Simon MacDonald

I couldn't finish this book. A previous reviewer said “relentless technogibberish” ; I agree. About halfway through, I thought - why am I reading this, it's boring the arse off me.

Good story line, but I found the characters rather shallow.

Just about gets a 3. Some pretty improbable plot situations, from which the hero always escapes, usually by ‘double tapping' the tango in the face or cutting off their head with his razor sharp kukri knife. Gory.

I struggled at the start of the book as I found the translation a bit. Howbeit got better (or I got used to the style) and I enjoyed it.

2.5/5 . It doesn't work. He's a bouncer, not a super hero.

2.5 / 5 Not Lee Child's best effort. A very contrived and weak story, somewhat drawn out - should have been a novella.

I found this a hard read. There are some great ideas in this story, but I found myself buried in seemingly endless philosophical discussions. I get the point that the whole premise of the book is based around the worthiness or otherwise of the human race, and the reactions of the planet. This needs discussion, but, hey, I got so bored. Looks like part 2 coming soon.

Richard Morgan returns on top form. A dark and gritty story set in the seedy world of Martian politics and crime. Spiced up with a flavouring of testosterone fuelled violence and graphic sex.

3..5/5Almost on a par with the Kovacs books.

A great finale to the trilogy, but grim, very grim.

One of the better books I've read this year! Hooked, I'll have to read them all now.

The first half was very disjointed, but kind of came together towards the end

Better than I expected! Good fun, lots of back, lewd humour.

I'd give it a 3.5. Lots happening in this book. Set around the middle of the Polity time line after Line War. Cyborgs, Golems, AIs, Hoopers , Dragon, Haimens , and most of the the big hitters from the other Polity stories racing around the galaxy shooting stuff. Loads of action, but a frequently changing point of view between a multitude of characters spoils the flow of the action somewhat. Overall, I enjoyed it - a good scene setter for the rest of the trilogy.

I found this book hard going at first but it got better the further I read.

Not usually my usual fare, but an interesting story, with shades of Stranger Things

Meh! Not so much

Lots of to-ing and fro-ing and scene setting in this book, which got a bit complicated, and a little boring. Sometimes I was not sure who was doing what or why.

I expect all will be revealed in the final part of the trilogy. It had better be!

One of the better books I've read this year. Shades of Mervyn Peake and Ben Aaronovich.

Some good writing but not really the sort of book that grabs me.

Parts of the book put me in mind of The Naked Lunch, if only due to the incomprehensiblity of some of the the prose. I gave it a 3 because I enjoyed parts of it. I'm still not really sure what was going on; I'll have to read it it again sometime.

Worse than the first book. I only read it to see if it improved on the first.

Is this meant to be a young teen book?

An interesting plot scenario, but the corny characterisation and dialogue is abysmal.
Various Alien races who all learn to speak English in seconds or the hero learns their language just as fast. Almost miraculous gifts of alien super technology so the hero can save the day... Reminds me of 1950s pulp SF.

I got 50% through and couldn't take anymore.

Corny, pulp, SF - I have vol 2, so I'll give that a go to see if it improves

Gaah! A cliff hanger! See next book not yet available.

Yup. Lara Croft and Indiana Jones in Space - The Teenage Years.