chappellmw90's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-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
3.5
winterscomin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
furicle's review against another edition
1.0
I marked read, but trashed is more likely to accurate shortly. I didn't finish it, heck I didn't even get halfway through. I could clearly visualize the characters reading their lines from a TelePrompTer in a monotone on a Monday morning with a bad hangover hoping nobody was watching...
waden34's review against another edition
3.0
I feel this should have been a sequel series instead of a continuation of the first 5 books. That said it was still an entertaining read. The bad guys are a bit more 1 dimensional which makes things a bit obvious and redundant.
slapshottechnology's review against another edition
4.0
Another quick read and good story. One to go.
mvuijlst's review against another edition
2.0
Kevin J. Anderson! Faut pas pousser bobonne dans les orties, gast.
Tot daar aan toe dat Star Trekgewijs de Ildiranen er menselijk uitzien. Maar als ik even oplijst: er zijn mensen die met Ildiranen kinderen krijgen, er zijn mensen die met boomachtige aliens versmelten, er zijn mensen die met waterachtige aliens versmelten, er zijn Ildiranen die met vuurachtige aliens versmelten, en er zijn begot zelfs mensen die met insekt-achtige aliens versmelten.
Herhaal met mij, Anderson: DNA is geen universele soort plasticine! Serieus: als het ons nog niet eens lukt op mensen met mensapen te paren, hoe zou het dan lukken om niet-steriele en perfect functionele kinderen van mensen en aliens te krijgen?
Gah!
En voor de rest: hoe verder ik lees, hoe meer ik begin te twijfelen. Ik dacht dat ik maar een paar van de zeven boeken had gelezen, maar de grote ontknoping van boek zes van de zeven kwam ook al niet als een verrassing. Ik denk dat ik dus zeker tot boek zes moet gelezen hebben, de vorige keer -- zucht.
Nog één boek en het is gedaan, en dan ga ik écht toch nog eens een goéd boek lezen, denk ik.
Tot daar aan toe dat Star Trekgewijs de Ildiranen er menselijk uitzien. Maar als ik even oplijst: er zijn mensen die met Ildiranen kinderen krijgen, er zijn mensen die met boomachtige aliens versmelten, er zijn mensen die met waterachtige aliens versmelten, er zijn Ildiranen die met vuurachtige aliens versmelten, en er zijn begot zelfs mensen die met insekt-achtige aliens versmelten.
Herhaal met mij, Anderson: DNA is geen universele soort plasticine! Serieus: als het ons nog niet eens lukt op mensen met mensapen te paren, hoe zou het dan lukken om niet-steriele en perfect functionele kinderen van mensen en aliens te krijgen?
Gah!
En voor de rest: hoe verder ik lees, hoe meer ik begin te twijfelen. Ik dacht dat ik maar een paar van de zeven boeken had gelezen, maar de grote ontknoping van boek zes van de zeven kwam ook al niet als een verrassing. Ik denk dat ik dus zeker tot boek zes moet gelezen hebben, de vorige keer -- zucht.
Nog één boek en het is gedaan, en dan ga ik écht toch nog eens een goéd boek lezen, denk ik.
gregg's review against another edition
3.0
Don't why he has taken the story in this direction but he seems to keep going from one dangerous situation to another once one has seemingly been ended. Can't say that I like all the choices he has made but they are still interesting choices I guess. The Chairman and the Hansa still disgust me and the Roamers still seem like better examples of human beings more or less. Really wondering how anyone if possible will see a future alive at the end of this all. So on to the conclusion of the series to see how he wraps everything up.
aqiul's review against another edition
3.0
After the crushing defeat of the hydrogues in the last book, things should have been more peaceful in our little universe. But sadly new enemies have cropped up and the EDF is out on witch hunts to crush the planets signing up with King Peter.
This book was average I'd say and as usual, except for the last 50 pages or so the action was spread out into small patches here and there. Davlin is the best character in this book followed closely by Rlinda Kett and Bebob.
The book is full of plot holes at this stage and the author has written so many characters that don't act like themselves that its becoming harder and harder to believe them.
