Emma Newman

This lost two stars for being half a story. What was there was good, but the ending, IMO, was so abrupt that it might as well have stopped mid-sentence. Also--the book is super short. Isn't 160 pages a novella?

Don't get me wrong. As I said earlier, what is here is good. Ms. Newman knows how to tell a story. I read the book like I was watching a soap opera. I was yelling at the protagonist, knowing what was going to happen. All with the good feeling you get shoving popcorn in your mouth watching a character go into the basement in the dark where you KNOW they're going to get it.

I think I'd like to blame the publisher for what I feel are shortcomings. This should have either been serialized into short, cheaper chapter books (remember The Green Mile?) or it should have been held until all the books in the series were ready and released closer together.

So far, I've enjoyed the story, if not the delivery, enough that I'd buy audio and ebook versions, AND I plan to re-read the series in its entirety. I don't plan on buying any more books in the series until it's concluded. Then I'll get them all.

… (altro)

I listened to this as an audiobook. I really struggled with the first few chapters, there was just. So.Much.Swearing. If I had had access to a paper book I probably could have skipped over some of the frequent F-bombs. The first few chapters also seem to be about how angry the main character is at the whole of existence. He has reasons to be angry but it did not make for a story I was interested in pursuing. Once I got past that part and into the middle section it got much more interesting as it was primarily a police procedural. Carlos is a sort-of slave/indentured servant to the MOS and is sent to investigate the death of someone who was once his mentor.. As he uncovers the past of his mentor we learn more about Carlos as well. At about the 2/3 point the story changes again into a more dystopian SF future. Carlos goes to Texas to attend the funeral of the man he was investigating and also reunite with his father. He uncovers a massive international plot and chooses to leave Earth.
The ending is hugely depressing., possibly because with world politics the mess they are I can see all this happening.
I don't think I am up to another book by this author.
Read for the British author challenge Feb 2024
audiobook completed 2/26/2024… (altro)