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A review by banjax451
A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy by Alex White
2.0
Sometimes...you want to like a book so much because it checks all of the boxes you love...and you try and try and try...but it doesn't work.
I almost never write reviews - so it says something that I chose to write this one. This isn't a bad book. In some ways, 2 stars seems unfair. Like I said, it checks so many boxes. Space opera. Heist shenanigans. Diverse cast. Cleverly designed universe. Nevermind that the action sequences are written extremely well - indeed, the action sequences are probably the only reason I kept up and finished it. And when the book is moving along and doing action - it is very readable.
The problem is the non-action parts of the book. The central relationship is not well written - and I wanted it to be because I'm all in favor of depicting relationships like that. But the dialogue between them is clunky and they never come across as a believable couple. Honestly, most of the non-action dialogue (and some of the action dialogue) isn't great. It is clunky, forced "babes" and goes for the kind of thing that might work in a movie, but doesn't work on paper. I still don't really understand the magic system, to which...fine...but there is no real attempt to explain it (two books in now). There are too many deus ex moments where it seems like White wrote into a corner, then had to figure out a way through...leading to a chapter or two that doesn't really belong to the rest of the book. Maybe it is simply a "not for me" book. I don't know. I just see all the glowing reviews and wonder...are you giving it 5 stars because you want to like it, or because you really think it is that good. I want to like it - but the reality is...it isn't that good. To each their own, I guess.
I almost never write reviews - so it says something that I chose to write this one. This isn't a bad book. In some ways, 2 stars seems unfair. Like I said, it checks so many boxes. Space opera. Heist shenanigans. Diverse cast. Cleverly designed universe. Nevermind that the action sequences are written extremely well - indeed, the action sequences are probably the only reason I kept up and finished it. And when the book is moving along and doing action - it is very readable.
The problem is the non-action parts of the book. The central relationship is not well written - and I wanted it to be because I'm all in favor of depicting relationships like that. But the dialogue between them is clunky and they never come across as a believable couple. Honestly, most of the non-action dialogue (and some of the action dialogue) isn't great. It is clunky, forced "babes" and goes for the kind of thing that might work in a movie, but doesn't work on paper. I still don't really understand the magic system, to which...fine...but there is no real attempt to explain it (two books in now). There are too many deus ex moments where it seems like White wrote into a corner, then had to figure out a way through...leading to a chapter or two that doesn't really belong to the rest of the book. Maybe it is simply a "not for me" book. I don't know. I just see all the glowing reviews and wonder...are you giving it 5 stars because you want to like it, or because you really think it is that good. I want to like it - but the reality is...it isn't that good. To each their own, I guess.