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A review by smrbogie
Aztec by Gary Jennings
2.0
Badly written Aztec Forrest Gump
I have three complaints about this book:
1) The writing is just awful. It’s belabored, inelegant and just frankly boring. I commend the author for his perseverance in research and laboring through penning 750 pages. But not a single phrase, sentence or paragraph struck me as even mildly evocative or inspiring. It’s the writing of a 15 year old.
2) Its a lazy “Forest Gump” trope in Aztec disguise. By that I mean the protagonist meanders or happens or blunders through all kinds of dramatic episodes that really are just plot devices. Again, it’s lazy storytelling and writing. There is no “force” in the main character. He is also weak of eyesight which again was a needless story arc that also weakens the credibility of future escapades.
3) It is needlessly long. I am more than happy to work through a 700+ page book as long as there is some value in it - whether the writing, or moving characters or a compelling story. This has neither. Many of the divergent storylines don’t add to the experience in anyway.
I had to give it one star so I could write this review.
I added a star because of the historical research and narrative.
This could be a far better read if some charitable “editor” would take it upon herself to rewrite it, cut out the unnecessary fluff (5 pages about how he wishes he had told his wife he loved her sooner? And none of them moving or well written!), and shorten it to maybe 400 pages.
I have three complaints about this book:
1) The writing is just awful. It’s belabored, inelegant and just frankly boring. I commend the author for his perseverance in research and laboring through penning 750 pages. But not a single phrase, sentence or paragraph struck me as even mildly evocative or inspiring. It’s the writing of a 15 year old.
2) Its a lazy “Forest Gump” trope in Aztec disguise. By that I mean the protagonist meanders or happens or blunders through all kinds of dramatic episodes that really are just plot devices. Again, it’s lazy storytelling and writing. There is no “force” in the main character. He is also weak of eyesight which again was a needless story arc that also weakens the credibility of future escapades.
3) It is needlessly long. I am more than happy to work through a 700+ page book as long as there is some value in it - whether the writing, or moving characters or a compelling story. This has neither. Many of the divergent storylines don’t add to the experience in anyway.
I had to give it one star so I could write this review.
I added a star because of the historical research and narrative.
This could be a far better read if some charitable “editor” would take it upon herself to rewrite it, cut out the unnecessary fluff (5 pages about how he wishes he had told his wife he loved her sooner? And none of them moving or well written!), and shorten it to maybe 400 pages.