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jmbz38's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
woodbyte's review against another edition
5.0
He has done it again, another great story that sucked me in. I can't wait to see this done as a movie.
cmbohn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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
3.5
The best part of this book was the characters. The plot was a little shaky and definitely derivative, but the pacing was good. It was Clines characters that really made the book. They were believable and it made you care about them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
harlando's review against another edition
3.0
Not awful (2.5 stars, rounding up), but not as good as Ready Player One. I thought the hero was more approachable here. He is an average nerd rather than a relentless hacking, gaming, pop culture devouring super-genius.
It is riffing on the last Starfighter and several other 80s favorites. Cline knows he’s doing that and isn’t trying to hide it. It’s not a bad riff on any of those movies, but it’s not fresh or insightful.
The characters in this novel share an irritating trait with those in Ready Player One. Cline writes people who seem able to spend 12+ hours per day watching movies, playing games, or reading books while still holding jobs, going to school, and having relationships. Lots of people are able to do all of those things, but Cline’s characters seem to be able to do all of them, all the time, and better than anyone I know. It bothers me. I’d rather read about a guy who is a little groggy after spending all night gaming than one who is plugged in 16 hours per day with no ill-effects or scheduling conflicts.
By about the halfway point I was ready for it to end and had to force myself through the last few chapters.
It is riffing on the last Starfighter and several other 80s favorites. Cline knows he’s doing that and isn’t trying to hide it. It’s not a bad riff on any of those movies, but it’s not fresh or insightful.
The characters in this novel share an irritating trait with those in Ready Player One. Cline writes people who seem able to spend 12+ hours per day watching movies, playing games, or reading books while still holding jobs, going to school, and having relationships. Lots of people are able to do all of those things, but Cline’s characters seem to be able to do all of them, all the time, and better than anyone I know. It bothers me. I’d rather read about a guy who is a little groggy after spending all night gaming than one who is plugged in 16 hours per day with no ill-effects or scheduling conflicts.
By about the halfway point I was ready for it to end and had to force myself through the last few chapters.
bluebeereads's review against another edition
5.0
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
When I read Ready Player One last year, I was sure there would be no way for this author to top himself. Because that book was SO great and amazing. I have never been so happy to be wrong.
Armada is about Zack. He's daydreaming in another boring math class when he suddenly sees a UFO outside and it looks like one from the videogame he always plays, Armada, in which gamers just happen to be protecting earth from an alien invasion. Initially, he thinks he's going crazy. Suddenly everything becomes all too real and his skills - as well as those from gamers all around the world - are needed to save the world.
While Ready Player One was epic in and of itself, Armada ups the stakes. RPO felt much more... contained. It was more like a high-stakes global treasure hunt. Armada is an all-out intergalactic war that threatens to destroy the world. Both make use of 80's and 90's pop-culture references and I think that's the thing that makes me enjoy them so much. Because I'm not a big science fiction fan, but I just love these books so much! It makes these books just the right amount of nerdy. The writing was fantastic, but I'm sure you already know that. Man... those final 100 pages... Damn.
Because of spoilers, I don't want to talk too much about the characters. I loved all of them though. Especially Zack, the main character, and Lex, a girl he meets in-between the giant mess. I loved both of them instantly. I loved their chemistry a lot and that there wasn't really a romance until the very end of the book. There are some characters I would've liked to see more of though.
Overall, Armada is everything I wanted it to be. It's intense, gripping, full of nail-biting action and plenty of old pop culture references to make any nerdy heart go wild. Ernest Cline can do no wrong and just confirms why he's on my author autobuy list. Read this!
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog.
When I read Ready Player One last year, I was sure there would be no way for this author to top himself. Because that book was SO great and amazing. I have never been so happy to be wrong.
Armada is about Zack. He's daydreaming in another boring math class when he suddenly sees a UFO outside and it looks like one from the videogame he always plays, Armada, in which gamers just happen to be protecting earth from an alien invasion. Initially, he thinks he's going crazy. Suddenly everything becomes all too real and his skills - as well as those from gamers all around the world - are needed to save the world.
While Ready Player One was epic in and of itself, Armada ups the stakes. RPO felt much more... contained. It was more like a high-stakes global treasure hunt. Armada is an all-out intergalactic war that threatens to destroy the world. Both make use of 80's and 90's pop-culture references and I think that's the thing that makes me enjoy them so much. Because I'm not a big science fiction fan, but I just love these books so much! It makes these books just the right amount of nerdy. The writing was fantastic, but I'm sure you already know that. Man... those final 100 pages... Damn.
Because of spoilers, I don't want to talk too much about the characters. I loved all of them though. Especially Zack, the main character, and Lex, a girl he meets in-between the giant mess. I loved both of them instantly. I loved their chemistry a lot and that there wasn't really a romance until the very end of the book. There are some characters I would've liked to see more of though.
