Written in Fire marks the conclusion of the Brilliance Trilogy. Overall, the series was Posted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
A Decent Finish ? - 3.5
Written in Fire marks the conclusion of the Brilliance Trilogy. Overall, the series was creative and an excellent spin on the "superheroes among us" genre. When I read the concluding story to any series, I expect it to go out with a bang. It needs to wrap up the major issues with a great climax and either close off the universe or leave it open for more. Written in Fire has left room for more stories within this universe and has plenty of big bangs but in the most important areas, the bangs were too often squeaks.
Plot Summary
The story continues in the world inhabited by "normals and brilliants" as conceived by Marcus Sakey originally of Flint, Michigan. If you have seen the news lately (lead laced water scandal) its nice to have something positive with a connection to this downtrodden city.
Nick Cooper, former government agent and tier 1 brilliant, continues his quest for vengeance and for peace between normals and brilliants. At time where tension between the groups is at an all time high, the world is confronted with a serum that will turn a normal into a brilliant. All of the warring factions want it for their own reason. Unfortunately, the serum is not stable and neither is the serum's inventor. Nick must seek revenge while confronting the new dangers this serum presents to world.
My Take
Written in Fire is a mixed bag. On the positive side, the author has created a compelling world with a truly unique (at least to me) take on the "superpower". Each gift that a brilliant has seems entirely probable. Gifts occur as a result of advance pattern recognition which have developed as some type of evolutionary step. No one is flying, moving things with their mind or shapeshifting yet these changes in humanity have lead to major advancements in most all areas of study and science. This is the greatest strength of the book and the series. The ability of the author to take something as unbelievable as "superpowers" and to integrate into a reality that requires little suspension of disbelief, is itself superhuman. I enjoy science fiction that feels like it would be possible. If you feel the same, you are likely to enjoy this series.
In addition to the great setup, the author did a great job of weaving the underlying, sinister plan from beginning to end. The reader is lead down the path of obfuscation and misdirection and is none the wiser. I thought the underlying plot was very well crafted and never left me feelings cheated or disappointed. On this front, the author receives high marks for wrapping up the various scheming and conniving.
So why did I feel some disappointment with the concluding volume. Were this the second book in the series, I would have been more generous with my rating. While I was content in the completion of the storylines, there were several confrontations that were destined to occur. The first two books set a high expectation for these final collisions. Instead of a violent crash, we were given a fender bender. While much of the series has been quite inspired, the character resolutions were not. While the plot was strong, character and emotional resolutions need improvement. Leave me happy or angry with resolution but don't leave me feeling ripped off. Had these necessary collisions been more fulfilling, the novel may have been the best of the bunch.
Can this Novel Stand Alone Not a chance. While the novel does an admirable job of bringing you back up to speed, there is a sea of history you will need to appreciate the finale.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this series is well worth your time. If you have read the first two, you will not want to miss the conclusion. The strength of the Brilliance universe and strength of plot redeems the novel's missteps. While I am disappointed for what was not, I enjoyed what was. As an added bonus, the ending leaves open the possibility that we may see future novels within this world. I for one, would welcome more.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
There were a couple of sexual encounters but they were quite tame. They were of the variety that cut away from scene before the real action begins.
There is violence throughout the story. The story is essentially that of a war. There is lots of shoot and lots of dead bodies. While this accounts for much of the violence, it tends to avoid graphic descriptions. There are some scenes of torture which are moderate graphic but short. ...more
This book had a great concept. I was listening to the audio version of the book as narrated by the one and only Wi Unique and Complex - 3.5 Stars
This book had a great concept. I was listening to the audio version of the book as narrated by the one and only Wil Wheaton. If you do chose to listen to this, I highly suggest you physically read the opening segment. It explains the idea of "lock in" and the concept is much easier to grasp when the words are in front of you. I really did enjoy the novel but some elements left me a bit cold.
