This is an incredibly confusing and badly written book. It is a first draft rather than anything finished, or so it seems as you read it. Every sentenThis is an incredibly confusing and badly written book. It is a first draft rather than anything finished, or so it seems as you read it. Every sentence needs to be read at least three times to be understood and the main character is not particularly likeable. It is written in diary form, but I'm not really sure who writes in their diary like this. Not to mention the terrible dialogue, confusing metaphors and very under edited plot that confuses and loses itself....more
This is a long and convoluted book that would benefit from a nice little team of editors. The sci-fi is too much fiction not enough science and the chThis is a long and convoluted book that would benefit from a nice little team of editors. The sci-fi is too much fiction not enough science and the characters are all a bit 2D. I expected some decent description of space and planets but I can't recall a single sentence that wasn't a few words long to that effect. It reads more like a second draft than a finished piece....more
A very quick read with short, sharp chapters that keep the pace of the story going along. There was nothing particularly great or good about it, but IA very quick read with short, sharp chapters that keep the pace of the story going along. There was nothing particularly great or good about it, but I find the writing to be adequate most of the time, with some odd choices and a need for a little more proof reading. The plot, characters and setting did very little for me, however, and I found the decisions being made to be very suspect....more
I listened to this on audiobook, mainly because I've always wanted to try out audiobooks and never really gotten around to it, but also because it is I listened to this on audiobook, mainly because I've always wanted to try out audiobooks and never really gotten around to it, but also because it is freely accesible on spotify. Huzzah for spotify.
However, I believe what I listened to was the abridged version, which is slightly upsetting but excites me also: more Chris Barrie doing Scouse and Cockney and every-other accent ever? Yes please.
My rating is partly for the book and partly for the audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed Chris Barrie: he is an absolutely spectacular character actor and you don't always see that in Red Dwarf. A few moments spring to mind, however: the mechanoid he gets turned into during Mechocracy and the dress-wearing, Mr. Flibble-weilding, holo-virus Rimmer of Quarentine. Have I mentioned I love Red Dwarf? No. Well, I do. More amazing old men that I love.
My childhood was Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Shooting Stars and Bottom. Poor parenting, maybe, but I can't thank them enough for that. Hence this review is probably a little biased and you can take what I say with a pinch of salt.
The story centres around the beginning of the TV programme, but with more canon added. We get a little more backstory of the main characters whilst we pretty much replay many scenes from the show, which for deepnerds is a really nice touch. You get to go beyond what Lister says on telly and find out that he wasn't stupid. Just rather lazy.
The main thing that sold this for me was Chris Barrie. He was superb and at times I forgot it was Chris and not Norman doing Hollie's voice. Even his Cat was impressive, though I notice he didn't attempt any Kochanski which might have been for the best. I think audiobooks are made by the people who read them, so if I ever pick up another it will be based purely on who is reading it....more
This grimoire brings together all of the glorious little notes of lore that are scattered across the Destiny video games. It is sleek leather, dark anThis grimoire brings together all of the glorious little notes of lore that are scattered across the Destiny video games. It is sleek leather, dark and black like Oryx's heart and begins at the beginning: where else?
In truth, you can find all of this either in the game or probably online somewhere. There have been many Guardians who have sought to collect the lore of the Traveller and the surrounding worlds in one handy place, but sometimes that isn't enough. Sure, you can read all of this as you play the game, or look it up online, but for me that's not an option.
I started playing Destiny quite late in to the first installment after some girl on Subeta said she was playing it. I liked her (platonically), she seemed fun, so I decided to pick it up. That's the second time I've picked up a video game because a girl I like platonically has mentioned it. The first was Dragon Age. Ask me to tell you about my history with Dragon Age one day.
I never read the lore I pick up. Usually because I never pick it up in order, so having to remember each part and relate it to those parts it relates to is fairly annoying. And the lore system in Destiny 1 was pretty much abysmal: it wasn't accessible via the game at first, only online-except in little chunks called Grimoire cards. I also dislike reading more than 5 words off a screen at any giving moment. I'm a paper gel. And the idea of tracking it down online from a reputable Guardian sounded like hard work.
