samusiamus's review against another edition
4.0
Such a great prequel novel, it makes me want to play the game again with this newfound knowledge. I understand Sloan Kelly and Tann a lot more now, and my opinion of Tann still hasn't changed: he is still a slimeball.
Some people feel that the novel dragged and focused on details and other things that didn't necessarily address the rebellion until the last 150 Pages or so. I disagree. I like reading all of the little things that the crew did just to keep the Nexus functional and all the windows into people's lives, it gave more personality and humanity to Andromeda as a game and as a world. Everything mattered, and added to what eventually built up to the frustrations of everyone involved including Tann.
Tann was never meant for a leadership role, it was really interesting to read his justifications for his decisions and just see how wrong they really were, and how he refused to understand it all from other perspectives. He only liked people who agreed with him because--according to him-- his decisions were always right so why wouldn't they agree with the right decision? Of course you're going to think it's the right decision, you came up with it! Lol
This book proves that BioWare DOES think about everything in their stories and how they accept everything else, no matter how insignificant it may seem. As usual, they are very detail oriented. :)
Four stars for the occasional confusing sentence or paragraph that didn't detail an action or skipped over an action, resulting in me having to reread them a couple times just to understand what's going on. Other than that, it was really good.
Some people feel that the novel dragged and focused on details and other things that didn't necessarily address the rebellion until the last 150 Pages or so. I disagree. I like reading all of the little things that the crew did just to keep the Nexus functional and all the windows into people's lives, it gave more personality and humanity to Andromeda as a game and as a world. Everything mattered, and added to what eventually built up to the frustrations of everyone involved including Tann.
Tann was never meant for a leadership role, it was really interesting to read his justifications for his decisions and just see how wrong they really were, and how he refused to understand it all from other perspectives. He only liked people who agreed with him because--according to him-- his decisions were always right so why wouldn't they agree with the right decision? Of course you're going to think it's the right decision, you came up with it! Lol
This book proves that BioWare DOES think about everything in their stories and how they accept everything else, no matter how insignificant it may seem. As usual, they are very detail oriented. :)
Four stars for the occasional confusing sentence or paragraph that didn't detail an action or skipped over an action, resulting in me having to reread them a couple times just to understand what's going on. Other than that, it was really good.
saltyseaghost's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
medea_jade's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It’s a decent tie in novel. As always with a tie in a lot of tension is removed because you know who lives and who doesn’t. The cast of characters cast somewhat too wide a net. There were introductions that never went anywhere, character that appeared only once and could have remained nameless. But that said it’s still a good story and it’s cool to have a backstory to the game.
The reader is good. She does some pretty good voices for the various different species.
The reader is good. She does some pretty good voices for the various different species.
medea_jade's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. It was okay. I liked learning about Sloan's backstory, but overall the book was a bit of a dud for me. It never really seemed to get going. It always felt like it was on the brink of action but never quite got there. I felt a little bit like I was forcing myself through it.
inamerata's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Interesting, but frustrating.
If this were shorter and tighter, it would have been a great look at the chaos proceeding Mass Effect: Andromeda. Unfortunately, the pacing is as slow as Nexus repairs. It drags on far too long, repeating and lingering on points through multiple perspectives, only to suddenly escalate to an anti-climatic finish. By the title alone, you know what's coming, and yet halfway through the novel it's still more about algae tanks than action.
For the most part, it was cool to see different characters' perspectives, even when they were slimy or selfish or just plain stupid. But this is ruined by the pacing. POVs jump around regularly, but to give us every single character's thoughts on this or that decision going nowhere, instead of engaging story progression.
In the end, Nexus Uprising provides some food for thought and background to the game, but doesn't stick the landing as a particularly memorable book in its own right.
If this were shorter and tighter, it would have been a great look at the chaos proceeding Mass Effect: Andromeda. Unfortunately, the pacing is as slow as Nexus repairs. It drags on far too long, repeating and lingering on points through multiple perspectives, only to suddenly escalate to an anti-climatic finish. By the title alone, you know what's coming, and yet halfway through the novel it's still more about algae tanks than action.
For the most part, it was cool to see different characters' perspectives, even when they were slimy or selfish or just plain stupid. But this is ruined by the pacing. POVs jump around regularly, but to give us every single character's thoughts on this or that decision going nowhere, instead of engaging story progression.
In the end, Nexus Uprising provides some food for thought and background to the game, but doesn't stick the landing as a particularly memorable book in its own right.
esotericelixir's review against another edition
2.0
I'm a massive fan of the Mass Effect series and do a playthrough at least once a year (at a minimum). This is, however, the first Mass Effect book that I have read - to be honest, I don't think I'm going to be running out to get to the other books. I don't know if it's because this type of story translates better in a video game format or if this particular story isn't written in a way which gripped me.
