Simon MacDonald
When I first started reading this I thought it was a satirical depiction of a biker anti-hero.
Wrong!
It is just appallingly written. The only saving grace it may have is the unintentional humour that comes out if it because it is so bad: ‘I like my coffee, like my women, weak'
Gaahhh!
Not much of a plot, and some the internal angst of the main characters is becoming boring. A cliff hanger ending, so I will have to buy no 6 in December.
Yet more thud and blunder in the ongoing saga of the antisocial mutant superhero Sienna Neilon
Mixed feelings about this book. It got better towards the end. Faint shades of LOTR, but I guess so are many fantasy books these days. Just about a 3.
** I was given a review copy by NetGalley **
This book is set in and around the city of Koln in an alternate Medieval age where demons and magic abound. The premise of the story being that an evil wizard enchants a young man forcing him to embark on a campaign of rape to impregnate women (and men) with demon seed forcing them to give birth to demons. His antagonists are a magical dwarf and a young illegitimate boy raised in a whorehouse (the Bastard of the book's title).
There isn't much to recommend this book.
I suppose I can say it was well written with some gritty depictions of Medieval life. However, between the scenes of gratuitous violence, and the weird and perverted sex acts, there is not much of a story.
I consider myself to be pretty broadminded, and not at all prudish. A book, in which the central action is graphic description of rape, I find to be distasteful. I had to struggle to finish it. Possible the author has set out to shock and offend people. He hasn't succeeded; it's just puerile. .
Don't put it on your Christmas list.
An interesting espionage thriller with a quirky plot and some great characters, seasoned with some black humour. Not John le Carre but damn good fun.
A good yarn. The hero (anti-hero?) of the story is not at all likeable, but fits well into the crime and corruption ridden story. Given the author's background I'm guessing some of it is semi - autobiographical?
This trilogy started well but became less interesting with each subsequent book. What can I say about this, the final installment? Tedious.
A little overwritten and long in parts and much of the plot theme borrowed from LOTR. Nonetheless quite enjoyable.
I've read all the John Milton books. This was OK. Trouble is that I'm starting to feel sorry for the guy. There is only so much guilt and angst he should suffer. Give the guy a break and give him a little happiness. Just saying.
An interesting story, but none of the characters gelled with me. I felt that there was something missing. Beautifully written, but a little superficial.
Lots of to-ing and fro-ing and scene setting in this book, which got a bit complicated, and a little boring. Sometimes I was not sure who was doing what or why.
I expect all will be revealed in the final part of the trilogy. It had better be!
Just about gets a 3. Some pretty improbable plot situations, from which the hero always escapes, usually by ‘double tapping' the tango in the face or cutting off their head with his razor sharp kukri knife. Gory.
I couldn't finish this book. A previous reviewer said “relentless technogibberish” ; I agree. About halfway through, I thought - why am I reading this, it's boring the arse off me.
A grudging 3/5. A bit of the same old stuff with the hero's angst and psychological trauma; this is getting a bit tired now.
Certainly offbeat with some complex and unusual world building. The Chandleresque dialog is a little corny, but hey, I enjoyed it!
The Age of Scorpio is a lengthy, but compelling trilogy. The storyline is spread across three narratives, set in the Ancient Past, Now, and the distant future. Eventually it becomes clear that all three stories are linked, and they come together in this, the final installment.
Well worth a read.
Had to give reading up this book. Sounded promising but it was the puerile humour that killed it for me.
There is tosh, and then there is unmitigated tosh; this book is the latter. I can only think that this is a book targeted at a young audience. If that is the case, as this book is so badly written, then I feel sorry for them.
A pretty good story which I enjoyed. Could do with some more editing in terms of grammar and spelling errors. I noticed that the author's bio says he is dyslexic, so it's not his fault - editor needs to give it another once over.