Reviews

Deathstalker by Simon R. Green

mgoldstein322's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Just a fun, goofy sci-fi book.

dawn_marie's review against another edition

4.0

What do you get when you mix a little space saga with the western frontier, add a little sprinkle of swordplay, and a protagonist who rather write history books than lead a rebellion? Why you get Owen Deathstalker, the rather reluctant hero of Simon R. Green’s science fiction series.

ogreart's review against another edition

4.0

It is everything I have come to expect from Green's work, with the added benefit of a more complex plot. I am looking forward to continuing the series.

book_leigh's review

Very much political intrigue and these are not my kinds of stories.

jeremybost's review against another edition

3.0

It was okay, but too many POV switches for my liking. Also repeated phrases (mostly sarcastic ones).

cameronkc's review against another edition

3.0

interesting characters and a decent story line. I think I missed about 10 books before this one with lots of stories and character development...so perhaps I was a little lost. The main character's story line was underdeveloped (owen), yet could have been more interesting. This book felt a little rushed

rocketiza's review against another edition

3.0

I remember this being better when I read it back in middle school, but it was entertaining enough for a mindless space opera. It does sometimes read like it was written as serial and then collected though as the author endlessly repeats and elaborates on the same back stories and facts without really adding anything to the story.

blherrou's review

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Very fun pulp far-future adventure story. The setting features excuses for our space opera protagonists to use swords in their incredibly frequent combat encounters. Deathstalker lays it on thick and doesn't apologize. If the tropes appeal to you, you're going to love it. If you're looking for something highbrow or challenging or with nuance, you're going to hate it. 

brassduke's review against another edition

3.0

If I am honest I listened to a dramatised version of this book but it was good scifi pulp.

abigcoffeedragon's review against another edition

3.0

This is very middle of the road for me - it is entertaining enough for me to finish and to read at a good pace - the learning curve is low so the reader does not get tripped up on too many out of place names or places, however, I also feel that the names were - cheesy - Owen is easy to remember, but Deathstalker - Noun-Verber it is - John Random? - Hazel Dark? sorry, I mean, D'Ark - remember, when you use an apostrophe, replace it with a *cough* -

The story is very straight ahead, and each chapter follows a single character and a third person point of view - the downside on this is that more pages are devoted to the enemy than the supposed hero, who really, he is a hero because the author makes it so, not because he does anything heroic

Simon R Green has a writing style that I enjoy, and I fly through his pages, and the characters are not horrible they are just - there - I wait patiently for more substance, but this is a high sugar and caffeine rush with no substance, and I am left hungry when the pages close -

I did finish, so that places this as a three star minimum, but I cannot give it anything higher, because as the first book in a series, it is the only one I will read - and I will likely trade it in for something else the next trip to the used book store.