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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This story was fast paced, had an interesting plot and likable characters as well as some believably annoying ones. I got sucked into the story really fast and finished it on no time - also due to the pleasant writing style.
I only give for starts, because it had some weak points too.
Sometimes I didn't understand why characters acted like they did.
The conclusion of the "big problem" was way to fast and vague considering the big, big build up before.
But I still enjoyed it a lot, so it deserves it's good 4 stars!
This was the first of the series I've read, so I can't compare it to the earlier books, but you can also start here, since the big story line of the first three books is finished, and just acts as a base for the new plot arc that starts with this book.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
tense
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
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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:
Yes
I’m just devouring these like the Protomolecule devoured Eros.
Can’t wait to see how they film this one.
Can’t wait to see how they film this one.
3.25/5.00
Cibola Burn feels somewhat out of place. While I dearly wish to love adore and praise an Expanse book, I cannot do so without being intellectually dishonest. This book, shockingly, is a western. While some may appreciate the irony of this concept being executed in a world as diametrically opposite to a western setting, I failed to enjoy the characters, the story and the tension. Guess what, James Holden has indestructible plot armor, and no one can be convinced that his life is in any risk. Overall, a good book. Unfortunately, the lowest ranked among the Expanse books I have enjoyed so far.
Theme -> The expanse continues to ask difficult questions about humanity and focuses intensely on the fundamental forces that drive us. Survival, tribalism and pettiness are things that hold us back as a species.
Characters -> Cibola Burn fails spectacularly in this regard. None of the new characters are interesting. I already drudged through an undeserved redemption arc in book 3, and faced warmongering psychopaths in book 2. Such characters do not need to be revisited. Cibola burns also fails to intrigue main characters and with recurring characters. However, there are some moments where the true ability of the writers comes through, displaying the real potential of these books.
Plot -> I really struggled with the plot here, which is just a repeat of book 3. Book 3 executed this plot style perfectly. I would have rejected the plot as bad, if not for the epilogue at the end, and some of the wordbuilding twists.
Prose -> Nothing new to say here, very competent and skilled as usual. Good dialogue.
World Building -> Cibola Burn's best performance is in the world building as I expected. While we are not even close to the excellence of Book 1 or Book 3, we are still doing reasonably good. Hoping to see better stuff.
Cibola Burn feels somewhat out of place. While I dearly wish to love adore and praise an Expanse book, I cannot do so without being intellectually dishonest. This book, shockingly, is a western. While some may appreciate the irony of this concept being executed in a world as diametrically opposite to a western setting, I failed to enjoy the characters, the story and the tension. Guess what, James Holden has indestructible plot armor, and no one can be convinced that his life is in any risk. Overall, a good book. Unfortunately, the lowest ranked among the Expanse books I have enjoyed so far.
Theme -> The expanse continues to ask difficult questions about humanity and focuses intensely on the fundamental forces that drive us. Survival, tribalism and pettiness are things that hold us back as a species.
Characters -> Cibola Burn fails spectacularly in this regard. None of the new characters are interesting. I already drudged through an undeserved redemption arc in book 3, and faced warmongering psychopaths in book 2. Such characters do not need to be revisited. Cibola burns also fails to intrigue main characters and with recurring characters. However, there are some moments where the true ability of the writers comes through, displaying the real potential of these books.
Plot -> I really struggled with the plot here, which is just a repeat of book 3. Book 3 executed this plot style perfectly. I would have rejected the plot as bad, if not for the epilogue at the end, and some of the wordbuilding twists.
Prose -> Nothing new to say here, very competent and skilled as usual. Good dialogue.
World Building -> Cibola Burn's best performance is in the world building as I expected. While we are not even close to the excellence of Book 1 or Book 3, we are still doing reasonably good. Hoping to see better stuff.
Weaker than the first three--more disjointed, the characters a little more 2-dimensional. Still quite entertaining though.
I want to make special note of the fact that my 3* rating is for the book, however. The performance of the AUDIOBOOK, however, was abysmal. Had to read this one on my Kindle because the narrator of the audiobook was just intolerable. Glad to hear that Jefferson Mays is back for Nemesis Games, he was sorely missed here.
I want to make special note of the fact that my 3* rating is for the book, however. The performance of the AUDIOBOOK, however, was abysmal. Had to read this one on my Kindle because the narrator of the audiobook was just intolerable. Glad to hear that Jefferson Mays is back for Nemesis Games, he was sorely missed here.