Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed the previous instalment, but this was mostly an unconvincing rehash of what worked previously, a time jump that didn’t feel reflected in the technology or setting, and the poorly done inclusion of queer polyamory dynamic that felt shoe horned in for plot devices and shock value, rather than something core to the identity of the individuals. The hyper sexuality was very tropey.
Coupled with a plot that more fizzled out than came to head, there just wasn’t much to latch onto here, for me. I’m not sure what was compelling to return to the series. The characters didn’t feel further developed and the plot was almost perfunctory. If you skipped the first book or maybe a long time passed between books, enough to no longer be situated in the established world, maybe the issues wouldn’t be as prevalent.
Overall, quite a mixed bag with Stross. 3 books, only one I liked quite a bit. Happy to be moving on to other (possibly post) cyberpunk works.
Coupled with a plot that more fizzled out than came to head, there just wasn’t much to latch onto here, for me. I’m not sure what was compelling to return to the series. The characters didn’t feel further developed and the plot was almost perfunctory. If you skipped the first book or maybe a long time passed between books, enough to no longer be situated in the established world, maybe the issues wouldn’t be as prevalent.
Overall, quite a mixed bag with Stross. 3 books, only one I liked quite a bit. Happy to be moving on to other (possibly post) cyberpunk works.
To call it a dead end job would be an understatement, policing the weird and sordid life of internet porn was like being in the U bend of her career as all the unpleasantness of life flowed past. This was DI Liz Kavanaugh's life now, but when a fetish nut dies on her watch, the Rule 34 squad goes from an irrelevance to high profile. This first death is just the tip of the fatberg as more start dying in the most bizarre ways possible and the more Kavanaugh finds out about the case and the links to organised crime, the less she wants to know…
This is loosely a sequel to Halting State with Kavanaugh being the only character who has made it from that book. There are all sorts going on in this future police thriller; in it, he crams all sorts about the possibilities of pervasive state monitoring, a psychopath loose and the way that the criminals work across states. The writing point of view doesn't always make it the easiest book to read, however, it is highly entertaining with some typical surreal moments and the pace varies from sluggish to fairly brisk. I liked it but didn't love it.
This is loosely a sequel to Halting State with Kavanaugh being the only character who has made it from that book. There are all sorts going on in this future police thriller; in it, he crams all sorts about the possibilities of pervasive state monitoring, a psychopath loose and the way that the criminals work across states. The writing point of view doesn't always make it the easiest book to read, however, it is highly entertaining with some typical surreal moments and the pace varies from sluggish to fairly brisk. I liked it but didn't love it.
Unlike some Stross books (notably the Jennifer Morgue series), Rule 34 holds together better as you get to the end of the story. The various lines come together, and the story mostly makes sense. I don't quite understand why the AI went over the edge and started killing the spammers, however, or why it then can turn to its real mission of "fighting crime." Maybe if I went back and read the last 100 pages or so, it would become clear. I will read through some other reviews and see if I can figure it out.
Stross does a good job of fleshing out the near-future world first introduced in Halting State, and of introducing new characters.
The second-person narration does a good job of trying to get you into the head of the characters, but it falls a little flat at times when used as a device to describe things that you would already know if this was really *you* we were talking about.
Still, the most impressive thing here is that Rule 34 is a character-driven story that hypothesis the implications of technological, political, and economic advances over the next decade or so on life, crime, and policing.
I just finished the book though, and I'm already thinking about going back to read it again -- because while the loose ends are tied up at the end, this book is rather dense with information, and knowing who was doing what and why would probably go a long way toward explaining their apparently inexplicable actions earlier on. Maybe...
The second-person narration does a good job of trying to get you into the head of the characters, but it falls a little flat at times when used as a device to describe things that you would already know if this was really *you* we were talking about.
Still, the most impressive thing here is that Rule 34 is a character-driven story that hypothesis the implications of technological, political, and economic advances over the next decade or so on life, crime, and policing.
