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Book review: Hunter's Run
Jun. 28th, 2008 08:39 pmToday's book review is Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham.
This is a weird novel. It has one major MacGuffin which requires extra suspension of disbelief, because it's one of the most annoying scientific blunders in popular sci-fi, covered over with some quasi-magic mumbo jumbo. It's absolutely central to the plot, but a little hard to swallow. However, the mumbo jumbo is handled well enough that I was able to get past it and follow the story. Really, the hardest thing about enjoying the story is that the central character is a nasty sort of person, and a lot of the story takes place inside his mind, which (although it's handled fairly well) isn't a very pleasant place. There is definite character development, but the characters are hard enough to identify with that I found it hard to really care, even as our hero clearly comes out a different and better person than he went in. There's a rip-roaring adventure story woven through the psychological stuff, which is pretty good, and there's some interesting societal speculation. I was definitely not bored; it's an intriguing book, but I only partially liked it. 7 out of 10.
One note: this book is full of Spanish profanity, or at least a lot of words that I assume from context are not usable in polite company.
( plot summary )
This is a weird novel. It has one major MacGuffin which requires extra suspension of disbelief, because it's one of the most annoying scientific blunders in popular sci-fi, covered over with some quasi-magic mumbo jumbo. It's absolutely central to the plot, but a little hard to swallow. However, the mumbo jumbo is handled well enough that I was able to get past it and follow the story. Really, the hardest thing about enjoying the story is that the central character is a nasty sort of person, and a lot of the story takes place inside his mind, which (although it's handled fairly well) isn't a very pleasant place. There is definite character development, but the characters are hard enough to identify with that I found it hard to really care, even as our hero clearly comes out a different and better person than he went in. There's a rip-roaring adventure story woven through the psychological stuff, which is pretty good, and there's some interesting societal speculation. I was definitely not bored; it's an intriguing book, but I only partially liked it. 7 out of 10.
One note: this book is full of Spanish profanity, or at least a lot of words that I assume from context are not usable in polite company.
( plot summary )