I have to say it; Basil Wenceslas is probably the most deluded character ever. I can see how the author has slowly and steadily built him up into a proper villain that we can all hate now that the hydrogues are gone. I'm just surprised that no one has tried to assassinate him so far. Are there no rebels in this universe?
Also, can someone explain how the hydrogues are all just gone? I highly doubt that the wentals and humans knew about ALL the hydrogue gas giants everywhere; all of a sudden, every hydrogue has disappeared entirely from the conflict.
Also, the robots are making less sense than ever before. Sirix had lost its mind in book 2 itself but I thought that maybe after all these defeats the robot might come to its senses and realize that they've always been pawns in a greater war. Tools that served a purpose that is no longer needed. But these robots are as delusional as Basil Wenceslas.
Osirah who was a big character in the previous book now has a guest appearance doing pretty much nothing with her fancy mental powers. General Lanyan is a disgusting human being, much like in the previous books!
The story involving Patrick Fitzpatrick is so useless that it would change nothing if he was written out of the story in book 4.
Well apart from these loopholes and many other story corners the author has written himself into, the book was fine. I've reached book 6 so I might as well finish this tale!
I'd give it a 2.5/5 but GR doesn't allow that!
This book was average I'd say and as usual, except for the last 50 pages or so the action was spread out into small patches here and there. Davlin is the best character in this book followed closely by Rlinda Kett and Bebob.
The book is full of plot holes at this stage and the author has written so many characters that don't act like themselves that its becoming harder and harder to believe them.
I have to say it; Basil Wenceslas is probably the most deluded character ever. I can see how the author has slowly and steadily built him up into a proper villain that we can all hate now that the hydrogues are gone. I'm just surprised that no one has tried to assassinate him so far. Are there no rebels in this universe?
Also, can someone explain how the hydrogues are all just gone? I highly doubt that the wentals and humans knew about ALL the hydrogue gas giants everywhere; all of a sudden, every hydrogue has disappeared entirely from the conflict.
Also, the robots are making less sense than ever before. Sirix had lost its mind in book 2 itself but I thought that maybe after all these defeats the robot might come to its senses and realize that they've always been pawns in a greater war. Tools that served a purpose that is no longer needed. But these robots are as delusional as Basil Wenceslas.
Osirah who was a big character in the previous book now has a guest appearance doing pretty much nothing with her fancy mental powers. General Lanyan is a disgusting human being, much like in the previous books!
The story involving Patrick Fitzpatrick is so useless that it would change nothing if he was written out of the story in book 4.
Well apart from these loopholes and many other story corners the author has written himself into, the book was fine. I've reached book 6 so I might as well finish this tale!
I'd give it a 2.5/5 but GR doesn't allow that!
macindog's review against another edition
4.0
It had been about four years since I put down Of Fire and Night so, on picking up Metal Swarm, I find not much has changed but the story rages on. When one enemy falls another arises only this time it's two of them - the Faeros and the long lost Klikiss. The Faeros are being directed by ex-Ildiran nut-job Rusa'h and basically burning everything in sight while the Klikiss simply want their old worlds back and woe betide anyone foolish enough to have colonized them.
On top of that lot the human political mess continues with the Hansa as the bad guys, King Peter forming a new confederation and the Roamers trying to keep their heads down. An then there's the Klikiss robots who basically hate everyone organic, especially their old creators and humans and Ildirans.
So, the mayhem continues much as before but it well crafted and still very readable. The characters we've grown to love and detest are mostly still there, romances are still blossoming, life goes on. Roll on The Ashes of Worlds.
On top of that lot the human political mess continues with the Hansa as the bad guys, King Peter forming a new confederation and the Roamers trying to keep their heads down. An then there's the Klikiss robots who basically hate everyone organic, especially their old creators and humans and Ildirans.
So, the mayhem continues much as before but it well crafted and still very readable. The characters we've grown to love and detest are mostly still there, romances are still blossoming, life goes on. Roll on The Ashes of Worlds.