Reviews and Comments

Ed

Ed@bookwyrm.social

Joined 3 years, 2 months ago

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Andy Weir: The Martian (Paperback, 2015, Del Rey)

I’m stranded on Mars.

I have no way to communicate with Earth.

I’m in a …

Can do

I went in with the understanding this was a book about a bunch of whatif science problems so enjoyed it. The author did a good job of keeping things moving forward without getting too bogged down in detail. The structure of the story meant the protagonist was maybe the most upbeat superhuman I’ve met so it there was no emotional stakes but that was by design.

reviewed Lou Reed by Anthony DeCurtis

Anthony DeCurtis: Lou Reed (Paperback, 2018, Back Bay Books)

"The essential biography of one of music's most influential icons: Lou Reed As lead singer …

Long read

Engaging biography. Lots of time spent detailing events around his greatest works and some choice insights into a character that remained inscrutable to outsiders. Am not overly familiar with his work but enjoyed the read.

reviewed Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (Southern Reach, #1)

Jeff VanderMeer: Annihilation (Paperback, 2014, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Area X has been cut off from the rest of the world for decades. Nature …

A different take

I enjoyed the oppressive tone and writing style. Not a book for those who want sharp focussed action. Would have rated it higher my was put off by commenters elsewhere who thought the Novel was the second coming and couldn’t exist alongside the movie.

reviewed Sharpe's devil by Bernard Cornwell (The Shapes series, #22)

Bernard Cornwell: Sharpe's devil (1993, HarperPaperbacks)

An honored veteran of the Napolenic Wars, Lt. Col. Richard Sharpe is drawn into a …

Outlier

New fight, new world, same sidekick. While the story contained a lot of familiar beats falling outside of the main continuum robs it of a lot of its power.

reviewed Sharpe's Revenge by Bernard Cornwell (The Sharpes series, #19)

Bernard Cornwell: Sharpe's Revenge (2012, HarperCollins Publishers Limited)

Bold, professional, ruthless, hero and man of action'Sharpe lost all sense of time. The fear …

Pulp fiction conclusion

I can’t help but feel that if the writer had written this wrap up to the peninsula war much further into his writing career that it would have been a more fitting ending than the one provided here.