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latterature's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Engrossing world-building and tense, gritty action.
zare_i's review against another edition
4.0
This is a collection of mini series issues that run in parallel to the main story arc. In it we follow side-characters and their adventures/challenges that take place in the shadow of the great Family Conflict.
That being said first thing first - art is mixed bag here, not of your standard quality but again this is side-story collection so I guess they wanted to experiment somewhat. In any case definitely not the quality of main story arc. In my case this was not a major issue but if you expect art to be on the same level as in main story ... lets just say beware :)
We follow young recruit in the Carlyle Daggers as she tries to survive ruthless and almost religiously indoctrinated instructors, her parents as they try to find their way in the new environment after getting "lifted" from "waste" level, journalist investigating what happened to one of the Carlyle sons held by Hock Family (and ending up as involuntary pawn used by the Families), Middle East and South Africa Lazarus soldiers in action trying to retrieve forgotten technology of Vassilovka (because we need better monsters right?), we see what happened to Joacquim and why he acted in the way he acted in vol 6 (compared to these families Corleone is a bloody welfare institution) and finally we get the story centered on weirdest, deadliest and definitely craziest Lazarus of them all, Zmey. As expected, this story is bloody weird but again it is not like Zmey is OK in his head right?
Where it not 2020 story would be of pure dystopia and utter defeat of humanity (you know like in almost every 10th SF novel these days). But since it is 2020 book was more depressing and disturbing to me than I would expect. I think people should treat stories like these as warnings not as bloody blueprints.
Recommended to all fans of dystopian SF.
That being said first thing first - art is mixed bag here, not of your standard quality but again this is side-story collection so I guess they wanted to experiment somewhat. In any case definitely not the quality of main story arc. In my case this was not a major issue but if you expect art to be on the same level as in main story ... lets just say beware :)
We follow young recruit in the Carlyle Daggers as she tries to survive ruthless and almost religiously indoctrinated instructors, her parents as they try to find their way in the new environment after getting "lifted" from "waste" level, journalist investigating what happened to one of the Carlyle sons held by Hock Family (and ending up as involuntary pawn used by the Families), Middle East and South Africa Lazarus soldiers in action trying to retrieve forgotten technology of Vassilovka (because we need better monsters right?), we see what happened to Joacquim and why he acted in the way he acted in vol 6 (compared to these families Corleone is a bloody welfare institution) and finally we get the story centered on weirdest, deadliest and definitely craziest Lazarus of them all, Zmey. As expected, this story is bloody weird but again it is not like Zmey is OK in his head right?
Where it not 2020 story would be of pure dystopia and utter defeat of humanity (you know like in almost every 10th SF novel these days). But since it is 2020 book was more depressing and disturbing to me than I would expect. I think people should treat stories like these as warnings not as bloody blueprints.
Recommended to all fans of dystopian SF.
antij's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
trike's review against another edition
3.0
Short stories set alongside the main story, with varying degrees of impact. These feel sort of like bonus stories set in any regular Science Fiction universe, or perhaps like those of the superhero comic Astro City. The last two are very good indeed, while the other four are interesting mostly for their utility in filling out the world.
james7634's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
This is super boring and terrible story. I have no interest in this story at all.
lukeisthename34's review against another edition
5.0
The intricacy of the world Rucka has created is astounding. I don't know how he and his keep up with this cast of thousands. Game of Thrones has nothing on this story.