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bronwena's review against another edition
5.0
This book blew my mind. Simply put, Mason is brilliant. Through the crisp, poetic clarity of his prose, prepare to be swept around the world and back on a dazzling flight that will leave you breathless. Void Star will drop you in a near-future world unsettlingly similar to our own. In fact, at times it reads a little like a dire and all-too-likely prediction of what lies ahead. Though other writers have played with the perfect memory trope, here it's deftly handled and well-integrated. This isn't a simple book, but taking the time to soak in its multilayered narrative is highly rewarding. Under the grit and hard edges lies beauty and soulfulness finding its shape in restrained sentences packed with meaning. I've never read anything like this book. In its scope, voice, and themes, it defies genre. At a time when "new" media isn't much but rehashing old stories (seriously, I cannot - will not - watch one more Spiderman movie), Void Star is fantastically, refreshingly original.
relly621's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dinojeezus's review against another edition
5.0
Glad I didn't see the earlier reviews, because they would've probably prevented me from reading this. It was excellent and reminiscent of classic cyberpunk.Yes, there are the standby tropes of cyberpunk, but that's kind of what defines the genre, haha.
ashercsb's review against another edition
5.0
I seem to have read quite a few books about what humanity might become, dealing with digital futures. None, however, have been this well structured. Yes, the world building is expansive, the plot is gripping, the characters have distinct personalities, and it's intriguing without being incomprehensible. Above all that, though, I found myself appreciating the way the storylines tied together naturally, the way the seeds of resolution had been believably sown.
I will note that Mason is more fond of very long sentences than I am, and while I loved the simile and description he produced, there are places where I wished he would stop so I could catch my metaphorical breath. This seems to happen mostly in the middle of the novel - at the beginning, perhaps, it's more tightly edited, and at the climax, the plot drove me forwards such that I didn't notice if that was still the case.
I will note that Mason is more fond of very long sentences than I am, and while I loved the simile and description he produced, there are places where I wished he would stop so I could catch my metaphorical breath. This seems to happen mostly in the middle of the novel - at the beginning, perhaps, it's more tightly edited, and at the climax, the plot drove me forwards such that I didn't notice if that was still the case.
godzillaismycopilot's review against another edition
4.0
Three-star story, 3.5-star character-depth, four-star take on artificial intelligence.
sizrobe's review against another edition
3.0
I usually judge a science fiction book on the quantity of cool ideas they present. This book had some neat stuff about the unfathomable inhumanness of hard AI and the constantly vertically expanding favelas, well seasoned with stuff like drones and power armor. Sadly, it wasn't enough to save this book. Honestly I found it hard to follow at times, which is remarkable given that there are only about six major characters in the whole thing. I was ready to give it 2 stars, but I liked the ending enough to bump it up to three. Generally, I felt like reading it was a chore.
zellyn's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is worth reading for the flooded post-global-warming future world-building alone, and in that way reminded me of Snow Crash. Low-star reviewer complaints about it being confusing had me expecting a Stephenson-like ending, but everything was tied together quite neatly.
My main complaint was that every character seemed to have world-class skills: there didn't seem to be many ordinary characters.
But definitely recommended.
My main complaint was that every character seemed to have world-class skills: there didn't seem to be many ordinary characters.
But definitely recommended.
jrae_miller's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sarahl8on's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5