Score: 4/5
I’m getting more into this series. I like the way it’s a bit varied - the settings, the threats. It’s not repetitive the way I felt Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series became.
I did still have the occasional ‘Why don’t they...?’ as well as skepticism over use of infantry, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Score: 4/5
I enjoyed the first ‘IQ’ book so I was expecting to enjoy this one too. And I did.
There’s something a little different in this one though. I can’t quite put my finger on it. It maybe has a bit less depth than the first one. Or maybe I’m mis-remembering the depth of the previous book and I’ll look back fondly on this one too.
In any case, it was enjoyable and nicely readable.
Score: 4/5
OK, this is another science fiction infantry story. I’ve written before that I don’t think battles with aliens will involve infantry, but this story at least has a credible reason for there being infantry at all.
It’s a bit grittier than Alanson’s infantry books too. This, the first in a series, covers a lot of boot camp as well as battles, and it talks about soldiering in a voice that seems wearily experienced.
It’s nicely written and very readable. I still don’t think alien battles will involve much infantry, but I enjoy Star Wars and I don’t believe in the Force so I guess I’m flexible.
Score: 4/5
What an absurd book this is!
I bought this after I read Cory Doctorow’s recent mention of it and I’m glad I did. The premise is absurd, the actions absurd, and the characters absurd. Love it!
The absurdity is there to satirise some aspects of society and business (as seen from the 1992 perspective when the book was written) and that works very well.
Other bits of the book are patchier. Some bits seem random diversions, some bits projections on things the author expected to have happened by 2002, when the book is set. And, of course, some projections were spot on and others remarkably close.
A very readable, enjoyable book.
Score: 2/5
I didn’t enjoy this book. It’s not that it’s badly written - it’s beautifully written, it really brings across the textures of the Australian outback and the people involved.
It was all just so sad though. Such pain and misery on every page. I don’t think I could bring myself to read another book from this author.
Score: 3/5
I enjoyed the previous books by this author but this one felt a bit ‘forced’. I’m not sure how best to describe it.
The first few chapters were really not good. They felt very clichéd, and the awful ‘CIA Agent Profile’ at the beginning of the book did not help matters.
The book did warm up, improving right up until the end. But it was starting from a very low beginning. I know folks don’t buy these books for their depth of originality, but the other books I’ve read by this author were much better.
Score: 4/5
Yeah, another Jack Reacher book. I still have about a dozen of these to go, all in a stack, waiting for me.
It’s lucky they’re so readable.
This is the first book in the Jack Reacher series, so I found out a bit more about his background. It still amazes me how plainly Tom Cruise plays him in films when there’s a lot more going on than appears. And also that Jack Reacher is 6’ 5” and Tom Cruise... isn’t.
Ignore the films and read the books, that’s what I say.
Score: 4/5
It was interesting, being taken back to Northern Ireland in 1981. It’s not (quite) how I remember it.
The main events, sure. They’re fine. It’s the little things that didn’t really fit for me.
Here’s one trivial thing: at one point, the protagonist unplugs his (landline) phone. Back in 1981, where I lived in Belfast didn’t have phones with plugs. All our phones (installed by the Post Office, because British Telecom wasn’t formed until 1980 and we got our phone line before then) were hard-wired into boxes. No plugs, and no way for us to ‘unplug’ the phone.
I’m not saying the author’s wrong - maybe the house in Carrickfergus had the phone installed more recently than us and it came with plugs. But it felt a bit jarring - part way my mind was back in the early 1980s in Northern Ireland, and part of my mind kept going ‘Nope’.
Then again, it was all a long time ago and I could well just be mis-remembering the details.
That aside, it’s an interesting tale of religion, sexuality and brutal murders in early 80s Norn Iron.
Score: 4/5
This felt a bit silly in comparison to some of the other crime novels I’ve read recently. Maybe it just doesn’t take itself as seriously.
Calling the two main characters Samson and Delilah probably didn’t help.
Anyway, it’s a nice, gentle bit of detective fiction set in the Yorkshire dales. I’m not sure I’m ready for more of them but it was enjoyable to read.
Score: 5/5
I don’t really know how to categorise this book. Not much happens, and I spent a lot of time saying ‘No, don’t do that...’ to the main character.
But it was wonderful.
The writing was a joy to read, and I could at least understand the main characters’ motivations and why they did what they did (even if I was mentally telling them not to).
Might have to hunt out some more stuff by this author.
