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jackdoud's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
snazel's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this up because I wanted something that would make me laugh, and it did do that, but it was also unexpectedly moving?
Me: why am I sniffling on the bus?
Me to me: because they're working together and doing the work and it's just so beautifulllll.
Me: why am I sniffling on the bus?
Me to me: because they're working together and doing the work and it's just so beautifulllll.
old_tim's review against another edition
5.0
I had no idea that this book would address so many issues that seem so important in 2016. Because it's all about regular folks working together and not letting the elites divide them. Ain't no time to hate, people! I'm sticking with the Union!
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2016/06/to-fan-flames-of-discontent.html
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2016/06/to-fan-flames-of-discontent.html
coolcurrybooks's review
4.0
Like a Boss is the sequel to Adam Rakunas’s rousing sci-fi novel, Windswept. I’m not sure if I enjoyed it quite as much as the first book, but it was a good companion when I was sick in bed with a cold.
Former Union organizer Padma Mehta has finally achieved her dream: she’s bought her favorite distillery and settled into a well deserved retirement. Sure, she’s working a lowly slot in waste management too and lots of people are mad at her for the events of last book, but you can’t have everything.
But Padma’s peaceful retirement is not to last long. Evanrute Saarien, the antagonist from the last book, has just gotten out of prison, and he’s started a cult. And he’s telling all his followers to go on strike. Including the workers at Padma’s distillery. Then, the Union president starts demanding that Padma prevent the strike, and that’s only the beginning of Padma’s problems…
The good news is that I still really love Padma as a heroine. She’s got this brassy confidence that makes her so great to read about. However, I wish there were more overlap in the supporting characters from the last book. I miss Jilly! How come we didn’t get to see her? Besides Saarien (and he basically doesn’t count), the only returning character I noticed was the chief of police. I like her, but I think series are strongest when the build up a good supporting cast, more than just one or two characters. In general, I don’t think the supporting cast was as good as Padma.
I’m glad that Like a Boss continues to address Padma’s mental health issues. It was an interesting aspect of the first book, and it’s developed more here. Padma has something she calls the Fear (I read it as intense anxiety), and she’s been treating it with a nightly ritual of a sip of a specific rum. Hence, her obsession with owning the distillery and maintaining her supply.
I found the plot of Like a Boss confusing, and I don’t know how much of that was because I was sick and how much of that was because of the book. Sometimes I would have to skip back and read a few pages again, and I’m still not sure I understand what the villain’s motivation was. On the other hand, even if Like a Boss was confusing, I still enjoyed the ride. All in all, I can’t wait for book three.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Former Union organizer Padma Mehta has finally achieved her dream: she’s bought her favorite distillery and settled into a well deserved retirement. Sure, she’s working a lowly slot in waste management too and lots of people are mad at her for the events of last book, but you can’t have everything.
But Padma’s peaceful retirement is not to last long. Evanrute Saarien, the antagonist from the last book, has just gotten out of prison, and he’s started a cult. And he’s telling all his followers to go on strike. Including the workers at Padma’s distillery. Then, the Union president starts demanding that Padma prevent the strike, and that’s only the beginning of Padma’s problems…
The good news is that I still really love Padma as a heroine. She’s got this brassy confidence that makes her so great to read about. However, I wish there were more overlap in the supporting characters from the last book. I miss Jilly! How come we didn’t get to see her? Besides Saarien (and he basically doesn’t count), the only returning character I noticed was the chief of police. I like her, but I think series are strongest when the build up a good supporting cast, more than just one or two characters. In general, I don’t think the supporting cast was as good as Padma.
I’m glad that Like a Boss continues to address Padma’s mental health issues. It was an interesting aspect of the first book, and it’s developed more here. Padma has something she calls the Fear (I read it as intense anxiety), and she’s been treating it with a nightly ritual of a sip of a specific rum. Hence, her obsession with owning the distillery and maintaining her supply.
I found the plot of Like a Boss confusing, and I don’t know how much of that was because I was sick and how much of that was because of the book. Sometimes I would have to skip back and read a few pages again, and I’m still not sure I understand what the villain’s motivation was. On the other hand, even if Like a Boss was confusing, I still enjoyed the ride. All in all, I can’t wait for book three.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
rhodered's review
5.0
Even better than the first, and for me, more believable because the heroine’s not battling some superhuman ghost in the sky this time. It felt less adventure movie.
