9/23/2023 0 Comments Helldivers 2 synopsis![]() I flashed back to Apone and Lieutenant Gorman in Aliens, collecting magazines and directing the Colonial Marines to use "flame throwers only". The ending sequence is even borrowed completely from Aliens, as our heroes find themselves in the aft portion of the ship, where energy exchangers sit out in the open, and if damaged by projectile weapons, would cripple the ship. They were poorly fleshed out monsters that were evidently capable of pushing an advanced race off of their world, and oh yeah, incredibly easy to kill. I couldn't establish any kind of visual reference for them in my head, and they served only as the "antagonists" that were usually swarming in numbers too great for our protags to overcome. He never paints them in anymore detail than "oily black skin" "long claws" and "sharp teeth". It is very clear that Forbes was inspired by James Cameron's Aliens, but unlike Ridley Scott's Xenomorph, I found Forbe's Trife to be wholly disappointing. Forbes also insists on referring to the Trife (or Tryfe) as demons seemingly only in combat sequences, and then Trife (Tryfe) during casual conversations in between. Sentences such as "the plan wasn't going according to plan" is just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond my issues with the story, there are many examples of amateur writing that could (or should I say should) have been cleaned up by more extensive editing, or even a round of reading with a good group of Beta readers. Reading that might not be a problem, but when narrated, holy crap. When in dialogue, there are up to 7-8 concurrent back and forths that all end in "said". Repeat words, excessive passive voice, ending sentences with prepositions, and so on. Mix this with Forbe's writing, which dips into. Is this how they think soldiers talk? It is cliche, and honestly, incredibly distracting, especially when Kafer falls into his descending rhythm, where his volume and cadence dips into an almost breathy whisper at the end of each sentence. It is breathy and edgy, as if equal parts Clint Eastwood and Duke Nukem from the eponymous video game serious. Kafer's narration style for this story is interesting. The paring of narrator Jeffrey Kafer and M.R. Why? For a plethora of reasons, starting with. What did I just read, or more succinctly, listen to? Honestly, I found Deliverance, Forgotten Colony one of the most frustrating pieces of fiction in recent history. ![]() I am still undecided if I will read any further into the series. But did it deliver the story I was expecting from a Nebula winner? Sadly no. Why? You've got a female protagonist functioning in a time when when women were just starting to come into their own voice. ![]() All in all, the Calculating Stars feels like a fantastic premise that ultimately betrays its promise in the end. I love when good romance or sexual tension is added to a story, but unfortunately, this felt like a sanitized, awkward, I want my characters to have intimacy but I don't want to alienate younger readers, kind of delivery. But the sexy scenes felt forced, as well as all the child-like giggle-worthy rocket-based sexual innuendo. I understand the main character is a scientist, as is her husband, and most of the ancillary characters. This results in a narrative that is very passive, and by that, I mean inactive, which feels strange for a story rife with such wonderful conflict and tension. And yet instead of utilizing these complications to amplify humanity's impending doom, they take over for it. Much of the conflict in this story is interpersonal differences, (man vs man), or Elma's own struggles with anxiety (woman vs herself). There are even some really important, riveting moments relegated to lines of dialogue that miss the chance to strike any kind of emotional chord. Most of the narrative is presented with dialogue-people having meetings about what did, what will, or what is happening. But she seems to shy away from telling this story through the active moments that could have really set this story apart. ![]() I did finish it, in the end, and will say this much - Kowal is a good writer and narrator. I actually stepped away from this book several times, moving to other audio books because I just couldn't stay interested. Unfortunately, after the exciting introduction, the rest of the narrative devolves into a rather flat, predictable, and frustratingly passive affair. It really is a fantastic set up, and promises what great science fiction usually does-cataclysm and how a protagonist will resolve or work around it. The start, as many other reviewers have identified, is a riveting and well-crafted hook. I listened to The Calculating Stars on recommendation of a friend. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
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