Caliban's War / James S.A.Corey

Caliban's War

(The Expanse #2)

by James S.A.Corey (aka Daniel Abraham)

space opera

copyright 2012

read in June 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Somewhere I read that this series aims to fill the fictional gap between Humans stuck in the Solar System and a galaxy-wide human empire. How will we get from one to the other?

As far as I can tell the answer is, by deus ex machina. Or, by god-like alien intervention. Which is rather disappointing, really.

Made more interesting by a lot of strictly human fighting.

So the big-picture growth of civilisation is disappointing. The space opera violence makes for an overall enjoyable book.

Except for the characters.

I have a rating of three, for a book which is so bad that it's embarrassing. The characters in this book are close to "three".

The characters are all overdrawn cliches. Then the committee of authors tries to add a humanising touch... and it is embarrassing.

There is, for example, the sweet little white-haired granny. She swears like a trooper and eats pistachios. (Why?)

Then she interacts with her very young grandchildren.

Does she play with them as though she were human? No... she totally fakes an interest in what they have found.

Actually, I suspect that fake interest is seen by the authors as being a valid human response.

Sorry, no.

There is no surprise when the granny proves to be a manipulative and power-hungry witch. Spoiler: it is really disappointing but she totally fails to choke to death on a pistachio.

Then there are the plot chiches. Indestructible alien monster. Which succumbs to an even bigger weapon. Embarrassing "blockbuster" essential cliche: the plot is driven by the need to rescue the cute little girl. Oh good grief :-(

And whenever it would be a good idea to tiptoe quietly past danger... some idiot will get in a killing mood due to anger... or fear... and start a gunfight. Could be worse: they could also shout... LEROY !!

This is a book -- a series -- where every attempt is made to tick every box in the "deliberate blockbuster cliche" list. So yes, it is embarrassing.

On the other hand... it is quite enjoyable. And when the last page is the inevitable to be continued... who cares.

Read the next book. Or books. And be prepared to pass the time. Quite enjoyably. Yet with no great insights... certainly no insights into humanity's expansion from solar system to galaxy. Mindless. cliched. Nevertheless... enjoyable.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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One joy scatters a hundred griefs" ... Chinese proverb

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

The Philosopher's War / Tom Miller

The Philosopher's War

(Philosopher's War #2)

by Tom Miller

fantasy, science fiction

copyright 2019

read in June 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

The front cover says that this is "a novel". Never trust a book that has to explain that it is... intended to be? ... a novel.

Okay, this book does seem to be a novel. A story, with characters, plot, beginning middle and end. I'm still confused.

It appears to be a massive attack on the violence, futility, the stupidity, the glory-seeking leadership of war. With a parallel WWI as the setting.

Or, possibly... the book is a fantasy version of the actual WWI.

I mean... there are generals, battles, tactics... straight from WWI -- but with people who can fly. Is this a parallel world? or a retelling? I don't know.

Only recently I realised -- thanks to one excellent book -- that it is possible to enjoy a parallel universe story -- without a detailed knowledge of the "actual" universe.

As far as I can tell... with no detailed knowledge of the "real" WWI -- this book is largely pointless.

It's readable. It's enjoyable. There are far too many characters for me to remember. The few I remember are, quite likeable.

Action, adventure, anti-war, it's not a bad book. If not for "a novel" on the front cover -- I would be confused. Okay... even more confused.

Then, finally: the grand finale. An act of magic which is so huge... so preposterous that yes... this is "a novel".

Oh... "magic"? I thought it was science fiction?

The flying (et cetera) is magic. Scientifically developed magic. I'm happy that the book is fantasy / science fiction.

With an ending which does... definitely... make it more than an historical retelling of WWI. So... readable... rather than just pointless.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere ... Chinese proverb

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Leviathan Wakes / James S.A.Corey

Leviathan Wakes

(Expanse #1)

by James S.A.Corey (aka Daniel Abraham)

Space opera

copyright 2011

read in June 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

10jan24: I'm re-reading. And I've re-rated. Here are some key points:

... There is a clear feeling that the author thinks, I am so much more clever than the reader. Things such as the I'm-so-modern slang which he then has to explain. The incomplete conversations which the author then has to explain. The background of science which says, I have read a lot more Wikipedia than you have. Really, it's just an overall, vague but definite impression of author ego.

