A review by itsjustbran82
The Lives of Tao, by Wesley Chu
3.0
So this isn't typically the type of book I would read. I'm not a big SciFi guy, nor am I really into alien beings. But I picked this book up for two reasons. One, it was .99 cents, and two, Wesley Chu seems to be good friends with Brian McClellan, whom I thoroughly enjoy. So I figured, what the heck, I'll pick it up and read it.
I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the premise of the book (maybe because I'm not used to these types, so it was fresh to me?) The only thing I could think of while reading it though was Brandon Sandersons "Kandra". A part of me wonders if this is where Wesley Chu drew his inspiration. It was easy to read, although a bit amateur. I don't hold that against Chu though, as this was his first novel and like any other skill, it takes time to grow. So no issues there.
The biggest complaint I have with this book is the simple cliche' ridden and shallow characters. There was no effort built into the back stories of anyone. Roan had essentially zero backstory, and all we know about him is that he's a fat, out of shape, pizza loving person with self esteem issues. Nothing unique or special. We keep hearing that there is "more to Sonyas backstory than Roan knows" but well, we never learn about it. There is even less with Jill. Or any of the protagonists either. And I can't help but wonder....is anyone feeding his cat? Or how is he paying his rent? His roommate is essentially there as a prop, serving no real purpose.
Overall, THE LIVES OF TAO was a fun, quick read. But if you're looking for a deep, plot-twisting story filled with twists and turns, this is not the book for you. I'll probably continue on with this series as I did enjoy the concept, and I'm curious how it will all end. But my expectations have been set with this series being nothing more than a fun, quick read that I will use as filler material as I wait for more anticipated novels from Authors I enjoy more (Sanderson, McClellan, Rothfuss, etc).
I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the premise of the book (maybe because I'm not used to these types, so it was fresh to me?) The only thing I could think of while reading it though was Brandon Sandersons "Kandra". A part of me wonders if this is where Wesley Chu drew his inspiration. It was easy to read, although a bit amateur. I don't hold that against Chu though, as this was his first novel and like any other skill, it takes time to grow. So no issues there.
The biggest complaint I have with this book is the simple cliche' ridden and shallow characters. There was no effort built into the back stories of anyone. Roan had essentially zero backstory, and all we know about him is that he's a fat, out of shape, pizza loving person with self esteem issues. Nothing unique or special. We keep hearing that there is "more to Sonyas backstory than Roan knows" but well, we never learn about it. There is even less with Jill. Or any of the protagonists either. And I can't help but wonder....is anyone feeding his cat? Or how is he paying his rent? His roommate is essentially there as a prop, serving no real purpose.
Overall, THE LIVES OF TAO was a fun, quick read. But if you're looking for a deep, plot-twisting story filled with twists and turns, this is not the book for you. I'll probably continue on with this series as I did enjoy the concept, and I'm curious how it will all end. But my expectations have been set with this series being nothing more than a fun, quick read that I will use as filler material as I wait for more anticipated novels from Authors I enjoy more (Sanderson, McClellan, Rothfuss, etc).