So much repetition. So much use of the word "either". So much whining and asking "why?!".
This was good for a commute read whereRead as an audio book.
So much repetition. So much use of the word "either". So much whining and asking "why?!".
This was good for a commute read where I could take it in small portions. The overall plot was interesting enough, which is what kept me tuning in. I confess to some skipping ahead during expository dumps. I would love to run this through a word search for "either" because I swear, every other sentence ended in "either". Painful to listen to - and perhaps that's on the narrator for emphasizing that particular word?
Bob is my favorite character in this series, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he manages to wrap this all up.
Recommended with reservations - noting, target audience is probably YA (teen)....more
Book #3 in the series, you do need to read these in order.
Julius has overthrown his mother and the full Heartstriker class is Read as an audio book.
Book #3 in the series, you do need to read these in order.
Julius has overthrown his mother and the full Heartstriker class is descending up on the mountain for the first ever Dragon Council vote. Julius continues to face challenges from all sides as he forces the clan into change - his older brother Gregory attempts to kill him and then his mage and Bethesda schemes reach far despite being magically bound. Julius is pushing Chelsea to the edge with his demands to know why he can't free her from her bonds of servitude. While Marci and Ghost are being courted by the likes of Amelia, Raven, and Algonquin for powers she has yet to claim.
Technically, I shouldn't be enjoying these books because the base elements are exactly what I don't care to read: fantasy, young adult, coming of age, Very Special Snowflake syndrome, main character who runs around going "I don't understand!'...but yet (so far) the books work for me. I think in great part because I'm reading on audio and the narrator does an outstanding performance.
I'm not saying these books are perfect, however. I have found aspects of the dialog and scenes repetitive; in the middle of a fight scene, where action is imperative, our characters are carrying on an internal monologues that go on far longer than the fight scene should realistically last; and I personally, do not care for Very Special Snowflake Syndrome (aka Marci). And I admit this even when Marci is one of the more interesting characters, but....it's gone too far. Julius continues to annoy me. At some point the whining has to stop.
Aspects that keep me coming back: interesting supporting characters, deftly woven plots, fantastical world building, and the overall premise of the storyline.
This latest installment received four stars from me because I guessed the ending incorrectly. I didn't see coming what actually happened (and I'm being purposely vague). I had mentally assumed a different track based on past experience. So a tip of my hat to Ms. Aaron for that lovely bit of misdirection.
Recommended if you've read the first two in the series. Highly recommend the audio books. ...more
I greatly enjoyed this narrator. Excellent presentation in my humble opinion.
Inconsistencies galore! VanJager (sp? mind, read asRead as an audio book.
I greatly enjoyed this narrator. Excellent presentation in my humble opinion.
Inconsistencies galore! VanJager (sp? mind, read as an audio book) - the reference was specifically for the dragon flying around killing magic suckers (or whatever they were). Justin. NOT Julius. Marci knew this, she acknowledged this. Yet later, she's telling Julius that she betrayed him and that VanJager is after Julius. No. He is after Justin. Major inconsistency's in this particular plot thread that had me grumbling under my breath.
Use of "either" and "neither" (pronounced by the narrator as "I"-ther or n"I"-ther). I swear it was in just about every other sentence, or it sure seemed that way. I think the narrators emphasis on the word inadvertently highlighted just how much it was used.
Oh my goodness, the repetitive sentences in this installment were just frustrating. Readers are not stupid, even young adults, and we don't need to read the same statement said four different ways on one page! Extraneous extrapolation emphasized the egregious elements of repetitiveness.
Julius is a putz. Marci is the much stronger and more dynamic character in this installment. Julius seems to run around bemoaning what a predicament they are in while Marci rolls up her sleeves and gets them out of it. While Julius stands around going "What? I don't understand?", Marci as absorbed the information and is asking probing questions about the ramifications of what they've just been told.
So, I had my issues with aspects of the book, and my frustrations aside, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. Especially the ending.
Things I found delightful: Ghost is SO COOL! Marci's character really grew in the second book. The reader gets to know more about Amelia, Chelsey, and Bob. And the ending rocked. It really rocked (except for Julius's whining and the talking. Always with the talking.).
First, let me begin by admitting I'm not a fan of YA and I picked this as a lark - it was on sale on Audible for $1.00 and had Read as an audio book.
