marci_travels's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I love how Wen Spencer really likes to push the borders of cool plots and unusual magic systems. I enjoyed her book, "A Brother's Price" and was looking forward to sinking into the Tinker series.
But sometimes, when an author pushes so hard to get a new concept of magic, new interactions of magical creatures, and a new twist on a romance that doesn't use every trope, well, sometimes something gets pushed right off the ledge.
It's me, I am convinced it was me. I read the book from cover to cover, but man, the ick factor was there almost immediately. From grandfather's eugenics manipulating to create the perfect grandchildren, the predatory conquests masquerading as a love triangle, and the Japanese mythology used as Chinese bad guys (this book was written in 2003 but I am pretty sure there were research libraries back then.)
And yet, I read it to the end. And maybe that was the point of the book. If our current world is bad, why wouldn't we want to live in Elfhome?
For those who like to read billionaire, age-gap, bad boy romances. According to Amazon analytics - that's a fast growing sub-genre. May be Wen Spencer is ahead of her time, and maybe it's me.
Votes on me.
But sometimes, when an author pushes so hard to get a new concept of magic, new interactions of magical creatures, and a new twist on a romance that doesn't use every trope, well, sometimes something gets pushed right off the ledge.
It's me, I am convinced it was me. I read the book from cover to cover, but man, the ick factor was there almost immediately. From grandfather's eugenics manipulating to create the perfect grandchildren, the predatory conquests masquerading as a love triangle, and the Japanese mythology used as Chinese bad guys (this book was written in 2003 but I am pretty sure there were research libraries back then.)
And yet, I read it to the end. And maybe that was the point of the book. If our current world is bad, why wouldn't we want to live in Elfhome?
For those who like to read billionaire, age-gap, bad boy romances. According to Amazon analytics - that's a fast growing sub-genre. May be Wen Spencer is ahead of her time, and maybe it's me.
Votes on me.
kkxx2's review against another edition
4.0
Objectively this was more of a 2/3 star, but it was enjoyable and quirky.
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
4.0
Tinker was an interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy, and the world building and characters were well developed and interesting. I found myself drawn into the world, one where elves, oni, and kitsune have come to earth through another dimension.
What disappointed me was Tinker started as a strong female character, and then ended up in a formulaic romance subplot seen in almost every harlequin novel.
Cool world building, and enjoyable read.
What disappointed me was Tinker started as a strong female character, and then ended up in a formulaic romance subplot seen in almost every harlequin novel.
Cool world building, and enjoyable read.
elusivity's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 STARS
Frivolous good read.
Tinker is an 18-year-old sexy genius of physics & engineering, living in an intersection between fantasy & science fiction, in an alien dimension populated by astoundingly beautiful elves.
Tinker is plucky heroine, very much a vehicle for the reader to vicariously enjoy what it's like to have astounding intellect and luck and adventure, not to mention, saving the day multiple times despite incredible naievete, inexperience, and youth. The elves, etc, were well-conceived in that they'd continuously encountered humanity down the centuries via naturally-formed dimensional gates in caves, thus accounting for the many stories and mythologies all over the world, not to mention the occasional offspring.
Overall, fairly enjoyable. Recommended.
Frivolous good read.
Tinker is an 18-year-old sexy genius of physics & engineering, living in an intersection between fantasy & science fiction, in an alien dimension populated by astoundingly beautiful elves
Spoiler
, who were once human a long time ago, but bioengineered their race to gorgeous immortality via magic millennia ago. Head elf of the area falls in love with her, turns her into an elf. Meanwhile, a similarly immortal race from another dimension, the oni, over-ran and in famine because they do not practice population control, has infiltrated and plots to takeover the elves' planet. She gets kidnapped and forced to make a dimensional gate to oni's dimension so they can formally takeover. She tricks them instead, destroying the gate to the human dimension, in effect, leaving her slice of human world stranded in the elven dimensionTinker is plucky heroine, very much a vehicle for the reader to vicariously enjoy what it's like to have astounding intellect and luck and adventure, not to mention, saving the day multiple times despite incredible naievete, inexperience, and youth. The elves, etc, were well-conceived in that they'd continuously encountered humanity down the centuries via naturally-formed dimensional gates in caves, thus accounting for the many stories and mythologies all over the world, not to mention the occasional offspring.
