shaekin's review against another edition
2.0
My real rating is probably about a 1.5. I didn't like the book, but I didn't hate it. I am not a fan of books with an incredibly pessimistic view of humanity, and this book definitely has that. The ending is unsatisfying, the characters are all annoying, and the plot feels like there's no direction. The science that is explained in the book is really bad and it would have been better left vague. It wasn't bad enough it made me want to quit reading, and I wasn't passionate about my dislike after I finished, but I just didn't like it.
makegr666's review against another edition
3.0
Full disclaimer: I haven't read almost any satires, nor have I read any other book from Dan Wells before this one.
At the beginning of the book, it kind of grabbed me. The premise is great, what's not to like about an oncoming apocalypse story? The problem for me is the surreality of the characters. I can't accept an innocent person becoming a killer in a few days, nor can I accept the stupidity of the heads of a certain enterprise. It just all seems too far-fetched to me.
The writing itself is great, there's no filler, and the story develops itself continually, it doesn't get repetitive or boring at any point.
Maybe it is me not liking satires, so if you're a fan of the genre, you might fall in love with this. I wouldn't really recommend it to any friends when there are so many other books that I liked far more.
At the beginning of the book, it kind of grabbed me. The premise is great, what's not to like about an oncoming apocalypse story? The problem for me is the surreality of the characters. I can't accept an innocent person becoming a killer in a few days, nor can I accept the stupidity of the heads of a certain enterprise. It just all seems too far-fetched to me.
The writing itself is great, there's no filler, and the story develops itself continually, it doesn't get repetitive or boring at any point.
Maybe it is me not liking satires, so if you're a fan of the genre, you might fall in love with this. I wouldn't really recommend it to any friends when there are so many other books that I liked far more.
ganitsirk's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. Funny, reminiscent of Better Off Ted. Intriguing, and thought-provoking at times. A good read!
mnemosyne139's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm glad I finally finished this book. There were definitely parts that had me skimming a bit because I knew I wasn't fully understanding the science, but overall I enjoyed the read, and I think the ending was fitting.
lee_hillshire's review against another edition
I enjoyed it a lot, actually. Well, until part 4, then it kinda went off the rails a little? But I did appreciate it, and it brings up a lot of things to think about, in general. Overall fun times.
pharmdad2007's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting concept, and pretty well executed. Only got on my medical professional nerves a few times for unrealistic medical crap. Interesting read if you like Michael Crichton or the like.
annabella82's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this novel because it had an interested and somewhat plausible quality to it. In a book which touches on things such as money, greed, appearance, etc...I also liked that it had an underlying level of humour to it.
The only thing I didn’t really like were the characters. The main character wasn’t all that likeable (too naive and whiny) and the supporting characters just seem there to play their part.
It was a quick, fun read by a very creative writer.
The only thing I didn’t really like were the characters. The main character wasn’t all that likeable (too naive and whiny) and the supporting characters just seem there to play their part.
It was a quick, fun read by a very creative writer.
pwbalto's review against another edition
4.0
In an author’s note, Dan Wells describes this book as his Gotterdammerung, and indeed it is an ambitious outing. Is the science a little shaky in places? Are the female characters not terribly complex? Well, yeah. But it’s such a wackadoo premise, explored so lovingly, so willing to go a number of weird fun places, I’m in.
eeclayton's review against another edition
4.0
It was ridiculous, thought-provoking and terrifying. Some ideas might seem far-fetched out of context, but in the book nothing felt forced for me (the Dan Wells cameo was a little off, though). I expected a more cathartic ending, but all in all, it was a great read.