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willrefuge's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/09/26/limited-wish-by-mark-lawrence-review/
The new Mark Lawrence time travel epic confused me past the point of… confusion. Not that that’s unusual. I’ve a physics background and can often follow the math to a point. That point was not in Limited Wish. I mean, I’d never even heard of half the principles in this book but… I digress.
Nick is 16, a budding genius, working on a time-altering project in Cambridge beside to his idol, Dr. Halligan. Following the events of the previous year, his hair has grown back, his leukemia’s in remission, he’s lost a girlfriend, and made several new and interesting enemies. Not bad for a teen, right? As Limited Wish opens, we find Nick easing back into his old life as just one more unrecognized genius. But that is about to change. Thanks to a previously unsolved proof, one famous professor, and the power of cancer, Nick’s stock is on the rise.
That is, until he attends a garden party. And his world changes forever.
Demus is back, as is a new time-traveler—doppelgänger for Helen, a cute girl Nick’s met at Cambridge—that Nick knows nothing about. But she knows him. As the story progresses, we find out more and more about time travel, the fate of the timelines, and more about 80’s music and D&D than some of us thought was possible. And the travelers themselves have their fates revealed.
One Word Kill was based on a strength of story and characters. While Limited Wish may have the theory nailed down (I honestly couldn’t tell you, but that Lawrence dude seems pretty smart, so) and the characters are stronger than ever, I found it was the story that suffered. I mean, a little. It was entertaining and all, but… well, time-travel novels tend to tie my brain in knots. Especially those that have their theory really down. Granted, I prefer them to the half-assed ones or whatever the “traveling through history” thing was in Paradox Bound—but I find that they still tend to detract from my enjoyment. Additionally, I didn’t think that this round’s main and D&D narratives melded as well as One Word Kill’s did. They were kinda related—but it was sometimes a stretch.
While I may have additional issues with the 2nd Impossible Times, I also have additional praise for it. The characters—mostly thorough and thought-out in OWKill—have evolved into something more, something truly believable. With one absolutely enormous caveat: the main villain. I didn’t really like Ian Rust in the first book. Thought he was pretty much around because the story needed a villain, but wasn’t believable at all. Charles is worse. I feel like he’s only around for the same reason, but isn’t the strong, believable person that Ian was. Which is just sad. Anyway, excepting Charles, the characters of LWish are what brings the story alive. From the interactions between Nicodemus and his D&D party members, to the group that collects when his cancer returns, to the love-triangle between Nick, Mia and Helen—the book’s strength is in its characters.
TL;DR
Limited Wish is an entertaining sequel that nearly lives up to its predecessor, yet fails to improve upon it. Pack with interesting characters, mind-bending time paradoxes, and entertaining pitfalls, it may be just what you need to break yourself out of a reading slump. However, a subpar story, unrelated D&D mashups and a villain that’s just stupid ridiculous may prove a setback to others. Free for Amazon Prime members means it’s probably worth a shot if you’re on the fence. But I’m hoping for better from the Impossible Times series when Dispel Illusion drops in November.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/09/26/limited-wish-by-mark-lawrence-review/
The new Mark Lawrence time travel epic confused me past the point of… confusion. Not that that’s unusual. I’ve a physics background and can often follow the math to a point. That point was not in Limited Wish. I mean, I’d never even heard of half the principles in this book but… I digress.
Nick is 16, a budding genius, working on a time-altering project in Cambridge beside to his idol, Dr. Halligan. Following the events of the previous year, his hair has grown back, his leukemia’s in remission, he’s lost a girlfriend, and made several new and interesting enemies. Not bad for a teen, right? As Limited Wish opens, we find Nick easing back into his old life as just one more unrecognized genius. But that is about to change. Thanks to a previously unsolved proof, one famous professor, and the power of cancer, Nick’s stock is on the rise.
That is, until he attends a garden party. And his world changes forever.
Demus is back, as is a new time-traveler—doppelgänger for Helen, a cute girl Nick’s met at Cambridge—that Nick knows nothing about. But she knows him. As the story progresses, we find out more and more about time travel, the fate of the timelines, and more about 80’s music and D&D than some of us thought was possible. And the travelers themselves have their fates revealed.
One Word Kill was based on a strength of story and characters. While Limited Wish may have the theory nailed down (I honestly couldn’t tell you, but that Lawrence dude seems pretty smart, so) and the characters are stronger than ever, I found it was the story that suffered. I mean, a little. It was entertaining and all, but… well, time-travel novels tend to tie my brain in knots. Especially those that have their theory really down. Granted, I prefer them to the half-assed ones or whatever the “traveling through history” thing was in Paradox Bound—but I find that they still tend to detract from my enjoyment. Additionally, I didn’t think that this round’s main and D&D narratives melded as well as One Word Kill’s did. They were kinda related—but it was sometimes a stretch.
