Reviews

Think I’m giving up on this one. Just nit grabbing me and I keep putting it down and then forgetting who the characters are. Interesting science fiction concept but it is ultimately a bit of a police procedural which isn’t for me.

clburrill74's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

bibliophile80's review against another edition

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5.0

Recommend by the Writing Excuses podcast. I can't find much to complain about with this novel. It was inventive, edgy, and funny. The world-building was like a masterclass for new writers. Scalzi did a great job revealing just enough of the technology to give the reader a handle on things, but not so much that he explained every single aspect of the world and its unfamiliar aspects. I love his characters, his secondary plot arcs, his use of slang that's both familiar and strange (Dodger Dogs and threeps). The science was technical enough (for me) to be believable but not so complicated that I felt lost. I think this will be a book I'll both recommend and reread.

karanarberes's review against another edition

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3.0

procedural sci-fi; enjoyed the disability/med-advancement commentary, didn't see end coming

cantonchillifightclub's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious 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? No

3.75

angus_mckeogh's review against another edition

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2.0

I hope I’m not getting too old or jaded to read science fiction, and I’m probably against the trend on this one, but I found it just okay. The premise on the back of the book sounded amazing. But the storyline inside just seemed silly. Gratuitous, multiple murders for little motive. Battling robots (who oddly enough cannot really inflict damage on one another and also inexplicably have “installed pain sensors” that are irrationally dialed up to the maximum at various points in the book) with various human “consciousnesses” inside them, ridiculous interrogations of said robots again with different (and hidden) personalities. An appearance by the Navajos. A main character who is comatose and paralyzed in an apartment somewhere but living out his life in a robot avatar. A dad who’s a HOF basketball player. Uh...please. It just got more ridiculous. Oh well. It is what it is. Just not my kind of thing.

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