kterbush's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rachelb36's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
Lots of profanity, some sexual references, and a very negative portrayal of religion (Christianity in particular).
Aside from those bigger issues, the story was anti-climactic and the characters were not engaging - they just didn't have strong personalities that made me care about them.
The conclusion was so open-ended, it felt like a cop-out. I got the impression the author was setting up for a sequel, but this just doesn't deserve one.
Lots of profanity, some sexual references, and a very negative portrayal of religion (Christianity in particular).
Aside from those bigger issues, the story was anti-climactic and the characters were not engaging - they just didn't have strong personalities that made me care about them.
The conclusion was so open-ended, it felt like a cop-out. I got the impression the author was setting up for a sequel, but this just doesn't deserve one.
mschlat's review against another edition
2.0
If you have read about the philosophical implications of teleportation, seen the movie The Prestige, or read the early Star Trek novel [b:Spock Must Die!|216633|Spock Must Die! (Star Trek Adventures, #1)|James Blish|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389993880s/216633.jpg|2893169], you know the general conceit of this book. I read 70-80 pages before realizing the book was going in exactly the direction I expected. The rest is a mostly standard thriller with some humorous touches. There are bits I enjoyed, but I stopped caring about most of the intricacies of the plot about halfway through. Klein does introduce a few interesting extensions of the teleportation technology, but they weren't enough to engage my love of hard SF.
djhobby's review against another edition
2.0
I see a lot of great reviews for this book, but it didn't suit me.
I liked the premise, but I didn't care for any of the characters, or anyone's motivation, and I felt like the writing was just OK. This would make a great short story.
I liked the premise, but I didn't care for any of the characters, or anyone's motivation, and I felt like the writing was just OK. This would make a great short story.
toastzilla's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
e_freckles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry
blevins's review against another edition
3.0
Zippy science-fiction set in the 22nd century that combines a quick plot, action, teleportation complications, lots of other story elements. I'm on a science-fiction kick at the moment and have a couple of others lined up to read. I'm surprised I haven't seen more teleportation in sci-fi...it's not new after all as that was one of the coolest things portrayed in Star Trek. This has it, with a twist. Fast read, really cool cover.
rumbledethumps's review against another edition
1.0
Not for me. A little too clever for its own good. Hard SF is best done by incorporating the science into the plot and story, not by explanations in the footnotes, addressed to "future readers" who might not be familiar with the antiquated science of the 22nd century. It felt like a writer who didn't trust his readers to understand, and wanted to make sure we all knew exactly how well he had thought out the science of his ideas.
srsanderson's review against another edition
2.0
probably 2.5 stars.
i really, really wanted to love this book. when i first picked it up i was definitely getting some "dark matter" vibes, and the hard core sci-fi was right up my alley.
unfortunately, i think the story started out really strong, but kind of lost its way with 150 pages left. i honestly don't know what to say about the last third of the book other then: i'm confused. the "villain" felt a bit flat, and the ending had me scratching my head in a wtf type manner, and not the good wtf.
overall, meh.
great freaking concept - meh execution.
i really, really wanted to love this book. when i first picked it up i was definitely getting some "dark matter" vibes, and the hard core sci-fi was right up my alley.
unfortunately, i think the story started out really strong, but kind of lost its way with 150 pages left. i honestly don't know what to say about the last third of the book other then: i'm confused. the "villain" felt a bit flat, and the ending had me scratching my head in a wtf type manner, and not the good wtf.
overall, meh.
great freaking concept - meh execution.
charlottejo's review against another edition
3.0
While this was a fun read, I feel like it was also quite forgettable. The main character had a pretty good voice and attitude, but the novel overall was a series of events that happened to him and he spends most of the book trying to figure out what is happening instead of really doing much of the action himself.
I liked the basic premise of the story. I like the science ideas explored: teleportation, cloning, digital copying, but I just didn’t connect with the characters enough to care for long.
I liked the basic premise of the story. I like the science ideas explored: teleportation, cloning, digital copying, but I just didn’t connect with the characters enough to care for long.