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lynwebster 's review for:
Embers of War
by Gareth L. Powell
I'm a bit embarrassed that as a keen reader of sci-fi and someone partial to the occasional space opera, I had never read any of Gareth Powell's work until now. This one seemed like a good place to start, being the first book in his current trilogy. And it was. I am completely hooked on this story and I can't wait to read the next volume, Fleet of Knives.
So, then, why didn't I give this book 5 stars? If I was judging it only on the plot, I would have. The concepts? Tick. And if I was rating it purely on how much I enjoyed the final hundred or so pages, again, yes. Such a satisfying conclusion.
Here's the thing. The story is written in first person, from multiple points of view. No problem, but if you do this, the points of view should be distinct. This was the case with Trouble Dog and Nod, but the voices of the three human characters were just too similar to each other. They had terrific backstories that differentiated them, but their voices didn't reflect this, which gave their narration an inauthentic feel, leaving me wanting more.
Still, a solid 4 stars and a guarantee I'll be reading the next book very soon.
So, then, why didn't I give this book 5 stars? If I was judging it only on the plot, I would have. The concepts? Tick. And if I was rating it purely on how much I enjoyed the final hundred or so pages, again, yes. Such a satisfying conclusion.
Here's the thing. The story is written in first person, from multiple points of view. No problem, but if you do this, the points of view should be distinct. This was the case with Trouble Dog and Nod, but the voices of the three human characters were just too similar to each other. They had terrific backstories that differentiated them, but their voices didn't reflect this, which gave their narration an inauthentic feel, leaving me wanting more.
Still, a solid 4 stars and a guarantee I'll be reading the next book very soon.