Guards! Guards! / Terry Pratchett

Guards! Guards!

(Discworld)

by Terry Pratchett

fantasy, humour

copyright 1989

read in August 2021

(and at least once before)

rated 9/10: really really good

This is one of Pratchett's best books.

Vimes and the Night Watch become a real force for crime fighting. Various other key characters are developing into their roles. It's an enjoyable -- and essential -- part of Discworld history.

More than that: all of these characters are portrayed sympathetically. You can't help but like them. Or, at least, you can't help but enjoy reading about them. In earlier books, I find that I don't really enjoy reading about Rincewind, the eternal loser.

The Guards characters -- the goodies, anyway -- are likeable. Pratchett treats them with sympathy and understanding.

Which is interesting... There are many statements about the general mass of people -- and Pratchett's views are very negative. Humanity (or its Discworld equivalent) is thoughtless, greedy, stupid, etc. Yet as individuals, they can be so much better.

We can despair at the stupidity of the mob. While admiring the nobility of individuals.

This is Pratchett at his very good best.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Question authority. Don't expect to like the answer." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

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

Upside Downside / Ron Goulart

Upside Downside

by Ron Goulart

science fiction

copyright 1982

read in August 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Is this book intended to be a "dystopia"? Probably not. It's a world that I would not like to live in. A view of the 50-year future where all our gloomy predictions have come true :-(

Then again... for the people who live there... who have adapted enough to control their own lives... perhaps it's not so bad.

It's not a nice world. Yet when I finished reading I was *not* left feeling miserable. So -- not a dystopia :-)

I enjoyed this book. Enough to keep an eye open for more by the same author.

Interesting story, good characters, great imagination. Probably intended as an introduction to more books with the same hero.

Unfortunately the hero is not interesting enough. Sure, I enjoyed this book. I would probably enjoy more in the series. Yet there is *no* feeling of, that was fun, no lingering, what a great character.

Enjoyable. Funny in places. Imaginative with interesting plot and solid action. But not a great book.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Question authority. Don't expect to like the answer." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

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

Pirates of Venus / Edgar Rice Burroughs

Pirates of Venus 

(Carson Napier #1)

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

fantasy

copyright 1932

read in August 2021

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

Now that's interesting...

Ten years ago I read this book (along with Venus #2). In the review I rated the pair as "seven". This time I rate book #1 as only four!

What has changed? My own attitude, probably.

This time I see the book as being ridiculous -- which is fine. It's that type of book... though not, I now believe, a "space opera". In space opera the science -- and the characters -- should be constantly growing. On Amtor (ie Venus) the hero moves location... discovers new humanoids and monsters... but fights with the same weapons. Oh... and the science is so ridiculous that... well, I'll call it fantasy.

So far, it sounds like a seven... Except that the hero is so very very stupid. His attitudes are dated. No worries. But he is so sloooww to spot the obvious villain. To work out how various characters have disappeared. This hero is an idiot!

Oh well. It's bad. But -- ten years ago I rated it as well worth reading.

You can read it. And... you may well enjoy it. I did. Ten years ago :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

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

===

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

Abaddon's Gate / James S.A.Corey

Abaddon's Gate

(Expanse #3

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

fantasy, fansonly

copyright 2014

not read in July 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

The series is a never-ending saga with -- mostly -- the same central cast. This book begins with a new character. Nothing attractive about him. I hope, I thought, that this character does not join the central cast. Well, no... once he is smeared across his own windscreen. Seems he's been written out.

But wait: A character who was killed in book one... is back. In typical by-the-numbers nonsense style he speaks in stupid riddles. Including admitting that he has no idea what he is doing. He has no idea, I have no interest.

I had this series categorised as "space opera". I have changed that to "fantasy". Rubbish fantasy. With action rather than plot to make the reader wonder, is something interesting about to happen? Well, no. Expect more shooting. More mystical happenings. No explanations.

To call this inexplicable clap trap "space opera" is an insult to the good writers of space opera (think, Doc Smith).

That said... this series is written as by-the-numbers entertainment. The aim is to provide endless entertainment so that readers will return -- for more of the same. As such -- I expect that it will succeed.

If you enjoyed the first two books, I am sure that you will enjoy this third.

I did enjoy the first two. But now -- I have had enough.

Just a few chapters in, I stop reading.

I will look for a book with a plot. Or, at least -- a space opera with a developing plot... and a definite conclusion. Maybe Doc Smith, again ... :-)

 

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

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

===

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

Generation one / Pittacus Lore

Generation one 

(Pittacus Lore)

fantasy, subadult

copyright 2017

read in June 2020

Rated 6/7: Read to pass the time

A mixed bag of teens from around the world. Each with a different superpower. Seems to be a very common basis for stories. And for TV series.

This one is okay. Not great.

Some of the characters are absolute stereotypes... As are the powers. Nothing very interesting.

The most interesting aspect of the book is the villainy -- but not in a nice way.

The villains are nasty. Their methods and actions are unpleasant and amoral. Nasty enough to cause nightmares. Too nasty -- I would have think -- for subadult readers :-(

Not surprisingly, for a by-the-numbers book of clichés, there is a strong moral... In favour of friendship. Nice, but not nice enough to balance the brutality.

This book is one of a never-ending series. Light reading. No conclusion. The moralistic messages highlight the calculated intent to make money from the teen market. Not quite harmless.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

One, be a good person; two, have fun; three, be happy; four, show respect and be respected; and then number five was, if you can play tennis after that, it's an added bonus."... Ash Barty's first coach
   

Into the Fire, Pittacus Lore

Into the Fire, 

Pittacus Lore

subadult, fansonly

rated 3/10: so bad it's embarrassing

I really dislike a book which has no real conclusion. This book is even worse -- it has no beginning. Well...

The book begins with a group of people in a plane. They talk about people who we have never met -- who are not even in the plane. There is some semi-heroic chat about rescuing... someone Or taking risks with villains we have never heard of.

Okay. If you are a fan, you may have read earlier books, you may know what's going on.

Then it gets worse: Turns out, the pilot has mysteriously disappeared. Fortunately, one of the characters has the superpower to control machinery. Phew! But wait -- for some mysterious reason his superpower does not work on this plane.

It's okay, he phones a friend (from the plane). The friend tells him to click his ruby slippers (or some such). And wow! it works... His superpower is upgraded.

Luckily... landing a commercial aircraft is so simple that this teenager -- untrained -- does it safely.

So far, this book has many of the elements of the only other Pittacus book that I have read. Different characters -- from the same stereotypes -- and the plot is a close copy.

Then there's some cutesy teen stuff of a girl learning more about her own superpowers. Then my brain threatened to collapse from an overload of stupidity.

Boring... boring... boring.

To save my brain from implosion, I stop reading.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

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

===

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

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

===

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

===

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