Comments on: Review: The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt http://birdbrainbb.net/2010/02/05/review-the-court-of-the-air-by-stephen-hunt/ where imagination takes flight Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:34:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anastasia http://birdbrainbb.net/2010/02/05/review-the-court-of-the-air-by-stephen-hunt/#comment-10022 Anastasia Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:32:31 +0000 http://birdbrainbb.net/?p=4410#comment-10022 I definitely think it suffered from "trying to introduce as much as possible" syndrome that some first books in a series get. A lot of what was in there could have been pruned and held back for later books, and more focus could have gone to the protagonists, who-- as you say-- weren't altogether likable. I think part of that was they got buried by a lot of other STUFF and other PEOPLE, and their empathetic bits got lost in the shuffle. I've got the second book but haven't read it yet, so I don't know if Mr Hunt got better at pruning or not! I'm kinda hoping that he did, especially since so much was introduced in the first book. That should mean that less would have to be introduced in the second, right? I hope I'm right, anyway. I definitely think it suffered from “trying to introduce as much as possible” syndrome that some first books in a series get. A lot of what was in there could have been pruned and held back for later books, and more focus could have gone to the protagonists, who– as you say– weren’t altogether likable. I think part of that was they got buried by a lot of other STUFF and other PEOPLE, and their empathetic bits got lost in the shuffle.

I’ve got the second book but haven’t read it yet, so I don’t know if Mr Hunt got better at pruning or not! I’m kinda hoping that he did, especially since so much was introduced in the first book. That should mean that less would have to be introduced in the second, right? I hope I’m right, anyway.

]]> By: Cassandra http://birdbrainbb.net/2010/02/05/review-the-court-of-the-air-by-stephen-hunt/#comment-9843 Cassandra Sat, 29 Jan 2011 19:04:12 +0000 http://birdbrainbb.net/?p=4410#comment-9843 I agree with the last post regarding the number of things that were made up. It was distracting because I had to keep thinking, "now what was that again?" Also if I were his editor I would seriously suggest cutting down the number of characters. There are way too many, and a lot of them aren't necessary, it just slows the story down with un-needed detail. I too love the technology side of it, but it needs to be integral to the story. The characters are quite a bit dull, I had more empathy with some of the poor characters stuck in machines than the main character. Also there are some really annoying ticks that the writer does; the characters are about to find something out and they go "oh no, do you know what this is...." etc and then he starts a new chapter without telling you what is going on. The first time is is suspenseful, but then it just becomes annoying; like a nervous tick. Also I found he used some really awkward use of words, like he was just going through his thesaurus looking for the most obscure word he could find. Is this is the first novel this guy has written? It certainly reads like it. I agree with the last post regarding the number of things that were made up. It was distracting because I had to keep thinking, “now what was that again?” Also if I were his editor I would seriously suggest cutting down the number of characters. There are way too many, and a lot of them aren’t necessary, it just slows the story down with un-needed detail.
I too love the technology side of it, but it needs to be integral to the story.
The characters are quite a bit dull, I had more empathy with some of the poor characters stuck in machines than the main character.
Also there are some really annoying ticks that the writer does; the characters are about to find something out and they go “oh no, do you know what this is….” etc and then he starts a new chapter without telling you what is going on. The first time is is suspenseful, but then it just becomes annoying; like a nervous tick.
Also I found he used some really awkward use of words, like he was just going through his thesaurus looking for the most obscure word he could find.

Is this is the first novel this guy has written? It certainly reads like it.

]]> By: Jenny http://birdbrainbb.net/2010/02/05/review-the-court-of-the-air-by-stephen-hunt/#comment-1359 Jenny Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:04:55 +0000 http://birdbrainbb.net/?p=4410#comment-1359 I tried to read this and HATED it. It wasn't anything about the characters or the plot, and I love the whole idea and aesthetic of steampunk, but the number of words that were invented and/or capitalized drove me batty and I couldn't take it. Every time I read a review of it, I think, oh, I should try again; the cover's so nice, the synopsis has orphans - but I'm pretty sure the made-up words would kill me. I tried to read this and HATED it. It wasn’t anything about the characters or the plot, and I love the whole idea and aesthetic of steampunk, but the number of words that were invented and/or capitalized drove me batty and I couldn’t take it. Every time I read a review of it, I think, oh, I should try again; the cover’s so nice, the synopsis has orphans – but I’m pretty sure the made-up words would kill me.

]]> By: Jodie http://birdbrainbb.net/2010/02/05/review-the-court-of-the-air-by-stephen-hunt/#comment-1358 Jodie Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:02:56 +0000 http://birdbrainbb.net/?p=4410#comment-1358 I disagree that it's not an alternative Earth, it totally is, it's a kind of parody/extreme version of Earth society, that's why you get the quite obvious Communist, French terror references. So I think you're on the ball thinking it's an alternate Earth, even if it doesn't totally cleave to the same kind of historical timeline. I disagree that it’s not an alternative Earth, it totally is, it’s a kind of parody/extreme version of Earth society, that’s why you get the quite obvious Communist, French terror references. So I think you’re on the ball thinking it’s an alternate Earth, even if it doesn’t totally cleave to the same kind of historical timeline.

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