This is the prequel setting the story before the events of Mass Effect: Andromeda. It didn't particularly shed too much light on what you aren't able to glean from playing the game, but it did give you a closer insight into the happenings. It also shocks me that they were able to get the Nexus functioning as much as they did prior to Ryder making their way, particularly with how they didn't seem to make too many great decisions (and they're meant to be the best of the galaxy ...)
Sloane Kelly is not someone that I warmed to in the game and this book didn't do too much to change that. Her personality was rough and abrasive, mixed together with selfish behaviours really cemented the fact that I choose to side with Reyes. I'm not sure if we were meant to empathise with Sloane or if we were meant to see her as the protagonist or antagonist - it wasn't very consistent and I found it quite tough to feel any sort of feelings towards her apart from "when will this book be over". Tann and Addison remained the same annoying characters they were in the game.
This book switched viewpoints quite often without any clear direction when it was happening and boy did the book drag. It felt like about 3/4 of the book could have been chopped and not much would have changed - which is not a good look for a book.
This is the prequel setting the story before the events of Mass Effect: Andromeda. It didn't particularly shed too much light on what you aren't able to glean from playing the game, but it did give you a closer insight into the happenings. It also shocks me that they were able to get the Nexus functioning as much as they did prior to Ryder making their way, particularly with how they didn't seem to make too many great decisions (and they're meant to be the best of the galaxy ...)
Sloane Kelly is not someone that I warmed to in the game and this book didn't do too much to change that. Her personality was rough and abrasive, mixed together with selfish behaviours really cemented the fact that I choose to side with Reyes. I'm not sure if we were meant to empathise with Sloane or if we were meant to see her as the protagonist or antagonist - it wasn't very consistent and I found it quite tough to feel any sort of feelings towards her apart from "when will this book be over". Tann and Addison remained the same annoying characters they were in the game.
This book switched viewpoints quite often without any clear direction when it was happening and boy did the book drag. It felt like about 3/4 of the book could have been chopped and not much would have changed - which is not a good look for a book.
brisingr's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, yes. Mass Effect: Andromeda has had a chokehold on my heart for a whole month now (and reading this, I am happy to see trusting my guts playing it was the right choice haha). This is the natural step after loving the game so much, right?
I am generally a Bioware whore, because I just *love* the concept of someone stuck in an impossible situation, making the best of everything around them, making the best of them. I love the fascinating worlds, the intriguing politics, I love the action-packed scenes, I love the characters. Of course, I am very biased in reviewing this, and it's almost 100% based on my enjoyment of it and my attachment to the Mass Effect world as a whole (and I've been a fan for six years now).
But I was so involved and captivated by the events of this book! I got this book today, and almost 500 pages later, I finished it today as well. That's how much I was burning in anticipation to see what's happening! (even as I knew, since this book serves as the prequel of the actual video game).
I don't know man. I just love Mass Effect and I enjoyed this, because it had so much of what makes these games memorable. Very excited to continue on!!
I am generally a Bioware whore, because I just *love* the concept of someone stuck in an impossible situation, making the best of everything around them, making the best of them. I love the fascinating worlds, the intriguing politics, I love the action-packed scenes, I love the characters. Of course, I am very biased in reviewing this, and it's almost 100% based on my enjoyment of it and my attachment to the Mass Effect world as a whole (and I've been a fan for six years now).
But I was so involved and captivated by the events of this book! I got this book today, and almost 500 pages later, I finished it today as well. That's how much I was burning in anticipation to see what's happening! (even as I knew, since this book serves as the prequel of the actual video game).
I don't know man. I just love Mass Effect and I enjoyed this, because it had so much of what makes these games memorable. Very excited to continue on!!
rphalange's review
tense
slow-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
2.75
Unfortunately this was one book that I just wanted to be over. But I saw it through to the end because I'm a Mass Effect universe loyalist. I guess it didn't help that I didn't care about the Sloane Kelly plotline in the Andromeda game either, and I feel like this novel could have been half the length. It just went on and on and on, and I didn't see the point in it using an omniscient voice when it should have just been Sloane's mind we're in. I enjoyed the explanation of what happened, the highlighting of various species and their personalities etc. The other two ME:A tie-in books were much more enjoyable and easy reads. Annihilation was very technical as well, but for some reason Nexus Uprising was a struggle to not just DNF.