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timberwolf's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kvangundy's review
4.0
I had no idea what this was about going in and I loved it. Computer geeks, video games, teenage boys and the lengths they will go for stupid ideas, and young love. This is one that I would like to read again to catch some of the little hints in the code at the beginning of the chapters. As soon as my TBR is smaller... hahahaha who am I kidding. 4ππππ
mcipher's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book - I started reading and stayed up way too late because I loved how it brought me back to the days of the Commodore 64! It was fun to reminisce about the 80s, the book was really funny, and I liked the main character a lot - he was such a total spot-on teenage boy, doing dumb stuff because it made sense in his not-quite-developed brain. I did find some of the end a little implausible, but it didn't take away from the rest of the book at all, and that could be because I plowed through so fast, since sometimes you miss stuff when you're reading quickly and really excited to find out what happens next!
kate_reads's review against another edition
1.0
Do you like books where the female character is constantly called fat for being the slightest bit overweight? Then this book is for you.
Do you like books where the male protagonist lashes out at a female who rejects him by committing crimes against her? Then this book is for you.
Do you like books where the female character is basically slut shamed for once having feelings for a male character and acting on them? Then this book is for you.
I don't write reviews of books on this site because I basically only use it for keeping track of what I read, but holy shit did this book piss me off. The author took a great premise and turned it into everything I fucking hate.
Do you like books where the male protagonist lashes out at a female who rejects him by committing crimes against her? Then this book is for you.
Do you like books where the female character is basically slut shamed for once having feelings for a male character and acting on them? Then this book is for you.
I don't write reviews of books on this site because I basically only use it for keeping track of what I read, but holy shit did this book piss me off. The author took a great premise and turned it into everything I fucking hate.
cathy_slay's review against another edition
4.0
Book of the Month has this tagged as a sci-fi.
Itβs not.
Itβs not what I was expecting, but I did still enjoy it. A quick read, I would say this is more of a YA coming of age? There are light hearted 80s pop culture references, computer geekery, and a heist. There are also more sobering events (keeping it vague to avoid spoilers).
I gave it a 4 to be considerate, but if we could go with more precise numbers Iβd say 3.75 is appropriate.
Itβs not.
Itβs not what I was expecting, but I did still enjoy it. A quick read, I would say this is more of a YA coming of age? There are light hearted 80s pop culture references, computer geekery, and a heist. There are also more sobering events (keeping it vague to avoid spoilers).
I gave it a 4 to be considerate, but if we could go with more precise numbers Iβd say 3.75 is appropriate.
raisingz's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a fun and quick read! It was set in the 80s and I loved all of the fun references to early video games and pop culture. This book features a 14 year old computer programmer and his friends and all of the mischief they find themselves in. I am married to a computer programmer and I cant wait to share this book with him.
cweichel's review against another edition
3.0
Here is a quick synopsis: Boy meets girl. Girl helps boy with a computer game that they enter into a contest. Boy screws up. Their lives are much more complicated than they first seem. They get a chance start over.
Aspects of this book are laudable and other parts cringe worthy. Some of the guy talk with reference to women's and girl's bodies appalled me, especially all the fat jokes. I'm hoping these are not what other readers have considered funny.
Otherwise, I liked these authentic characters a lot. Their relationships are realistic. I appreciated how the friendship between Mary and Will grew over their computer programming work together. I like that Mary is shown to be the stronger programmer. I admire the friendship between Will, Alf and Clark.
The disaster that resulted from the trio's scheme to get a copy of the playboy issue with Vanna White was more or less predictable. Their escapade to the Catholic all girls school so that Will could apologize to Mary, and what ensued, was not. I was completely taken off guard by this part of the plot.
I appreciated the ending that leaves the reader excited for Mary and Will's new business, all the while leaving their personal relationship up in the air.
Aspects of this book are laudable and other parts cringe worthy. Some of the guy talk with reference to women's and girl's bodies appalled me, especially all the fat jokes. I'm hoping these are not what other readers have considered funny.
Otherwise, I liked these authentic characters a lot. Their relationships are realistic. I appreciated how the friendship between Mary and Will grew over their computer programming work together. I like that Mary is shown to be the stronger programmer. I admire the friendship between Will, Alf and Clark.
The disaster that resulted from the trio's scheme to get a copy of the playboy issue with Vanna White was more or less predictable. Their escapade to the Catholic all girls school so that Will could apologize to Mary, and what ensued, was not. I was completely taken off guard by this part of the plot.
I appreciated the ending that leaves the reader excited for Mary and Will's new business, all the while leaving their personal relationship up in the air.
anne1tje's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
wendybird's review
4.0
http://maybesbooks.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-impossible-fortress-by-jason-rekulak.html
telthor's review
4.0
Edit: What's this I've just read in Publishers Weekly about a Netflix adaptation? Hahahahaaaaaa /delighted
It's really a 3.5, but I'll round up.
I don't remember the 80s. I wasn't a thing then. So, whatever knowledge I have about the 80s comes second hand from movies and books--mostly about the history of video games, to be honest. I love reading up on the drama between Nintendo and Sega, and how Atari pretty much destroyed the home console market. Heck, I even played through the original Textventures for King's Quest this month, so reading a reference to the games made my heart go aflutter with excitement.
You remember Netflix's Stranger Things, before it got all monstery and Men in Blacky? It was a love letter to the 80s, right? With Dungeons and Dragons and kids on bikes and waffles? That's this book. A love letter to a decade, music and clothes and bullies and all the rest included. But without the supernatural monsters.
It's not a deep book by any means. It's about a bunch of 14-year-old boys trying to get their hands on a Playboy magazine so they can drool over Vanna White. I mean, really. It's not high class literature you're dealing with here. But it's light, goofy, and somehow innocent, approaching first love in a charming, if a little bizarre, way. It's sweet. Silly, but sweet. A beach read, something to enjoy as a palate cleanser between your heavy novels.
Also apparently you can play the Impossible Fortress game on the author website.
Also let it be known that I read an ARC of this with a really, really cute blue cover with a maze on it. If it publishes under the boring orange cover shown above, I am very sorry. The blue one is better.
It's really a 3.5, but I'll round up.
I don't remember the 80s. I wasn't a thing then. So, whatever knowledge I have about the 80s comes second hand from movies and books--mostly about the history of video games, to be honest. I love reading up on the drama between Nintendo and Sega, and how Atari pretty much destroyed the home console market. Heck, I even played through the original Textventures for King's Quest this month, so reading a reference to the games made my heart go aflutter with excitement.
You remember Netflix's Stranger Things, before it got all monstery and Men in Blacky? It was a love letter to the 80s, right? With Dungeons and Dragons and kids on bikes and waffles? That's this book. A love letter to a decade, music and clothes and bullies and all the rest included. But without the supernatural monsters.
It's not a deep book by any means. It's about a bunch of 14-year-old boys trying to get their hands on a Playboy magazine so they can drool over Vanna White. I mean, really. It's not high class literature you're dealing with here. But it's light, goofy, and somehow innocent, approaching first love in a charming, if a little bizarre, way. It's sweet. Silly, but sweet. A beach read, something to enjoy as a palate cleanser between your heavy novels.
Also apparently you can play the Impossible Fortress game on the author website.
Also let it be known that I read an ARC of this with a really, really cute blue cover with a maze on it. If it publishes under the boring orange cover shown above, I am very sorry. The blue one is better.