Elane of the Ways

WTFungus

Revisado: 11-21-22

The premise of this story had the potential to be deeply disturbing and certain concepts presented throughout were genuinely creepy, so I tried very hard to give this book a chance. I understood this was written in the 80's, and was willing to deal with some dumb anachronisms -- I do love 80's B horror movies, after all.

This author, though? Is so incapable of writing realistic women and non-idiotic men that it was impossible to ignore. Literally every time he mentions a woman, there's a comment about sex. The women even view themselves through a weirdly sexual lense. The main female character, faced with the prospect of a deadly fungal infection, shoves her backside into someone's face and says, "Look at me, I'm beautiful, aren't I? Do you think I could stomach being covered by that stuff?" Because, obviously, a woman's self-worth is entirely centered on her appearance, and that's her main concern when she's surrounded by killer fungus that might dissolve her alive.

The sex that does happen in the book is ... so out of place it's like this book was meant to be a porno more than just run of the mill exploitative, T&A having horror. It's also ... literal assault, which apparently the strong, "cool, poised" female protagonist is a fan of. The male protagonists talk about giving "her a whirl" or something equally dumb. And apparently whiskey is a survival necessity that's brought along in cases on any mission soldier boy goes on. The excess of stupidity ... made me want a drink, too.

The fungus was the most realistic, likable character in this story. I was rooting for it the whole time.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Clickers vs Deadites

Revisado: 10-09-22

I feel like the first five chapters of this book were character introductions to people I forgot within the next three minutes only for them to pop up six chapters later and leave me wondering, who is this??? It just didn't hit the spot for a creature feature like the original Clickers book did.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Suspension of disbelief DIFFICULT

Revisado: 05-29-21

This book has a gripping, heart-wrenching start, but a medical sci-fi novelist should know a bit more about the medical field than this person apparently does if a book's to make a real impact. I'm not saying you've got to be completely scientifically accurate to the molecular level for me to buy into a story. In this book, however, nurses are just secretaries/personal assistants for doctors, 8-12 medics man an ambulance, and 911 operators ask 'what is it??'

I'm not picky. It's just that a little more realism in basic professional interaction would make this story much more enjoyable. Portraying doctors as domineering, pretentious assholes, nurses as subservient, call-fielding lackeys, and ambulances as clown cars just makes this feel like a second rate 80's B movie.

In other words, meh.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 12 personas

Well-written fun.

Revisado: 05-26-21

Give it a try if you like Lovecraft. This isn't heavy cosmic dread, but it is camp with hints of real horror. All in all, it's a very enjoyable listen. The performances are engaging and entertaining. I don't think you'll regret this.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña