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christygsp's review
5.0
Didn’t see any of it coming, loved every minute.
Loved this concept of solving crimes through an inception level method. The characters were really interesting to follow and those dynamic was fun to watch.
I wish it were longer, or that there were more of them!
Loved this concept of solving crimes through an inception level method. The characters were really interesting to follow and those dynamic was fun to watch.
I wish it were longer, or that there were more of them!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual content
alibrarymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I don’t know how it happened, but this book went from insanely slow to having me feeling rage in 25 pages. The set up, the deviations, the end?!
The beginning of this is insanely slow for the book being literally like 100 pages. But then they got on the case and things happened I wasn’t expecting and Sanderson kicked us in the face. I am not satisfied with this ending, but also absolutely am because I didn’t expect to feel things about what I thought was a boring book. I guess I’m just going to go stare at a wall while processing what even happened here. Nobody better bring this book up in front of me, I’m probably going to be feral about it for a while.
The beginning of this is insanely slow for the book being literally like 100 pages. But then they got on the case and things happened I wasn’t expecting and Sanderson kicked us in the face. I am not satisfied with this ending, but also absolutely am because I didn’t expect to feel things about what I thought was a boring book. I guess I’m just going to go stare at a wall while processing what even happened here. Nobody better bring this book up in front of me, I’m probably going to be feral about it for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
renpuspita's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4 stars
Kudos to Brandon Sanderson, to again, make an interesting world building with an interesting premise. In the first glance, the technology of the Snapshot kinda remind me of the Matrix, an alternate reality formed with advance technology in the near future. When I read Petrik's review, apparently the concept of Snapshot is already used in video game and movies with same premise. I admit, sci-fi is not my favorite, I'm more like a fantasy gal. But, give it to Brandon Sanderson with his unique take of already familiar concept to make it unique again while left me wanting for more.
Snapshot is a mix of hard sci-fi with police procedural. The advance technology of Snapshot make the system can recreate or reconstructive a crime scene, perfect for investigation. Our characters are Anthony Davis, a weary detective, pairing with his overly enthusiast buddy cop, Chaz. The start of the novella is already catch my interest, with both Davis and Chaz is the only real people in the world of fake. Snapshot can recreate a condition from days before, in Davis's case, 10 days before when crimes take place. Davis and Chaz's assignment is to investigate, to collect data and evidence of the crime and then report it to their superior in precinct so they can solve the case. People in Snapshot is, indeed a fake. A copy of themselves from 10 days ago. However, they have consciousness, and if Davis or Chaz flashed their badges (called reality badges) they will know that they are a fake. This is why I called it interesting, how come people that recreate in alternate reality, from a matter, from a data, can "think"? Can interact like a their IRL counterpart do? Can know that they are just fake and some people can be devastated when they know they are fake?
That's what differentiate Snapshot and The Matrix. The Matrix is a dream, provide by the Machine to the human in Zion, but somehow it can be perceived as reality. Snapshot..I think of it as a parallel world of sort? Reading Snapshot remind me of game I played, Fate Grand Order with its concept of singularity in which the MCs will travel to one point of singularity to correct the history. But the concept of Snapshot is different. Davis and Chaz go into Snapshot not to correct the history that already happen, but to collect evidence to help solve the case. This is when Sanderson also introduce the Butterfly Effect, called The Deviations. Because, there's always something happen that differ from what happen IRL when Davis or Chaz act not accordingly to the plan, therefore create the Deviations. Which, again, come into the question, what is real in the world of the Snapshot?
Sanderson's novella is a miss for me, with Perfect State is one of the example. But Snapshot is otherwise. Sanderson manage to write an unique concept and world building, pair it with a police procedural and buddy cop kind of story. Aside from the world building, Sanderson also manage to write Davis's weariness, how he want to do the right things, with become a cop. How to make a better world. How he really love his son despite he lost his son's custody to his ex wife. The ending itself is very much Brandon Sanderson-esque, like you didn't see it coming. I sure didn't see it coming and maybe I will re-read it again to know what I miss in the first read.
Another good novella from Sanderson that reinforce my interest in his other novella. To said I'm in an awe is an understatement. Because why a novella can make you question, what is real and what is fake in the Snapshot? Is a human in Snapshot can be considered as a human if they are just a copy of their IRL, yet they too have consciousness and can feel devastated to know that their life will end when the Snapshot end?
Kudos to Brandon Sanderson, to again, make an interesting world building with an interesting premise. In the first glance, the technology of the Snapshot kinda remind me of the Matrix, an alternate reality formed with advance technology in the near future. When I read Petrik's review, apparently the concept of Snapshot is already used in video game and movies with same premise. I admit, sci-fi is not my favorite, I'm more like a fantasy gal. But, give it to Brandon Sanderson with his unique take of already familiar concept to make it unique again while left me wanting for more.