Overall, fairly enjoyable. Recommended.
wildgrove's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sookie458's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book very much. It's interesting mix of SF, fantasy and romance. But I think some aspects could have been done better.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
4.0
A re-read for the Powells SF Book Club. I first read Tinker when I was trying to figure out where to move and Pittsburgh was a strong contender. I went on to follow Wen Spencer and read pretty much whatever she wrote including all the sequels. The later books got more and more complicated. The short story collection especially had details that made me think I'd forgotten much of this book, so it was definitely time for a re-read.
There's a lot to like in this book. The characters, especially the main character, are cool. The setting interesting and complicated. It's definitely a mix of fantasy and sf with what is basically multiple alien races.
There's definitely some to be disturbed by in this book. The absolute presence of rape and attempted rape in much of sf and fantasy is an irritant. The lack of respect for consent and how it affects the main character and how she reacts to it, definitely detracts from the book.
But as a whole, it's a madcap adventure story with some romance.
There's a lot to like in this book. The characters, especially the main character, are cool. The setting interesting and complicated. It's definitely a mix of fantasy and sf with what is basically multiple alien races.
There's definitely some to be disturbed by in this book. The absolute presence of rape and attempted rape in much of sf and fantasy is an irritant. The lack of respect for consent and how it affects the main character and how she reacts to it, definitely detracts from the book.
But as a whole, it's a madcap adventure story with some romance.
mdlaclair's review against another edition
4.0
This is a hard book to classify it is a sci-fi read with a romance influences. Overall I liked Tinker a lot. I loved the beginning of this book it was funny with adventure and them trying to heal windwolf. The only negative I can say is that there were a lot of love interests all at the same time close to the beginning of the book and then to have the main love interest gone for a good part of the book left a very uneven reading feeling. reminds me a little of Ilona Andrews writing.
mkaber's review against another edition
3.0
Wow- what a wonderfully imaginative author! Suddenly, I feel like our science fiction writers are all working really hard to break the mold- and succeeding! In this case, you have a not-to-far futuristic earth which has a trans-dimensional gateway that shifts Pittsburgh onto a planet inhabited by elves. Yes, elves. The hot kind, not the shine-your-shoes-while-you-sleep kind. Anyways, every 30 days there is a Shutdown Day, where Pittsburgh is returned to planet earth. Scientists and scholars flock into the city while everyone stocks up on electrical supplies and foods not found on Elfhome. Then, they are shifted back.
Tinker is our girl genius main character, and aside from her ridiculously childish whining about being an adult, she's pretty likable. Although, when all the male characters froth over her wit, humor and intelligence, it gets a little tiresome, mostly because she doesn't seem to have a whole lot of any of those. Add to that, the awkward sex scenes feel like they were written by someone a little embarrassed to be writing about such things and so rushed through them.
Luckily, this is not a romance novel, this is glorious science fiction! This is candy! This is for people who grew up reading [a:Piers Anthony|8516|Piers Anthony|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1234056775p2/8516.jpg], [a:Robert Lynn Asprin|65471|Robert Lynn Asprin|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1297529113p2/65471.jpg] and [a:Anne McCaffrey|26|Anne McCaffrey|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1323715139p2/26.jpg]!
Let me put it this way: I read this book while driving. No, not an audio book. I didn't want to wait until I got to where I was going, so I held the book against the steering wheel. I guess that categorizes this book as both fun and dangerous ;)
Tinker is our girl genius main character, and aside from her ridiculously childish whining about being an adult, she's pretty likable. Although, when all the male characters froth over her wit, humor and intelligence, it gets a little tiresome, mostly because she doesn't seem to have a whole lot of any of those. Add to that, the awkward sex scenes feel like they were written by someone a little embarrassed to be writing about such things and so rushed through them.
Luckily, this is not a romance novel, this is glorious science fiction! This is candy! This is for people who grew up reading [a:Piers Anthony|8516|Piers Anthony|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1234056775p2/8516.jpg], [a:Robert Lynn Asprin|65471|Robert Lynn Asprin|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1297529113p2/65471.jpg] and [a:Anne McCaffrey|26|Anne McCaffrey|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1323715139p2/26.jpg]!
Let me put it this way: I read this book while driving. No, not an audio book. I didn't want to wait until I got to where I was going, so I held the book against the steering wheel. I guess that categorizes this book as both fun and dangerous ;)