Jason M. Hough

A tale set in a post-apocalypse 23rd-century Australia traces the adventures of a group of immune survivors of an alien plague that has transformed the world's populations into mindless savages, recounting their harrowing efforts to collect dwindling resources and tap alien technology to save the ragged remnants of humanity. Original. A first novel.

The Darwin Elevator

Sarah Escorsa

❣ We are the MacHalos and We can't Resist Books with Machine Gun Wielding Hot Dudes on the Cover Buddy Read (WatMHaWcRBwMGWHDotCBR™) ❣



☠ DNF at 50%. This is the second book in a row I DNF at 50%. I think I've been hexed! HALP!

➽ Serial DNFing Mode (SDM™): going strong. 

Okay, I shall be lenient and kind-hearted and stuff, and not pull a I Promise this will be a Cut the Crap Express Crappy Non Review but Ha! You've been Had! I Lied! This one Required several Pit-Stops along the Way Thingie (IPtwbaCtCECNRbHYbHILToRsPSatWt™) on you. Besides, as I've said before: too many DNF reviews to write, too little time to be awesome elsewhere and stuff. You're welcome.



➽ Why did I DNF this thing? Because:

① Err, sorry, can't remember. That's early Alzheimer's for you. 

② This was boring? Yeah, I think that's what it was. And the pace was kinda sorta uneven? Yeah, that too. And none of the characters were likeable? Now that you mention it, yes, that might have been the case. Hmm, this really was an enjoyable read, come to think of it.



See? Even my Slightly Cantankerous Cat (SCC™) agrees with me on that one.

③ Kevin Hearne is quoted on the book cover. Uh-oh. Bad omen, my Little Barnacles, bad omen! Here's what Hearne has to say about this fantastic piece of SF literature: A brilliant debut, full of compelling characters and thick with tension. A-ha, sure, absolutely. Yep, this delightfully spot-on comment makes total sense, coming from good old Kevin. I mean, the characters in this book are about as compelling as those in his Iron Druid Chronicles series. Same goes about the tension: thick thick thick in both instances. Oh yeah, I could barely breathe through it all. That's just how THICK the tension was. 



What does the rabbit have to do with anything? Believe me, you don't want to know. Oh, and by the way, at least Hearne's series has a cool dog in it. That counts for something, right? Right.

④ This is a total rip-off in terms of Harem Worthy Material (HWM™). I mean, look at the dude on the cover: all hotness and stuff. He's got that I'm Intense Look (IIL™) about him that brings dirty things to mind. Plus he's got a big, bad machine gun ready to fire (please take your little minds off the gutter). And look at those arms! All corded muscles and stuff! So yummy! And I'm pretty sure he has the IQ of a Barnacle (no offense), too, which is always a plus in HWM™ (I never said I was looking for Einstein, people. All I want are sex slaves.) Alas, the guy is a total bore. I mean, even Mr Bean is more exciting than Mr Big Dude here. Now that should really tell you something right there.



So bloody HOT. Raging hormones are me.

Hey! The crap cutting is going pretty swell, ain't it not?! So proud of my little self right now! I shall return with the next bullshit-free session ASAP. Although I suspect the crap will not be cut quite as efficiently for that one. Because raging and ranting reasons. So get the snacks and booze ready. This will probably take a while.



PS: this book is about an elevator. In Darwin. Just in case you were wondering. De nada.

Jessica Nottingham

The Darwin Elevator caught me up in its premise initially. Anything compared to Josh Whedon and John Scalzi makes me take notice. I expected some action, space travel, and hopefully some characters I'd fall in love with. I'm a fan of Science Fiction. I hoped I'd be a fan of Jason M. Hough's work as well.

The book starts out by introducing the reader to the current state of Earth. Ravaged to the point of near-annihilation, the last hope for humanity lies in one city. Darwin, Australia has become home to all that is left of the human race. I was a little lost at first, I'll admit it. The book takes off really quickly. Once I caught up though, I was immersed in this world. One thing I'll say for Hough's writing, the world building is phenomenal.

I can't say the same for the plot, however. Things started out shaky for me when I learned the caste system in Skyler's world. The "immunes", those who can actually leave the planet, are for some reason at the bottom of the barrel. I was trying to figure out how the" non-immunes" managed to be the top dogs in this society. After that things became increasingly confusing. While the world that these characters populate is gorgeously desolate, the society doesn't really fit in it.

Then there are the characters. I will be honest and say that there were some that I loved. Sadly, they happened to be the ones that were barely focused on, and one even died. The main characters, like Skylar, were all very shallow. It was hard for me to believe that Skylar, a man who has no self-esteem, was captain. It took me a long time to get behind any of these characters and once I finally did the book was near its end. I hoped for more.

All in all The Darwin Elevator was a decent read. I would have liked more depth, but what was given to me was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end. I'm thinking that if the book had been a bit shorter, it would have been an easier read. Still, if you like Science Fiction, this might be a book that you want to try out.

The Darwin Elevator

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