Kevin Gaughen

Principal, the second book in the Final State series from Kevin Gaughen, is an amazing trip yet seemed a little less compelling than the first book. If I had not read the first book I don't know whether I would like this one better than I do or less. This book moves right along and makes many important points that could and should be applied to our real world, so maybe I would like it more without knowledge of volume 1. Then again, for whatever reason, I just felt less of something in this one than the last, but because I remembered the first volume so positively it may have influenced me upward, so maybe I would like it a little less without that foundation. I really don't know.

Ultimately I would still recommend this book highly, with or without having read book 1. If you're unfamiliar with the first one I would suggest getting it and reading it first, it establishes not just the world of the work but also what types of messages we, as 21st century readers, might draw from this story. Either volume is worth reading independent of the other but together is where I think you will gain the most enjoyment and insight. Hopefully there will be at least another volume to answer the new questions.… (altro)

*I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.**

I love the type of book that always keeps you guessing, and this book did that. Throughout the entire book, I was never sure who was a good guy and who wasn't, with the exception of Len. Len was obviously a guy stuck between a rock and a hard place, but he did the best he could, and I could appreciate that.

The aliens and the Dranthyx kept me trying and mostly failing to guess what was going to happen next. I have to admit that I kept hoping the humans would find some way to overthrow the Dranthyx,but unfortunately that never happened.

I wasn't expecting the Ich-Ca-Gan to show up out of the blue and kick the Dranthyx asses, but I'm glad it/they did. I was so sure that Len and all the other prisoners in the camp were screwed, but thankfully I turned out to be wrong.

I love this book. The whole thing was a complete mystery to me, and I like knowing that there are still books out there that aren't cliches, where you guess who the bad guy is in the first chapter, and guess how the book will end, by chapter five.… (altro)

In Interest Kevin Gaughen gives the reader both a fast-paced science fiction/action story as well as a thought-provoking analysis of contemporary society. Where most science fiction that does this does so through the creation of an entirely different civilization within which to make its points, this work is situated in contemporary society. This certainly makes it harder to miss the point(s) but surprisingly succeeds quite well.

The one issue I have is relatively minor. There is just a little too much exposition when explaining the societal/cultural/political points. I would have preferred making the connections and interpretations myself. There is a reason writers are told to show not tell the reader what you want them to know. It just seemed that after something was shown Gaughen couldn't resist also explaining what he wanted us to take away from it. His points were good and I understand the desire to make them as accessible as possible but I just felt there were a few times when it was unnecessary and a bit heavy-handed.

Make no mistake though, this book is absolutely worth the time and energy to read and think about. In addition to science fiction lovers I think those interested in political/social commentary would also enjoy this book. Like some other reviewers I wasn't sure this would appeal to me but it did, and it did so from the very first page.

Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.… (altro)