If you can get through the first bit of this, the plot really gets complex and deep. It's so unique and bizarre, and at first I thought I was4.5 Stars
If you can get through the first bit of this, the plot really gets complex and deep. It's so unique and bizarre, and at first I thought I was reading another mediocre, Nook-freebie, but I hung in there because the premise was so interesting. This book is one of the best books I've read in a really long time, barring a few logic flaws. As of this review, 50% of raters gave the book a four or five-star rating.
I'm partial to stories with full immersion virtual realities so your mileage may vary. I urge you to read other reviews and see if you want to give this one a go. You have to be patient at the beginning, but the payoff is SO worth it.
This is a five-star book, but the ending is so abrupt with excessive cliffhangers that I don't think it's fair to the reader so I'm docking it 1-star. You can't ask your readers to plow through 500 pages only to leave them with nothing. If I knew I was going to have to read another book to get the remainder of the story I might not have been so disappointed with the ending, or lack of. I do intend to read the next in the series though. ...more
Well, I wasn't expecting that. And I definitely wasn't expecting that. The book was good as a whole, but the ending was great.
Reading all the negativeWell, I wasn't expecting that. And I definitely wasn't expecting that. The book was good as a whole, but the ending was great.
Reading all the negative reviews, I think the problem is the gap between the expectation of those readers and what actually transpires in the story - a little dose of reality.
I loved the ending. One of my favorite authors, Katherine Kurtz, wrote fearlessly in the Deryni series, and to this day it is still one of my favorites. ...more
This one starts immediately where the last one stopped. I liked it, but for me it had a fatal flaw.
When a character makes a decision that I deem compThis one starts immediately where the last one stopped. I liked it, but for me it had a fatal flaw.
When a character makes a decision that I deem completely irrational, stupid, and one I don't think the character is likely to make under any circumstances, it really pushes me away from caring about the remainder of the story. That's what happens here. It just wasn't believable, and I lost trust in the storyteller. So why am I not giving it a lesser rating? Because it's still a good story.
I'm going to continue reading the series because I've already bought the next one, and those situations where I'm baffled by a character's decision have happened only three times ever. Other readers may not have issue with the decision and find the book better than I've rated it.
Your mileage may vary on this one depending on your tastes, but I thought it was great, regardless of the comparisons to other books.
I've rea4.5 stars
Your mileage may vary on this one depending on your tastes, but I thought it was great, regardless of the comparisons to other books.
I've read lots of Goodreads reviews on this one and all the folks I depend on for my reading pleasure have rated this 3-stars or less, so I was a little worried, especially since I already bought #2 and #3 in the series.
I'm going to be sexist and say that with all the violence and action this book appeals to guys more than girls, that is if guys actually read books. ;) But seriously, guy-book with a young-adult romance. ...more
After reading the first in this series, I found out it is a Christian allegory, and this hindered my enjoyment of the book. I didn't know how it wouldAfter reading the first in this series, I found out it is a Christian allegory, and this hindered my enjoyment of the book. I didn't know how it would be portrayed, but I knew what was going to happen next. I didn't like that.
This second in the series wasn't as interesting as it was exciting once it got moving, but it was slow going at the beginning for me. I don't think I'm going to read the next one. If the author's stay with the Christian story, which they will, I can already lay out the plot structure of the third book. I don't like to know what's going to happen when I read something. ...more
Before beginning this review I saw that this was nominated for The Christy Awards, which honors and promotes excellence in Christian fiction. I didn’tBefore beginning this review I saw that this was nominated for The Christy Awards, which honors and promotes excellence in Christian fiction. I didn’t know this was a Christian fiction book before reading it. I did see similarities in the story of Christ, but I just thought he used the story like so many others (e.g. The Matrix).
I couldn’t put my finger on what it was about the book, but it just felt like something was different - not like other books. It’s a solid book that kept me interested and turning the page. ...more
I'm old enough that I played all the games, listened to all the music, watched all the 80s pop culture referenced in here extensively. The game AdventI'm old enough that I played all the games, listened to all the music, watched all the 80s pop culture referenced in here extensively. The game Adventure - I remember when I beat that game. I was in fifth grade and it took me forever. It was so new and different, but when I finally did beat it I started screaming and jumping up and down with excitement. Then this conversation ensued:
Mom: "Geez Michael, it's just a game." Me: "No, it's not just a game. You don't understand. I've been trying to beat this thing for over a year on the hardest skill level." Mom: "It's still just a game." Me: "No it's not."
I could not put it into words then, but It's not about the game. It's about the conquest and time and energy to conquer. Just like anything else in life. A win is a win, and the extent of the sacrifice and difficulty level are large determinants in the joy if it.
I've started audio books with a narrator who sounded like they were in their 40s doing a bad southern accent and the protagonist was in her early 20s. Either be just a narrator or go all in like this book. Don't go half way. It doesn't work. Probably the best narration I'll ever hear in an audio book. Wil Wheaton did an amazing job. He became Wade. He had me engaged after the first paragraph. This was not your typical narration where the person is simply reading the book to you, and it made it all that much better. ...more
"Don't hate the players. Hate the game." But I love The Games!
The Hunger Games, was by far the best in this trilogy. It's too bad everything we loved"Don't hate the players. Hate the game." But I love The Games!
The Hunger Games, was by far the best in this trilogy. It's too bad everything we loved about Katniss in the first book seemed to diminish over time through the second and third.
It had a bit of second act bloat, but overall it was good....more
I'm giving it four stars because I really liked it, but there was something in the first in the series that this one didn't have. The newness of the sI'm giving it four stars because I really liked it, but there was something in the first in the series that this one didn't have. The newness of the setting and characters in the first one maybe?...more
I enjoyed Ender's journey. It's a metaphor of life. Life keeps throwing things at you and sometimes it just gets harder and harder, and even when you I enjoyed Ender's journey. It's a metaphor of life. Life keeps throwing things at you and sometimes it just gets harder and harder, and even when you win, sometimes you still lose. Some days you get beat, you cry, then you put your clothes back on, rally your troops, and carry on. To travail and prevail, that's what made this story for me. ...more
Loading...