Plot Summary
The setup of the plot was somewhat complex and involves a steep learning curve. I was desperately grasping at the unfamiliar terms and concepts in an attempt to center myself. After a short while, I became comfortable with the material. In the world of this novel, a virulent strain of the flu has caused worldwide damage. Some people would catch the flu and be fine in a short while. Many people would catch the flu and suffer a form of meningitis, have brain swelling and die. A small number of peopled who had the meningitis had their brain altered and survived but suffered "lock in". Lock in refers to the fact you are alive and cognizant of your surroundings but unable to control you body in any way. Essentially, you brain is alive but disconnected from your body. An even smaller percentage had their brain altered but did not suffer lock in. These people could become "Integrators". This essentially meant that with the use of technology, the could allow the consciousness of a "locked in" person to enter and use their body. This would allowed locked in to experience life with a working body. Got it??? Maybe not, but if you read it you will catch on. The disease became known as "Haydens" and thought technology, the fact that people were locked in was not an impediment to their integration with society. A locked in person would be able to connect their mind to a "Threep" which is essentially an humanoid robot controlled by their mind. They could speak through them, work and live a life. Given the fact that Hayden's was so wide spread, millions upon millions of dollars was put into research and government subsidies for the sufferers of Hayden, so much so that segments of the population felt that the government subsidies for the Locked In was giving them an advantage over the non-Hayden sufferers. Legislation was pending that would alter the landscape for the Haydens. Enter Shane, the most well know Hayden in the country and newest member of the FBI. Shane and his partner are given oversight of a bizarre murder that involves an unknown deceased and an integrator. The question is, did the integrator kill on his own, or was he integrated with someone at the time of the killing. The questions turn out to be less than simple and complex web of deceit, subterfuge and murder begins to unfold.
My Take
That is probably the longest plot summary I have written. This speaks to the underlying complexity of the story. There is an entire world created into which the reader is thrust. Initially, it put me off and may be enough for some readers to stop reading. The initial learning curve is quite steep and does detract somewhat from the initial flow of the story.
This is my first novel by John Scalzi. I do know a bit about him but if I didn't, I would guess he leaned toward the left when it comes to politics. I gather this because this novel is quite clearly a piece of message fiction. I don't say this in a derogatory sense. In my opinion, there are two types of message fiction. One, a thinly veiled political statement masquerading as book. Two, a better veiled political statement that actually works as a book. This one falls into the second category. You don't have to like the message but it is not preachy. You can take the authors points without it feeling like propaganda. If I have to read message fiction, this is the type I want to read.
I will not spend much time on the message of the book. On one level, it does explore the idea of privilege. The book made me think of a quote from Donald Trump,
"A well-educated black has a tremendous advantage over a well-educated white in terms of the job market. I think sometimes a black may think they don’t have an advantage or this and that... I’ve said on one occasion, even about myself, if I were starting off today, I would love to be a well-educated black, because I believe they do have an actual advantage."
First off, I don't agree with the statement. I find it to be ignorant and simply wrong. That said, it is certainly a train of thought and a train of thought that is, in part, attacked in the novel. But it goes further than that, it also looks at how removing what has been put in place to provide assistance can actually have the effect of destroying a culture. This is dealt with in a interesting and more abstract fashion in the book.
We also are asked to look at our dependence on technology and looking at how we view our relationships, society, employment and recreation through the eyes of technology. In some ways, we are forced to let it be part of our lives but would we feel that we lost a sense of community if we were unable to live our lives through that technology.
Honestly, I was enjoying the layers of the story and the questions that were arising, until it seemed to stop. A little over halfway, the character of the story seemed to change. These elements were the strength of the story but as the story progressed, the exploration of some of these themes simply died. Maybe I was reading too much into the story or drawing the wrong conclusions but couldn't help but feel like I was reading two different stories. Half way through the story felt far more traditional. I would have enjoyed the traditional story if it would have been that way from start to finish. The feeling of two different books was very jarring and disappointing.
Final Thoughts
The difficult beginning and inconsistent nature of the book hurt my rating. Overall I did enjoy the story as the sci-fi elements were great and idea quite unique. The plot was enjoyable but inconsistent. It was a good story that could have been great. In the end, it was an entertaining book and worth your time....more
Marcus Sakey is a "new to me" author. Given that he was born about an hour from where I live (albeit in ano Brilliant (is that lame...) - 4 Stars
Marcus Sakey is a "new to me" author. Given that he was born about an hour from where I live (albeit in another country) I am going to pretend he is a local author because good writing from local authors is cool. While Brilliance wasn't perfect and the plotline was not especially original, I was captivated by the story from the outset.
