Journal Entry
Paul Jessup Review
May 26th 2006 at 11:33 pm
Paul Jessup kinda liked the book but not really over here.
And in the end, even though this story is being considered a breakthrough by some (mostly dealing with color of the characters skin and the locales), I see it asking no big questions or taking any real chances. There are no philosophies below the surface, nor an edge to unsettle people, nor a dazzling array of sentences that can astound you. I’m just hoping that in the sequel to this story that Tobias Buckell can take us beneath the surface a little more, ask a few big questions and leave some of the old scifi baggage at the door.
If you want a good read that doesn’t tax you too much, are a fan of old-school scifi stories and want a good adventure yarn I’d say pick this up the moment you can. Just don’t expect the earth to shake and the sky to thunder. Instead, expect to be lost in a decent story with an amazing landscape.
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1. Brad on May 28th, 2006 at 11:12 am
Hey, it’s better than a sharp stick in the eye!
2. Paul Jessup on May 30th, 2006 at 8:20 am
Well, maybe I was a little harsh on it. I think I glossed over some of the more important parts of the book that worked exceptionally well- but I felt that those were covered by tons of other reviews.
Don’t feel bad- I’ve slammed books I love far harder than that. I’ve got one cooking for Mieville that pretty much goes through and rips Iron Council to shreds. And I loved it.
Maybe I’m just too critical for my own good.
3. tobias s buckell on May 30th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Paul, you’re fine, and I’m not feeling bad, I just wasn’t sure what your overall conclusion was, so I tried to point it out without too much commentary and let people decide