Neil

Too long disjointed with silly premise

Revisado: 02-24-25

Starts off with ridiculous premise from which author then tries to prove over-and-over again that he really does understand orbital mechanics, honest.

Then series of events over-and-over again to finally get to situation the title required.

Then a completely different story starts at a much later time to explain what happened. The second story is dumber than the first but thankfully I was literally able to fall asleep to it.

I expect Neal needed the money. Kind of like late heinlein.

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Clanton Mississippi - I should visit that someday

Revisado: 11-23-24

Another novel in the series alongside "The Summons" among others. The characters are very nicely voiced and really seemed like different people.

I grew up in the Deep South ( Louisiana & South Carolina in my case ) and I could see these characters as being real.

Much better than "The King of Torts" and Harry Rex - well, he's priceless!

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Cliché Much?

Revisado: 11-23-24

Why am I not surprised this is not an actual Robert Parker book? The story is predictable and the antagonists are so cardboard and obvious as to give one a headache at the vacuousness of the premise.

It's certainly is "timely" in the sense that it does capture some of today's crazed fear of boogey men that may have existed a hundred years ago, but largely, ( particularly in New England ) simply don't exist any more.

This reader very tired of getting preached-at.

Oh and Jesse? Apparently he's changed his mind on a few things regarding noisy pointed sticks.

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Bob Fans Will Like this - but not LOVE it

Revisado: 09-18-24

The Bobiverse has been like catnip to me. The first trilogy was fantastic, and the first sequel was as well.

However, this installment - just seems OK. No longer catnip, but more like Meow Mix. It has the Bob aura, but - I think he took too many shortcuts.

Without giving away the plot - I - just can't feel overly energized waiting for the next installment. A new villain is introduced, and sounds interesting, but that's about it - at least for me.

Also, in my opinion, the tension and build-up in anticipation for the forthcoming clashes - just - are too far away.

Like it - but not love it.

Ray Porter's narration was, as usual, fantastic. He must be really great at parties.

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Narrator was terrible, story was okay

Revisado: 06-03-24

Narrator was stilted and voices were too similar. Female voices particularly awful. Story had some gaps to be sure but okay otherwise.

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Not up to Dennis Taylor's Standards

Revisado: 12-31-23

Story started-off very engaging, then devolved into several clichés and even had a few guilt-inducing preachy segments.
Very disappointing for one having read all the Bobiverse series. This post-pandemic novel seems to have been whipped-out quickly. At least one of the main characters seems like a total clone from several other stories.

Ray Porter's narration, as usual, is outstanding.



Spoiler Alert



Regarding cliché characters, the most egregious example is the snarky, all-knowing AI. In this case "Sheldon" ( which is well-named, actually ). If you've read the Columbus Day stuff, you'll recognize "Skippy" instantly. Most of the comedy relief is the interaction between stupid humans and snarky sentient all-knowing AI.

The preaching part comes-in fairly late in the story where a laundry list of all of Earth's problems including Global Warming, anti-vaxxers, racism, wars, etc.etc.etc. all lumped-in as mankind's faults, etc.. Didn't need to hear that. ( The pandemic, though caused by aliens ).

Though the story is self-contained, it smells like a possible new Universe that Taylor could start a series with.

So far, Taylor hasn't devolved into the junk that Craig Alansan has sunk to - basically looking like he's paid by the word. (*sigh*) But, what we have here is a space ship, with some cool characters and a license to explore - just like how many other series I've read. ( e.g. Backyard Starship, Black Fleet, First Command, Fallen Empire, Flight of Exiles, Eternal Frontier, Supercarrier, etc.. etc.. )

If money is short, I'd skip this.

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Pretty good out does it’s competition

Revisado: 12-16-22

There are quite a few similar series. This is the one that I like the best so far.

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Bait & Switch - Not what was advertised

Revisado: 12-29-20

The main take-away from this book is the over-arching and seething hatred the author has for Christianity. There is nothing he can find therein that is not contemptible. The first chapter was good enough that I recommended this to a friend, but very soon afterward, Greenblatt vectors-off into a very very very long and tiresome tirade against the Catholic church.
You can tell that he is irritated that ANY credit should be given to the poor monks that copy ancient texts - so he doesn't. Sure, there's plenty to dislike about Christianity's first 1,500 years - but, if you claim - as does Greenblatt - to be analyzing the PHILOSOPHY of Christianity - how can you do so without ANY references to the the philosophical founder - Augustine of Hippo ( "St Augustine" )? And, Augustine's bookend - Thomas of Aquinas - which is given a discardable SINGLE mention?
Nope, there is no attempt to apply context, just excoriation.
The protagonist, an ill-defined "humanist" is a very high bureaucrat in the Pope's personal entourage! But, since he wasn't frocked, that makes him better some how. That this same man was secretary to John XXIII - which the author calls the most corrupt of all popes - doesn't seem to matter. No immorality splatters his cloak apparently.
Chapter after chapter after chapter, the alleged theme of the book - an ancient scroll - is barely mentioned, it's just a anti-christian diatribe, which eventually putrefies into an anti-human one.
It's tiring.
Very late in the book, we finally get some quotes from that scroll that allegedly changed the world - and they're quite interesting - but I contend that without Thomas Aquinas, the "book hunters" would've been far sparser, and the world would not have been ready to hear the heresy. Aquinas paved the way about 100 years before this book's events take place.
I admit, that I almost didn't finish the book - I only survived the malodorous maelstrom by looking for a reference to St Thomas Aquinas. I did finally get a passing barb very late in the book.
The author does not bother to apply any context to the times - what the Christians were reacting to, for example. The fact that Christianity actually DID preserve what it could is not given any credit at all.
I could continue, but I fear that I've devolved into a rant myself - so I'll spare you. Don't bother with this, read about Lucretius from somewhere else.

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Too long in some ways

Revisado: 12-27-19

This author continuously thinks up every nuanced problem that may arise and always uses every single one. Like 100 pages on a single rescue? Really? Therefore, much less action and plot progression happens and the pacing is really slow. That said, the reader is amazing and somewhat rescues the book.

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Wrapped-up Nicely

Revisado: 08-14-17

An actual trilogy with no milking the franchise. Thanks! Still plenty of room for more adventures, though.

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