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tiarala's review
3.0
If you want brilliant sci-fi, read NK Jemisin's The Fifth Season. However, if you're interested in what Gillian Anderson has written, this trilogy is actually entertaining and engaging, and as you get to know more about Caitlin and Ghalderkhaan the story keeps getting more interesting. I'm really glad I kept with it after only sort of liking the first in the series.
reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I could say this final instillation completely won me over, stole my heart, and spit me out. Sadly, I have to say that while with the other books there were some really great ideas and characters it suffered from the same ills--awkward pacing and follow through issues. It truly pains me to say this as I really loved so much of the concept and the world(s) we were just getting to really know. I adored the international aspects and how the connections were weaved together. But it just didn't stick the landing which was almost abrupt.
thequeenoftoads's review against another edition
3.0
It was a hard slog getting through this final book in the Earth End Saga. It tried so very hard to be clever. The writing was accessible, though repetitive. It isn't that the idea wasn't fun, it was. I was compelled to get to the end to see where it went, if it really was aliens or some other clever twist. It was just a lot of hard work to get there. A lot of the time I wished that the three books had been compressed into one bigger one, or even two.
Some of the problems, as I see them, from the beginning of the series are:
The characters made some impossible leaps of logic. From the beginning of book one the characters would make connections that were impossible. I'm not a linguist, but Ben seemed to be able to learn an entire language from a few words and a couple of google searches. That there is only the beginning. Some of the leaps were akin to going, 'oh, hey, there's a butterfly on that there rose, so that means walruses are the reason for global warming!'.
Caitlin. Caitlin is a b***h. She's arrogant, rude, and entitled. There are moments when Ben, the guy she has dragged along behind her like a sad puppy for years, tries to speak to her, and she flat out ignores him. He could say 'hello' and she'd look at him like he was an idiot. She would run away on humanitarian missions at the drop of the hat and expect her parents to just be there for her (honey, you've got the money, get a nanny). And yet when her mother is there for her at the end she dismisses her like troublesome child. She never listens to anyone else. Oh, and then
They all believed too readily. The only moment of self doubt Caitlin had was right towards the end, and by that point it didn't make any sense. She'd been to another time, learned a strange language, performed magicky stuff... Much of this witnessed by other people. But when her shrink says during the last quarter of the book that she might be nuts, she has five minutes of self doubt. Had it taken place in book one or two, then perhaps it would have made sense. Not then, not at the end.
That ending. Without going into spoilers, the end was telegraphed from the beginning. There were no surprises about Gaalderkhan, not even who put the tiles there. That wouldn't be a problem, except for the sudden new-agey, oh my goodness how did string theory come into this, climax...
Using others words as though they're original thought. I get that a part of this was that life is cyclical, but when you say that a poet from a gazillion years ago wrote that 'nothing is ever truly lost, so long as it is remembered' as though it is an original thought, that's just frustrating. There are numerous examples of this.
It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was pretty frustrating. 2 1/2 stars.
Some of the problems, as I see them, from the beginning of the series are:
The characters made some impossible leaps of logic. From the beginning of book one the characters would make connections that were impossible. I'm not a linguist, but Ben seemed to be able to learn an entire language from a few words and a couple of google searches. That there is only the beginning. Some of the leaps were akin to going, 'oh, hey, there's a butterfly on that there rose, so that means walruses are the reason for global warming!'.
Caitlin. Caitlin is a b***h. She's arrogant, rude, and entitled. There are moments when Ben, the guy she has dragged along behind her like a sad puppy for years, tries to speak to her, and she flat out ignores him. He could say 'hello' and she'd look at him like he was an idiot. She would run away on humanitarian missions at the drop of the hat and expect her parents to just be there for her (honey, you've got the money, get a nanny). And yet when her mother is there for her at the end she dismisses her like troublesome child. She never listens to anyone else. Oh, and then
Spoiler
to make her an (almost) deity? Ugh, like she needs the ego boost.They all believed too readily. The only moment of self doubt Caitlin had was right towards the end, and by that point it didn't make any sense. She'd been to another time, learned a strange language, performed magicky stuff... Much of this witnessed by other people. But when her shrink says during the last quarter of the book that she might be nuts, she has five minutes of self doubt. Had it taken place in book one or two, then perhaps it would have made sense. Not then, not at the end.
That ending. Without going into spoilers, the end was telegraphed from the beginning. There were no surprises about Gaalderkhan, not even who put the tiles there. That wouldn't be a problem, except for the sudden new-agey, oh my goodness how did string theory come into this, climax...
Using others words as though they're original thought. I get that a part of this was that life is cyclical, but when you say that a poet from a gazillion years ago wrote that 'nothing is ever truly lost, so long as it is remembered' as though it is an original thought, that's just frustrating. There are numerous examples of this.
