Oxytocin. Social interaction. Empathy. Attachment. Emotional memories. I loved the concept of how a certain hormone that is responsible for so many positive human emotions can be turned into a scary sci-fi/horror disease stimulant because it's not really far from the truth. I'm not talking about spontaneous combustion but the fact that oxytocin triggers protective instincts but can also trigger possessive and demanding attitude. It turns belief into obsession. It promotes social connection but can also be the reason for mob mentality. Moral of the story? Individualism, ladies and gentlemen. Okay I kid but you get the gist. It's something so positive but if you don't get a good grip at it it can turn sideways very easily.
The story sort of mimicked Harry Potter in a sense that it covered tyranny and I thought it was brilliant how two stories can tackle the same issue in two very different, very elaborate ways.
I mentioned HP because the author dedicated it to J.K. Rowling. Now, I can't tell if reading the inscription helped me understand the book or if the fact ruined it for me. Don't get me wrong, I love J.K. Rowling and the HP series but I found there's too much reference to it and most of them I found ... off. Also, I'm not sure why the title is Fireman. Shouldn't it be Harper?
I loved this book as well, hence the 4 stars, but I would've given it more if not for the constant mention of Dumbledore and other works of British authors. It's like the author wanted the story to revolve around books but not really so he only did it half-heartedly throwing in a title or a character whenever he seemed appropriate. Except it didn't seem appropriate for me. But that's just me.
If you're a Harry Potter fan and you haven't read this, you're doing yourself a disservice. I don't want to have to explain again how amazing I think this fanfic is anymore so just DOWNLOAD IT ... for FREE!!! I love how I didn't have to pay to extend my HP experience but I really hope this would come out in print and that Mr G. Norman Lippert gets paid. Yes, I know about copyright issues but *cougheEricVanLustbadercough*. For now, dear people, please buy this guy a coffee. Better yet, buy his non-JP works (that was what I did haha) here:http://www.jamespotterseries.com/. I mean, seriously.
Now, I am super sad to know that the author cannot promise to make another installment because life gets in the way. (That's why I said buy his other works. So he can continue writing more. Purely selfish reasons, I know. Lol.) All that being said, I think this is a good "ending" to the series. It didn't end per se. Like the author said, there's still a lot of story there. But some parts, somehow, gave me (so I'm assuming it would be the same experience for Potterheads) closure. Yes, I'm talking about the mirror of Erised. I wish he'd included Ron and Hermione in that scene, though.
Here are a few things I'd like to see on the possible installments: the "relationship" between James and Petra explained, George Weasley's spark and faith in magickind to come back, and more of the Snape paintings terrorizing James lol.
I'd really like a JP #5, #6 and #7. :(
As much as I love Robin Sloan, I can't figure this one out. I was just lost half of the time when I was reading this. I get the artificial intelligence sidekick and thought it was kind of cute but ... what was the point of all of this I couldn't explain. Maybe I should read this again ... one of these days.
Ironically, the thing I hated most about this book is also the part that had the best prose (in the book). The ending.
In summary, the ending was good but it was a hanger. I said good because I liked that the narrator was literally talking to the reader. I liked how it was delivered; but no one wants to be left hanging. I felt cheated because I liked the book and the story a lot and then I found out that I had to wait another year before knowing what's going to happen next. To be specific, who Blue is in Base Life (shallow, I know) and how they will defeat Gesh and what happened to Levi ... and the list goes on.
Now, I'm not a big scifi person. I took off one star not because of the ending, it was because I zone out every time they explain how the "Limbo" and soul travel works. I think people who are into vintage stuff might like this in a way that the author took time to describe Alex's dresses in detail. Although I have to say I couldn't help but think ... "Heh. Pinterest."
Some books are meant to be a stand-alone. Some should be in a series ... this is what I kept repeating to myself just so I don't throw my Kindle out the window.
Sadly over-hyped. It had so much potential but that potential stopped at time-traveling-serial-killer.
The book had such a great concept and although the execution was fine, it failed to make the right ... pull for a serial murder novel fan. This one lacks suspense. I only felt it towards the end of the story. Like the last five pages. I guess I was expecting too much from it.
[It got filled with so many unnecessary characters and I just got lost. At times the story portrays Harper (the serial killer) as a ruthless psycho and sometimes as someone stuck and wants to get out of the cycle. I mean, how and when did he become tired of what he was doing? The story points at Alice but it's inconsistent. And when was the circle-that-had-to-be-closed introduced? Eh.
There are a few reasons why "nerds" and "geeks" are now considered cool (or hot); this book is one of them.
I
love how this book is a story about other books that tell different
stories. It talks of the book's smell, even! And don't get me started
with that! Lol! It puts books, words and letters in a pedestal and
states the obvious and still makes me say wow! It's the kind of book
that makes me feel good about everything for no reason at all. I was on
the edge of my seat when I was almost halfway through the book and
smiling when I finished.
I had so much fun reading it and
although the climax may actually be anti-climactic (and also a bit
predictable towards the end?) it's still so worth it. Are you a
bibliophile? Then this book is definitely for you. But this is also for
techie people who spends most of their lives in front of a computer
trying to figure out how to make our lives easier. There's a connection
there somehow. This is way more fun than Da Vinci's Code haha!
I've
been seeing this book on the shelves and on Goodreads a lot but didn't
add it to my pile of "un-reads" until a couple days ago. I was browsing
Audible for a birthday present for a workaholic. I wanted something
that's light and fun and one that might be an easy read after a long day
of, well, being a workaholic. I found Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
under the gift suggestion pages of Amazon's audiobook store. Naturally, I
wanted to know if it's worth giving a very particular person so I had
to read it and I'm glad I did.
Will I buy the Audible version as a
birthday present? Yes. And then I'll cross my fingers and hope that
this time, the workaholic actually has the time to enjoy it.
