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The Seeds Of Earth (2009)

by Michael Cobley(Favorite Author)

3.35 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1841496324 (ISBN13: 9781841496320)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Orbit

series

Humanity's Fire

review 1: The book had so many great background ideas, but the execution brought it down. I like where the plot is going, but most of the characters are A New Hope Lukes when they should be Han Solos or Return of the Jedi Lukes (or Indiana Joneses, since the three archaeologist characters are the best-written people in the book). People are WAY too naive for who they're supposed to be. A lot of things happen because the author thinks that they have to happen for the plot to turn out the way he wants it (or because it's the easy way for it to do so), when they just don't make sense for a character's knowledge and experience.Example: some people uncover an assassination plot, but the cell phone grid at the spaceport (where the attack is to happen, several hours away) is conveniently n... moreot working. Sabotaged, obviously, I say, but apparently no one thinks that this is the case. And no one thinks it's weird at the spaceport, either, because they don't tighten security or call off the event (despite an ongoing terrorist campaign)! So these guys decide to drive down immediately, instead of getting on a landline (which there still ARE, and they're mentioned in the next chapter even) or a radio (which there also are) to warn anyone. The attack goes off without a hitch because of this. These people were government agents who had no reason to believe that someone in authority would not believe them if they phoned it in.Also, when characters do remember that long-range communication works, they are weirdly forthcoming about their secrets while discussing things via the probably easily tapped by high-tech aliens cell and radio nets. And maybe, just maybe, it might be a bad idea to tell your plans to someone who you just busted out of police custody, when you know for a fact that your enemies have methods of chemically/hypnotically subverting people? Especially when they didn't ask what those plans were, and when it would be dangerous to them if they DID know?I want to know where the series is going to go, because again, the framework is very interesting. I just don't know if I can handle the (often) poor characterization and instances of "it happens that way because it HAS to" plotting.
review 2: This has the complex world-building of the Star Wars universe, decent plot ideas, and a wide cast of characters that have potential to be likeable and easy to root for.But somehow it was not all that interesting, and I had to force myself to continue in places. Maybe if there were more dialogue, or if the action scenes were written with more intensity?I'm not sure what exactly is lacking. less

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