Mark
Setting: Space somewhere, not important.
Language: Language is straightforward and there are no fake “future” words that I remember
Character: Main character is a very talented, almost magical young man who is being trained to be a type of law officer. He is going through his “second chance” after some highly wayward life choices. He is learning to filter himself, get along better with colleagues, and is maturing. Becoming a more likable character along the way.
Plot: So the main character must take his “final exam” to complete his personal redemption ark. Of course it all goes pear shaped, it always does. We have action, adventures, mystery, crime and so on. This is all very obvious from the book blurb. Happily Chaney does this sort of story well. It moves quickly, doesn't really challenge and ends well with a satisfying ending. Fun stuff not to be taken too seriously.
Setting: Modern world, basically now.
Plot: Down on his luck everyman overcomes trope.
Characters: Enjoyable, protagonist is relatable and some of the other characters are as well, but generally a little thin - not a problem in the end. The “villains” of the piece are a little over the top but for this book that makes sense. Cats, lots of cats but not what you might think based on the cover and um some dolphins that are something else.
Language: This is the part I liked the best. Honestly laugh out loud funny if you like Scalzi's snarky sense of humor. Really, the best part of the book are some of the arguments and conversations between characters.
Summary: Light entertainment with some really fun set pieces. Not peak Scalzi but a fun and enjoyable bit of entertainment. Can't always be serious can we?
Gathers information concerning our society, how it functions, what we value to discuss the impact of technology that is designed to keep us looking at media and make those media providers money while apparently not caring about the impact on users. While this has some tips about how to increase focus or at least take better control of your media, your mileage will vary as this is more a look at societal factors and the related research than a self-help book. Hari's arguments feel more than just hyped up moralizing or a nostalgia for a time gone by.He calls for both personal and societal changes to allow humans to live a life less externally mediated, less algorithmic derived lives and ultimately a higher quality life.
Setting: Rural Northeastern USA and a very cold North Atlantic Ocean.
Language: Some “magical words” but otherwise language is straightforward and serves the story well.
Plot: Abe Sapien investigates bizarre things and some creepy action ensues. Lovecraftian horror tales, there are 3 stories collected here.
Art: Various styles/artists but consistently muted colors are used. Heavy blacks throughout when needed for effect, works well. Variations do exist with the first story having a more sketch-like quality while the other two have a less heavy and slightly clearer line.
Character: Abe Sapien and colleagues are enjoyable action hero types but not over the top. The local people and witnesses are engaging. With feelings about the situations that make sense and make the stories a bit more than a “monster of the week” type story.
Summary: Light horror type tales that are fun on their own, not really a starting point for the Hellboy Universe but doesn't require a deep knowledge.
Setting: An island n the Bay of Biscay, early 1980's but isolated so feels even earlier.
Character: Main characters are Abe Sapien, a witch (of sorts), her son, and demons. Abe is well presented here, the witch has understandable motivations, her son is sympathetic, and demons are creepy.
Language: Other than some “magic language” words, language is straightforward and doesn't get in the way.
Plot: It the old ancient evil reborn by investigators looking for something unrelated mixed with a “first time acting on his own” agent story. Good stuff.
Art: Muted colors, heavy on the black shadows, not photorealistic and the line is heavy by intent. Suits the mood.
Summary: Enjoyable story and gives background to the Abe Sapien character form the Hellboy Universe. Normally this type of book isn't a starting point for entry into something as big as Hellboy but I did find fun entertainment in the light Cthulu vein.
Language is the reason to read/listen to this book. Just amazing and frankly it seems Mr. Lynch was just showing off at times but when you can write like this, well go for it. The story and characters are fairly standard. Well if you consider idiots and sadists to be normal parts of rather violent tales set in Ireland and the U.S. in the first half of the 19th century. But again you're not really here for them, though by end I did want to see what happened to the main characters despite the queasy and unsettling start to the book.
This was a very enjoyable novella? Two hours -ish for the audio book.
Characters: Really only one. A bit know-it-all and snarky (no surprise that such a character is in a Scalzi novel).
Setting: Inside the “brain” of the one character or space.
Language: Very straightforward and easily understood.