I just finished the book though, and I'm already thinking about going back to read it again -- because while the loose ends are tied up at the end, this book is rather dense with information, and knowing who was doing what and why would probably go a long way toward explaining their apparently inexplicable actions earlier on. Maybe...
Of all of Charlie Stross's worlds I like this near-future Edinburgh the best - although the Laundry series comes a close second.
I think the use of the 2nd person present tense, the switching viewpoints and occasional pauses in the plot for an info dump all work very well. While it means it isn't always easy to follow what is going on, it sets the scene brilliantly. In this story, you're in the middle of things, it isn't always clear what is going on as you've only got part of the picture, but somehow it is all connected. Sometimes you don't find out what you need to know, other times you are given too much data and you have to try and work out what is relevant and what isn't. Loved it.
I think the use of the 2nd person present tense, the switching viewpoints and occasional pauses in the plot for an info dump all work very well. While it means it isn't always easy to follow what is going on, it sets the scene brilliantly. In this story, you're in the middle of things, it isn't always clear what is going on as you've only got part of the picture, but somehow it is all connected. Sometimes you don't find out what you need to know, other times you are given too much data and you have to try and work out what is relevant and what isn't. Loved it.
My introduction to Charles Stross was with the Bob Howard Laundry Files books, which I can't get enough of. They are some of the best books I've read recently.
This book on the other hand.....is a good explanation for why the 2nd person narrative isn't often used in fiction. The story (basically a smart, near-future cop thriller) was annoyingly cumbersome and difficult to follow because it is told from the perspective of several characters, who are all referred to as "you"......
Maybe I'm just not smart enough for it.
This book on the other hand.....is a good explanation for why the 2nd person narrative isn't often used in fiction. The story (basically a smart, near-future cop thriller) was annoyingly cumbersome and difficult to follow because it is told from the perspective of several characters, who are all referred to as "you"......
Maybe I'm just not smart enough for it.
A funny, enjoyably, intelligent novel about what will happen after the collapse of the banking system. Stross creates an almost to dense world, a presingularity strange Utopia, in which the Edinburgh's Rule 34 Squad fights organized internet crime and spam creators die by the hand of an almost supranatural killer using strange domestic accidents. One of Stross best books yet.
Rule 34 was my first introduction to Charles Stross so I wasn't sure what to expect and I almost bounced off this book hard for two reasons. Firstly, the book is written in the second person present, so instead of Barry did X (third person) or I did X (first person) this book uses You did X. I've never read a book written in that style before and it does take some getting used to.
Secondly, the opening pages are written phonetically with a lot of Scottish slang. Whole sentences were incomprehensible to me. Thankfully, that gets used much more sparingly as the book goes on which does make it easier to get into.
Thankfully underneath all of that noise is an entertaining near-future police procedural with some brilliant technology, some interesting characters and some good laughs. The book bounces around from the viewpoint of a detective investigating a series of suspicious deaths, a petty criminal caught up in plots well above his ability to deal with and a sociopath out to clean up the mess. Each character is different and well written enjoyable in their own way.
The ending was a little abrupt and disappointing. I felt we could have done with some more time to tie up the loose ends but overall it was worth reading and I'd certainly like to check out more of the authors work.
Secondly, the opening pages are written phonetically with a lot of Scottish slang. Whole sentences were incomprehensible to me. Thankfully, that gets used much more sparingly as the book goes on which does make it easier to get into.
Thankfully underneath all of that noise is an entertaining near-future police procedural with some brilliant technology, some interesting characters and some good laughs. The book bounces around from the viewpoint of a detective investigating a series of suspicious deaths, a petty criminal caught up in plots well above his ability to deal with and a sociopath out to clean up the mess. Each character is different and well written enjoyable in their own way.
The ending was a little abrupt and disappointing. I felt we could have done with some more time to tie up the loose ends but overall it was worth reading and I'd certainly like to check out more of the authors work.
I started off enjoying the second person narration, but it became tiring after a while - especially as the 'you' shifted each chapter. There are some interesting ideas in the book though, and in the end ideas are one of the main ingredients I look for in a good read.