville will have to agree to disagree about this one. :)
The point is that this was one of his favorite books. I believe he probably sent it to me more than 10 years ago. I'm finally getting to it and missing/wondering about my old friend. If you're out there reading this Seth, let me know you're still among the living, it would definitely brighten my day.
12/23/16 Well I finished this today and unfortunately it was really kind of underwhelming for me. Pretty much a straight "thriller", which I usually avoid, set in the modern world, which I also usually avoid, but with an interesting/unique premise. I didn't hate the characters, but I didn't love them either. So me and Orbitsville will have to agree to disagree about this one. :)
polom's review against another edition
5.0
Read this book many many years ago, probably mid 90's and it's stayed with me.
It might even be my favorite novel. I still find myself looking up and wondering what if, when ever I'm in a big city. I'm a little foggy on the details at this distance of years, I remember the premise and how much I loved it at the time. must track down a copy and read it again. Not many books that I've read have left such a lasting impression. Would absolutely LOVE to see a TV series or Movie based on this but that ship has probably long sailed
It might even be my favorite novel. I still find myself looking up and wondering what if, when ever I'm in a big city. I'm a little foggy on the details at this distance of years, I remember the premise and how much I loved it at the time. must track down a copy and read it again. Not many books that I've read have left such a lasting impression. Would absolutely LOVE to see a TV series or Movie based on this but that ship has probably long sailed
secre's review against another edition
3.0
Intriguing and disturbing, this is nothing like I imagined it would be. I’d anticipated much of the tale revolving in this world from the roofs, and yet in reality what you get is a rather grisly murder mystery split between the ground and the roof. There is some exploration of the rooftop society but largely from a ground perspective.
I did find that the pace lagged somewhat and the reliance on the supernatural towards the end detracted from the whole. That said, I did enjoy reading it and it’s certainly unlike any novel I have read before. I’m not sure I’ll go searching for anymore of Fowler’s works however as his style didn’t grip me and many of the characterisations seemed a little two dimensional for my tastes.
I did find that the pace lagged somewhat and the reliance on the supernatural towards the end detracted from the whole. That said, I did enjoy reading it and it’s certainly unlike any novel I have read before. I’m not sure I’ll go searching for anymore of Fowler’s works however as his style didn’t grip me and many of the characterisations seemed a little two dimensional for my tastes.
paperbackstash's review against another edition
4.0
Very good fantasy based fiction. Not specifically horror as I originally thought, it deals with a creative cast of characters who make the story feel alive more than the plotline does. The plot isn't bad, but it's a bit out there. At least it has imaginative force driving it. Rose and Robert are almost opposites, with Robert being the cynical and awkward one fumbling about while Rose is confident with a photographic memory. Both are trying to find their places in the world - but they never would have guessed where they eventually end up. A lot if told through a certain detective's point of view, but after awhile I got a little tired of the POV shifts. It concludes sort of as a joke in the end so I see now why that POV was needed. Horror fans will enjoy that this one doesn't hold back on the death count or gory stuff, though, for the villain is pure evil through and through and enjoys killing people in creative splatter. It reminds me a little of Neverworld in that its in London and of a secret society, although these people don't live underground -- look up.
lushr's review against another edition
3.0
A secret lawless world above the rooftops is about to break into gangland warfare when a mysterious figure tries to take over the city with murderous intent.
On the surface it seems like a great little jaunt, but it's quite clunky, its anti corporate sentiments are not exactly fresh these days, and the male protagonists are utterly devoid of character.
Plus there's a nasty scene where a girl gets killed, if you have triggers... stay away.
All in all Doctorow's Little Brother is a far better example of this kind of adventure.
On the surface it seems like a great little jaunt, but it's quite clunky, its anti corporate sentiments are not exactly fresh these days, and the male protagonists are utterly devoid of character.
Plus there's a nasty scene where a girl gets killed, if you have triggers... stay away.
All in all Doctorow's Little Brother is a far better example of this kind of adventure.
vnesting's review against another edition
5.0
Imaginative and completely absorbing, this debut novel hooked me when I read it 20-some years ago and has stayed with me all these years. Once you read it, you will never look at urban rooftops in the same way again.
laurenm_'s review against another edition
2.0
i love the concept of this book; i think that a roofworld sounds fascinating and the premises of the novel are great. what isn’t great however, is the lack of depth to all the characters, the unnecessary stretching of a plot that is weak, and the tying together of the ending. this book made me so frustrated that i’m about to write half an essay on. here goes:
1) ending
let’s start with the end. when i realised that i only had 30 pages left of the book i was concerned because no loose ends had even been thought about pulling together. and i was right! the ending felt rushed, messy, and nonsensical. i still don’t really get it.
2) characters
oh dear lord. the characters seem to have little to no continuity or depth at all- particularly hargreave (who feels wholly unnecessary to the story), zalian, sarah, oh and anybody who isn’t robert. motivations are unclear, development is nonexistant for most and predictable for the few, and they are all entirely unlikable.
3) plot
again, messy and shallow. the supernatural element sometimes comes across as cynical and other times seems ridiculous. scenes which should be short and to the point are dragged out and unbearable, and there are many which are straight up unnecessary.
4) sexualisation of ALL THE WOMEN.
i am 99% sure that every single female character in this book is described using the words ‘sexual’ and ‘figure’. it is completely unneeded and off putting and one of the reasons this book frustrated me to the point where it took me half a month to read it.
tldr; it somehow managed to be both shallow and over complicated at the same time, with an annoying habit of stretching out a weak story full of shallow characters.
1) ending
let’s start with the end. when i realised that i only had 30 pages left of the book i was concerned because no loose ends had even been thought about pulling together. and i was right! the ending felt rushed, messy, and nonsensical. i still don’t really get it.
2) characters
oh dear lord. the characters seem to have little to no continuity or depth at all- particularly hargreave (who feels wholly unnecessary to the story), zalian, sarah, oh and anybody who isn’t robert. motivations are unclear, development is nonexistant for most and predictable for the few, and they are all entirely unlikable.
3) plot
again, messy and shallow. the supernatural element sometimes comes across as cynical and other times seems ridiculous. scenes which should be short and to the point are dragged out and unbearable, and there are many which are straight up unnecessary.
4) sexualisation of ALL THE WOMEN.
i am 99% sure that every single female character in this book is described using the words ‘sexual’ and ‘figure’. it is completely unneeded and off putting and one of the reasons this book frustrated me to the point where it took me half a month to read it.
tldr; it somehow managed to be both shallow and over complicated at the same time, with an annoying habit of stretching out a weak story full of shallow characters.
More...