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Enyeh (71 KP) rated Foundation in Books

Sep 5, 2017

Foundation

Isaac Asimov | 1942 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

7.6

(5 Ratings)

Book Rating

Political intrigue, narrative structure, foresight (many aspects of plot) (0 more)

Writing style, plausibility of characters (0 more)

Asimov's Foundation series is a classic for a reason. His ability to construct a coherent political narrative across centuries, without sounding like a dry textbook from a parallel universe, is astounding. However, Asimov's talents lie in plot and narrative - not in writing style, dialogue, or characterization. He utilizes character interactions to describe most occurring events, but these interactions are simply not believable. You find yourself rolling your eyes, cringing away, even having to close the book for a moment to rid your mind of the image of Asimov as a greasy 15-year-old in his mom's basement, trying to write about human beings without ever interacting with them.

Sorry, Isaac. I'm sure that's not true of you.

All in all, the success of this book doesn't surprise me, but it was not easy to get through.

Kudos

Hazel (2934 KP) rated A Map of the Dark in Books

Mar 11, 2018

A Map of the Dark

Karen Ellis | 2018 | Crime, Thriller

7.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

A series that will grow

Hmm, this is a toughie for me. I enjoy reading Karen Ellis' books and love her characters but I admit that I struggled to get into this one. I can only think this is because there is a lot of background information on the main character Elsa and although very important as it explains the motivations pushing her and the daily struggle she has with her inner demons, it did interrupt the flow of the story for me. Having said that, when another in the series comes out, I would give it a go as I think now we have the history out of the way, the story will come to the fore with the intrigue, twists and excitement Karen Ellis is adept at creating.

Thanks to the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

Kudos

Hazel (2934 KP) rated Hard Prejudice (Dan Reno Novel #5) in Books

Jun 10, 2018

Gritty Read

I haven't read any of the other books in this series so started reading worrying whether coming in at book number 5 was a mistake I am happy to say ... it wasn't ... it can easily be read as a standalone.

Well written at great pace with action and intrigue aplenty, this book is great. It does deal with the uncomfortable subject of rape and, I have to warn you, there is a particularly grim and disturbing section but this can't be avoided and helps to put you in the mindset of the main characters of Dan and Cody who go to great lengths to get justice.

This is a gritty read that pulls no punches and I would most definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a a book that has non-stop action.

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for my copy in return for an unbiased review.

Kudos

Mel (490 KP) rated The Name of the Rose in Books

Oct 16, 2019

The Name of the Rose

Umberto Eco | 2008 | Fiction & Poetry

8.4

(5 Ratings)

Book Rating

Detail, intrigue (0 more)

This book has been on my list of books I want to read for years but I had felt a little daunted by it. When I finally picked it up I was in the right frame of mind for the challenge and it seemed a fitting read for my weekend away to a book town.

It would be fair to say that parts of the book which covered the more in depth discussions on the differences between the various types of heretics weren't the easiest of reads but given I'm no kind of expert on religion they did make sense and were important to the story.

What I really did love was the sections where William was using Sherlock Holmesesque deductions and the descriptions of the labyrinth style library. If you're a lover of books it's worth reading for those features alone.