Plot
Around 30 years before the commencement of the story, "Brilliants" began to appear in the human population. They are regular human beings who display savant abilities. All of the "superhuman" abilities displayed by this portion of the population are (so far) related to superior pattern recognition. Our main character, Nick Cooper can read the physical cues of any person with such detail and precision that he is able to anticipate their physical movements and their emotions and reaction. Others have abilities that allow them to remain unseen by always moving to a positions you cannot see. There are skills that have allowed amazing breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, sports and entertainment. Nick works for the DAR (the Department of Analysis and Response NOT the Daughters of the American Revolution) and it is his job to locate and at times, eliminate, other Brilliant persons who have committed crimes. When a major terrorist attack takes place in the city Nick finds himself hot on the trail of John Smith, a notorious "Brilliant" terrorist. As he finds himself tracking the most reviled "Brilliants" in America, he is forced to question who he is and whom he can trust.
My Take
Sakey has written a highly enjoyable and easy to read "superhero" science fiction. Because of the plot and setup, it drawn comparison to the X-Men and other such superhero fare. While there are similarities, each of the superhuman powers is related to superior pattern recognition. No one can fly or move objects with their minds but rather use their ability to excel in all areas of society. The abilities of the Brilliants is the most unique aspect of the book. Each of the abilities were quite varied and it was interesting to see how each was used.
Not all aspects of the book were this unique. The basic plotline is well trodden ground. People with special abilities and the governments who are afraid of them, etc. etc. If this was the whole of the plot, the book would have felt old and repetitive. What set this plotline apart was the take on terrorism. It is timely in that explores the roots of terrorism, where blame should like and what can be done about it. I didn't feel as if the author was preaching or trying to indoctrinate the reader. The ultimate decision is left the reader. On a whole, this old ground was explored in an interesting and enlightening manner.
In addition to an interesting plot, I found the characters to be well rounded and well developed. Nick Cooper goes through a personal awakening and the reader is able to watch his development throughout. The other characters, though not as developed, are interesting and entertaining.
Note on the Audiobook
My final rating was reduced in part due to the narration of Luke Daniels. While he was not terrible by any means, it was not up the standard I expect from great narrations. He was really quite bad at voicing women and at times the audiobook seemed to have male characters and female puppet characters. Additionally, some elements of the book did not lend itself well to narration. From time to time, Nicks mind would race as he processing the patterns and his train of thought would abruptly end and action would occur. This was very jarring in audio and from time to time would leave me confused as to what happened. By no means is this a terrible audiobook but may be even better when read. Regardless, I plan on reading the next book in the audio format.
Final Thoughts
Overall, a very entertaining read. While not award winning fiction, you will certainly enjoy the trip. If you enjoy superhuman abilities without a supernatural twist, you should enjoy reading this one. I would also venture to say that fans of Larry Correia would enjoy this as it does explore some libertarian ideas and explores the meanings of freedom. On that note, these ideas are not nearly as aggressive and "in your face" as in one of Correia's novels.
The Windup Girl is part novel part visceral experience. From the first page, thPosted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
A Secular Morality Tale - 4 Stars
The Windup Girl is part novel part visceral experience. From the first page, the reader is immersed in the gritty, fetid and hot streets of a future Thailand. While gradual introduction to a world is standard in most novels, The Windup Girl uses full immersion and challenges you to catch up. This will not be for every reader. The pacing and style will put off some readers. If you are looking for a light and easy read, you should look elsewhere. While you are not likely to experience enlightenment while reading this novel, it is intelligent and well written.
Plot summary
We are immediately introduced to a dystopic and hungry future. Years of genetic modification of food and living creation has resulted many severe and deadly unintended consequences. The worldwide economy has essentially crashed while food from ages past has gone extinct from persistent and unchecked blight and scores of people are killed by reoccurring plague. The world is run by genehackers or calorie men in a business that specializes in the genetic modification of food. Although they are implicit in the current state of affairs, they are of vital importance as they have the ability to produce new strains of food resistant to the blight. The genehacking has gone beyond food and animals and humans have been modified. The plot truly unfolds when a modified human, a "windup girl" and a calorie man become entwined and set into motion events that will alter the landscape.
