oregon2chicago

Clever conceit continues

Revisado: 08-19-24

A lively told end-if-the-world tale that continues logically from the original book. Kept my attention, rather easily actually, even though there were so many many times I was rolling my eyes and shaking my head (while suppressing a minor laugh). The story itself was beyond absurd, HOWEVER, the Crow “ST” is such a fun, funny, and well conjured character that I found myself not completely minding — and again, often laughing — at this dystopian world’s animal solidarity tale as told by ST.
I confess I’m not a zombie fan, so if you are one maybe you’d really like this book series much more than me. Can’t say I’ll be recommending it to friends, yet I did enjoy it. Audio performance was flawless!

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Fun listen. Very interesting conceit.

Revisado: 07-11-24

So the trilogy was, for me personally, just a little too much fantasy vis-a-vis science fiction. But that said, by the end of the last book I really enjoyed the world building, and the overall concept was very science fiction-ish. I never got bored, though I was confused at times in the first book. The internal dialogue of the characters felt quite real, even when the idea of their ‘nature’ seemed outlandish. I’m glad I stuck with it. I’d recommend it, but only if you’re going the whole distance — I don’t think the first book stands well on its own at all, and while the second book is better, you really need all three. The reader was outstanding!

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Crisp writing, not easily followed plot.

Revisado: 07-07-24

Each character and each chapter were interesting; they captured my attention. But the plot building and linkages between characters and chapters seemed to me unnecessarily difficult to follow, until the end. Still, a fun listen, and a very good reader.

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Kept my attention. Reader was excellent.

Revisado: 07-04-24

I found this less confusing/obscuring than the first book. It doesn’t try to be so clever and mysterious, but develops characters, conflicts, and evolving relationships very well. I still have difficulty thinking of this as science fiction — more pure fantasy really — but it was enjoyable. I just wish the story had been developed principally around the ability to “sess” (sic?) or the like — rather than the more fantastical powers of orogene (or why not orogene by way of some discovered technology, rather than simply by consciousness?). I especially could have done without the existence of “stone eaters” — but then, that would be a completely different book. Maybe the final book in the trilogy will answer my questions and improve my satisfaction with the entire effort; I hope so. In any case, an Easy Listen, well written internal dialogue. Would recommend.

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Convincingly argued

Revisado: 01-20-24

Fair I believe to all views. Worth the time. It is unnecessary to have a significant mathematical background, but it is helpful to have some familiarity with basic things like velocity and momentum and therefore why Einstein’s finding of the speed of light being constant for all frames of reference altered how we thought of time and distance. You tube is a great companion when you confront the unfamiliar in the book. That said, the Author is very unassuming of his readers and his explanations are easy to understand. His patience in this regard sometimes makes the sections longer than may be required, but that is the best direction to error in. Reader was good. Recommend.

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Very fun sci-fi. Nice escape.

Revisado: 09-26-22

I admit I didn’t care for the main character at first — first person dialogue a bit cheesy for my taste while the setup was being built. If you have the same reaction I encourage you to stick with it. Past the first hour or two his internal dialogue gets better and the story development takes over and it is great. Very satisfying. Don’t worry about the negativity of some reviews that throw stones at the biological implications of the story — Hail Mary IMO has a logical trajectory with far more integrity than most (even some of the best) science fiction. It’s fun, not perfect; but it IS science fiction and not fantasy. Enjoy. Performance is excellent too.

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So honest, vulnerable, and optimistic

Revisado: 09-03-22

Great story, well told. Personal, at times funny, self-critical, yet strong and resolute. Difficult at times to listen to without becoming enraged. May she live long. May her dream of a world where love replaces greed, and where We replaces Me, become a reality.

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Wow ... challenges perceptions ... a wakeful read ... highly recommend

Revisado: 04-03-21

Some compare this book to Sapiens but I believe that is unfair, as Yunkaporta’s words and ideas are much more daring than that. I can’t say I’m comfortable with every idea presented, but that very discomfort is invigorating precisely because of the power of these ideas and their presentation. This audiobook is a gift, a mirror.

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Stick with it - last half is excellent

Revisado: 10-14-20

Let me confess that I dislike crime stories of any sort, they bore me. So for me, the first third of the audio book struck me as just a crime story, and a little disjointed at that - simply prosecutorial and without an obvious theme. It didn’t help that most of the first couple hours wasn’t new to me. It was difficult for me to find interest in what appeared like little more than a rap sheet of crimes. Very hard to continue listening. However I AM SO GLAD I STUCK IT OUT! The last 2/3rds are a gem. This is an EXCELLENT book. Beginning with her examination of the ideas of covenantal nationalism all the way through the economic motives behind the genocides of native peoples of the south, linking that to the way the plantation was competitor to and impoverisher of poor white settlers, the effects of railroads on Native American territories and livelihood, to the brilliant linking of slavery and the Mexican Revolution to the Texas Alamo and US annexation, and right through to counter insurgent militarism and the Iraq War, she blends native tribal histories and fates to US originalist colonialism and the myth of the noble settler. Very intricately woven intelligent themes that expose unique ideas about US constitutional Imperialism, and a side of history that was new to me. Very grateful. A true gift of insight and hard historical research, spoken with a compassionate tongue.

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Keeps your attention, you get invested, convinced

Revisado: 06-27-20

This is the second Octavia Butler novel I’ve listened to, Kindred being the first. Both are very good. Both I’d recommend. I don’t often listen to science fiction but Octavia was suggested to me and she does have a real gift for scene and dialogue that is just very convincing - even when the plot, in the hands of a lesser talent, would give me pause. I look forward to listening to more of her work. Her dystopian plot lines and twists don’t rise to the level of “A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World” (do listen to that one!) but her characters and dialogue are superior.

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