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k_buck4's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
jobeswitzer's review against another edition
3.0
Goodreads says 3 stars, I say 3.5 stars.
While this is a science fiction book…I felt like it was a high level science course college text book at certain times. Mixed with an interesting historical and sociological plot around the Chinese cultural revolution.
Our main characters are interesting and I did in fact enjoy the majority of their journey. It was just when they started to go in depth about certain science topics that I felt how truly lost I was.
The overall plot of the story does have me interested so I do plan on reading more of the series. Just maybe after I get a PhD or two.
While this is a science fiction book…I felt like it was a high level science course college text book at certain times. Mixed with an interesting historical and sociological plot around the Chinese cultural revolution.
Our main characters are interesting and I did in fact enjoy the majority of their journey. It was just when they started to go in depth about certain science topics that I felt how truly lost I was.
The overall plot of the story does have me interested so I do plan on reading more of the series. Just maybe after I get a PhD or two.
wobbleffet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
bittrum's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
lookpook's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
kenziemcfarlane's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
bettina_evelyn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
janaroos's review against another edition
2.0
06/10: China
I had been putting this off for ages, excited by the massive hype and also I love any sci fi, so no one is more disappointed than me in this rating. It was going to be a three, because I thought 'oh, all the cool bits started at about 72%, so at least the last quarter will be really good', but NOPE. The preview for the next book started at 85% on my Kindle. So hear my warning: everything cool in this book happens pretty much only in the last 10%. Before that you can just ctrl-f for Da Shi, because he is also involved in anything cool going on.
So I thought that once again the problem was my expectations. I had been promised aliens, so I expected them, and a more action-packed invasion story. What I got was the hardest of sci-fi, a ton of flashbacks, and some philosophy. I love philosophy (yes please [b:Red Mars|77507|Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440699787l/77507._SY75_.jpg|40712] series) but things also need to happen. A vague sense of unease can only be maintained so long before it becomes a very real sense of impatience.
I can't complain too much without spoilers, so let me state the main takeaways: most of this book takes place in or soon after the Cultural Revolution. There are aliens but they only sort-of appear toward the end. There is a game called Three Body which is the most interesting part of the first half of the book. All of the characters, aside from Da Shi, are pretty one-dimensional (ironically hahahaha you will get that when you reach the end of the book, good luck). Thank heavens for Da Shi, who is probably himself disgusted at being in this book, as the only normal, rational, clever and human character.
The main problem: very little of this book takes place in the present, and anything that took place in the past is immediately explained in its own chapter set in the past (instead of, you know, a short recap in dialogue). An interrogator wants to know how two of the baddies met? Why let's have a whole chapter devoted to experiencing it with them. Spoiler alert: they're pretty inhuman and pretty boring. The author is constantly breaking the pace of the actual interesting and concerning events in the present by forcing us to reread the tedious life (with a few moments of alien-y exceptions) of a scientist in the 60s. And why the hell should I care?
I'm still going to read the rest of the series, in the hope that somewhere, something has to happen. Also Da Shi is a badass and I sure hope he appears again to smack all these unbelievably bland scientists upside the head.
I had been putting this off for ages, excited by the massive hype and also I love any sci fi, so no one is more disappointed than me in this rating. It was going to be a three, because I thought 'oh, all the cool bits started at about 72%, so at least the last quarter will be really good', but NOPE. The preview for the next book started at 85% on my Kindle. So hear my warning: everything cool in this book happens pretty much only in the last 10%. Before that you can just ctrl-f for Da Shi, because he is also involved in anything cool going on.
So I thought that once again the problem was my expectations. I had been promised aliens, so I expected them, and a more action-packed invasion story. What I got was the hardest of sci-fi, a ton of flashbacks, and some philosophy. I love philosophy (yes please [b:Red Mars|77507|Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440699787l/77507._SY75_.jpg|40712] series) but things also need to happen. A vague sense of unease can only be maintained so long before it becomes a very real sense of impatience.
I can't complain too much without spoilers, so let me state the main takeaways: most of this book takes place in or soon after the Cultural Revolution. There are aliens but they only sort-of appear toward the end. There is a game called Three Body which is the most interesting part of the first half of the book. All of the characters, aside from Da Shi, are pretty one-dimensional (ironically hahahaha you will get that when you reach the end of the book, good luck). Thank heavens for Da Shi, who is probably himself disgusted at being in this book, as the only normal, rational, clever and human character.
The main problem: very little of this book takes place in the present, and anything that took place in the past is immediately explained in its own chapter set in the past (instead of, you know, a short recap in dialogue). An interrogator wants to know how two of the baddies met? Why let's have a whole chapter devoted to experiencing it with them. Spoiler alert: they're pretty inhuman and pretty boring. The author is constantly breaking the pace of the actual interesting and concerning events in the present by forcing us to reread the tedious life (with a few moments of alien-y exceptions) of a scientist in the 60s. And
Spoiler
it looks like she dies at the end soI'm still going to read the rest of the series, in the hope that somewhere, something has to happen. Also Da Shi is a badass and I sure hope he appears again to smack all these unbelievably bland scientists upside the head.