Dan

If you’re looking for a capstone, this is not it

Revisado: 03-24-23

Ruin goes over some already thoroughly treaded concepts in the series, but stands apart from the others in tone most certainly. Though engineered evolution is expectedly a main component of the story, it’s by no means THE story. It’s added more for continuity and depth, and also because the author is a genius of animal behavior.
There’s also a fair amount of humor via the corvids that I found really enjoyable. That with a slight move towards the philosophical and the examination of self made it refreshing while not feeling forced or stilted.
If you enjoyed the first two books you may be surprised by the last, but give it a chance. I think you’ll glad you did.

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Should’ve stayed on the back burner

Revisado: 11-23-22

I’d heard that Liu started work on this novel early in his career, so it’s astonishing how far he’s come because Supernova Era is pretty bad.
The novel is mix of familiar tropes-Lord of the flies is even referenced- and cartoonishly stereotypical characters. It is lord of the flies meets model UN for sure, but a little too on the nose.
Character depth has never been the author’s strong point, but these are throw always. Stoic, misunderstood smart guy: Specs. Rootin tootin gunhappy US prez: Herman Davey. Davey’s got a Mr Burns evil smart guy. Specs has a plucky girl counterpart. And both of them have another token as tie breakers.
It’s also the most blatant of Liu’s thinly veiled nationalist propaganda. Americans are gun loving, underhanded power grabbers, the Japanese are sneaky and barbaric, the British are erudite cowards, and the French are just there. The Chinese are victims of everyone’s wanton indulgences and are forced to engage or stand idly by aghast at how lackadaisical their approach to the governance of children by children really is. The Americans being the worst. They’ve immediately dubbed killing each other as the most epic form of “play” and drag the world into their twisted utopia.
Get his later stuff. Its incredible.

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Listen to the whole thing!

Revisado: 05-27-22

There are 3 novellas, all mentioned in the description, contained in this audiobook. Legends of the fall is the last. To those saying it’s not the book they downloaded, it is.
As for the audiobook itself; the first, “Revenge” is just not very good. Vaguely romantic and fairly predictable even in its conclusion is in spite of itself.
The second, “The man who gave up his name” is the best in tale and telling. A wonderful view into the what ifs and the examination of oneself of a man in his middle age and the changing of his appetites and ideals at this crossroads.
“Legends of the fall “ is a great story but feels as if told at a mile overhead and not just over shoulder.
Well worth your time

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Not one of his best

Revisado: 05-17-22

I am a great admirer of Cormac McCarthy’s style of writing. Full of description with brutality and beauty in equal measure. In most cases. This is a bit too saccharine and YA for my taste, though when you’re as gifted as he, even the median is not too bad.

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Tedious

Revisado: 04-01-22

The story is interesting, but the pacing is just a bit off. Also, the reading is distracting. I wish they’d have forgone the accent imitations, because they’re just bad. Really bad. It’s distracting and a shame really.

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Great story narration is...

Revisado: 04-20-18

Hesse still stands the test of time, even through translation, but is less engaging on audio.
Weller’s voice has a nice timbre, but can easily become monotonous after the first hour or so. Little inflection sounding like a first time read through. Also, pet peeve’s like the pronunciation of pleasure as “playzure”, treasure as “trayzure” are a distraction to me. A petty demerit, but enough to irk.
The book is a wonderful story of a Renaissance man’s place in the vastly changing world and the impressions made by and left on Harry the protagonist. Part transcendentalism, part Goethe worship, but all Hesse and his character’s search for attainment.

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Beautiful short listen

Revisado: 12-13-17

If you've just discovered or would like to rediscover how beautiful this book is, you won't be disappointed. The translation is excellent as is the narrator's pace and feeling. It's Hesse's most popular for a reason and you shouldn't be disappointed.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

How does this so well liked?

Revisado: 12-07-17

The book centers on John Corey- an amalgam of every New Yorker/NYPD, chauvinist stereotype you can think of- and his interruption of a convalescent leave to help solve some murders in a sleepy Long Island hamlet. Sounds good?
The book has it's bright spots, but is largely held back by the characters' sophomoric "wisecracks" which quickly get old.
I'm not too high class to appreciate a good genitalia joke, farting tension cutter, or dumb pun, but they're just not funny. And they never stop. Ever. For almost 20 hours.
The whodunit is fairly obvious about a third of the way through. The novel would've been much better, and the character much more tolerable had it been about 6 hrs shorter.
Narration was good and one of the more redeeming qualities.
Maybe DeMille figured it out after the first novel, but I'm not sure I care enough to find out.

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A bit slow to start, but wow

Revisado: 07-28-17

The story is excellent and in the vein of Philip K Dick in dealing with technology that themes that didn't even exist in the 80's. Ahead of his time.
The narration is at times disorienting, as he struggles to keep accents and voices straight when there's no clear indicator of who's speaking in a conversation. It may be a minor gripe, as his pace and diction are very good.

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