This is truly glorious, however. The binding (if you bought this in anything other than leatherbound you are no true Guardian of the Light) is stunning-though it can be a little cumbersome to hold when reading-and the illustrations are quite something: they add the atosphere and flavour that the game provides but in smaller, digestible chunks. I do wish there were more illustrations and I can not apologise enough for how I need Cayde-6 on every single page on anything Destiny-related.
And I will confess it now to my fellow Guardians: this is the first time I've actually read the lore. Yes, I know. But reading off a screen is not for me and having to find each individual pieces is also not for me. I am a completionist but only if there's a little ping at the end. But it is wonderful. Written really well: not in a novel style-of course not-but written in digestible chunks that give you so much information yet leave you hanging.
I would say, definitely, this book isn't for anyone who doesn't like-perhaps love?-Destiny the video game series. Usually with video game books I will say it appeals to people who enjoy artwork or video games in general, but this is pretty specific and will genuinely only appeal to the Guardians who haven't given up on the Traveller just yet....more
I was fully prepared to get behind this little sci-fi installment series, excited that it seemed well-written and potentially exciting.
But I found it I was fully prepared to get behind this little sci-fi installment series, excited that it seemed well-written and potentially exciting.
But I found it verging on the ridiculous, so quickly in part II. I don't believe for a second that a new father-the first father of the human race got 20 years-would leave his newborn child on the off-chance there may be another star in the desolate, starless space. I don't believe a word of it.
Sure, it's fantasy (sci-fi but fictional do you get it) and yes there will always be elements of wonder, but this I cannot fathom. Of course, it is done to enhance the plot, but sadly it leaves behind nothing but cynicism....more
A very quick, relatively well-written first installment of a sci-fi epic following the first conceived baby in outer space for twenty years.
DifficultA very quick, relatively well-written first installment of a sci-fi epic following the first conceived baby in outer space for twenty years.
Difficult to really judge anything much from a couple thousand word extract, though honestly it was a little boring. I expected quite a lot more to happen considering it was the first part, though it left me a little intrigued. I feel like I can see where it's going, however....more
Space Opera Romance With Attempted Erotica is a new one on me. I really need to pay attention to what I put on my kindle.
In any case, romance is usualSpace Opera Romance With Attempted Erotica is a new one on me. I really need to pay attention to what I put on my kindle.
In any case, romance is usually a dead-end for me, and there was no difference here. I liked the writing to an extent, but the ridiculous changing-names-to-make-it-seem-other-worldly becomes tedious toward the end (or even middle) of book. It's usually something you find in fantasy novels (calling a year a calendar, calling a cow a Fresnch even though it's basically just a cow) but sci-fi gets its own turn sometimes.
Another major irk was that someone was eyeing up someone else's body pretty much every page. That's the first thing every character does to anyone they meet. Okay, we get it: Sair was a gigolo, Drea is a timid virgin at heart, sex sex sex. At least go all out erotica not just pointless Sebastian Faulks-described sex.
Mostly though, it was just boring. Flat characters, mundane plot that is at every page guessable and a ridiculous romance that is pretty standard for movies or books. Unrealistic, if we must. Elements of nice atmosphere and imagination and it really got me in the mood for some epic sci-fi (maybe a Dune re-read is in order) but truly just some recycling fodder....more
A very difficult book to read, it is written poorly with no discernable characters. An interesting idea of cross-breeding humans with animal species bA very difficult book to read, it is written poorly with no discernable characters. An interesting idea of cross-breeding humans with animal species begins but then the plot delves in to rather uninteresting territories that do nothing for the overall complexion.
Could do with more editing and better description of the wars, the secrets and the why's of the characters....more
Bought this as a gift for a friend but decided to read it first... Shh.
Never seen Star Wars and not interested in it, but this is a very, very pretty Bought this as a gift for a friend but decided to read it first... Shh.
Never seen Star Wars and not interested in it, but this is a very, very pretty book. I don't think it had an awful lot of information but the illustrations and the way the pages are set out are enough to make me feel vaguely intrigued.
