C. Hartmann

Great Characters and a Clever Plot

Revisado: 04-05-25

I used to avoid the Plus Catalog books--particularly the 'virtual voice' narrations. Lately, however, I have been checking them out and have found several that were delightful. This series of four is an excellent example. The main character is interesting and fun. The plot is clever and quick-moving. Having grown up on Lake Ontario, I enjoyed the fact that it was both part of the story and well-described. (Cold all of the time.) I generally enjoy police procedurals from the UK, but found the Canadian slant fun as well. I think you will enjoy this.

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Fun! Progressively More Involved thru the Series

Revisado: 03-30-25

Tom Swift in space! A good deal of fun without taking itself too seriously. In the later titles in the series, there are some much heavier issues addressed--but once you have read the first, you can decide for yourself. The series has a somewhat similar feel to "The Martian" (book not movie) in that it is very procedural. There is a good deal of logistics and world-building involved. I very much enjoyed them all.

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Even better than the first !!

Revisado: 01-24-25

It has been said that the second book is the hardest. I think this is particularly true where the first has been a great success. Can't just repeat, can't change too much, basic canon is fixed. All of which made this book such a delight--the characters become more three-dimensional, and the author probes even closer questions along the rim of the uncanny valley. But most important by far is the GREAT mystery and the procedural plotting. CANNOT wait for a third.

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Funny book, Great Performance

Revisado: 10-04-24

Short but gleeful. The performance is equal to the story. A great time was had by all !!!!!!!!!!

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The 2024 Six Star Winner !

Revisado: 09-22-24

If you like Peter F. Hamilton, and you like John Lee's performance.......this is Hamilton at his best. Easily the six star choice for 2024. Complex, fun, rich and imaginative. Take the 30 hour trip to meet people and go places only he can evoke.

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Excellent Police Procedural with a Side of AI

Revisado: 08-10-24

The pairing of a skeptical human detective with an AI partner in a police procedural is hardly a revelation. However, the author writes an EXCELLENT mystery--with an AI partner....not a heavy (boring) science-fiction novel with a dab of a poor mystery added in. What emerges from the effort is a clever and well-paced mystery with a really good ending and characters you want to hear about. I'd say that it appears this may be the first in a series--I hope so. Finally, kudos to the narrators...really a first rate performance.

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Gets better as it goes along

Revisado: 05-05-24

An AI reading a book about an AI. Not a novel plot (detective with robot partner) but some good ideas and a pretty creative second half,

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Back to the Crux of the Series

Revisado: 05-01-24

If you have gotten to #19 in the series you must like it. Thus, this will be brief. The crux of these stories is always the unexpected and well-illustrated choices made by unexpected and interesting individuals. Some of the stories reached the outer edges of this exploration. This one, satisfyingly, is dead in the sweet spot. It is like the sound a ball makes when a hitter swings easy and FULLY connects with the pitch.

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Clever and Fun Police Procedural

Revisado: 04-05-24

[Note: I have reviewed over 100 books--but I only comment ones I really like.] If a police procedural is too much fun or has too much humor, it becomes a parody or camp-ish. (Think and Janet Evanovich, whose Stephanie Plum is both funny and a good time.) Make it too serious or dark and reading (or listening) can become tedious. So it was with great enjoyment that I found myself addicted to this book. I know that it is a overused cliche...but I really could not put this book down. It has many classical elements (a buddy team of two women, mysterious personal back stories, and two or three interlaced mysteries.) But what it also has is great pacing, dialogue and supporting cast members. The characters all have dimensions--they are not just walk-ons in stereotypical roles. I also enjoyed the performance. I hope this will be a series and that the next one will be arriving soon.

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Fun Hard Science Fiction with Great Worldbuilding

Revisado: 02-20-24

First, this is narrated by "Virtual Voice" which I thought I wouldn't like. I was wrong. It was good, and even made minor pronunciation errors. Second, there were references to various British accents the AI didn't do--but perhaps it was better for that. Third, it is ironic that a story where one of the central characters was a silicon intelligence was read by the Virtual Voice. Fourth, and most important, it was a really fun story with a ton of hard science, appealing characters and a world building that was very good. Good parallel construction and an excellent eye for letting the listener really see the places and things described.

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