Dean G

Audio performance amazing; Book good

Revisado: 03-19-21

First, Tim Gerard Reynolds is the best narrator hands down. I could listen to him read the phone book. Second this is no phone book. I do recommend it for those that enjoy epic fantasies focused on magic and/or fantasy coming of age stories..

The magic system world building (including multiple planes or realms) and most characters are very good, consistent and believable.

Sentence for sentence, Michael Manning is a very good even often excellent writer. I do appreciate his style. I also really appreciate the speed with which he gets his latest creations published. That said I feel he needs more critical editing beyond wordsmithing.

It seems many, if not all, of his books have a plot hole, unexplainable character motivation (beyond reader suspense or moving plot forward), or simple incongruities that kick the reader out of the fantasy otherwise being artfully woven. Often these are not even central and could be easily softened or written around. Almost made it through this book clean but don’t want to spoil or pre/place questions i readers minds. I was engaged then reality came crashing down as you realize something g is just impossible and totally incongruous. It was a minor incident but it was just unnecessary and it was jarring.

Another problem is the seeming random and changing mood of the super powerful characters who sometimes help then decline to help then actively fight against Will. Done well these are “red herrings” but too often It’s just not done smoothly. It comes off as desperation to get out of tricky situations.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 9 personas

Best Psychological Thriller in past year

Revisado: 03-11-21

The isolated Tasmania coast community was rocked by a tragic storm 12 years earlier. Now grief and guilt from those events boil over setting family against family and friend against friend. The Survivors started more slowly than previous books by Jane Harper. But as I got through it I realized this gave her the time to peel back the layers of the characters more dramatically. This built to one of her most riveting endings yet and made it all worthwhile.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Abridged and not happy

Revisado: 08-23-20

I did not realize this was an abridged version. My fault I guess. It seems now the unabridged versions are labeled but the abridged are not. That is a horrible practice for a company supposedly devoted to readers and listeners. Truth in advertising is all I ask. Some may want the abridged version. I did not. Feel like pace was rushed and minor plot points unclear and now I understand why. Wasn’t horrible abridgment- just wish Audible has labeled it as such. Hate to knock the writer or performer as its neither fault. I also did not enjoy this as I did my last book by Tami Hoag so I’m not able to score it higher.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Sometimes More is Less

Revisado: 02-22-20

Love the worlds and writing of Michael J. Sullivan but to me this is his weakest entry so far. I hate stating that because I do encourage creativity and this is a very creative take on an age old story (Dante’s Inferno for the 21st century). Still it feels like a story that didn’t have to be told. It feels more contrived than central. My complaint is not with how it was done; the writing is superb as always. I feel like someone should have asked did it need to be done. I feel like this is backstory that could have stayed backstory. Central elements revealed here could have been covered more efficiently by myth telling or more directly from one Malcolm’s antagonists like Trilos or Ferrol. The author did what he could and I appreciate his skill in maintaining interest throughout. I still eagerly await the conclusion after what to me seemed like a side trip.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Must read series

Revisado: 09-26-19

Having joyfully sped through this latest installment, I then re-listened to the audiobook of each book in the series in order. Listening to the seamless plot play out across books through incredible interactions of complex characters with unique motivations and perspectives, I realized how special this series truly is - A modern masterpiece. I read a lot (100 books per year or so). In my life I've re-read books only about a dozen times. This series is not only readable, it's re-readable. It practically requires it.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Disappointing

Revisado: 12-05-18

Shallow monochromatic characters, and telegraphed plot twists but with good pacing and well written sentences. Melodramatic, artificial and contrived but with brief flashes of excellence followed by a hollow ending. What I imagine a book written by a good editor would be: correct but not compelling, promising but not passionate, & mediocre not memorable.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Top rated author in scifi and fantasy

Revisado: 11-27-18

Sanderson brings all the traits you've come to expect from his fantasy novels to sci-fi. Pace, plotting, world building, and complete, compelling characterization of even minor characters. By this I mean that Sanderson has a knack for avoiding black and white/good and evil stereotypes but embracing the shades of gray while still demonstrating consistent character motivation. I would call this YA sci-fi but not in a condescending way. Perfectly appropriate for YA but not oversimplified. It does harken back to Enders Game in mood (NOT in plot). I look forward to future installments of this series as well as anything else he cares to surprise us with. My only complaint was the main character name of all things: Spensa. All I could picture was Robert Parker's Spenser for Hire with a Boston accent. Once you've heard it, you can't unhear it.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not as good as Book 1 & 2

Revisado: 11-16-18

You know how when you're reading a great book you don't want the story to end? Well not so here. Instead it seemed like the author didn't want it to end and so stretched it out. It couldn't end fast enough. Glad. I read the trilogy but this last book was disappointing. Read it with expectations in check and maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Compelling, tightened focus but slower

Revisado: 11-02-18

I think this series is going to have a lasting impact on direction of fantasy as N.K Jemisin breaks the mold in a laudable way that I hope and believe other authors will embrace.
The Obelisk Gate continues the Broken Earth trilogy by taking a microcosm view of the world where the first book Fifth Season took the broader perspective of sweeping world building. The introspection slowed the pace with gaps between the action intended to explain the characters motivation and set the atmosphere. Still I feel the author does a good job not wasting the readers time. She doesn't have a problem fast forwarding through months or, in the previous book, even years. It gives a more realistic time aspect over to world changing events. The characters in Obelisk Gate aren't the same you met in the previous book- they're older, wiser, more frustrated, less patient like many of us as we age. Never really thought about before how frequently in fantasy the innocent character goes on adventure of a lifetime, saves the world and is back before supper or at least relatively quick given the scope of the adventure and travels. I am concerned about the pace and level of introspection of the characters as I head into the final book but I also can't stop now. The series is incredibly original, the writing excellent, the magic system complex and believable, the characters interesting and multidimensional.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Better idea than execution

Revisado: 10-03-18

I wanted to really like this book and it was okay but the mediocrity of the execution of a great idea makes it all the more disappointing. The secondary characters were not fully realized perhaps because shining a light on them would have eliminated suspects slowly rather than dramatically all at once after the guilty had been uncovered. Despite all the back and forth flashbacks of the main two characters you never really understand any of the secondary characters. The motivations and actions of even the primary two seemed flawed, inconsistent, and inexplicable. Final clues fell into place magically and investigative luck was hard to ignore. Then (without spoilers) the epilogue clearly serves as a prologue for a sequel which I would be hard pressed to read.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña