AMS

A great read

Revisado: 12-04-21

Might not be his best novel, but that might only be my personal preference. Like his other books this one is a novel of ideas and concepts in depth. Stephenson always was, and is, into detail. That’s what makes his science fiction real, but not for those who are looking for a purely action novel. Analogy: visiting a museum and learning in depth about each exhibit rather than simply looking at each and then moving on.

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Well done all the way around

Revisado: 10-18-21

Andy Weir says one of his favorite books was Rendezvous with Rama by Clarke. This book is even better. Weir not only cleverly uses real physics and chemistry, he also uses biology to create unique life forms and a fascinating story. Ray Porter’s narration is exceptional.

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This should have been a news article not a book

Revisado: 06-27-19

The book seemed carefully researched, and the plot certainly worthy of depiction, but way, way too long and strangely read. And I am sad to say—liked Mr. Meltzer’s and Mr. Brick’s other books—the length is not due to an excess of facts, but an excess of repetition. The authors recap events in detail twice and sometimes three times. I really think the tale could have been told in half the time.

Mr. Brick has a voice that is perfect for irony but there is little irony in the story. So, the combination of the reading and writing tend to make the listen even more off putting.

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History or Fiction. Yes.

Revisado: 03-27-19

The book really plays fast and loose with history, although in an afterward, the author makes this abundantly clear and addresses the discrepancies. So, my take is if you want history about Edison, Westinghouse and Tesla, read their biographies. But, if you want a pretty good novel about their times, their inventions and the fight to electrify the nation, this book will interest you. If you saw the movie (or play) Amadeus, then you would have a good idea how historical events can be “rearranged” into an entertaining fiction.

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Good but no great

Revisado: 07-08-18

In trying to make this mystery/thriller more than just a mystery/thriller, the author ends up slowing down the tale somewhat. Also, the real plot doesn’t kick in for a couple of hours after the excellent opening—actually, this is a good thing. While the entire book is well written, the first 4 or 5 hours are most engrossing. I thought the book was a good listen, well read by the actress author, and I will look forward to her next novel.

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imaginative and fascinating

Revisado: 06-28-15

is the book "technical"? Well, it reads technical, but the details are surprisingly smooth to swallow. The book is a course in physics and biology--one actually learns things--but most of all is just a really good read (listen?). Some have criticized the narrators, but they did not bother me, or interfere with the story. I'm sure no writer likes to be compared to other writers, but for the benefit of potential readers, I'd say this book combines the inventive scientific excitement of Michael Creighton (Jurassic Park or Andromeda Strain) with the attention to detail of Thomas Pynchon (Gravity's Rainbow), and the readability of Grisham.

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Interesting but not fascinating

Revisado: 08-16-14

There are inside jokes about the dog-eat-dog world of publishing, but for me, there was not that much to hold my interest, and the premise was implausible. The reveals were not that surprising either. That said, the narrator was very good, though his American accent could use a little work.

I prefer the American detective story more than the British, more relaxed, version of the genre. Perhaps this colored my review.

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For true noir fans, might disappoint

Revisado: 06-29-14

Is there anything you would change about this book?

For me, this is not genre fiction, it is Stephen King writing like Stephen King, subbing detective fiction for horror. That could be good enough--his book on the JFK assassination was excellent--but I found two problems. First, I was expecting some kind of riff on Raymond Chandler and was disappointed. Second, I did not find the main characters interesting or compelling. The book is plot driven, not character driven. And I didn't find the plot that compelling.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Will Patton?

I don't know his range, but he read the book like it was hard-boiled detective fiction, which it is not. For me, his voice took on too much of a downbeat, almost horror story intonation that was not appropriate to the material.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

Those who justifiably follow Mr. King will probably like this book. But, if you are looking for a slam-bang mystery full of atmosphere, twists, and turns, with a really spooky (rather than simply distasteful) villain, try something like "Silence of the Lambs." And, for noir, if you haven't read Chandler or Dashiel Hammet, do so.

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Well performed, but the Holocaust again?

Revisado: 07-13-13

Any additional comments?

If you have never read about the Holocaust in World War II, this is an excellent book to acquaint you with the horror and madness of that era. And, not that there are two sides to the story, but there are two sides to the people--both Germans and Jews. Well-written and superbly read, the book works as history and novel.

But, if you have more than a passing knowledge of the Holocaust, or have known people who have lived through it, you might not want to revisit the subject. I have known survivors, and was not aware of the Holocaust part of the story before listening to it. My problem was "seeing" my relatives as participants in the story, and that was to say the least, uncomfortable.

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Keeps you listening, and talk about big brother

Revisado: 07-13-13

Any additional comments?

Besides being a good thriller, the book makes some interesting points about the nature of language and how a Big Brother government takes over using "words." Magic words might not exist in our world, but propaganda--isn't that kind of the same thing if it persuades people to do things they might never have thought of? Taken literally, or as a parable for overreaching government, the book works. The narrators are some of the best--each character is vividly convincing. Only negative is that the Australian accents are really not very good, especially Ms. Corrigan's. But the acting more than makes up for this fault, and story-wise, Aussiespeak in itself is not integral to the plot.

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