The Good
Excellent Execution
I am finding it difficult to determine how much I enjoyed this novel. The first third of the book was completely engrossing and I was immediately drawn in. The euphoric feeling did not last but I was certainly sold on the concept from the beginning. Energy or calories rule the world. Traditional form of energy are no longer viable and in large part, the energy gained from food powers the economy. Power that is provided by man and by beast. The Dystopian setting and the persistent natural disasters added much to the overall concept.
This novel won the Hugo for best Novel and it is easy to see why. In addition to a well executed idea, the characters are interesting and varied. There is no hero in the story but "bad guys" and "worse guys" and one naively innocent person. At its heart, the novel is a "message story". Although we have the intelligence to modify nature and may obtain the ability to bend it to our will, we are rarely privy to consequence of our meddling. While it is tells us a morality tale, it avoid being "preachy" or political. I generally do not like message fiction. It tends to be pretentious and takes from the plot. This is great example of message fiction done right.
The Bad
Let me Catch Up
The reader is dropped into the middle of the action. It is written in a manner that seems to assume you know what is going on in this world. The story lacks what you might consider an exposition and the reader is immediately playing catch up. The story is liberally sprinkled with Thai words and concepts that were foreign to me. Thankfully my Kindle was able to provide me with some definitions but occasionally I was left high and dry. This was not the only non traditional method of story telling. Some of it worked some of it was difficult to follow.
The biggest problem was two-fold. Repetition and loss of steam. It seemed that the reader was told 100 plus times the names of the three major plagues/blight and the some of the concepts of the world are explained over and over (and over and over). This was fine early on but after the first third, this caused the novel to drag. Fortunately, this does not last and the novel ends with a bang.
Final Thoughts
An interesting concept, mostly excellent execution and some unexpected twists make this novel and great read. This is not literary fiction but it is not light reading. If you enjoy a novel with agenda that is not shoved down you throat, some interesting sci-fi elements and dystopian world plagued with blight, this might be for you.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 4
There are two graphic scene of a character being sexually abused. The character of the Windup girl works in a adult club. She is not viewed as human and is subject to behaviour that would otherwise be considered dehumanizing. Consensual sex is implied on a couple of occasions.
Language - 2
Much of the derogatory comments are in Thai. If you do not speak the language, it will likely be lost on you. The adult language is otherwise mild.
Violence - 3
There violence between armed elements of the society. There is war related death but it is generally not graphic....more
After many years of promising myself I would do it, I finally took the plunge and read a book by Stephen King. I Top Notch Light Sci-Fi - 4.5 Stars
After many years of promising myself I would do it, I finally took the plunge and read a book by Stephen King. I have avoided King, as horror is not my preferred genre. Apparently King is adept at writing in other genres as well. That said, there is a sense of foreboding and an ominous presence thought out the book. I don't know if this is a trademark of his style but regardless, he does it exceptionally well.
Plot summary
In one of my least favorite books of all time, The Alchemist, (for which my unflattering review can be found HERE , the author tells us that when you are following your destiny, the universe converges to help you achieve the goal. Stephen Kings take a different and far more enjoyable tack. If you go into the past to try and accomplish your destiny, the past is going to try and seriously F@*! you up. In this story, Jake Epping, a single, 30 something English Teacher, is put on a path to change the history of the world. He is shown a doorway into the past. He can walk though to the same town in 1958. He can spend as much time there as he wishes and bring anything back. Although years may pass while in the past, when he walks back through the door, he has only been gone 2 minutes but has aged the length of time he has been in the past. Follow me so far? The only catch is that if he enters the past a second time, anything he changed is reset. Jake quickly finds himself caught up in a scheme to go back in the past and stop the assassination of JFK. The problem is, the past does not like to be messed with and it does it best to stop from being altered. As Jake goes back in time, he soon realizes he is on a trip of self-discovery and learns who he is by being where he was never meant to be.
The Good
Its about the Journey and not the Destination
I had heard that Stephen Kings loves to meander in his stories and that is certainly the case here. The fact is, it takes A LONG TIME to get to 11/22/63 and when he finally does get there, he isn't there as long as you might expect. This will be a downside for some readers. As for me, I personally enjoyed the journey, the things Jake learned and the people he met along the way. In may ways, this reminded me of the journey undertaken inAmerican Gods minus (most of) the supernatural beings. If you liked Neil Gaiman's great work, I think you might like this one as well. If you pick this one up, just remember that you will be taking the scenic route.
