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The Ghost Brigades - by John Scalzi
One of the surest ways to be disappointed is to have high expectations, and I admit I had
exactly that after enjoying my first Scalzi book, and first in this series, Old Mans War. Sadly, little
inventiveness is seen in this sequel, and nearly the first third of this volume is spent re-establishing
the world, though somehow less completely. I realize it's important to do so for new readers, but in an
effort to not appear repetitive to returning readers, the descriptions feel more rushed and abbreviated than
streamlined. At times, one can see where loose plot details from the first book are addressed in the best
spirit of the Stan Lee "no prize" - this is likely the mark of a writer who is growing in their attention
to detail, but still funny to observe.
While it may seem nitpicky, I admit to being pulled out of the story by a clumsy typo at least 5 times
in the course of this read. With all the people he kindly thanks in the afterward, is it too much to
assume one of them read the book fully?
I'll continue to explore Scalzi's work, assuming that the rule of a second book being weak is simply
in evidence here. He admits to being surprised by the smash success if OMW and being asked by
his publisher to crank out another volume. Perhaps after this exercise, he finds his stride.
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