made_in_dna's review against another edition
3.0
I'm half way through the book and wondering where this is going to go, why it has deviated from the main character, and if I should bother to continue. It's not bad, but it's not wow'ing me either.
For those who enjoy long-winded space operas.
For those who enjoy long-winded space operas.
lukre's review against another edition
Just an endless "uuuuuu look at what I can come up with" writing. I dislike books that are basically one massive masturbatory egotrip
charles_cbcpl's review against another edition
5.0
A conspiracy/adventure SF novel, written by an author who clearly has as much of a grasp for cultural nuance as he does for technological speculation. This book has a similar appeal to The Diamond Age (another favorite). Like The Diamond Age, it tweaked my perception of the world hard enough to make ordinary life seem very surreal for several days. Update: I have since read the sequel, Mind Over Ship, which is very nearly as good as Counting Heads, and which lays the foundation for another book.
nomiddlename's review against another edition
3.0
It's good. Packed full of ideas, but sometimes let down by a fair amount of infodumpy passages. I'm looking forward to his later books, though.
noramjenkins's review against another edition
2.0
Loved the beginning but it dragged a bit. Maybe too sci-fi for me but I was intrigued by some of the nano-bot ideas.
nwhyte's review against another edition
http://nhw.livejournal.com/536633.html[return][return]Excellent. I tend to find myself unexcited by the possibilities of nanotechnology to change society; authors who are excited by it often write only characters who are equally excited, or else appalled, by it. David Marusek here has an entirely believable society, with love, parenthood, age, and death - and loneliness, in a world of material plenty - which happens to also have vast amounts of nanotechnology. (I confess I did find the summary of the setting inside the dust jacket helpful to orient myself, but probably needed it mainly because I started reading the book on my second transtalantic flight of the week.) Sure, there is also a plot - one of the oldest around, in that it's effectively aboout a political murder and an attempt to prevent another murder. And there's lots of whizz-bang action in the grand finale. But it's striking to find a nanotech book that actually has a plot and a real ending, something I've complained about of others with that theme.[return][return]Two other comparisons that occurred to me: some aspects of the mother/daughter relationship and its impact on the mother's company reminded me a bit of Cyteen, which I read almost exactly a year ago; comparisons are entirely in Marusek's favour. Also I thought I spotted some homage to the Zelazny/Saberhagen collaboration Coils, surely itself an example of cyberpunk before its time. I was pleased to see an overt reference to "The Wedding Album" making it clear that this is the same future; it seems tidier somehow.[return][return]Anyway, recommended.
readerbot_lu's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Did I like it? Yes
Do I recommend it? Yes
Do I recommend it? Yes
Favorite Quote
"Her eyes peered out at you like eels in coral." (11)
Positives
The world-building is this novel’s biggest strength. I was mostly intrigued with how AI and clones were treated differently (because that is my current special interest).
Negatives
The world-building is intriguing in some parts but archaic in its views of gender. I feel like Eleanor was the most interesting character .
Spoiler
but she died pretty early onkellanemc's review against another edition
2.0
Far future, mind fuck (thats a good things) gives way to a plodding story.