seanan_mcguire: (one salt sea)
seanan_mcguire ([personal profile] seanan_mcguire) wrote2014-11-05 06:59 pm

Review roundup is getting ready to go to Chicago (and is not ready).

It's review roundup time! The time where the points are made up and the prizes don't matter. Today's reviews are all blasts from the deep past, beginning with...

From 2012, Fangs For the Fantasy has posted a good, thorough review of An Artificial Night, and says, "Relatedly, Toby is a much stronger, more active participant in this book. She isn't being constantly injured and recovering (though she is injured) nor is she flailing around without seeming to know what to do next and letting events happen. She's more active, she’s leading the plot, she's directing the plot and she's resolving the plot very much on her terms." There's also some excellent, spot-on commentary about diversity in the cast as of this point in the series.

From 2011, SFFWorld has posted an excellent, if spoiler-heavy review of Deadline. Not recommended unless you've read Feed. The review says, "The Newsflesh Trilogy is turning into one of my favorite SF stories and one that is continuing to surprise me&mdsp;up until the very end of Deadline. This second installment raises the stakes considerably and brings new players into the game, while maintaining the blistering pace of Feed, its predecessor. I can’t say enough good things about this novel, which has made the concluding volume Blackout, quite possibly my most anticipated novel publishing in 2012." Yay!

From 2012, Cannonball Read has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "While I’ve enjoyed the previous three October Daye books, and especially admired the world building, this is the first one I actually had trouble putting down." Neat!

Also from 2012, Cannonball Read has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and recommends you not start at this point in the series. I love this sort of recommendation.

Finally (for now), from 2012, Fangs For the Fantasy has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "All in all, this book got so much right. The balance between emotion and plot, the pacing, the main character and the rich, amazing world that it not only continued a great series in the same line but took it a step higher as well. I loved this book and am eager to read the second one&mbspthis series is heartily recommended." I'm assuming "second" means "next." She also fairly called me out on "crazy" as shorthand in the early Toby books, and I've tried to unpack more about what's actually going on with fae biology and behavior because of critiques like this one.

You may have noticed that all these reviews are old, and that newer reviews are getting rare. There's a reason for that. Whether I'm more secure (I don't feel like I am), more exhausted (I do feel like I am), or whether more bloggers have just moved to Goodreads and Amazon, I don't pull as many review links as I used to. That may change when I finish clearing the backlog, or I may decide that this ship's time has sailed.

We shall see.

[identity profile] shanejayell.livejournal.com 2014-11-06 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
Are goodreads reviews not allowed? Just curious....

[identity profile] asg-qa-s7.livejournal.com 2014-11-06 11:02 am (UTC)(link)
You are the 3rd author I've begun reading after Cat Faber's music piqued my interest. "Feed" actually came from Paperback Swap, but I quickly bought the other two, and devoured them. Money well spent! Looking FW to buying more. Thank you for the free short stories.

[identity profile] lazzchan.livejournal.com 2014-11-06 06:18 pm (UTC)(link)
My review on One Salt Sea was long-winded, odd and filled with questions. *laughs*
anne_d: (Susan)

[personal profile] anne_d 2014-11-06 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I do like reading good reviews, but I love your work anyway, and I am perfectly capable of finding reviews on my own. If it's more work than it is fun, perhaps it's time to focus on something else.

By the bye, Seanan, I have to tell you that you have led me astray, seduced me to the dark side of the Force, and otherwise been a pernicious and bad influence upon someone who, at a month away from sixty, should be old enough to know better.

I was at the local Ralph's this morning with the Elder Daughter, looking at marked down Halloween candy, and I succumbed to a Monster High doll. Her name is Operetta, and she has lightning bolts on her head. Lightning bolts. As a hellgoddess, how could I not fall for a doll with her own Mr Boltys? She'll live in my little studio. The My Little Pony herd need a guardian; the tigers will keep falling asleep when they're on watch. As a bonus, she's sure to freak the Husband. And he thinks my art dolls are weird...

Toby and Tybalt

[identity profile] lauren stemper (from livejournal.com) 2014-11-07 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Not sure if this is the place to note this, but i just heard the song "i know places" and i immediately thought of your books. Takes on a little darker tone for those two of course...