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annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Shattered Skies is the second book in the Cruel Stars trilogy by John Birmingham. Released 11th Jan 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 480 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out Sept 2022. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is campaign space opera on an epic scale. Following directly on from book one, it's engaging and intricate. It's not particularly suited to a standalone read and readers who haven't read book one will probably want to pick up and read it first. The language and descriptions are rough and graphic. The writing, characterizations, scene descriptions, choreography, and plotting are superlative; often sublime.
This is an experienced and talented author at the top of his game and there are passages which transcend the genre and should be categorized as good literature instead of "just" good SF. There are a significant number of sly in-jokes and light humor which raised a smile.
The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 15 hours and 40 minutes and is capably narrated by Morgan Hallett. She has a rather flat, generic Midwestern American (with a hint of homogeneous Central Canadian?) accent, but does a clear and well enunciated job with the read. I didn't find myself distracted by her accent at any point.
Five stars. Highly recommended to fans of the genre. I would go further and recommend it highly to fans of historical/military epics. The third book in the trilogy is due out 2nd quarter of 2023.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Shattered Skies is the second book in the Cruel Stars trilogy by John Birmingham. Released 11th Jan 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 480 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out Sept 2022. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is campaign space opera on an epic scale. Following directly on from book one, it's engaging and intricate. It's not particularly suited to a standalone read and readers who haven't read book one will probably want to pick up and read it first. The language and descriptions are rough and graphic. The writing, characterizations, scene descriptions, choreography, and plotting are superlative; often sublime.
This is an experienced and talented author at the top of his game and there are passages which transcend the genre and should be categorized as good literature instead of "just" good SF. There are a significant number of sly in-jokes and light humor which raised a smile.
The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 15 hours and 40 minutes and is capably narrated by Morgan Hallett. She has a rather flat, generic Midwestern American (with a hint of homogeneous Central Canadian?) accent, but does a clear and well enunciated job with the read. I didn't find myself distracted by her accent at any point.
Five stars. Highly recommended to fans of the genre. I would go further and recommend it highly to fans of historical/military epics. The third book in the trilogy is due out 2nd quarter of 2023.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
millie_vk's review against another edition
3.0
This was okay. A lot of my complaints from the first book are the same for this one.
The first half was a bit of a slog, it was heavy on politics which I don't usually mind, and the worldbuilding was slightly more comprehensible this time round, but I still found myself getting lost and bored at times. I didn't care much for Suprarto's chapters.
Lucinda solidified herself as my favourite character and I enjoyed her chapters the most. I also enjoyed McClennan much more this time round.
Alessia annoys me. It feels as though whether she acts like a child or as an adult entirely depends on what the plot demands of her at the time.
Justice for Booker, he wasn't in this book enough.
I'll probably read the third one when it comes out just to see how it all ends.
The first half was a bit of a slog, it was heavy on politics which I don't usually mind, and the worldbuilding was slightly more comprehensible this time round, but I still found myself getting lost and bored at times. I didn't care much for Suprarto's chapters.
Lucinda solidified herself as my favourite character and I enjoyed her chapters the most. I also enjoyed McClennan much more this time round.
Alessia annoys me. It feels as though whether she acts like a child or as an adult entirely depends on what the plot demands of her at the time.
Justice for Booker, he wasn't in this book enough.
I'll probably read the third one when it comes out just to see how it all ends.
old_man_niemand's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Blood and Gore
mchagen93's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bndktgrs's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
Fast paced, action packed and a lot of fun, it's an entertaining sci-fi that I enjoyed even if I didn't read the first part (my bad :( )
There's a lot of action in this story, a groups of not-so-good good guy and villains that could be not-so-bad.
I will surely read the first book as I enjoyed this one and appreciated world building, humour, and storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
There's a lot of action in this story, a groups of not-so-good good guy and villains that could be not-so-bad.
I will surely read the first book as I enjoyed this one and appreciated world building, humour, and storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
iainbertram's review against another edition
3.0
Sweaty McSwearface and his fearsome band of Australian neerdowells pretending to be people of different nationalities rampage through space simultaneously fighting nazis and the class war. Great beach read with foul mouthed and competent heroines kicking armour played arse. Like Neal Asher but with a sense of humour.
kir's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.5
McLennan is great comic relief, in the sweary, gives no shits camp of comments.Â
Book 2 felt slower to build pace than book 1 for me, so I didn't get as invested. It possibly felt darker as well.Â
Book 2 felt slower to build pace than book 1 for me, so I didn't get as invested. It possibly felt darker as well.Â
sharondblk's review against another edition
3.0
This middle book of the trilogy is not very interesting. All the characters sound the same, down to the wearing. Except McLennan who is some sort of over the top insult machine that I didn't find amusing. There are lots of battles, but since we don't know the parameters of power, the good guys can just do what needs doing. Usually by folding. And why is Lucinda Hardy called the Loose Unit? She is so tightly controlled - is it because of her first name. The Princesses friends are off screen the whole novel and it's all just same same.
So, what did I like about it? The "bad guys" are there for a reason. We know why they are doing what they are doing, and are clearly shown that the "good guys" are not all that good, generally speaking. So the plot as a whole has depth, even thought the individual characters are cardboard cut-outs.
So, what did I like about it? The "bad guys" are there for a reason. We know why they are doing what they are doing, and are clearly shown that the "good guys" are not all that good, generally speaking. So the plot as a whole has depth, even thought the individual characters are cardboard cut-outs.
lizziegracereads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0