Reviews

The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads by John Scalzi

megadeathvsbooks's review against another edition

3.0

More politics than action, but it moved the story along in a necessary way.

liketheday's review against another edition

4.0

And again, Scalzi just makes my mind boggle with his combination of politics, intrigue, and blowing stuff up. Also science, as we learn about a very interesting idea that hypothetically could be just as asshole-ish as what happened in that last story. Seriously, who are these persons who are doing things?
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jaymeks's review against another edition

4.0

Good little story, but it left me wanting more. I'm starting to get nervous that not everything can be wrapped up and explained in one episode. We'll see what next week brings.

markmtz's review against another edition

5.0

Another chilling vignette, tied to the previous episode. We're down to the last episode, coming next week, and I don't have a clue how, or if, Scalzi plans to wrap up. I suppose tying up all the threads in a neat package isn't a requirement. Have I become addicted to conventional endings?

ferrisscottr's review against another edition

3.0

This was an odd one. A little creepy, too short to really tell too much, is there a conspiracy? I don't know even after reading this episode.

I'm kind of neutral on this - didn't like it, didn't not like it - just put in my time in order to get to the last episode.

One more episode left in Scalzi's 13 episode story called The Human Division. It's a long one so I'm really looking forward to it.

joelevard's review against another edition

2.0

Dude, the last chapter is going to have to be pretty epic to actually wrap up the plot, such as it is, after the last few semi-wasted installments. I can't imagine this reading coherently as a novel at all, and yet all spread out it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

BUT EVERYONE STILL LOVES IT SO WHAT DO I KNOW

argent_'s review against another edition

5.0

Glad to see Dani Lowen in her more-or-less natural habitat - cracking heads. Gently.

nooker's review against another edition

4.0

Nice little tale that takes the title phrase both figuratively and literally.

nharkins's review against another edition

1.0

Dear John,

Did you really need to mention the "Cuba Libré" 4 times?
If the clue-hammer audience is who you're writing for,
then I'm out. I'm happy for you that you've found a way
to increase your income bracket with the $0.99/"story" model,
but the quality is simply not there (e.g. handwaving everything
with nanobots).

nilchance's review against another edition

4.0

This chapter's reveal gave me the heebie-jeebies. The mechanism and action of the trigger reminds me of toxoplasmosis. AWESOME.