thistlechaser: (Book with cat: On stack)
Wool by Hugh Howey
Rating: Okay (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)



I first read and loved Wool back in 2013 (my brief review of it), and I had wanted to read the other books in the series, but I just never got around to it. Finally I decided to do it, and since I had loved the first story so much, I wanted to start by rereading it.

Unfortunately the enjoyment of the story was all in the twists, in not knowing what was going to happen. It didn't at all stand up to a rereading. I mostly just read it to get through it, so I could move on to the next book.

--

Proper Gauge by Hugh Howey
Rating: Okay (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)



Unfortunately the second Wool book really didn't work for me. It almost felt like it was set in a whole different world. It was very very light on plot. It had no twists. I got through it, but I had no desire at all to read the remaining... four? books in the series.

Shortest book review ever? Probably. It just didn't drive me to read it, and thus it really doesn't drive me to write about it. It wasn't bad, it was just too slow and meandering for me. Still, I finished the whole thing.

--

Rain: Rise of the Living Dead by Shaun Harbinger
Rating: Disliked (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)



I grabbed a copy of this book when it was free, but otherwise never would have. I really don't like zombie stories. Other than following Walking Dead for a few seasons, I've always avoided books and movies about zombies. They bore me.

Rain started off interestingly. The main character was someone like me -- works a 9 to 5 job, then spends the weekends playing video games and eating bad food (okay, someone like me other than the bad food part anymore). I liked him.

Then the best friend and others were introduced. Sigh. It's like the author said "I want X to happen," so had the best friend do things to make X happen, nevermind that no reasonable person, let alone a best friend, would do those things to another person. None of the three other main characters were believable or reasonable humans, and too quickly the main character went in the other unreasonable direction: too good at stuff.

Plus, apparently the world can end in a couple hours. I mean like zero radio stations, zero Internet, all gone between breakfast and lunch. Because a zombie virus was spreading.

I gave up on the book 13% in, thus it doesn't count for the year.

Currently reading: Chronology, a collection of short stories about time, with a spiffy cover. Click for bigger:
thistlechaser: (Book with cat 4)
Wool by Hugh Howey.

1) Unfortunately this is only a short story, not a book.
2) It's free! Only the ebook version is free, but it's only available in ebook format, so! Click the link above to get it!

Holy cow, this was a good book story. The problem is, I can't explain too much about it without spoiling it. (And oh how much there is to be spoiled!) Something happened and people (all of humanity?) are living in silos. No one can go out. Generations have been living inside them. Someone discovers something which makes her question everything about their life inside.

Think you know how this story goes? You do not. :D

For such a short book, it sure did take me on a loop. "Oh, THIS is what's going to happen!" "...no, wait, THIS is happening!" "WAIT, THAT is what happened?" "...Oh my god, no, it's THAT!"

I loved the ending so amazingly much. This may be my favorite book story of the year.

---

I finally saw Iron Man 3. I've been paranoid about downloading things lately (my ISP has sent me a couple "We caught you" threat-filled letters), but I really wanted to see it and so I risked it this time. I think I'm likely the last person to have seen it (of the people who want to see it), but I'll put my thoughts behind a cut just in case.

All in all, I liked it, though it wasn't my favorite of the Iron Man movies. I think I liked it better than 2 (I disliked 2 quite a bit). Unlike the first movie, 3 has no rewatchability for me.

Minor spoilers for Iron Man 3 )

Like so many other comic book movies, the plot tended to fall flat for me, but I loved the characters. I hate the first Iron Man movie's plot, but I can watch it again and again because Tony is so amusing.

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