Probably not the best book for learning a lot about all those... Wars in the stars (?) but I think any Star Trek, I mean, Star Wars fan can enjoy it. I hope he will, anyway. It's a good, decent size anyway....more
Impossible to finish this book. It is written in such a way that tangents lead in to clichés that lead in to complicated expositions that give nothingImpossible to finish this book. It is written in such a way that tangents lead in to clichés that lead in to complicated expositions that give nothing to the overall experience....more
This is the first time I feel let down by PKD. I enjoyed the plot and the ideas, the bitter loneliness of sharing a life wiReview for 'Human Is' only.
This is the first time I feel let down by PKD. I enjoyed the plot and the ideas, the bitter loneliness of sharing a life with someone who had forgotten how to love, the characters to an extent and the general ambience surrounding the piece.
But my was it written badly. It had nothing. Absolutely nothing. The dialogue, the whole thing. It was a supreme let down. But still much better than 99% of stuff being pushed out these days....more
A good dystopian after-the-tech story of a group of survivors who just want to work the land and forget the past, but are dogged by automatic factorieA good dystopian after-the-tech story of a group of survivors who just want to work the land and forget the past, but are dogged by automatic factories that are continuously ruining the land because it "thinks" the humans need their products.
Pretty similar in taste to his others and the themes are nice to explore. The characters were completely flat, which in short stories is pretty much standard, and the atmosphere was never truly built. I didn't feel the dystopian or ravaged land, it just sort of thudded in to you on occasion.
The enjoyment flows from the devastating effects of tech, especially "auto" tech and how their help is often incredibly limited. It's a nice little parable and, of course, was written well, but was lacking in depth which short stories often do.
One can imagine all these PKD short stories being rifled through, just waiting for that spark to ignite a full, complete story......more
A nice quickie with that lovely dystopian end-of-the-world vibe. It's a nice contrast between two people who just don't know: the boy who wants to be A nice quickie with that lovely dystopian end-of-the-world vibe. It's a nice contrast between two people who just don't know: the boy who wants to be safe and the father who wants cold, hard facts. It has so many little threads of thought to follow, yet it never develops them all within the story itself. How do you protect your family but keep your own morals and beliefs? How do you know when people are telling the truth? What to do, how to do it. Peer pressure, the gap between generations.
Reactionary to the threat of the cold war at the time of writing, yet foreseeing the ridiculous obsession people have of buying shit they don't need.
Torn between three and four stars, mostly because it made me smile-and laugh a little-and I enjoyed the lovely and very lively paranoia that exists inTorn between three and four stars, mostly because it made me smile-and laugh a little-and I enjoyed the lovely and very lively paranoia that exists in this society, but again the problem of too short and not explored more rose its ugly head.
Atmospheric in such a short space of time, and dropped straight in to the chase, it is-I feel I'm almost qualified enough to say-very Dickesque, and I like that a lot.
But there are little things, maybe not enough explanation in some places and maybe too much in others. And maybe dystopian societies are feeling a bit overdone (yeah, I know this was written years ago before it became Netflix's favourite genre-and by extension /yours/)....more
A quick little cautionary tale about the perils of over-consumption of, well, everything. It's a grim premise but not actually that far removed from wA quick little cautionary tale about the perils of over-consumption of, well, everything. It's a grim premise but not actually that far removed from where we appear to be right now.
A good story with an ending I was not expecting, but I felt it was a fiction short story, not a sci-fi short story. Whilst that's a stupid thing to say about a story that features flying cars and plastic clothing, it wasn't a story about that. It was a story about human nature and the state of the world, which is cool y'know, but sometimes I just want hard-core sci-fi.
In the anthology I read it in (Electric Dreams), Dick had a different ending to the one written which I much prefer....more
I'm running out of ways to say Dick writes superbly well and I'm really enjoying his work as I progress through it.
Just to be different, I'll talk aboI'm running out of ways to say Dick writes superbly well and I'm really enjoying his work as I progress through it.
Just to be different, I'll talk about the stuff I didn't like so much. I wish it hadn't been about aliens. It feels like a slight cop-out, but I think I'm right in saying this is a very early story. It's a little Lovecraftian in this sense, with the added mental-state side to it, but I want to enjoy Dick for being Dick, not for being a bit Lovecraftian.
The characters were a bit meh, but that tends to happen with most short stories. It's such a good story though, if you look behind the general tropes of what makes a good story and what makes you enjoy a good story....more
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