The heroine is maybe in her mid-40s (yay) not the YA kid you see on the cover. Which makes her smarter and tougher because experience. She’s also one of the few truly extroverted heroines I think I’ve ever read. She’s so good at talking with and listening to people, all sorts of people and pretty much continually.
I really enjoy how much she loves her city. That resonated like crazy with me. And I liked how this is post-capitalist fiction with sincerity but without the dreadful earnestness that most union organizers I know tend to carry around. There’s a cynicism and gentle humor here, mingling with ethics.
So, it’s a socialist adventure with lots of fine side characters in a city I can see loving.
The heroine is maybe in her mid-40s (yay) not the YA kid you see on the cover. Which makes her smarter and tougher because experience. She’s also one of the few truly extroverted heroines I think I’ve ever read. She’s so good at talking with and listening to people, all sorts of people and pretty much continually.
I really enjoy how much she loves her city. That resonated like crazy with me. And I liked how this is post-capitalist fiction with sincerity but without the dreadful earnestness that most union organizers I know tend to carry around. There’s a cynicism and gentle humor here, mingling with ethics.
So, it’s a socialist adventure with lots of fine side characters in a city I can see loving.
imyril's review
4.0
This book made me cry on the way to work. And it's really hard to explain to a bunch of strangers that no, really, you're fine, you're just SO HAPPY to see idealism and hope not only given space on page, but fucking championed. But luckily I live in London, so nobody was making eye contact / seeing me and I didn't have to try.
When you're not looking, Adam Rakunas takes on privilege, socialism, corruption and the politics of anger as Padma Mehta tries to find out just why the hell everyone on Santee Anchorage wants to go on strike. Is her nemesis Evanrute Saarien behind it? Why is the President of the Union so determined Padma gets involved? And is it going to interfere with her six o'clock ritual sip of Old Windswept?
A riot (several, actually), with big ideas propelling its comic noir energy and a new host of awesome characters. This is not message fiction. But it's got a message anyway: don't let all the grimdarks and dystopias wear you down. Sometimes you just have to do the work and keep a wrench handy.
Full review
Full disclosure: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When you're not looking, Adam Rakunas takes on privilege, socialism, corruption and the politics of anger as Padma Mehta tries to find out just why the hell everyone on Santee Anchorage wants to go on strike. Is her nemesis Evanrute Saarien behind it? Why is the President of the Union so determined Padma gets involved? And is it going to interfere with her six o'clock ritual sip of Old Windswept?
A riot (several, actually), with big ideas propelling its comic noir energy and a new host of awesome characters. This is not message fiction. But it's got a message anyway: don't let all the grimdarks and dystopias wear you down. Sometimes you just have to do the work and keep a wrench handy.
Full review
Full disclosure: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
duchess's review
3.0
At the very end of this book, Adam Rakunas includes a little blurb about the process of writing this book, & he notes that writing [b:Like a Boss|27272162|Like a Boss (Windswept, #2)|Adam Rakunas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1459521171s/27272162.jpg|47325724] was the fastest turnaround time he'd ever done. It kinda shows.
Don't get me wrong, this was packed full of great Padma moments, stumbling from one bad situation to the next in her own way, but I can't help but feel like he bit off more than he could chew with the scope of this plot. By the end, there were still many unresolved issues and the central nefarious plot lacked sufficient motive for me to believe that it was natural.
In a way, I think what happened was the effort to make this book a direct allegory to current events distracted from the direct development of the details of the plot. That said, it was nice to see such idealistic events (a workers' revolt! RISE UP!) in a sci-fi novel! I'm sure Marx & Lenin looked down and smiled upon this book.
I really really really do like Padma though, so I hope lessons can be learned from this book for the third instalment!
P.S. OH and apparently Rakunas is a major Kameron Hurley fan so, you know, big bonus points for that :D
Don't get me wrong, this was packed full of great Padma moments, stumbling from one bad situation to the next in her own way, but I can't help but feel like he bit off more than he could chew with the scope of this plot. By the end, there were still many unresolved issues and the central nefarious plot lacked sufficient motive for me to believe that it was natural.
In a way, I think what happened was the effort to make this book a direct allegory to current events distracted from the direct development of the details of the plot. That said, it was nice to see such idealistic events (a workers' revolt! RISE UP!) in a sci-fi novel! I'm sure Marx & Lenin looked down and smiled upon this book.
I really really really do like Padma though, so I hope lessons can be learned from this book for the third instalment!
P.S. OH and apparently Rakunas is a major Kameron Hurley fan so, you know, big bonus points for that :D
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