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Unfolds cleverly, with each new twist of the knife reeling you in without feeling too forced. Brooks splits up hits characters, but manages to make that more kinetic, rather than dragging things down or getting confusing—a rare feat. The ending is abrupt, and a bit of a mishmash, but it’s the middle of a trilogy, so he may have wanted to launch into the third book with a lot of threads still active.

Oswalt has always been a thoughtful storyteller—among the many strengths of his comedy is his ability to take you on a journey, rather than tossing out wisecracks and observations. His prose is strong and evocative, and it’s interesting that episodes of memoir are interspersed with “comedy bits” full of out-loud laughs—no rhyme or reason, apparently just stuff that came to him that would work better in a book than onstage.

I can see where its “hard boiled” style might grate for some, but I mostly enjoyed it (or didn’t particularly notice); I just got pulled along by its rhythm. The detective plotting is strong—revealing the right details and insights at the right times—and I like the Reacher character, even if the movie version is totally different (in his own excellent way).

Painfully poignant from the start—more so in light of his passing, but it foresees the end of his life so clearly that it almost doesn't seem like it was written without any knowledge we now have. His candor is refreshing, and brings focus to the mundane aspects of rehab and recovery that are easily overlooked. The idleness; the inefficacy; endless time for introspection, especially during moments where it’s not welcome. It’s an exhausting story, heartbreaking and infuriating, as I’m sure it was for him throughout. But I welcomed the chance to understand a little bit better.

It has drawn comparisons to Firefly, and those make sense (especially with a glance at the crew roster), but it’s in no way derivative. Brooks defines appealing, distinct characters well, and they mesh brilliantly as a team. The plotting is great, the dialogue and interplay are fun, and the scenarios and world-building are compelling. The gritty, hard boiled tone doesn’t overstay its welcome, and the action is well written.

Fun and exciting, taking the form of a murder mystery for an interesting change of pace. It’s well plotted, and the development of Murderbot continues to be deeply charming, especially its relationship with Indah and all the ways they’re more alike than they think

A sweet and witty biography, assembled with clear affection for Douglas Adams. It’s eye-opening how much of his signature creation, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, was a matter of continually reworking prior material, and how unlikely any of it was to be carried off, considering Adams's deadline-averse writing style and the inflexibility of the production schedule.

Unfolds a novel and intriguing premise with Scalzi’s dependable wit (and identical character voices). There’s a somewhat unsatisfying lack of villainy despite all that goes on, even though the rogues’ network that’s explored instead is filled with delightfully absurd details. For once, I wish this story had finished with a few more loose ends than it did.

I’ve enjoyed other Pinter works, and the acclaim for this one is mighty, but I have to admit it missed me entirely. The absurd rambling is a lot more palatable when it's coherent, at least (e.g., the speech to start Act 2). When the characters are interrupting themselves repeatedly with contradictory information, it's just a mess.

Hilarious, confessional, and sprinkled with absurd details that make it all the more relatable. Probably not the world’s best resource for life insights, but overflowing with insights about Maria Bamford, which I find just as valuable.

His work, while impressive, has never drawn me in as a particularly devoted fan, but his personal character has always impressed me, and his thoughtful warmth pervades the writing…at least for the first half. As time goes on, the pace accelerates, and many details are glossed over as it begins to feel like a list of accolades and accomplishments, with some fun showbiz moments peppered in. He begins with reflection and insight into the challenges in his family of origin; I wish the last part could have given as much care and respect to the two marriages he destroyed and the daughter he alienated.

A sweet episode, but all too brief. It would have been better to add this into one of the other stories.

Wells details Murderbot’s tactical decision-making and describes software programming throughout the story in a way I find very enjoyable, but often wonder how it plays for readers with less of a software background. Nevertheless, she balances it well with combat and also Murderbot’s gradual emotional development. It’s an excellent wrap-up for the novella series, with possibilities for the future.

As an episodic work, it’s a bit more meandering than the others in the series, but also more intriguing in the balance, with more of an opportunity to focus on character. There’s an interlude with Hart Schmidt (an interstellar diplomat) spending some time among family that creates an interesting slice of life. The larger universe has been established so thoroughly that it provides this sort of opportunity for a deeper exploration of certain facets farther from the spaceships and laser battles.