Snapshot is a mix of hard sci-fi with police procedural. The advance technology of Snapshot make the system can recreate or reconstructive a crime scene, perfect for investigation. Our characters are Anthony Davis, a weary detective, pairing with his overly enthusiast buddy cop, Chaz. The start of the novella is already catch my interest, with both Davis and Chaz is the only real people in the world of fake. Snapshot can recreate a condition from days before, in Davis's case, 10 days before when crimes take place. Davis and Chaz's assignment is to investigate, to collect data and evidence of the crime and then report it to their superior in precinct so they can solve the case. People in Snapshot is, indeed a fake. A copy of themselves from 10 days ago. However, they have consciousness, and if Davis or Chaz flashed their badges (called reality badges) they will know that they are a fake. This is why I called it interesting, how come people that recreate in alternate reality, from a matter, from a data, can "think"? Can interact like a their IRL counterpart do? Can know that they are just fake and some people can be devastated when they know they are fake?
That's what differentiate Snapshot and The Matrix. The Matrix is a dream, provide by the Machine to the human in Zion, but somehow it can be perceived as reality. Snapshot..I think of it as a parallel world of sort? Reading Snapshot remind me of game I played, Fate Grand Order with its concept of singularity in which the MCs will travel to one point of singularity to correct the history. But the concept of Snapshot is different. Davis and Chaz go into Snapshot not to correct the history that already happen, but to collect evidence to help solve the case. This is when Sanderson also introduce the Butterfly Effect, called The Deviations. Because, there's always something happen that differ from what happen IRL when Davis or Chaz act not accordingly to the plan, therefore create the Deviations. Which, again, come into the question, what is real in the world of the Snapshot?
Sanderson's novella is a miss for me, with Perfect State is one of the example. But Snapshot is otherwise. Sanderson manage to write an unique concept and world building, pair it with a police procedural and buddy cop kind of story. Aside from the world building, Sanderson also manage to write Davis's weariness, how he want to do the right things, with become a cop. How to make a better world. How he really love his son despite he lost his son's custody to his ex wife. The ending itself is very much Brandon Sanderson-esque, like you didn't see it coming. I sure didn't see it coming and maybe I will re-read it again to know what I miss in the first read.
Another good novella from Sanderson that reinforce my interest in his other novella. To said I'm in an awe is an understatement. Because why a novella can make you question, what is real and what is fake in the Snapshot? Is a human in Snapshot can be considered as a human if they are just a copy of their IRL, yet they too have consciousness and can feel devastated to know that their life will end when the Snapshot end?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
iono's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Misogyny
readerette's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I don't think this story quite came together for me. I appreciated the layers and world building but the twist was a little confusingly laid out in my opinion. I'm also generally not a fan of books where the author hides information from the reader so that the climax is more likely to surprise. Great authors, in my opinion, lay everything out but put it together in unexpected ways to create surprises.
Interesting idea overall, though, and at novella length, certainly not bad to give it a try.
Interesting idea overall, though, and at novella length, certainly not bad to give it a try.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Grief, and Alcohol
nadia's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I've been excited to read this one as it's the first book that my co-founder Rob found via StoryGraph's Browse Books filter menu. He'd been helping out on the product for months at this point, but hadn't needed a new book. And here he was, about to go on a run, and he wanted something fast-paced to listen to. I'll never forget the excited barrage of texts I received from him after he'd returned from the run having started a book he knew nothing about beyond what StoryGraph's book pane said.
I really enjoyed Sanderson's Mistborn series and was looking forward to trying something a bit different from him!
Given the subject matter combined with the length of the book, I think you'd be hard-pressed not to have some unanswered questions or want a little bit more in certain aspects. However, while a quick read (I could have read it in one sitting but alas time didn't allow), the story and concepts packed in certainly felt like I got more than what you'd think only 100-odd pages could offer.
If you love detective stories and science fiction, and are looking for something quick, while still a little challenging, this is a fantastic option!
I really enjoyed Sanderson's Mistborn series and was looking forward to trying something a bit different from him!
Given the subject matter combined with the length of the book, I think you'd be hard-pressed not to have some unanswered questions or want a little bit more in certain aspects. However, while a quick read (I could have read it in one sitting but alas time didn't allow), the story and concepts packed in certainly felt like I got more than what you'd think only 100-odd pages could offer.
If you love detective stories and science fiction, and are looking for something quick, while still a little challenging, this is a fantastic option!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence
jcurrah's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, and Murder