abeille's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Set among a family's network and a community college in the near future, this is a fun look at what everyday technology could develop into.
The vibe was, like, high school pranks that get into shit deeper than they imagined, but much higher tech.
The vibe was, like, high school pranks that get into shit deeper than they imagined, but much higher tech.
jiimjaam's review against another edition
1.0
Nope, nope, nope. I was bored for the first half of the book, finally once things picked up, it still wasn't good and had a very lacklustre ending.
jesssika's review against another edition
4.0
This story follows the egotistical protagonist, Robert Gu. Once, he was a renowned poet, but then he developed Alzheimer's. His character was angry and volatile as I know most Alzheimer's patients to go through, since losing one's mind is a bit frustrating. I expected his character to have bad qualities and make him an overall unlikable person. He is mostly unpleasant throughout the book and deeply manipulative to boot.
In this different world, they've found a cure for the disease, and he gets it finding some added bonuses of becoming more youthful. However, there was a cost, especially since his disease was a brain disabling one. He lost his literary ability. Finding himself unable to do what he was used to in a world ruled by technology, he realized his technophobic tendencies. He attends high school again to learn things over, and finds himself in a plot to use the newest technology for mind control.
This is a unique read, if at times difficult, that is funny and also serious. With a virtual rabbit making carrots stick around for weeks that one can't get rid of, to battles for mind control, it's the future one can easily imagine in our current world with all the advances in technology.
In this different world, they've found a cure for the disease, and he gets it finding some added bonuses of becoming more youthful. However, there was a cost, especially since his disease was a brain disabling one. He lost his literary ability. Finding himself unable to do what he was used to in a world ruled by technology, he realized his technophobic tendencies. He attends high school again to learn things over, and finds himself in a plot to use the newest technology for mind control.
This is a unique read, if at times difficult, that is funny and also serious. With a virtual rabbit making carrots stick around for weeks that one can't get rid of, to battles for mind control, it's the future one can easily imagine in our current world with all the advances in technology.
echan's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
zmb's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.25
literatetexan's review against another edition
2.0
The first half of the book is really strong. It's set in the near future, and the protagonist has been cure of Alzheimer's disease. He used to be a famous poet, but the world has changed so much because of technology that he's forced to go back to high school to adapt to the changes. This part of the book is strong and well-written, and the reader thinks that the book is going to be about the poet's struggle to become a productive member of the new cyber society as presented in the novel.
But the novel also features a long, complex plot about some kind of terrorist attack that the main character somehow gets involved in. This aspect of the book is baffling--it was impossible for me to figure out what was going, who exactly was involved, or why it mattered. The second half of the novel is a slog, and I almost didn't finish it as a result.
I'd have liked to give the novel three stars, but I just didn't enjoy it well enough to do so. I'll give other Vernor Vinge novels a try, but I finished this one disappointed.
But the novel also features a long, complex plot about some kind of terrorist attack that the main character somehow gets involved in. This aspect of the book is baffling--it was impossible for me to figure out what was going, who exactly was involved, or why it mattered. The second half of the novel is a slog, and I almost didn't finish it as a result.
I'd have liked to give the novel three stars, but I just didn't enjoy it well enough to do so. I'll give other Vernor Vinge novels a try, but I finished this one disappointed.
amandameowly's review against another edition
1.0
I came upon Vernor Vinge's Rainbows End as a requirement for my Contempory Literature class. I do not understand how it has won so many awards. I found the story line and the plot to be confusing and over encumbered by too many characters, each with their own point of view that changed every dozen of pages. The form of the story and how it was pieced together was disorganized and hard to follow. It seems like a book you have to read at least a few times to actually understand, because the first read is horribly confusing.
aardrian's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
matthewdeanmartin's review against another edition
4.0
Old science fiction authors like to write about rejuvenation technologies.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
4.0
A re-read. And that was more complicated than I remembered. I didn't love it this time either. I was impressed by the technology - it still reads like it could be near future without being out of date. I didn't especially like any of the character, which I always find disappointing. And there's pieces about the ending that I would have like to seen resolved better. I did kind of like the rabbit. 4 of 5.
Every so often I go through a spate in which all the books I read are horrible and it makes me wonder if my taste hasn't changed or I might becoming overly critical (or perhaps sf/fantasy in particular has gone downhill). So it is nice to read something good like Rainbows End. And yet I didn't love it, except for some odd reason the ending. But the ideas were good - near future, genetic-specific cures, old people back in school, technology of learning and learning of technology. Worth talking about. Worth rereading. 4.5 of 5.
Every so often I go through a spate in which all the books I read are horrible and it makes me wonder if my taste hasn't changed or I might becoming overly critical (or perhaps sf/fantasy in particular has gone downhill). So it is nice to read something good like Rainbows End. And yet I didn't love it, except for some odd reason the ending. But the ideas were good - near future, genetic-specific cures, old people back in school, technology of learning and learning of technology. Worth talking about. Worth rereading. 4.5 of 5.