While I may have additional issues with the 2nd Impossible Times, I also have additional praise for it. The characters—mostly thorough and thought-out in OWKill—have evolved into something more, something truly believable. With one absolutely enormous caveat: the main villain. I didn’t really like Ian Rust in the first book. Thought he was pretty much around because the story needed a villain, but wasn’t believable at all. Charles is worse. I feel like he’s only around for the same reason, but isn’t the strong, believable person that Ian was. Which is just sad. Anyway, excepting Charles, the characters of LWish are what brings the story alive. From the interactions between Nicodemus and his D&D party members, to the group that collects when his cancer returns, to the love-triangle between Nick, Mia and Helen—the book’s strength is in its characters.
TL;DR
Limited Wish is an entertaining sequel that nearly lives up to its predecessor, yet fails to improve upon it. Pack with interesting characters, mind-bending time paradoxes, and entertaining pitfalls, it may be just what you need to break yourself out of a reading slump. However, a subpar story, unrelated D&D mashups and a villain that’s just stupid ridiculous may prove a setback to others. Free for Amazon Prime members means it’s probably worth a shot if you’re on the fence. But I’m hoping for better from the Impossible Times series when Dispel Illusion drops in November.
embee007's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
"We all have something that’s just too much for us. Everyone does. We may never meet it, but it’s out there, waiting. We all have something that will make us take that same train my father took."
More DND, time travel, & now alternative timelines. This one seemed slower? But maybe it was me - it was a difficult month.
"I see the world but it doesn’t stick. All I am is this scrapbook of memory, fading, twisting as if it were written in smoke. I guess that’s all any of us are, but for me it seems more tenuous each day."
More DND, time travel, & now alternative timelines. This one seemed slower? But maybe it was me - it was a difficult month.
"I see the world but it doesn’t stick. All I am is this scrapbook of memory, fading, twisting as if it were written in smoke. I guess that’s all any of us are, but for me it seems more tenuous each day."
mjporterauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Limited Wish is a far more enjoyable read than Book 1 in the series, possibly because I know what to expect now, (but also because there's less 'mirror action' in the D & D game than in Book 1 - sorry, not a fan because I've never played it, and I just don't get it (ducks for cover!)). I read it in a few sittings, and look forward to Book 3 to discover just how Nick fares. A 5/5 from me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.
is_book_loring's review against another edition
5.0
Aside from the ridiculous questionable selfishness and irresponsible choices needed for the story, this was one hell of outstanding, mind bending experience. I still love Nick sense of humor a lot. The plot was expanding, the stake was insanely bigger than ever. Nick was trying to dodge the universe trying to kill him, saving not just one, but worlds in danger of collapsing and had to survive terminal cancer while trying to figure out his personal existentialism, all at the same time.
g_bryce42's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
twocents's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This book reminds me of my own D&D friends. I think people who like D&D might appreciate the story the most.
mattleestew's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a fun read and I enjoyed it more than the first one. That being said, it is quite a good book, but there is one thing that really bothers me though. The part with the reactor references graphite control rods and how it slows down the reaction - so them pulling them out is how they raise power. This is the exact opposite of how it works. Graphite is used as a moderator in some reactor cores (slows down neutrons so the fuel can absorb them and undergo fission). So the presence of graphite actually increases the fission rate not lowering it. Graphite is not normally used in control rods (with only 1 exception to my knowledge - RBMK reactors - aka Chernobyl). They were actually only tipped with graphite and made mainly of boron. The graphite tip is actually one of the many reasons that made it explode. This was considered a major design flaw.
Control rods are made of material that absorb neutrons so the fuel absorbs less, therefore lowering fission rate and power. I wasn't able to find much on it but I think the type of reactor referenced in the book (Magnox I think?) used control rods with boron as the main neutron absorber.
Even with this small rant of mine (that's literally about one thing in a single paragraph in the entire book) the book was still very good and I recommend it. Will still be reading the next one when it comes out.
Control rods are made of material that absorb neutrons so the fuel absorbs less, therefore lowering fission rate and power. I wasn't able to find much on it but I think the type of reactor referenced in the book (Magnox I think?) used control rods with boron as the main neutron absorber.
Even with this small rant of mine (that's literally about one thing in a single paragraph in the entire book) the book was still very good and I recommend it. Will still be reading the next one when it comes out.
themanfromdelmonte's review against another edition
5.0
This is a cracking little novel. The themes from the first novel are developed and complicated in a good way. The multiple worlds theory allows the author lots of latitude with the plot and I don’t envy him the job of trying to make it all internally consistent!
It rattles along at a good clip and this older version of a slightly built nerd envies Nick’s success with the ladies. Oh, and the maths of course.
It rattles along at a good clip and this older version of a slightly built nerd envies Nick’s success with the ladies. Oh, and the maths of course.
buckeyeordie's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the second book. The first 3/4's was exciting and didn't feel slow. The last 1/4 felt a bit rushed. It was easy to follow what Mark Lawrence was doing with time at the start but by the end it was overcomplicated or I read it too fast. I like the characters and I like the shorter length of these books. I will read the final book next.