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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
What a long, relentless book that is clearly mocking scientific research and top-secret, military-led endeavors. It should have been 1/2 its length because it reads like a tv series rather than a novel. I listened all the way to the end because I had committed to it, but don’t feel much for the characters. The author does a good job of keeping them all at a surface-level of observation. Even the main character, who writes in a journal, doesn’t share much about her feelings beyond cursing or being annoyed at being trapped in the past: there’s a lot of description of what’s happening but each character feels like a caricature to me.
It's a fine book with a very neat concept but this is not a stand alone novel so that tempers my recommendation as the story is incomplete.
What this book does really well is use mixed media (Email, IM, Diary, Memo, etc) to tell a story.
The audible version featured a fairly full cast and was quiet good.
What this book does really well is use mixed media (Email, IM, Diary, Memo, etc) to tell a story.
The audible version featured a fairly full cast and was quiet good.
I can't remember the exact reason except that it seemed tedious and never ending. I quit when Tristan went on his mission having to go further back in time to prevent the mill which cropped up after Mel's interference into the past.
Pretty darn good
This story is long and worth it. There are a couple of snags along the way, but you can get past them.
One problem for me is the authors ‘ great enjoyment of acronyms and multi-sourced storytelling. There is a part of the book that bogs down with this. But it is quickly over, and general enjoyment then resumes.
The characters seemed very real to me. The story was quite creative. I recommend this book.
This story is long and worth it. There are a couple of snags along the way, but you can get past them.
One problem for me is the authors ‘ great enjoyment of acronyms and multi-sourced storytelling. There is a part of the book that bogs down with this. But it is quickly over, and general enjoyment then resumes.
The characters seemed very real to me. The story was quite creative. I recommend this book.
If Clive Cussler is your idea of literary perfection, you'll love this. "Two-dimensional" is giving it far too much credit.
Interesting mixture of tech and fantasy, and I liked the way it was written (compilation of journals, messages, e-mails, etc).
But (slight spoiler alert), I hate when I read a 742 page book and then discover it's really just Part 1. Maybe there won't be a Part 2 (or more), but it sure seems set up for that. I just wish I had known that before I started.
But (slight spoiler alert), I hate when I read a 742 page book and then discover it's really just Part 1. Maybe there won't be a Part 2 (or more), but it sure seems set up for that. I just wish I had known that before I started.
The premise is good. I wanted to love this book, and I did love parts of it.
BUT.
Overall, it was a slog. I don't know who edited this book, but they ought to be ashamed of themselves. Probably half of it could've been dumped without any harm. So many things were repeated, and I just got tired of reading it.
I trudged all the way through, though, because I wanted to see how it turned out. So I think that speaks to the plot, at least. And some of the characters were delightfully written. (Others not so much.)
If you have a lot of time on your hands and absolutely nothing else to read, this is probably okay.
BUT.
Overall, it was a slog. I don't know who edited this book, but they ought to be ashamed of themselves. Probably half of it could've been dumped without any harm. So many things were repeated, and I just got tired of reading it.
I trudged all the way through, though, because I wanted to see how it turned out. So I think that speaks to the plot, at least. And some of the characters were delightfully written. (Others not so much.)
If you have a lot of time on your hands and absolutely nothing else to read, this is probably okay.
Enjoyable beach read, but not the next great American novel.
Reminded me a lot of Connie Willis The Doomsday Book (which I preferred).
Good; long.
Favorite character was the first witch from Hungary Erszebet. She said:
"Death would have been less boring than surviving this last century. This is a terrible country for old people. You put them away in horrible buildings that are completely shut off from life, and then do everything possible to keep them alive. It is a very stupid system. You should all be shot."
Good; long.
Favorite character was the first witch from Hungary Erszebet. She said:
"Death would have been less boring than surviving this last century. This is a terrible country for old people. You put them away in horrible buildings that are completely shut off from life, and then do everything possible to keep them alive. It is a very stupid system. You should all be shot."
more light hearted than Stephenson usually is but it certainly works.