I can only quote the author: AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHH (page 92)
This started, ok-ish, with a Prologue in traditional narrative style that demonstrates that Neuvel can write, when he chooses. I was a little surprised to find that the story thereafter was told in the form of selected documents from the titular Themis Files. Surprised, but not put off, initially: the opening interviews with key players in the project, especially scientist Rose Franklin and ace Army helicopter pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Kara Resnik, and conducted by a mysterious and satisfyingly snarky figure, are readable and do enough to allow something like characters and plot to emerge from the chit chat.
But then, but then ... Interviews alternate with personal journal entries and transcriptions of audio logs and this is where, for me, it became unreadable: clunky and cliche-ridden padding that is supposed, I guess, to help us relate to the characters, but just serves to confuse. Neuvel isn't sure whether he wants Kara Resnik to be the gifted pilot that nobody wants to work with, because of her bad attitude and anti-social ways, or the sweetheart who loves and is loved by all, once she finds the right team. He goes to some pains to assure us that she is HOT, so that's ok.
The search for and research into the the semi-humanoid portions of a gigantic, alien-tech robot is just completely ridiculous. The search spreads mayhem, death and destruction that would be impossible to cover up for long -- as anyone with half a brain could have told them. And the research into the purpose and operation of the robot .... well, let's say, as charitably as possible, that the research can be summed up as "Gosh, I wonder what this bit does? I think I'll put it on my head. AAAAAAAHHHHHRRRRR." (Page 101 -- and please do note the subtle tweak of the consonants. Swapping the Rs and the Hs makes all the difference ...)
That's exactly what you want to do with alien tech that has been primed, millennia ago, to activate with no consideration for the life that might have developed in the meantime. That happened twice, before this I gave up as a very, very bad deal and abandoned at page 124.
This started, ok-ish, with a Prologue in traditional narrative style that demonstrates that Neuvel can write, when he chooses. I was a little surprised to find that the story thereafter was told in the form of selected documents from the titular Themis Files. Surprised, but not put off, initially: the opening interviews with key players in the project, especially scientist Rose Franklin and ace Army helicopter pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Kara Resnik, and conducted by a mysterious and satisfyingly snarky figure, are readable and do enough to allow something like characters and plot to emerge from the chit chat.
But then, but then ... Interviews alternate with personal journal entries and transcriptions of audio logs and this is where, for me, it became unreadable: clunky and cliche-ridden padding that is supposed, I guess, to help us relate to the characters, but just serves to confuse. Neuvel isn't sure whether he wants Kara Resnik to be the gifted pilot that nobody wants to work with, because of her bad attitude and anti-social ways, or the sweetheart who loves and is loved by all, once she finds the right team. He goes to some pains to assure us that she is HOT, so that's ok.
The search for and research into the the semi-humanoid portions of a gigantic, alien-tech robot is just completely ridiculous. The search spreads mayhem, death and destruction that would be impossible to cover up for long -- as anyone with half a brain could have told them. And the research into the purpose and operation of the robot .... well, let's say, as charitably as possible, that the research can be summed up as "Gosh, I wonder what this bit does? I think I'll put it on my head. AAAAAAAHHHHHRRRRR." (Page 101 -- and please do note the subtle tweak of the consonants. Swapping the Rs and the Hs makes all the difference ...)
That's exactly what you want to do with alien tech that has been primed, millennia ago, to activate with no consideration for the life that might have developed in the meantime. That happened twice, before this I gave up as a very, very bad deal and abandoned at page 124.
