jeremiah_scanlan's review
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This feels oddly early-draft - the plot ideas are there but are spliced together haphazardly, the prose is often unnecessarily clumsy. But that's forgivable, because it's the world building that counts, and it's the most believable vision of a dystopian America I've ever read.
trudy4088d's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
fredkiesche's review
5.0
If John Brunner and William Gibson, with a dash of Rudy Rucker, were to collaborate on a book, this frightening wake up call might be the result.
joosty's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
norma_cenva's review against another edition
4.0
This one was on my to-read-list for quite a while. I knew I wanted to read it but did not know if this would be a story for me. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a very unique blend of dystopian eco-fiction. It might not seem like it in the beginning, but the story is as much about ecology as it is about law and I loved it!
djwudi's review
3.0
It is not easy to read near-future dystopian SF set in an America waiting for the outcome of a contested election after the fascist incumbent loses but the Texas Gov. invalidates the electoral votes and it goes to SCOTUS. Complicating matters is ecological, economic, and sociological collapse brought on by losing a war with China, but if you swapped that backstory out and replaced it with a global pandemic....
While that’s background world building, and only tangentially ties to the main plot of a lawyer working to release his client, a young woman branded a terrorist for journalism work among protesters (also hitting pretty damn close to home), much of the book is remarkably uncomfortably prescient.
We came far too close to the state of the country as presented here, and could still tip over into it if the next wannabe fascist dictator is more savvy and less volatile than the last. Definitely an uncomfortable read, and if the sequel wasn’t one of this year’s P.K. Dick Award nominees, I may not have made it past the first few chapters.
That said - it was well written, and there’s an element of fighting for something better against all odds that gives it a faint hope punk feel. It was enough to get me through, and hope that the sequel continues along those lines.
While that’s background world building, and only tangentially ties to the main plot of a lawyer working to release his client, a young woman branded a terrorist for journalism work among protesters (also hitting pretty damn close to home), much of the book is remarkably uncomfortably prescient.
We came far too close to the state of the country as presented here, and could still tip over into it if the next wannabe fascist dictator is more savvy and less volatile than the last. Definitely an uncomfortable read, and if the sequel wasn’t one of this year’s P.K. Dick Award nominees, I may not have made it past the first few chapters.
That said - it was well written, and there’s an element of fighting for something better against all odds that gives it a faint hope punk feel. It was enough to get me through, and hope that the sequel continues along those lines.
lini002's review
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
treyshman's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
peter__b's review against another edition
1.0
All I wanted was a fun, light read that brought something different to the table. A legal thriller sounded like it would fit that bill quite nicely. And it probably would have if it didn't take itself so damn seriously. However, if that was the only issue with this book, it wouldn't be getting the rating it's getting.
I think it's best to start off with what I enjoyed. The main storyline had its moments and whenever we got back to it, I was curious to see what would happen next.
As for the rest of the book, it was unfortunately plagued with poor writing that drained the few embers of enjoyment I started to develop. Aspects like the dialogue, for example, felt so unnatural that it made the already improbable world just feel that much more silly. And speaking of the world, I have to note that this was some of the worst world-building I've read in a very long time. Every scene got littered with completely useless information that not only killed the pacing of the entire book but also distracted from what was happening.
Not that I cared that much about any of it anyway. The protagonist was one-dimensional with his sole flaw being a drug addiction that everyone commented on, but which had no apparent negative effects and was seemingly forgotten by the end of the book anyway. The list of secondary characters was bloated, made even worse by the fact that they were as forgettable as the protagonist's drug problem. The few antagonistic characters were complete caricatures and seemed to be made up on the spot to give our hero something to overcome.
With all the above-mentioned issues, it's hardly a surprise that the story suffered as well. Multiple side-plots that ended up leading nowhere were probably the biggest culprit. The single aspect I was looking forward to - the court battles, were underwhelming and anti-climactic. The 2nd act was painfully bloated and glacial while the ending was disappointing, to say the least.
This ended up being a 1.5-star that would normally get rounded up since I didn't actually hate it, but even with the somewhat decent main plotline, this had nothing going for it. The world, while possible, felt improbable. The characters had no life to them and it even failed at being a competent thriller. Give this a skip as I should have.
I think it's best to start off with what I enjoyed. The main storyline had its moments and whenever we got back to it, I was curious to see what would happen next.
As for the rest of the book, it was unfortunately plagued with poor writing that drained the few embers of enjoyment I started to develop. Aspects like the dialogue, for example, felt so unnatural that it made the already improbable world just feel that much more silly. And speaking of the world, I have to note that this was some of the worst world-building I've read in a very long time. Every scene got littered with completely useless information that not only killed the pacing of the entire book but also distracted from what was happening.
Not that I cared that much about any of it anyway. The protagonist was one-dimensional with his sole flaw being a drug addiction that everyone commented on, but which had no apparent negative effects and was seemingly forgotten by the end of the book anyway. The list of secondary characters was bloated, made even worse by the fact that they were as forgettable as the protagonist's drug problem. The few antagonistic characters were complete caricatures and seemed to be made up on the spot to give our hero something to overcome.
With all the above-mentioned issues, it's hardly a surprise that the story suffered as well. Multiple side-plots that ended up leading nowhere were probably the biggest culprit. The single aspect I was looking forward to - the court battles, were underwhelming and anti-climactic. The 2nd act was painfully bloated and glacial while the ending was disappointing, to say the least.
This ended up being a 1.5-star that would normally get rounded up since I didn't actually hate it, but even with the somewhat decent main plotline, this had nothing going for it. The world, while possible, felt improbable. The characters had no life to them and it even failed at being a competent thriller. Give this a skip as I should have.