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Michael Strelow

Forfatter af The Greening of Ben Brown

7 Works 48 Members 4 Reviews

Værker af Michael Strelow

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Just a warning - parts of this story will tug at your heart strings. The way Arvin is treated by his family is nothing short of horrid. The discovery of the manuscript is both a blessing and a curse - it can help Arvin escape, but people are willing to kill for it. Switching between Throne and Arvin we get two unique perspectives on the manuscript and on Arvin's family life. Greed, financial struggles, a need to escape and the literary find of the century combine for a captivating story.
 
Markeret
LilyRoseShadowlyn | Jan 10, 2021 |
In a time long ago in an unidentified kingdom lived Princess Eugenie. Eugenie is not your typical princess. She yearns for dirt, plants and the outdoors. Unfortunately for her, she was born a princess with princess responsibilities. She seizes an opportunity to get the life she longs for when she meets her doppleganger in the form of a young farm girl named Alyssa. After they switch identities, they team up to help save the people of the kingdom from the polluted water that is making everyone sick.

A cute story fairytale-like fashion that middle-school readers would enjoy. Eugenie and Alyssa are clever girls and use their wit to overcome obstacles while keeping their true identities safe. The book is short and told at a quick pace, which at times forces details to go unattended giving the story a slightly "glossed over' feel.
… (mere)
 
Markeret
mpmleonard | May 9, 2018 |
Some Assembly Required by Michael Strelow is a recommended humorous science fiction novel.

Jake James is a writer. He also has always heard voices and has learned to not tell people about it after that disastrous initial disclosure in grade school. His voices aren't bad. They don't tell him what to do. They might poetically describe a scene, or just say his name, and he's learned to co-exist with them. He doesn't talk about them to anyone, including his girlfriend, and life is good.

When Jake is on an assignment covering an A.I. convention he listens to the presentation of Dr. Sewall. While the presentation is without fanfare and barely audible, when Jake actually reads the paper presented, his interest is piqued. Jake sets off to visit Sewall at his office, located at the back of the Ag department at the university. It is there that Jake sees Rex. Rex is a sentient being that resembles a blob of gray-green oatmeal. Dr. Sewell apparently created Rex by inserting a form of AI he created using a mathematical algorithm into a bowl of oatmeal. Now the Dr. feeds him and Rex, while ravenous and growing, excretes a dust.

When Rex, or Rex II, reveals he has a voice, Jake begins to hear Rex's voice along with the other voices he already hears. Suddenly everything changes, including Jake's perception of the world. Or is Rex a symptom of Jake's undisclosed mental illness.

Some Assembly Required is a well-written sci-fi romp through the absurd. Jake is a likeable protagonist, with a quirky sense of humor and a self-effacing attitude. He's really an everyman - except for the voices. Once he starts talking to Rex, or Rex is altering reality, the story takes a turn. There were sections and descriptions in this novel that I liked very much and the writing is excellent. I loved it at the beginning and then, ultimately, the direction the plot took lost me. Other readers might enjoy it in entirety more than I did.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Roundfire Books.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/12/some-assembly-required.html
… (mere)
½
 
Markeret
SheTreadsSoftly | Dec 10, 2017 |
There is something in this book that bears looking at, the questions of "what is natural?" and "how does one know oneself?" seem to be important to the narrative, and doubtless the narrative provides interesting ways of considering these questions. However, there is little to draw the reader (or, at least, me) through the text. The description of the town--its history, its setting--is first rich, then, with repetition, boring.

I didn't want to give up on this book, because every now and then there would be a page or two of engaging action or description, but then it would be subsumed by repeating the description or action from different perspectives that put me to sleep.

This book is more like a poem parading as a novel then an engaging story. With more persistence, more patience, it might reveal much more, but for a casual reading, there is little to encourage completion of the novel.
… (mere)
½
 
Markeret
hyacinthony | Dec 20, 2007 |

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Statistikker

Værker
7
Medlemmer
48
Popularitet
#325,720
Vurdering
½ 2.6
Anmeldelser
4
ISBN
13