Story: What happens when a mission to new habitable planets for humans goes rogue. Why did it go rogue. What is done instead. Very speculative and thoughtful, it is one possibility and I liked it.
Story: Odd things are afoot in the English countryside:
Setting: 19th/20th century England
Language: Contemporary English
Characters: Paranormal investigators, scientists of sorts
Art: Engaging and brushy, not to detailed but clear.
Overall, a quick easy read but this type of story is told so often that to make it work it has to have a lot more going on than this rather obvious take.
Story: Failed spies, washed up and banished to a purgatory of sorts end up caught up in the machinations of others. A a complex thriller type plot that does drive the reading along, a bit of a page turner and the plot points are taken from contemporary news.
Setting: Contemporary London and it is believably presented. At times almost a character itself, enjoyable.
Language: Modern english with some spy type slang, not challenging.
Character: The characters are certainly the strength of the book. Washed up, failed, incompetent, arrogant, overly ambitious and well the list is long as to what ails the main characters but at the core they are looking to get past whatever it is that has led them to be in their current lot. Many of these histories are relatable, apparently spies are human.
Story is set in a near future that is not all that different to our current world but there have been a number of big steps forward. These future science advances aren't necessarily new ideas and even though they are kept vague in terms of details, they are still interestingly presented. The main appeal of this are the characters reacting to how the new science advances impact their lives, work, opportunities, and the whole world to a certain extent. This book is more about the people than anything else. The characters are approachable and i was able to inhabit them, hope for them. Also this story had some very strong ecological threads and at times reminded me of Vandermeer's Area X, just not as weird as Vandermeer but still an odd vibe is there at times.
Story: As advertised we have a space fantasy that also has a mystery “finding a lost thing” trope going and that works well.
Character: All the mains are interesting in their own ways and own reasons. No real classic villains more that folks are at odds. Both have valid points.
Setting:Space, post scarcity utopia that is The Culture. Always enjoy visiting that world.
Language: Funny, silly, angry and well Banks.
I enjoyed it but I think it is too long. Don't know if editing was needed or Banks just had a lot say? But that does drag it down a bit.
Yes there are some very serious themes in this but also a ton of Banks showing off his humor.
Story: Basically a revenge tale at heart but also a lot of politics and religion.
Character: Main character and some of ship Minds are excellent, main baddie a bit thin.
Setting: Fantastical Space settings for sentient entities in the “real” while the parts set in a simulation of “hell” are super creepy and violent.
Language: Banks in full flow in this one with great humor.
Overall good stuff but just feels thin or maybe should have been edited down?
So this is a narrative non-fiction work. What I mean by that is that Mieville tells this as a story and not just a dry recitation/list of who did what and when. Very focused on the October Revolution with enough (but not a lot) of background for newcomers to this history to not feel lost. Also he stops at the moment revolution starts, because well we know how it ends and how the revolution was betrayed. Read it a primer or as a tightly focused story, it works both ways.
In terms of the how this compares to the original text novel I feel like it is one to one and maybe a bit shortened but nothings appears completely cut out. So I am not going to review that already well discussed original. The art. Here there are only two artists, down from the three used in the previous installment. I enjoy both Antonio Fuso and Andrea Mutti's art. I just don't get the division of the work. But with only two artists this time there is not so much jumping around stylistically. Again art is good I am just not sure how using two different artists serves the story but it worked better this time so maybe the artists got a better understanding?
In terms of the how this compares to the original text novel I feel like it is one to one and maybe a bit shortened but nothings appears completely cut out. So I am not going to review that already well discussed original. Moving onto the art. Wasn't crazy about it. Three different artists, not sure why there were 3 different artists or why they were assigned what they were. Good art but didn't get the approach and it didn't really add. So not on the artists for sure, just didn't understand.
In terms of the how this compares to the original text novel I feel like it is one to one and maybe a bit shortened but nothings appears completely cut out. So I am not going to review that already well discussed original. Lets talk about Josep Homs art - love it. Gives the story a earthy look and I caught an Enki Bilal, Heavy Metal vive to the art. Not hyper realistic but grounded in reality with real dimensionality to characters and settings.