The Right Notes
This story hit pretty much every right note for me. I found the characters well developed and interesting. The characters were faced with tough decisions and suffered the fallout. The setting of the late 50's and early 60's came alive and was as much a character in the story as anyone else. On top of this, King infused the story with a sense of brooding. He wrote the novel in such a way that the past was itself a character. The past had memory and prescience and had the ability to alter itself to serve its purpose and protect its integrity. As the story progressed, you continually had the sense that the past could lash out at any time
The Bad
A Bit Drawn Out
While it was exceptionally enjoyable, I could not give it a full 5 stars. While I do love a meandering novel, this one was still too long. This one really did not need to be 800+ pages but I guess when you are Stephen King, no is going to stop you. My only other complaint is the initial setup of the story. Given the massive page count, King could have done a much better job of setting up the story and giving us a plausible reason why Jake chose to take on task in the first place. It seemed the author wanted to get to the past and wasn't too concerned about how he got there.
Can this Book Stand Alone
Yes. This is not part of a series
Final Thoughts
A great atmospheric novel that is for fans of King and non King fans who love awesome stories. If you are put off by the length, you will be missing out on a great experience. Trust me, you won't want to mess with the past once you read this one through.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
There is a romantic entanglement in the story. Given the setting (1950's), the situation is kept quiet and the sexual descriptions are rather chaste.
Language - 3.5
I originally said that the adult language was very mild. It did not stand out as I was reading. I did a search after the fact and found that there was 117 usages of the f-word, 56 usage of "damn", and 114 usages of "shit". My initial take is a good indication of how engrossed I was in the story as the adult language did not register. Were this a shorter book, I would give this a higher number but consider this is the size of two or three books, the rating is relative.
Violence - 3
There a several rather violent acts in the book and they are moderately graphic. One is against a child and two are against adults. The occurrences are few in light of the size of the novel....more
I just couldn't finish this one. The adult language became oppressive to me and I had to abandon it. This was the audiobook version of the story. I liI just couldn't finish this one. The adult language became oppressive to me and I had to abandon it. This was the audiobook version of the story. I like to listen to my audiobooks all over the house and even when my kids are milling around. If I don't want my kids to hear the content (in this case, I did not want them here persistent f-bombs and religious exclamations) than I will probably abandon it. That aside, I listened to about 5 hours of the audio and it had done nothing to draw me it. Maybe I will try again in the written format sometime in the future, but for now, I am done with the Stand....more
I just can't finish this one. I got though about 40%. While the premise is intereting - A time travelling killer stalks and ultimately kills his victiI just can't finish this one. I got though about 40%. While the premise is intereting - A time travelling killer stalks and ultimately kills his victims across time while one victim defies his attempts- the writing and characters were not interesting.
The MC is simply depraved. I don't have a stomach for psychos who get their jollies from killing young girls. While the descriptions of the murders were not graphic, there was constant description of the MC's "tastes". Additionally, all of the characters are broken. While Kirby, our intrepid and precocious hero, has spunk and vigor, she is as broken as everyone else.
The content of the novel was a little to "adult" for my taste. While it might interest other readers, I will not be finishing it. It has been thrown into the "disappointments of 2013" pile.
What do you mix the power to animate cloth representations (i.e. doll and teddy bears) of humans and animals with a sarcas A fun and snarky 3.5 Stars
What do you mix the power to animate cloth representations (i.e. doll and teddy bears) of humans and animals with a sarcastic and reluctant super-hero? You get Velveteen, the hero of this fiercely imaginative and entertaining book.
I could say this was a full on 4 star book for a few simple reasons. While the story was entertaining, it was disjointed and lacked some focus. This may be a bit unfair as I have learned that these were stories the author had posted on her website and ultimately put together into a book. This explains the holes in the story. That aside, the characters are very entertaining and the superpowers are very specific (an entertaining) with power rankings.
My favorite part of this book was the satirical nature of the stories. As a reluctant superhero, most of what our MC says is a riff on Comic books and superheroes. Neither Velveteen or the author takes herself very serious. Entertaining all around. I recommend this book....more
The Chimera Vector, the first book to the Fifth Column Series rated a 3.5 stars from me. This was due in large part to the fact that it lack 4 Stars
The Chimera Vector, the first book to the Fifth Column Series rated a 3.5 stars from me. This was due in large part to the fact that it lack a certain polish from other action adventure books I have read.
