I don't get how so many reviewers were so enthusiastic about this. I cannot comment on this, I didn't get that far, but if the attention to the science is the same as the attention to the writing then I can quite easily believe it. From other reviews I have read the science doesn't stand up that well either. I am no scholar but I have rarely been so aware of such poor writing in the many books I have consumed, it was such a distraction I had to 'throw in the towel'. Sentences and paragraphs should flow off the page through the mind of the reader without being read through twice because you cannot believe how badly formulated they are and thinking to yourself 'I would have constucted that differently'. When I read a book I assume that the author will look after such technical issues i.e they have the the basic writing skills and I,as the reader, can concentrate on the main story, characters and ideas. If you are not concerned about things likes sentence construction and grammar then read on. How did this get past the proof reader and the publisher? Was it proof read by a year four? I managed to get to page 55 and realised that this author hasn't a clue about sentence construction. Rejecting this book on the basis of the bad bits would be like burning a house because some mould was found in the basement. This is a very generous offering for sci fi readers, it has very good bits and others which are frankly bad and could have been cut out. The sex scenes were terrible though: these are notoriously diffucult for writers, and if anything, their inclusion in the published manuscript is testament to the ambition of this book. The characters were all interesting and nuanced. The book certainly meanders at times, seemingly going nowhere, until it goes and 100 pages click in your head. There was enough emotion and action to keep me hooked. I rolled my eyes several times reading this book, but I couldn't put it down. Paolini's take on what are rather tiresome tropes used and abused in videogames (precursors, the chosen one, found family, etc.) was surprisingly refreshing. Old hands like myself may be too cynical to appreciate that intertextuality in science fiction, when done elegantly and with grace as is the case in this book, isn't just French for "plagiarism". This could well be a book for future generations of readers too. There has been an insane amount of work invested in creating a believable universe for a story which I think is best described as a love letter to countless science fiction (modern) classics. This is a massive book, a very rare one too that presents a story in one single volume, rather than fileting it into several books as seems to be now a norm in scifi. I am too old to enjoy YA, and Eragon definitely wasn't my cup of tea. I got the book after reading some excerpts on Tor.com, which was a good and generous idea by the editor. Corey's The Expanse series and for fantasy fans willing to try space opera - Booklist starred review Fans of all kinds, one can be sure, will come to question, and stay to explore - Washington Post Great space opera with rockets on - Daily Mail An authentic work of great talent - New York Times Book Review on Christopher Paolini A true rarity - The Washington Post on Christopher Paolini A breathtaking and unheard of success - USA Today on Christopher Paolini Paolini make literary magic - People on Christopher Paolini Review lending the story a sincere emotional depth. Paolini populates this universe with a large cast of interesting and relatable characters. A fun, fast-paced epic that science fiction fans will gobble up - Kirkus Reviews The skills honed in his YA fantasy series, Inheritance, are on full display here in his vibrant world building, especially in the mythology of the alien tech. A powerful piece of SF, with intelligent writing and big ideas - Adrian Tchaikovsky Rollicking pace, rapidly developing stakes.
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