First, let me begin by admitting I'm not a fan of YA and I picked this as a lark - it was on sale on Audible for $1.00 and had decent reviews. Much to my surprise, I enjoyed this a lot. I thought the narrator was a perfect fit for the voices, he did an excellent job of conveying the different nationalities, and his emotional intonation brought the characters to life. The story was engaging, the plot moved right along, and the characters were interesting.
And now, I'm going to pick it apart, because that's what I do.
As I noted, this is a YA book even though our protagonist is 24 years old. He's a very young dragon, and this is still a coming of age book. Not quite our classic fantasy "quest" book, but not far off either. I'm also going to note the ages of the dragons really bounced all over the place, which I found a bit disconcerting. Julian is the youngest at 24 years old, Katia was over 100, and her mothers were thousands of years old. That kinda messed with the mind a bit.
I did find the internal monologues during the action/fight scenes to be overly long and drawn out. The character is in a fight this isn't the time to reminisce and contemplate.
It was established early in the story the Lady of the Lakes doesn't like dragons, and the Detroit Free Zone (DFZ) is a very dangerous place for dragons to be. If anyone knew if Julius was a dragon, he could be hunted for the substantial bounty Algonquin offered. Yet...there are dragons doing business just fine in the DFZ. An inconsistency that niggled at me.
Julius gets in trouble for leaving witnesses in an alley, yet his sister Chelsey leaves bodies to wash-up on the shore of DFZ and that's not a problem? That's not drawing attention to oneself?
Dragons are supposedly highly secretive, hiding their true form from anyone and everyone, especially in the DFZ. Justin, Julius's brother, had not regard for keeping his mouth shut about their heritage around a human - yet that was something drilled into Julius and a transgression for which he could be killed. Another inconsistency.
I could go on with the inconsistencies. There were...many. Oh so very many. But as I noted above, I liked this book more than I expected. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, most plot threads were wrapped up (note: I said most plot threads) and there is definitely a teaser to take the reader to the next book. Which I will read.
Premise of the book is, Earth is on the cusp of catastrophic failure. A select group of seven has been chosen to travel to aRead for June book group.
Premise of the book is, Earth is on the cusp of catastrophic failure. A select group of seven has been chosen to travel to a planetary body to ascertain if Earth would have a future here. On the eve of their departure, world leadership tells them they have three months to complete their mission successfully, or they will be terminated upon their return. Better yet, don't bother to return of the mission is a failure. With words of doom hanging over their heads, they depart. Unbeknownst to the group, their Leader has secondary orders to follow, and what waits for them at their destination changes everything.
This book fell a bit flat for us in book group and myself as well. We finished it, but were left with more questions and comments than anything.
The FTL was not explained. Debatable if is needed to be. But if the world had access to FTL and hibernation coffins, why only build one ship and send out seven people? Build a fleet and seed the galaxy.
The premise of searching for phosphorus as part of a secret mission didn't work for me. If phosphorus is needed that desperately, have everyone looking for it. Put a secret out in the open and less people question it.
The discovery of the Russian cosmonauts, a 150 years old, dying slowly of gangrene, barely able to walk, eat, move...and then they are miraculously cured. Um. No. I can deal with the lack of FTL explanation, but this just moved into fantastical.
Three months to complete a mission or earth dies, also didn't work for me.
Nobody thought to pack a Geiger County on the ship? Could come in handy at ones final destination. Or return destination.
If this books target audience is YA, it would be spot on for the intended audience. But I didn't see any marketing as such, so while not a great read, it wasn't a total bust either. Kinda a solid, "meh". Book didn't work for me, but YA is more your inclination, it might work for you. ...more
I read The Windup Girl several years ago and was entranced with the world and characters Bacigalupi created. Ship Breaker was just as interesting and I read The Windup Girl several years ago and was entranced with the world and characters Bacigalupi created. Ship Breaker was just as interesting and I had a hard time putting the book down.
Set in the Gulf of Mexico, somewhere along the the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama, a small group of people struggle to survive by disassembling old oil tankers and ocean going ships for scrap and, if they are lucky, oil. They live in fear of hurricanes, specifically "City Killers", a new category of storm that destroys everything in its path.
