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J. Bell

  • 8
  • reviews
  • 15
  • helpful votes
  • 130
  • ratings

Dry as the desert riverbed

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-03-24

Tons of historical policy making and name dropping from the advent of Israel to today. This will be a rare DNF for me as I checked out over and over again while trying to wrap my mind around hundreds of names and random interactions and chance meetings between them. This reads more like an article than a historical story or scientific explanation. I would much rather find this information in more dynamic podcasts than finish this book.

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Purely dialogue and telling

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-07-22

Mr. Cook clearly has a strong command of language, but not of lyrical narrative, at least not in this book. I grew so tired of trying to piece together the setting's history and the characters that, by chapter ten or eleven when I was still trying to force any semblance of interest, I decided there were better books out there for me. It's rare that I put a book down unfinished. I can tell there's some compelling politics in this story, but damn if *I* was compelled to care about any of it.

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An unexpected gem in sci fi literature

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-06-19

Classic in style and rich in depth, this would make an excellent book for discussion between friends or a class. This is a rare book that is worth rereading for me because the lessons and warnings woven throughout are as delicate and beautiful as a spider's web.

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Starts out entertaining, grows tiresome

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-08-18

I was hoping for something far more historical in nature, and while I did find some interesting facts at the beginning of the book, the latter half became tiresome and hateful. Sarcasm is an excellent spice, but makes a poor main course.

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14 people found this helpful

Poor Man's Edgar Allen Poe

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-20-16

I feel obliged to explain my poor rating for this classic author.

Let me first preface this by saying that horror is not my genre of choice. I am, however, a long-time reader of sci-fi and fantasy with a strong leaning towards science and history. What I value most in my reading is characterization. I want to be shown different view points, surprising reactions, and depth.

Lovecraft is none of that.

I find his writing formulaic, bigoted, and a poor shadow of Poe's honestly disturbing works--which I admire but don't adore. I think I missed reading this during my angsty adolescent years and that the opportunity has since passed. In short, Lovecraft is outdated and suitable for a niche reader base with a true passion for the genre.

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1 person found this helpful

Overtly Religious and Bigoted

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-06-15

I listened to this a year ago based on a recommendation from Audible. At first I was intrigued by the concept: apocalyptic world where a few survivors struggle to live. Some cling to their faith, some have none, and still others are adverse to religion.

I would like to compliment the author on his writing ability. He couched his beliefs in this book in such a way as to make the morals of his story easy to miss. Looking back at this book over the past year, however, I find myself gritting my teeth. Here is why:

1.-In the Swan Song, being a homosexual is equivalent to being an ugly, pedophile Nazi rapist.
2. Video games are the devil's device and warp the mind.

It's a pity that such a good concept had to be dragged down by such ignorance. Mr. McCain has talent as a writer.

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A Must-Read For Any Writer - Or Reader

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-13-12

As one of at least a billion would-be writers, I will take good help where I can get it.

I spotted this book on the bookshelves at a local store and immediately dialed it into my phone (don't you just love tech?) for a later listen. I put off listening to the book, listening to two others first for fear that a book on writing would be bland and dry and a struggle to get through.

Silly me.

Stephen King is as honest in his instruction as he is with his fiction. He speaks candidly to his readers, sometimes baring more than I would feel comfortable with were I in his shoes, but always driving home his point with an elegance of simplicity to his words.

Mr. King's comfortable use of a conversational voice has made the beginner's mantra of "just write" less intimidating and more feasible.

Will everyone like his tendency to use profanity to drive his points home? No, not everyone. But I enjoyed every word, even the "bad" ones. It was like sitting down with a good friend over a coffee and having a discussion on a topic favored by both.

I intend to read this one again, if only to better cement some of the concepts into my working mind. Highly recommended.

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Poor Execution, Stilted, and Unbelievable

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-13-12

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Perhaps I am spoiled by writers like Tad Williams and Stephen King, but when I pick up a book I don't want to feel like I'm slogging through unnecessary baggage to find the meat of the story. In the first chapter alone I was drowned by a clumsy list of character facts, and then fed the very same information again two paragraphs later through dialogue. Stirling's descriptions were all similes (i.e. "a blow like the world's biggest donkey kick" or "a verdant green like summer's grass"), which served less to draw me into a visualization of the book and more distract me with the effort required to suspend my disbelief.

Stirling could have told his tale with half of the words he printed and with virtually none of the inner monologue or adverbs. I was hoping for a rocket ship to another dimension. I found myself on a barge.

Would you ever listen to anything by S. M. Stirling again?

Absolutely not. Life is too short.

What didn’t you like about Todd McLaren’s performance?

Todd read the book as I would have read it aloud -- stilted, halting in places, and largely monotone.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Stirling thought out the logistical requirements of a people caught in a global level catastrophe that completely destroys all electrical and digital power.

Any additional comments?

I like the concept, but as a writer myself I found the book an excellent study on what not to do. I will look elsewhere for an author who values the craft of writing as much as storytelling itself.

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