What struck me in the Seraphim Sequence was a noted improvement in the quality of the writing which may have been due to better editing. Regardless the reason, the second book in the series is superior to the first. Unlike the first, the characters are more fully developed and a unique family structure is created with the characters. At times in the first book, the dialogue came off as generic but that is rarely the case in this book.
Unlike other action adventure novels, The Fifth Column Series is not as focused on one indestructible hero as Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield in a Reilly novel or the indestructible Dirk Pitt in a Cussler novel. There is a greater focus on the team which from my experience is different from the average novel in this genre.
On the topic of genre, I have stated that it is action/adventure but, especially in the second of the series, a near equal part science fiction. Modified super-soldiers anyone?
This book marks a clear maturity in the author and am excitedly awaiting his next book....more
I could not go to 4 stars as it lacks the polish of other action writers. Nonetheless, I enjoyed The Chimera Vector.
After reading theA solid 3.5 Stars
I could not go to 4 stars as it lacks the polish of other action writers. Nonetheless, I enjoyed The Chimera Vector.
After reading the reviews of other readers, I am struck that many felt the plot was too complicated or hard to follow. I simply don't agree. I have recently finished The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly. The book was highly rated and read by many. If you want a convoluted plot, read the aforementioned. Nathan M. Farrugia has taken a complex area of science and distilled it into an interesting storyline. The science is complex and the manipulation of that science is complex but the story itself is accessible.
Approach this book like any other action/adventure novel. Be prepared to suspend disbelief and accept the explosions. Reading this book may not be one of the steps to enlightenment but it should entertain you along the way.
I stated above that it was not as polished as many of the big name action/adventure writers. Matthew Rielly for example, is great at letting you into the life of his hero as the explosions are happening around him. In part, the storyline of The Chimera Vector inhibited this. Until late in the book, the characters had very few memories of their early life and the books does not sufficiently provide the characters back stories.
If you have read my other reviews of action adventure books you will note that beside one of my favorite authors James Rollins, I don't actually read action/adventure novels. I usually opt to listen to the audiobook version. This is because the action tends to be so over the top, I find myself rolling my eyes and putting the book down. Somehow, listening to it makes it better. As far as the Chimera Vector is concerned, I found the action to be substantially more believable. The Heros were not constantly faced with impossible situations that required a miracle to escape.
The book has short chapters which I enjoy. It allows for quick reading when time is limited.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with The Chimera Vector. I have already bought the second book in the series and am looking forward to a few more explosions....more
This entertaining romp through the absurd is mildly reminiscent of the absurdity of a Monty Python sketch. There Idiocy Meets Intellect - 3 Stars
This entertaining romp through the absurd is mildly reminiscent of the absurdity of a Monty Python sketch. There is plenty of dry and absurd humour for the British humour enthusiast. If British humour is not your cup of tea *pun alert* then you will want to skip this one. This hardly needs another lengthy review so I will avoid the temptation and will keep it short.
This silly story of Arthur Dent and his secretly alien friend, Ford, escape earth moments before it is destroy to make way for a galactic bypass. There is plenty of idiotic banter with humour arising when characters state the obvious. While the story is funny and the writing sharp, it fails to have the coherence of say a Monty Python movie (I am a bit biased in favor the MP) as it often finds humour in the creation of absurd non realities as opposed to satire.
That said, much of the ridiculous humour has an intelligent basis. Whether or not the crazy ideas in the story have a basis in scientific fact, it manages to give the impression that it could be based loosely on scientific principle. Additionally, while some humour is silly some humour is dense and requires concentration. When I notice it, it makes me feel highly evolved and inflates sense of heightened intellect. If you didn't find this funny, you were simply to dense to understand the humour :)
I understand that this was first a radio program. The pacing and tone of the story makes it suited for the audiobook format. In this case Stephan Fry does an admirable job narrating but imagine a radio production would be even better.
I liked it but did not love it. I am sure I will read the next in the series but I won't be starting it immediately. ...more
Tim The Enchanter
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