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_b_a_l_'s review
2.0
I read these as a series and am reviewing them as such (although I would like to say that this is a series I enjoyed less and less as I went along, ergo the dropping in stars as we progress).
There are some really great concepts here. Especially in the first book the way that drugs, nanotech and augmentations combine to create near-post-humans and post-humans is beautifully explored. The repercussions of this on society and the way in which people let fear of the unknown dictate their actions equally so. The touches of buddhism and meditation and how it relates to these altered states is interesting and enlightening. And there's some great action.
As it progresses though nothing new is really introduced. The buddhist references become repetitive and annoying, the action becomes frenetic and difficult to follow and the narrative generally fragments.
I'd recommend just reading the first book tbh.
There are some really great concepts here. Especially in the first book the way that drugs, nanotech and augmentations combine to create near-post-humans and post-humans is beautifully explored. The repercussions of this on society and the way in which people let fear of the unknown dictate their actions equally so. The touches of buddhism and meditation and how it relates to these altered states is interesting and enlightening. And there's some great action.
As it progresses though nothing new is really introduced. The buddhist references become repetitive and annoying, the action becomes frenetic and difficult to follow and the narrative generally fragments.
I'd recommend just reading the first book tbh.
ashryn's review
5.0
This is my favourite series of recent years, I enjoyed it so much that I feel I should go back and down-rate some of the other books I gave 5 stars to so that it stands out. As it's the third book in a series I won't go into the plot; it is best experienced by immersion anyway.. Ramez Naam has put together a comprehensive thought experiment based on emerging technology, iterated prisoners dilemma, and human nature and asks what if.. And then keeps asking what if even when the answers look bleak for humankind, trying to find a way where we might actually evolve past our reactionary fear-based responses to challenges and become something better, smarter, more compassionate. It gives me hope.
dhgwilliam's review
5.0
Far from unpredictable but worth every minute. At worst, a better than average cyberpunk thriller. At best? A nuanced roadmap and a transhuman manifesto.
lischa3000's review
3.0
I got mixed feelings about this one. I found the first 2/3 slow. Probably because I was following too many characters, which story I found slow and less exiting. However, the last third of the book was just as exhilarating and heart-wrenching as the two first books.
The Nexus trilogy had a sweet and sour ending, which left lots of food and room for thought. It is absolutely worth reading and is still one of my favorites reads.
The Nexus trilogy had a sweet and sour ending, which left lots of food and room for thought. It is absolutely worth reading and is still one of my favorites reads.
whimsydances's review
I kept trying, but it just couldn't hold my interest. Did not finish.
charlibirb's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this series. Cool philosophy mixed with technology and politics. Great characters. Naam didn't try to do to much and overreach.
coltennis's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
jaymeks's review
5.0
I held off writing a review for this trilogy because they truly felt more like a contiguous store than a series of books. So, I wanted to review the series as a whole instead of one by one.
And damn, what a series.
I picked this series up on a whim. I had a few extra GC credits on Amazon and was browsing. I've seen other authors post about Naam's work, so I was familiar when it came across my recommend pile. I am glad that it did.
At this point, I cannot honestly remember where one book ended and another started - the blend in the stories was that good.I also think one of the factors of why I loved it so much was the relatability of the main character. I understood where he was and why. I saw and understood some of the struggles he went through. Even the minor characters were very relatable. Naam did a great job with his characterizations.
At the end of Apex, I could hear the epic score as I read the final scenes. That's how vivid Naam's writing was in this book. It was descriptive without info dumping, and always allowed for more growth. I thought it was well done to the last sentence. I enjoyed the hell out of these books and cannot wait to see what Naam does next.
And damn, what a series.
I picked this series up on a whim. I had a few extra GC credits on Amazon and was browsing. I've seen other authors post about Naam's work, so I was familiar when it came across my recommend pile. I am glad that it did.
At this point, I cannot honestly remember where one book ended and another started - the blend in the stories was that good.I also think one of the factors of why I loved it so much was the relatability of the main character. I understood where he was and why. I saw and understood some of the struggles he went through. Even the minor characters were very relatable. Naam did a great job with his characterizations.
At the end of Apex, I could hear the epic score as I read the final scenes. That's how vivid Naam's writing was in this book. It was descriptive without info dumping, and always allowed for more growth. I thought it was well done to the last sentence. I enjoyed the hell out of these books and cannot wait to see what Naam does next.
henkka's review
3.0
Liked it, but not as much as previous books in the trilogy. Felt a bit too bloated and harder to connect to various characters.