photonqyv's reviews
544 reviews

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

adventurous challenging hopeful informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An interesting discourse on cryptography and computing interspersed with a vaguely engaging story.

The Baroque Cycle Collection by Juliane Gräbener-Müller, Neal Stephenson, Nikolaus Stingl

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Bit of a slog to read, gets better towards the end of the third book, since you know it's the end of the trilogy.

The Quorum by Kim Newman

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Anno Dracula 1999: Daikaiju by Kim Newman

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A good, quick, eye-opening and informative read, that should be on everyone's reading list.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was recommended this as a good thing to read. The person was right. What a great read, thanks Vanta (;*

To Marry Medusa by Theodore Sturgeon

dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Return of the Incredible Exploding Man by Dave Hutchinson

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Picked this up having read several previous books by the author, seemed like an interesting premise, though as it turned out the plot and conclusion were a little too obvious, too soon. A bit like a two-hour movie where you know what's going to happen from the first five minutes, but have to wait until the last 5 minutes for it to actually happen, just the way you thought it would.

I don't feel that it's up to the usual standard that I expect from the author, which is a real shame. Plot aside, the characterisation was good, but the jeopardy just wasn't there once I'd worked out what was going to happen, and the story dragged as I waited for the pay-off that I knew was coming.

Europe at Dawn by Dave Hutchinson

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's been awhile since I've read the prior books in the series, and I've only just realised that this one existed. It made for a good read, completing the tale of the Whitton-Whytes, though perhaps not in the way one might think. The return of old friends and new, with many familiar locations, along with those not previously visited.

More of a denouement than a conclusion, but perhaps that is what this series deserves with all of its almost Gordian knotting; a final tying-up of loose ends (;*