I finally finished Brasyl last night. It was something of a relief. That said, I did enjoy the third of the book dedicated to the Jesuit warrior priest traveling through the Amazonian rain forests in the mid-1700's, and if it had been a novella with only that part of the story, I probably would have loved it. It was the other two storylines that I just couldn't seem to get into - especially the former gang guy in the future. I found the characters in that third of the book to be very bland and it was the part that kept making me fall asleep. The story involving the reality television producer at least kept me awake, even if it was through sheer dislike of the character.
The way the book was set up that there would be a third of a chapter with the annoying current day reality tv producer, then a third of a chapter with the boring guy in the future, and then a third of a chapter with the 1700's warrior priest. At least that way you got rewarded for making it through the first 2/3 of each chapter.
So this year's Hugo quest has been completed.
I hope next year's books will be more enjoyable.
The Chabon book was a lovely read, the Scalzi a ton of fun, one third of Brasyl was good, and the other 2/3 of that book, the Stross, and the Sawyer really did not do a whole lot for me.
I suppose my rankings would go:
1. Chabon's Yiddish Policeman's Union
2. Scalzi's The Last Colony
3. McDonald's Brasyl (and it got this high simply because of Father Quinn)
4. Stross's Halting State
5. Sawyer's Rollback
Those are obviously personal views, however, and I certainly do not claim to be any sort of great critic.
For finishing Brasyl I am now rewarding myself with the latest book in my favorite mystery series - Miracle at Speedy Motors, from theLady's No. 1 Detective Agency series. Great characters and a wonderful setting in Botswana.
The way the book was set up that there would be a third of a chapter with the annoying current day reality tv producer, then a third of a chapter with the boring guy in the future, and then a third of a chapter with the 1700's warrior priest. At least that way you got rewarded for making it through the first 2/3 of each chapter.
So this year's Hugo quest has been completed.
I hope next year's books will be more enjoyable.
The Chabon book was a lovely read, the Scalzi a ton of fun, one third of Brasyl was good, and the other 2/3 of that book, the Stross, and the Sawyer really did not do a whole lot for me.
I suppose my rankings would go:
1. Chabon's Yiddish Policeman's Union
2. Scalzi's The Last Colony
3. McDonald's Brasyl (and it got this high simply because of Father Quinn)
4. Stross's Halting State
5. Sawyer's Rollback
Those are obviously personal views, however, and I certainly do not claim to be any sort of great critic.
For finishing Brasyl I am now rewarding myself with the latest book in my favorite mystery series - Miracle at Speedy Motors, from theLady's No. 1 Detective Agency series. Great characters and a wonderful setting in Botswana.
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