And the plot -- is clearly never going to reach a conclusion. A lot of wham-bam action with no clear purpose... except to provide a long-term flow of income for the author.

Oh, it's exciting but who cares. A small group of main characters, some of whom are quite likeable ... but not likeable enough to care whether they live or die. Anyway, the magic medi-tech will fix all injuries.Then there's the "love interest". Not the man who is in love with his imaginary long-dead stranger, that makes some sense. But the human man and woman, good grief, are they really human?

From my first review and vague memories I know that something odd will happen. I'm two-thirds of the way through this nonsense of a book. I may not last much further.

It's a made-for-TV-syndication potboiler.

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Here's the plot for the first half of the book:

Nice people are chased by people who want to kill them. Nice people are injured, escape, get mostly healed, gain armour or other protection which will make their lives a bit safer. And then...

Nice people are chased by a new lot of people who want to kill them. The new lot are slightly nastier, the new protection barely works. By luck and skill etc the nice people are injured, escape, get mostly healed, gain armour or other protection which will make their lives a bit safer. And then...

Repeat. Over and over.

On the third or fourth repetition I almost gave up.

Half way through the book it seems that there is, in fact, a slow build-up to a complete plot. Thank goodness. The repetitive nature of the action scenes becomes tedious.

Finally... there is a scene where I'm muttering desperately, Kill him! Kill him! It seems obvious... Then the characters spend many pages on guilt or justification. There's a lot of that: how much violence is justified in order to reach a possibly-worthwhile end?

Nice try but, well, I would have been happy with the space opera violence... without the angst.

And then the science fiction becomes magic. It does not help that one character keeps telling us, This is not magic. With no explanation, no forewarning, no logic except, The alien is a very superior being... it may as well be magic. Just call it magic.

Now that the alien can use magic... every human being is doomed. Of course. Talk to the flaming alien, I mutter. That works in nine out of ten humans-are-doomed stories. Just... talk.

Sorry if this is a spoiler, but... it works. Of course it does -- because nothing else would work.

Good news: There is a twist. A good twist. It makes some sense of a lot of the prior confusion. Well done :-)

And then the magic returns. With no logic. No explanation. No clear reason. But a lot of colourful special effects. (There must already be a signed movie deal.) The magic is a lead-in, I guess, to book two.

I'm reading this book from my public library. I have the next two books lined up, ready to read.

If I were paying -- buying -- these next two books... I would not bother.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere ... Chinese proverb

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Queen of Shadows / Sarah J Maas

Queen of Shadows

(Throne of Glass #4)

by Sarah J Maas

fantasy, chicklit

copyright 2015

read in May 2021

rated 9/10: really really good

Perhaps not a "great" book -- but absolutely great for enjoyment :-)

Action from go to whoa. When the action slows... add a new character. Or set of characters. Or add a brand new -- major -- sub plot. What a lot of fun !

All new... and yet... and yet... it all fits together. Eventually.

The story builds to a grand climax... and builds... and builds. There is just so much to do before the grand finale.

And yes -- there *is* a grand finale. Plot threads tied off... finally. Not always as expected. There are last-minute revelations -- answers to questions which have been outstanding for several books.

All is wrapped up in a very satisfactory fashion... Not!

The book ends with several very satisfying conclusions. Plus several wide-open possibilities.

I am absolutely satisfied. Yet there is still so much more to come.

This is a never-ending saga. With so much solid enjoyment in every chapter. So much violence. So much enjoyment. Do much... emotion!

I need to take a break... Weeks, perhaps moths -- before I look for the next book in the series. It is so very absorbing... so draining... and so much fun :-) I need to cool down. To rest a bit... before I tackle another such roller-coaster of... absolute enjoyment.

Oh, and look: The action and adventure is essential. The complex plot is essential. And yet... The real reason that I enjoy this book. The key to my absolute absorption and enjoyment... is in the characters.

No matter how violent they are. No matter how emotionally torn. No matter how cruel... There is always something to like.

The characters may not all be nice. Yet they are understandable. Sympathetic. And -- the major characters -- they are fighting for niceness. In a very harsh world, they want to do better -- for everyone. I can only think, Yay! go for it :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"When the going gets tough, the smart get going" ... per Ginger Meggs"

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)