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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Sci fi techno thriller with a message. Thin characters, but the plot and the whiz bang ideas are the focus.
adventurous
challenging
informative
relaxing
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:
No
A fine and entertaining read; especially thought provoking in the early chapters, but tapering as I neared the end.
I liked it, (of course I did, I love this genre, and Mr. Suarez has made a fine contribution) but I must say that I liked the first half of the book better than the last.
Aside from the excessive techno babble in the first chapter, I enjoyed the speculation that the book into a potential future, with some of the main character's experiences feeling decidedly dystopian. But as I entered the final act, things began to feel rushed.
...And as touching as the final lines were, the romance subplot felt both forced and unnecessary.
I liked it, (of course I did, I love this genre, and Mr. Suarez has made a fine contribution) but I must say that I liked the first half of the book better than the last.
Aside from the excessive techno babble in the first chapter, I enjoyed the speculation that the book into a potential future, with some of the main character's experiences feeling decidedly dystopian. But as I entered the final act, things began to feel rushed.
...And as touching as the final lines were, the romance subplot felt both forced and unnecessary.
That was fun.
I’ve been trying to think of who Daniel Suarez reminds me of and I finally figured it out... If you like Suarez’s writing, also read Daryl Gregory (and vice versa).
I’ve been trying to think of who Daniel Suarez reminds me of and I finally figured it out... If you like Suarez’s writing, also read Daryl Gregory (and vice versa).
Gadget-geeks will love this. I know I did.
A good idea wrapped in an entertaining story.
A good idea wrapped in an entertaining story.
Fun 80s style near future thriller where bad guys are bad and good guys are good. I really enjoyed the science angle and the always fun nerds beat the tough guys story. I will be on the lookout for another book by Mr Suarez!
Loved the story and the performance. This is a nice departure from genetic science fiction where the aur tries to explain the science that his fiction is based on. a really marvelous job detailing the science behind the various concepts used in the book. loved it.
Listened to this. It was interesting, but I felt like the author just used techie terms to wow the audience. It was pretty drawn out and boring in sports to be honest. Kinda entertaining though.
Strangely uneven. He starts out the first chapter or two with very detailed, hard scifi writing about how the tech works. Then it moves into the best written part of the book, where the main character is imprisoned by the bad guys. (warning for some body horror in those parts, btw) That still has some tech explanations in it, but it's a good mix of that and the main character's emotions and thoughts, instead of being overwhelmingly technical like the first chapter. No doubt there are many people out there who would have read this book, but who were scared off by the first chapter.
Then, once he escapes from the prison, everything changes for some reason. All of a sudden, the guy you've been rooting for suddenly turns into someone who you...don't really like that much? Several other characters get introduced, including a Detective who I liked, but who got killed off unceremoniously, and a agent of the DRC (bad guys) who 'thought they were doing the right thing' and who defected to our side when she found out about the atrocities committed. I don't really know how to feel about her. On the one hand, the conversation she has about wanting to get pregnant and being told that she's company property is a striking one, but she's kind of flat other than that. She's supposed to be 45-ish, but she comes off as a 20-something. I feel like I should have liked her better. Oh well. Anyways, the last part was also strange in how it suddenly became an action story, about high speed chases and throwing tech at each other, instead of the battle of intelligence it was billed as by the synopsis. I mean, the tech battle is more realistic, but. I don't know. It was a sloppy ending. The middle was the best part. Still, I read it through to the end.
(also I wish we could have seen more of DRC Russia & DRC Asia. They made a big deal about them about 1/3 in, but then they pretty much dropped off the map. Also, the jokes made by Morrison and the clones clashed with the body horror jarringly.)
Then, once he escapes from the prison, everything changes for some reason. All of a sudden, the guy you've been rooting for suddenly turns into someone who you...don't really like that much? Several other characters get introduced, including a Detective who I liked, but who got killed off unceremoniously, and a agent of the DRC (bad guys) who 'thought they were doing the right thing' and who defected to our side when she found out about the atrocities committed. I don't really know how to feel about her. On the one hand, the conversation she has about wanting to get pregnant and being told that she's company property is a striking one, but she's kind of flat other than that. She's supposed to be 45-ish, but she comes off as a 20-something. I feel like I should have liked her better. Oh well. Anyways, the last part was also strange in how it suddenly became an action story, about high speed chases and throwing tech at each other, instead of the battle of intelligence it was billed as by the synopsis. I mean, the tech battle is more realistic, but. I don't know. It was a sloppy ending. The middle was the best part. Still, I read it through to the end.
(also I wish we could have seen more of DRC Russia & DRC Asia. They made a big deal about them about 1/3 in, but then they pretty much dropped off the map. Also, the jokes made by Morrison and the clones clashed with the body horror jarringly.)
I'm torn on this book - I both liked it and didn't. It presented a really interesting premise, but I found that I didn't particularly care for most of the characters.