Life is a struggle for the folks on the Beach. Laboring on the ships is hard work and your size and ability dictate what you can and cannot do. Survival depends up on meeting quotas, and in Nailer's case, also avoiding his abusive father. A storm changes everything when it washes a "Swanks" clipper ship onto the shoals of a submerged city. Nailer and his friend Pima rescue "Lucky Girl" and the subsequent journey to reunite her with her father shows Nailer that there is more to family than blood.
Written as a YA book, I couldn't help but reflect that our young protagonist grew up long before the story even started, so less a coming of age story than a journey of self discovery. I would have like more back ground on the half-men, the genetically modified laborers; I think "Lucky Girl" could have had more depth to her character - she felt very superficial to me; and more information on the power struggle in Lucky Girls life to justify reuniting her with her father.
But, overall, minor complaints. This really was a well written story and I highly recommended it. ...more
I think my problem with the whole Hunger Games series is it's being touted as young adult, but it really leans more toward "adult" book given the themI think my problem with the whole Hunger Games series is it's being touted as young adult, but it really leans more toward "adult" book given the themes, violence and plot. Just because a book has 17 year old protagonists doesn't automatically make it YA in my opinion, and I know this has been brought up on panels at science fiction conventions. And it's a bit disturbing to know that there are now "Hunger Games camps" springing up.
In book one, Catniss is established as being a very self reliant, independent, young woman who does what is necessary to protect her family and friends in harsh conditions. By book number three, she's a basket case who can't make up her mind who she loves, freaks when people lie to her (um, hello? she's been lied to her entire life...) and doesn't trust those she grew up trusting. I've read some reviews saying oh yes, classic PSTD, all very realistic. But this plot device has made her into a drama-queen putz who can use her trauma as an excuse for poor behavior rather than the dominant young woman she started out being.
For example, later in the book she's suddenly in charge of a small group of soldiers as they make their way through the Capitol, hunted by mutts, which shows flashes to that book one personality. As a reader, how am I supposed to accept these whiplash like changes in the protagonist? From my viewpoint, it's not growth of character being demonstrated, it's the author unable to make up her mind if she wants the protagonist to be a leader or a puppet.
Her only purpose in the book, from my perspective, was to become badly injured, be nursed back to health, allowed to roam around aimlessly until freaking out and requiring sedation until the next round of being injured.
My other issue was with the audiobooks - and I've mentioned this in a earlier reviews - is the narrator. The Over. En.unc.ia.tion. Of. Every. Thing. that grated on the nerves.
But despite my numerous complaints - and I'm not going to vent about them all here - in the end, I was entertained. Recommended with reservations. ...more
To say that this audiobook annoyed me would be like asking if a small, vocal child in a restaurant annoys me. Which would be a firm yes!
I think it's mTo say that this audiobook annoyed me would be like asking if a small, vocal child in a restaurant annoys me. Which would be a firm yes!
I think it's mostly the narrator that's grating on my nerves, the inflection, intonation and delivery are too much. An over enunciation of the words compounded by an attempt to do some kind of accent just don't work for the characters. I've said it before and I can say it again - a narrator can make or break a book.
Catching Fire picks up right after Catniss and Peeta return home from the Hunger Games, and are about to embark upon a Grand Celebration tour. President Snow arrives to deliver a threat to Catniss, that she has to convince him that she truly loves Peeta and not Gale. Ah...teen romantic agnst. Joy.
The Grand Celebration tour comes and goes. The Districts are unsettled. The Capital is unsettled. Catniss is unsettled. And then the bombshell that all the past victors must return to the Arena for the Quarter-Quell Hunger Games to "remind" the Districts who is really in charge of their lives. Catniss wants to do her own thing in the Arena. Peeta and Hamich have other plans. Catniss is convinced she needs to keep Peeta alive, even after being told that he doesn't want to live without her. Peeta has other plans.
By the end of the book I was ready for someone to hold Catniss under water and put us all out of our misery.
This edition was full of all sorts of "shocking" things that, really, weren't that shocking given the direction the plot is going with a third book in the wings. A couple instances those "shocking" revelations came across more trite than anything. I became very tired of the internal angsty monolog, our Heroine seemed more needy this book, and her indecision on who she should love is over done.
Recommended with reservations and if you've read Hunger Games. ...more
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