Overall, Armada is everything I wanted it to be. It's intense, gripping, full of nail-biting action and plenty of old pop culture references to make any nerdy heart go wild. Ernest Cline can do no wrong and just confirms why he's on my author autobuy list. Read this!
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog.
shdnx's review against another edition
3.0
A disappointment after the great [b:Ready Player One|9969571|Ready Player One|Ernest Cline|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406383612s/9969571.jpg|14863741].
The idea is far from original, and the implementation also leaves something to be desired. Basically, this book is every single cliché put together that you can think of by reading the summary.
Nonetheless, I mildly enjoyed the book - it was entertaining in its own way - up until the last 20%. I didn't like the last part at all.
In every sense, Armada's target audience are the high school nerds. However, the book goes to extreme lengths for this purpose, and that makes it hard to enjoy as someone who's not directly in this target audience.
It was a somewhat entertaining, short and light read. A light read, you ask? Yes, because in the book it never feels like that there are tragedies happenning. The book does a very poor job of creational emotional bonds in the reader. But that's a good thing, because at least I can just shrug and forget about this book now.
The idea is far from original, and the implementation also leaves something to be desired. Basically, this book is every single cliché put together that you can think of by reading the summary.
Nonetheless, I mildly enjoyed the book - it was entertaining in its own way - up until the last 20%. I didn't like the last part at all.
In every sense, Armada's target audience are the high school nerds. However, the book goes to extreme lengths for this purpose, and that makes it hard to enjoy as someone who's not directly in this target audience.
It was a somewhat entertaining, short and light read. A light read, you ask? Yes, because in the book it never feels like that there are tragedies happenning. The book does a very poor job of creational emotional bonds in the reader. But that's a good thing, because at least I can just shrug and forget about this book now.
cmallerywriter's review against another edition
3.0
Fun story a little verbose at times
Undoubtedly Ernst Cline is feeling super nostalgic about his lifetime. This story is fun with lots of direct quotes and nods to every sci-fi fandom out there. Certain descriptions of battle tactics and robotics felt rather unnecessary to the flow of the story. Still it was a fun read even when I skimmed the stuff I didn’t care about.
Undoubtedly Ernst Cline is feeling super nostalgic about his lifetime. This story is fun with lots of direct quotes and nods to every sci-fi fandom out there. Certain descriptions of battle tactics and robotics felt rather unnecessary to the flow of the story. Still it was a fun read even when I skimmed the stuff I didn’t care about.
halconde's review against another edition
I dislike the protagonist. He's cringey and has an oversized ego. I also thought the concept was really unoriginal. The writing was poor. It was hard to suspend disbelief.
topdragon's review against another edition
3.0
Like many other readers, (particularly geeky gamers/fantasy/sf/movie buffs who spent their formative years in the 1980’s like myself), I really, really wanted to like this book. Love it even. Like I did with Mr. Cline’s first novel, [b:Ready Player One|9969571|Ready Player One|Ernest Cline|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406383612s/9969571.jpg|14863741]. (See my review here)
Alas, it was not to be.
I will resist the temptation to start cataloging all that is wrong with this novel. I can see several prominent reviewers have already done that superbly. While I can appreciate the objectives that the author was working toward, the themes, the settings, etc., I just can’t recommend the final product. It reads like mid-quality fan fiction. I’m sure the author was under tremendous pressure to capture lightning in a bottle once again, as he did with his first novel, but unfortunately, he fell far short. In retrospect, trying to stick with the approach of including every conceivable geeky pop culture reference from gaming, movies, TV shows, etc. that he could cram in there may have been a mistake. Not only did it start to feel forced, it also invited the inevitable comparisons to that first amazingly successful novel once again. And this time, nothing about it was unique anymore.
Despite all of this, the author does have a certain charm with his characters and that came out from time to time during this novel. This is the main reason for my star rating…despite so many flaws, it was still kind of a fun book to read. Whether or not Ernest Cline will remain a one-book wonder, I will reserve judgement. As of now, the jury is still out.
Alas, it was not to be.
I will resist the temptation to start cataloging all that is wrong with this novel. I can see several prominent reviewers have already done that superbly. While I can appreciate the objectives that the author was working toward, the themes, the settings, etc., I just can’t recommend the final product. It reads like mid-quality fan fiction. I’m sure the author was under tremendous pressure to capture lightning in a bottle once again, as he did with his first novel, but unfortunately, he fell far short. In retrospect, trying to stick with the approach of including every conceivable geeky pop culture reference from gaming, movies, TV shows, etc. that he could cram in there may have been a mistake. Not only did it start to feel forced, it also invited the inevitable comparisons to that first amazingly successful novel once again. And this time, nothing about it was unique anymore.
Despite all of this, the author does have a certain charm with his characters and that came out from time to time during this novel. This is the main reason for my star rating…despite so many flaws, it was still kind of a fun book to read. Whether or not Ernest Cline will remain a one-book wonder, I will reserve judgement. As of now, the jury is still out.