Spoiler
That kiss. Talk about pointless. I mean, really? Are we supposed to assume from this ridiculous insta-love scenario that Caitlin has finally realised that she has no interest in Ben? Or that it was destiny to convince the pilot to leave the continent and save the race? It was utterly unnecessary and completely galling.It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was pretty frustrating. 2 1/2 stars.
claireitsfrench's review against another edition
2.0
que dire.... au moins j'ai entendu gillian anderson parler pendant 3×9heures
queenoftoads's review against another edition
3.0
It was a hard slog getting through this final book in the Earth End Saga. It tried so very hard to be clever. The writing was accessible, though repetitive. It isn't that the idea wasn't fun, it was. I was compelled to get to the end to see where it went, if it really was aliens or some other clever twist. It was just a lot of hard work to get there. A lot of the time I wished that the three books had been compressed into one bigger one, or even two.
Some of the problems, as I see them, from the beginning of the series are:
The characters made some impossible leaps of logic. From the beginning of book one the characters would make connections that were impossible. I'm not a linguist, but Ben seemed to be able to learn an entire language from a few words and a couple of google searches. That there is only the beginning. Some of the leaps were akin to going, 'oh, hey, there's a butterfly on that there rose, so that means walruses are the reason for global warming!'.
Caitlin. Caitlin is a b***h. She's arrogant, rude, and entitled. There are moments when Ben, the guy she has dragged along behind her like a sad puppy for years, tries to speak to her, and she flat out ignores him. He could say 'hello' and she'd look at him like he was an idiot. She would run away on humanitarian missions at the drop of the hat and expect her parents to just be there for her (honey, you've got the money, get a nanny). And yet when her mother is there for her at the end she dismisses her like troublesome child. She never listens to anyone else. Oh, and then
They all believed too readily. The only moment of self doubt Caitlin had was right towards the end, and by that point it didn't make any sense. She'd been to another time, learned a strange language, performed magicky stuff... Much of this witnessed by other people. But when her shrink says during the last quarter of the book that she might be nuts, she has five minutes of self doubt. Had it taken place in book one or two, then perhaps it would have made sense. Not then, not at the end.
That ending. Without going into spoilers, the end was telegraphed from the beginning. There were no surprises about Gaalderkhan, not even who put the tiles there. That wouldn't be a problem, except for the sudden new-agey, oh my goodness how did string theory come into this, climax...
Using others words as though they're original thought. I get that a part of this was that life is cyclical, but when you say that a poet from a gazillion years ago wrote that 'nothing is ever truly lost, so long as it is remembered' as though it is an original thought, that's just frustrating. There are numerous examples of this.
It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was pretty frustrating. 2 1/2 stars.
Some of the problems, as I see them, from the beginning of the series are:
The characters made some impossible leaps of logic. From the beginning of book one the characters would make connections that were impossible. I'm not a linguist, but Ben seemed to be able to learn an entire language from a few words and a couple of google searches. That there is only the beginning. Some of the leaps were akin to going, 'oh, hey, there's a butterfly on that there rose, so that means walruses are the reason for global warming!'.
Caitlin. Caitlin is a b***h. She's arrogant, rude, and entitled. There are moments when Ben, the guy she has dragged along behind her like a sad puppy for years, tries to speak to her, and she flat out ignores him. He could say 'hello' and she'd look at him like he was an idiot. She would run away on humanitarian missions at the drop of the hat and expect her parents to just be there for her (honey, you've got the money, get a nanny). And yet when her mother is there for her at the end she dismisses her like troublesome child. She never listens to anyone else. Oh, and then
Spoiler
to make her an (almost) deity? Ugh, like she needs the ego boost.They all believed too readily. The only moment of self doubt Caitlin had was right towards the end, and by that point it didn't make any sense. She'd been to another time, learned a strange language, performed magicky stuff... Much of this witnessed by other people. But when her shrink says during the last quarter of the book that she might be nuts, she has five minutes of self doubt. Had it taken place in book one or two, then perhaps it would have made sense. Not then, not at the end.
That ending. Without going into spoilers, the end was telegraphed from the beginning. There were no surprises about Gaalderkhan, not even who put the tiles there. That wouldn't be a problem, except for the sudden new-agey, oh my goodness how did string theory come into this, climax...
Using others words as though they're original thought. I get that a part of this was that life is cyclical, but when you say that a poet from a gazillion years ago wrote that 'nothing is ever truly lost, so long as it is remembered' as though it is an original thought, that's just frustrating. There are numerous examples of this.
Spoiler
That kiss. Talk about pointless. I mean, really? Are we supposed to assume from this ridiculous insta-love scenario that Caitlin has finally realised that she has no interest in Ben? Or that it was destiny to convince the pilot to leave the continent and save the race? It was utterly unnecessary and completely galling.It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was pretty frustrating. 2 1/2 stars.
tenlini's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
lushr's review against another edition
3.0
I have really enjoyed this series, but this third and seemingly final book was the weakest for the very fact that do little happened, and so little was resolved.
a_lovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
What I like best about this book, or rather the whole series, is the potential. The idea is interesting and most of the execution is great to read. I am not quite sure what to male of this ending as it seemed somewhat rushed to me in the end. I couldn't stop reading, though, and for that the book gets 4 stars.
okelay's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed it, it was a satisfying conclusion, answering questions while posing many more.
I particularly liked learning more about the galderkhaani culture, since in previous books we got only fragments and now we got a much more complete vision.
I particularly liked learning more about the galderkhaani culture, since in previous books we got only fragments and now we got a much more complete vision.