Reviews

Head on by John Scalzi

timinbc's review against another edition

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3.0

Scalzi said he had trouble writing this. It shows. Apart from some good work developing the threeps concept, this one's weak. It doesn't stand out from a zillion other whodunits, or the million set in an SF frame.

Hilketa is wildly implausible, and less well developed than Quidditch. And yes, I saw the movie Rollerball, and it could happen. But still.

Chris is bland, and I won't vote yea or nay on Chris's gender, or even on Scalzi's handling of it, except to say that it is necessary to make an effort in that line these days, and he has done so.

Vann is cool, but she's just Diaz from Brooklyn Nine-nine.

A few I should hide:
SpoilerThe data vault on the cat is just silly. Why would it be a good idea?

There's a wild killing spree at the end, but no one seems concerned, as if
they were ALL threeps instead of some.

The Philly FBI was **obviously** compromised; that could have been hidden better.


"And Scalzi?"
"Yes?"
"Enough with the dramatic parting shots, already! At least three, maybe four; overdone!"

testaroscia's review against another edition

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4.0

Good sequel to Lock In that is an easy read.

bookph1le's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoy this series. Chris and Vann are both such great characters, and I love the way they play off one another. Scalzi has created a very interesting near-future scenario that gives him a way to examine some very present issues like discrimination, sexism, how the disability community is treated, etc.

I could also sense there's some setup here for future conflicts, and I'm definitely on board with those. I enjoy police procedural novels as well, but there's just something about taking that concept and placing it in a scifi or fantasy setting that I find so appealing, possibly because contemporary police procedurals feel like they deal in microcosms of society--microcosms that reflect the larger society, to be sure, but yet still small in some way I can't quite put my finger on--while using a scifi or fantasy setting allows for a more macro view.

Here's hoping for more books in this series, and soon. (Though I totally get where the author was coming from when he talked in his acknowledgements about why this book took him longer than usual. Keep doing what you're doing, Scalzi. We need forward-thinking, insightful, and thoughtful authors like you.)

ghostlyweeds's review against another edition

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5.0

I love this world. I love these characters. I love the dialogue and the banter and how even though I don’t always understand the details, the author ties it all together at the end. I genuinely laughed out loud so many times. I want to be Vann when I grow up. I will absolutely be reading more by John Scalzi and maybe even stalk his socials in the hopes he’ll write more of the Haden universe and the characters in it.

tabatha_shipley's review against another edition

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5.0

What I Did Like:
+The premise is intriguing, again. This is a great way to follow-up the content of the first book. We’re using some of the same characters but in a different and unique way. I loved using the sport as a way to explore some of the consequences for this world.
+The technology, again, is intriguing and solid. It reads realistic and is highly compelling yet it is also written in a way that makes it clear the use of it is typical for these characters. We’re shocked by what it can do, they’re not.
+The police procedure reads accurate. It’s not an instant solution, there’s mistakes, things are overlooked on the first pass.
+Great dialogue. There’s a good banter between these characters and the dialogue works.

Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of technology Sci Fi books. This is an excellent one because it feels completely possible and plausible. Of course, if you’re a huge tech scifi fan, start with Lock In which will give you more background to enjoy the technology.
-Fans of detective novels who aren’t afraid of something NEW and different. Although this focuses on an essentially robotic detective, it’s well written and fun to read! If you’re interested more in the detective nature of the book than the technology, this would work fine as a stand alone. You’re given plenty of background on the technology to understand.

My Rating: 5 Stars
This blends advanced technology Scifi with a detective novel in a highly pleasing way, maximizing the beauty of both without compromising. This is an excellent example of genre blending!

For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2023/12/31/2023-book-review-head-on/

maggiebook's review against another edition

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4.0

The Lock-In series is part excellent sci-fi and part mystery. The sci-fi part is solid: so thought out, believable and interesting. I am a reader who isn't drawn to mysteries and therefore doesn't read a lot of them BUT the mystery part is also pretty solid: engaging, some twists and non-graphic.
Overall the story moves along without any drag, good science, good humor and some of Scalzi's more relatable characters.

This was an Audible listen with Wil Wheaton as the narrator. He narrates many of John Scalzi's recent books and is stellar in his delivery.

Lastly, think it is best to read/listen to Lock In first to get more of the history on the Lock In aspect. It is also a very good read.

noirverse's review against another edition

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2.0

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding (which is why I picked up the next book in the series in the first place), but the mystery didn't grab me here either, and the characters were only okay at best. It's a shame, since I think you could do a lot with the basic concept of the world, but the mystery angle doesn't work for me.

friendleghost's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

lowercasesee's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

kminor86's review against another edition

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

4.5