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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
I really loved the premise of this book, and it’s also my first science/magic take on time travel. The archaeologist in me was appeased by the history, but the writing drones on in several places to the point that towards the end I started skimming in some places.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a fun romp through time, although it does move rather slow. If you've ever worked in government or a large company, I'm sure the company structure will be familiar. I also enjoy the different types of storytelling throughout the book, with journal entries and letters and transcripts.
challenging
funny
mysterious
medium-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:
No
Tråkig bok. Orealistiskt scenario (resa i tiden för att spara undan en bok för att få fortsatta forskningsmedel. Läste i recensionerna att mitten delen skulle vara satir över byråkrati. Inte alls vad jag är intresserad av att läsa om.
Tyckte den var lite B med ointressanta huvudpersoner och övertydliga hänvisningar till saker som kommer att hända senare i boken.
Tyckte den var lite B med ointressanta huvudpersoner och övertydliga hänvisningar till saker som kommer att hända senare i boken.
It's good. The audio book was a better experience because the readers' accents were delightful.
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Rise and Fall of DODO had been on my TBR for quite sometime after a stellar recommendation from a few friends. That plus the really original title and premise had me really excited.
The book starts off SLOW. Slow enough that I debated a DNF but gave it time as something kept pulling me along. Then it sort of starts to speed up... with multiple viewpoints and types of writing. The main story is told through a sort of journal/letter entry from Melisandre, who is stuck in 1851 London when magic disappears. But we also have journal entries from Rebecca (the wife of the inventor of the machine that allows magic to happen in current day), email sequences, text sequences, a long epic poem... among others. It sounds challenging to follow but the authors do an excellent job of keeping each one in it's own voice so they never ever get confused with each other.
The book picks up to a point where it's literally unputdownable.... and then... *sigh* It crashes into the problem of time travel books everywhere. How do you actually end the book and put the anachronisms and resulting time travel conundrums to rest?
And this is where the book failed spectacularly. The end just feels rushed, anticlimatic, and DEEPLY unsatisfying. Maybe that's the brilliance of it? I just wasn't a fan.
The book starts off SLOW. Slow enough that I debated a DNF but gave it time as something kept pulling me along. Then it sort of starts to speed up... with multiple viewpoints and types of writing. The main story is told through a sort of journal/letter entry from Melisandre, who is stuck in 1851 London when magic disappears. But we also have journal entries from Rebecca (the wife of the inventor of the machine that allows magic to happen in current day), email sequences, text sequences, a long epic poem... among others. It sounds challenging to follow but the authors do an excellent job of keeping each one in it's own voice so they never ever get confused with each other.
The book picks up to a point where it's literally unputdownable.... and then... *sigh* It crashes into the problem of time travel books everywhere. How do you actually end the book and put the anachronisms and resulting time travel conundrums to rest?
And this is where the book failed spectacularly. The end just feels rushed, anticlimatic, and DEEPLY unsatisfying. Maybe that's the brilliance of it? I just wasn't a fan.
Neal earned a 4th star on this book by having an actual plot with a climax. He still petered out tho.
He didn’t finish the story, leaving the world ready for sequels.
This was actually a pretty interesting story with lots of good ideas (like most of his books.)
At one point there’s a ridiculous plot involving a Black Friday invasion of a Walmart, but I forgive him. I can’t forgive him for a Viking Edda which describes said invasion.
But it wouldn’t be a Stephenson book without 100 extra pages of (interesting but not particularly relevant) padding.
Bad guys are divided into three types: competent/evil, incompetent, and dumb/evil.
Good guys are divided into super competent at everything, and one trick ponies (amazing at one thing.)
Normal people don’t even get names because they’re boring.
Fun story, tho.
He didn’t finish the story, leaving the world ready for sequels.
This was actually a pretty interesting story with lots of good ideas (like most of his books.)
At one point there’s a ridiculous plot involving a Black Friday invasion of a Walmart, but I forgive him. I can’t forgive him for a Viking Edda which describes said invasion.
But it wouldn’t be a Stephenson book without 100 extra pages of (interesting but not particularly relevant) padding.
Bad guys are divided into three types: competent/evil, incompetent, and dumb/evil.
Good guys are divided into super competent at everything, and one trick ponies (amazing at one thing.)
Normal people don’t even get names because they’re boring.
Fun story, tho.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Loved the premise, and the exploration of quantum mechanics, science, tech, magic, time travel, linguistics, and historical details. The research that went into this book must have been insane. Very well executed given how much breadth was covered
It was a little repetitive at times (just the authors repeating stuff they'd already mentioned before). I know the acronyms were supposed to kinda be poking fun, but there were too many to keep track of by middle of the book. Kinda thought the plot would be wrapped up in the one book, given the length, and I think it could have been, so that was mildly disappointing. Nonetheless I'll probably read the next one as I did thoroughly enjoy this one, especially the history and linguistics details.
It was a little repetitive at times (just the authors repeating stuff they'd already mentioned before). I know the acronyms were supposed to kinda be poking fun, but there were too many to keep track of by middle of the book. Kinda thought the plot would be wrapped up in the one book, given the length, and I think it could have been, so that was mildly disappointing. Nonetheless I'll probably read the next one as I did thoroughly enjoy this one, especially the history and linguistics details.
Thoroughly enjoyable must-read for any time-travel buff. I just finished 742 pages and wish there were more.