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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
I'm not crying, you're crying. How fun. And silly. And suspenseful. What a switch-a-roo. And a little sweet too.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“So we’re like Spotify, but for evil.”
“We’re much less evil than Spotify. We actually pay a living wage to the people whose work we’re selling.”
3.5 stars, ish. Scalzi’s premises should so often be my everything — I love things riffing on superheroes & supervillains! Austin Grossman’s [b:Soon I Will Be Invincible|645180|Soon I Will Be Invincible|Austin Grossman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320554514l/645180._SY75_.jpg|955983] was one of my favourite books! — but alongside [b:Redshirts|13055592|Redshirts|John Scalzi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348617890l/13055592._SX50_.jpg|18130445] and [b:The Kaiju Preservation Society|57693406|The Kaiju Preservation Society|John Scalzi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624897234l/57693406._SY75_.jpg|90049719], I think his comedic books just don’t work as well for me. The Jokes and the Bits get in the way of any emotional resonance, and I think I’m just so often wanting something richer.
I find myself thinking of Terry Pratchett, who also wrote genre satire, but whose books could have me laughing and sobbing in equal measure, and where the comedy supplements but doesn’t actually undermine its real point. Here, the schtick means the novel’s just kinda relegated to fun fluff.
Which, don’t get me wrong, isn’t bad! I liked this more than KPS (read for last year’s Hugos) but it’s similarly just a generally vaguely fun time that probably won’t stick with me long-term. It’s short and I blew through it in less than a week, so it’s a very quick enjoyable read.
4.5 stars
Loved everything except the ending, which was a bit of a let down for me (and I can't necessarily articulate why - I think I wanted Morrison to get her own book and have the story keep going)
Loved everything except the ending, which was a bit of a let down for me (and I can't necessarily articulate why - I think I wanted Morrison to get her own book and have the story keep going)
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
DNF
I really wanted to like this but struggled to get into it so gave up. Maybe it wasn’t the right book for my frame of mind - I may try it again in the future.
I really wanted to like this but struggled to get into it so gave up. Maybe it wasn’t the right book for my frame of mind - I may try it again in the future.
Lots of fun! I’d put it in a sci-fi humor genre, which is an interesting combo. Guy finds out his estranged uncle dies, someone shows up at his house asking for a favor from said dead uncle, and insanity begins. Love all the Chicago references. I'm a dog person, but the cats in this story are great. The dolphins might even be better. The wit and astonishment of the main character cracks me up, both his thoughts and in conversation.
The audiobook narrator has a great snarky tone, perfect for character. And he's hysterical. It’s Wil Wheaton! I've had a crush on him since 1986 in “Stand By Me”. He does a really great job emphasizing the character’s experience, and seems to be having the best time reading this story.
Overall, the story is very funny and lots of fun. I will look for more “sci-fi humor” ridiculousness from John Scalzi to shake up my normal reading genres.
The audiobook narrator has a great snarky tone, perfect for character. And he's hysterical. It’s Wil Wheaton! I've had a crush on him since 1986 in “Stand By Me”. He does a really great job emphasizing the character’s experience, and seems to be having the best time reading this story.
Overall, the story is very funny and lots of fun. I will look for more “sci-fi humor” ridiculousness from John Scalzi to shake up my normal reading genres.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What's not to love about this fun, engaging book? There's nerd references galore, snarky dialogue, spy cats, unionized dolphins, evil billionaires with cats and secret organizations, volcano lairs, and so much more. If you love out of the box, quirky sci-fi, this is definitely for you.
dark
funny