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mishmashedmagic's Reviews (323)
I wanted to love this book. I wanted to addoooore this book. I was so incredibly excited for this one and I thought that it would be my next favorite book of the year (for 2015). I really, really, really wanted to love this book. And believe me, I tried. But somehow something just fell short. So while it was still a pretty good story, I just couldn't love it.
Let's start from the beginning. I really liked the beginning. It drew me in. And Cline has a knack for creating likeable geeky characters. But then it started feeling a lot like Ender's Game and things started going downhill and feeling predictable.
I think the biggest thing that bothered me is that it felt...rushed. Unlike Ender's Game, where I could really feel the passage of time and Ender developing as a person and and as a leader, this book just felt like everything happened over the course of a couple days. Like...surprise! Alien Invasion annnnd...its over. Everything happened just way to quickly and so I never felt like any character development really happened. Plus that romance. I really could have done without that little romance. It just felt forced. I wish the training had dragged out a little more. I wish Zach hadn't found out about his Dad that quickly (that whole relationship felt weirdly forced too). And the 'resolution' felt...oh goodness, I can't believe I'm going to say this...a tinsy bit lame. Not to say it was an awful idea, more in the sense of how it played out.
I guess what I'm trying to say is the book felt like the first or second draft of what could have been pretty cool idea. I think if it had taken place over a longer period of time, nix the romance, spend more time developing a slow and steady relationship with the dad and not rush the resolution bit as much, I think Cline would have had another 5 star novel on his hands.
As for the 80's pop references again, I could see it working if it were toned down just slightly. I guess it just felt more relevant to Ready Player One since it tied closely to the quest, but it didn't work out quite as well in this book.
Overall, despite it's shortcomings, I still liked it and read it quite quickly. And I still definitely plan on picking up any of his future releases.
Let's start from the beginning. I really liked the beginning. It drew me in. And Cline has a knack for creating likeable geeky characters. But then it started feeling a lot like Ender's Game and things started going downhill and feeling predictable.
I think the biggest thing that bothered me is that it felt...rushed. Unlike Ender's Game, where I could really feel the passage of time and Ender developing as a person and and as a leader, this book just felt like everything happened over the course of a couple days. Like...surprise! Alien Invasion annnnd...its over. Everything happened just way to quickly and so I never felt like any character development really happened. Plus that romance. I really could have done without that little romance. It just felt forced. I wish the training had dragged out a little more. I wish Zach hadn't found out about his Dad that quickly (that whole relationship felt weirdly forced too). And the 'resolution' felt...oh goodness, I can't believe I'm going to say this...a tinsy bit lame. Not to say it was an awful idea, more in the sense of how it played out.
I guess what I'm trying to say is the book felt like the first or second draft of what could have been pretty cool idea. I think if it had taken place over a longer period of time, nix the romance, spend more time developing a slow and steady relationship with the dad and not rush the resolution bit as much, I think Cline would have had another 5 star novel on his hands.
As for the 80's pop references again, I could see it working if it were toned down just slightly. I guess it just felt more relevant to Ready Player One since it tied closely to the quest, but it didn't work out quite as well in this book.
Overall, despite it's shortcomings, I still liked it and read it quite quickly. And I still definitely plan on picking up any of his future releases.
