Reviews

Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi

gregorbug's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

3.5

justine_ao's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

3.5 stars

I was ambivalent about reading this because I really didn't want to read the same story as in [b:The Last Colony|88071|The Last Colony (Old Man's War, #3)|John Scalzi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437660786l/88071._SY75_.jpg|18279847] from the POV of a teenage girl. It turned out to be pretty good, especially the second half, but I still don't know if it was worth a whole other book mostly to explain a plot issue in the previous one.


keefbaker's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

When I first heard that the next old man's war book was essentially a retelling of the last one from a different character perspective and a YA style, I gritted my teeth. But I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. It's more about human drama and Zoe's relationship with the Obin, and it turns out that this is a worthwhile story after all.

jdholland's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Zoe kicks some ass
    New perspective, old story
        This is for Enzo

dzver's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Книгата е преразказ на третата част с гледната точка на Zoe. Има малка част, представяща нови събития. Тя е 5-ца и е главно в края. Всичко останало се повтаря и едва се чете.

Скалзи се е опитал да си представи какво се върти в главата на едно момиче, но не е успял. Зои звучи като 40 годишен чичка, който лъже в скайп че е мацка. Опитал е нещо подобно и с Hickory и Dickory. Повече се е получило, макар и да се повтаря ужасно много.

mnkgrl's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. The characters, the universe and the aliens were all so engaging. I’m especially impressed with Scalzi’s ability to write a teenage girl. I don’t remember particularly loving the rest of the Old Man’s War series, but now I’m thinking of going back and re-reading The Lost Colony.

smakdonald's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

Given that this is the tenth work I've read by John Scalzi I really shouldn't be surprised that I enjoyed it. Still, this was my first introduction to a book that is really the same book as the one that came before, just from a different character's point of view. I wasn't sure how to feel about that, and it was part of the reason I waited five or six months before picking this up. 

I need not have worried. This book managed to entertain, despite the somewhat repeated material; actually improve upon the last book, which I already enjoyed quite a bit; and make a book written from the perspective of a teenage girl actually sound like it might've been a teenage girl (In the acknowledgements Scalzi reveals he was quite worried about this, and crowdsourced from many of the women in his life, as they were ostensibly once teenage girls themselves). 

In my opinion, Scalzi remains the undisputed champion of snappy dialogue, and I am continually impressed that he is able to maintain the level of wit he established early on. That being said, I think the humor is definitely of a brand tailored to my sensibilities, so if you don't think I'm funny, maybe Scalzi isn't for you (and also why are you here?)

chigh's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

modox's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

The other reviews are right in that the book comes together in the final third. Before that I'd been expecting to give it two stars. Part of the problem I think was the audio book format. The narrator's performance is a little too convincing for the teenagers, especially as they make absolutely ridiculous decisions (Roanoke's native predators for example) and spout general teenage-drama nonsense. In the end I did enjoy it as a fan of the series, and I definitely warmed to Zoe, but it's the weakest book by far, and I'm hoping for more from The Human Division.

mschwartz315's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25