Reviews

Gate Crashers by Patrick S. Tomlinson

jrosenstein's review against another edition

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3.0

An enjoyable space action romp, though I found all the jokes terribly clunky and unfunny.

mbcovarrubias's review against another edition

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3.0

I enjoyed the book. There were elements of Douglas Adams in the book, but where the book fell short was trying to only stay slightly with one foot in the silliness and one foot in serious satire. I don't feel like the two could be reconciled as one. It was entertaining, but it really just wanted to build tension which I wasn't feeling at all. This of course may just be a personal taste, but It was only a 3 out of 5 star read for me.

keen23's review against another edition

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4.0

Loved it!
Slow start, but once it got going, it was fabulous.

faileskye's review against another edition

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4.0

I recommend this book to fans of satire, dry humor, and John Scalzi books.

This novel is effectively three books in one, but not in a bad way. To elaborate, it’s roughly spit into a discovery, an exploration, and an intergalactic “relations” phase. This structure effectively keeps the story and plot from becoming stale or outstaying it’s welcome.

The wry humor is topical in a timeless way that pokes fun at things that always seem ripe for satire through the ages. I chuckled, I laughed, and was always entertained throughout. The characters, settings, and writing were all objectively solid.

At the end of the day, like many comedies, Gatecrashers is ultimately forgettable, but remains well worth your money.

ryanlaflamme's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

kantrah's review against another edition

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2.0

An enjoyable read but let down by the sillyness of the humour and basic scientific innacuracies. The humour doesn't really work well when it's not from the characters and jars you out of the story.
The characters themselves never really get fleshed out as more are added to the main cast. There's even a walking stereotype/trope.

jmy's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

bookmason's review against another edition

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3.0

Okay time waster, nice humourous edge, but more hard scifi novel than what I was lead to believe.
Not sure I'll read the sequel.
An interesting premise but it doesn't quite get the balance right between the humour and the serious side.

raforall's review against another edition

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4.0

Review coming to blog and Booklist Magazine soon.

Thought-provoking and fun-- in equal measures. A solid SF for fans both casual and serious.

hecate64's review against another edition

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5.0

It’s a blast

What a blast. I didn’t get anything done today because I read this in one sitting. If you like Scalzi and Valente, you’ll enjoy this.