Good, but it has its weak points
351626
In Darkly Dreaming Dexter, we are introduced to Dexter Morgan, a Miami PD blood spatter specialist with a rather horrific hobby: he's a serial killer. As a child, he suffered some sort of unspecified trauma which left him without a conscience, without emotion, without any sort of inner soul. In fact, the only thing inside Dexter is his "Dark Passenger," a voice which compels him to kill. At a young age, his foster father realized Dexter's secret, and -- knowing he couldn't stop him from killing -- decided to try to guide him. Dexter, you see, is a serial killer who only kills bad people. He trails his victims, ensures himself of their guilt of their own bloody crimes, and takes a sort of macabre vengeance. But now a new killer is stalking Miami, someone whose methods are disturbingly similar to his own, and Dexter is caught between an admiration for this new fiend's work and a desire to trace him down.

Dexter is really a unique protagonist. As a first-person narrator he's somewhat unrelatable, constantly reminding us of his own darkness and inhumanity... yet somehow, he manages to charm us as well as he does the people around him, most of whom are utterly oblivious that there's something different about him. There's absolutely nothing heroic about him, either. Some may be tempted to compare him to other killers-of-killers like Marvel Comics' Punisher, but that isn't an apt comparison. The Punisher is driven by an unquenchable thirst for revenge, a desire to snuff out all evil in a vain attempt to redeem the death of his family. Dexter has no such deep motivation for targeting murderers. He simply needs to kill SOMEONE, and was convinced by his father that it would be wiser to hunt down the people who "deserve" it than innocent victims.

The other characters in the book aren't quite as interesting. There are three main women, all stereotypes: the political-minded, bumbling detective; Dexter's hard-nosed cop sister; and Dexter's traumatized, closeted "girlfriend" are all somewhat two-dimensional. The other men get even less "page time." Besides Dexter, in fact, the most developed character is the other killer, who we don't see until the climax of the book. The climax is a little weak too, a real deus ex machina. The killer hinges on something from the backstory that was never even really hinted at until that point, except for vague rumblings about some childhood trauma Dexter couldn't remember.

While there are some weaknesses, the main character is intriguing enough to make me want to read the rest of the series and recommend this volume. Not great, but good enough to keep me reading.
3850850
Overall this is a relatively good game but has a few weak points. It is a shame that UBI has not released a patch fixing most of these. They are (not necessarily in order of importance):

a) game crashes too much (the latest UBI patch helps here but does not totally eliminate problem)
b) Computer graphics are not adequate enough to enable full manual use of all features of game. This is especially important with respect to performing your own torpedo attacks manually. The graphics are not good enough to enable you to determine type of ship, distance, etc. Hence this wonderful feature of game (assuming it worked) is unuseable.
c) Even if you run out of fuel in mid-sea you can press the "return to base" feature and you automatically make it back to base! This is a bug that should be very easily fixed but that UBI patch has not fixed.
d) When going forward and looking through binoculars you can barely sea anything any of the time (even in perfectly calm weather conditions). Again, another bug that can easily be fixed.
e) It is indeterminate in either game play or instruction how exactly giving your medals, skill credentials, etc. improves performance of an individual crewman.
4736057
The premise of the book and the way the author introduces us to being a "quintaglio" is done well, especially with thinking about the link between the mannerisms and nature of the creatures and their social interactions and thoughts.

The main character is likeable but there is a lot missing to it to make it a great book.  Specifically, I think that the plot get moved along to quickly and the other characters play too little of a role in shaping where the plot goes. That said, there is not nearly enough conflict and growth for the main character.  So strong on plot premise, thin on character development.

The other major issue is that the masses (i.e. Sawyer's vision of social change) is entirely too flexible and rapid, again, something that had to be done to move the plot along. Most of what the author wants to happen would take hundreds if not thousands of years to change.

Basically, what it comes down to is that the book has some really great elements to it, but others are thin, especially the lack of character development.  Overall I did enjoy it for what it is and I liked it enough to decide I will listen to the next installment of the series (Wyman is awesome as usual). I would give it 3 1/2 stars.
4725035
I just wanted to add my 2 and point out the two flaws I've found with this router. Overall, it's great. It's fast, uptime is great (which is the reason the old one got replaced), it handles gigabit, it does everything I need. Now the flaws

1) The big one: DHCP
This router is wonky when it comes to DHCP. For anyone who doesn't know what that is...it's the act of assigning an address to each of your devices as they connect to the network. Sometimes if a bunch of things are on at once, or even if just a few are but their leases (the length of time they get to keep the same address without interruption) expire, things can go haywire. Typically this just means that it takes longer for a device to connect...and it has to try a bunch of times. Eventually the router will give it an address and all will be ok. This tends to happen at the least convenient times, however.

Luckily, the router makes it *really* easy to preempt this. In the web interface (192.168.0.1 by default), the first tab (Setup) has a section called Network Settings. Way down at the bottom you see dynamic clients and reservations. Just above that is "Add a DHCP Reservation". While your device is connected, use the "Computer Name" dropdown to select it, then "<<" to yank all the necessary info over. BAM...once you save, you've got a permanent reservation and will never again have to worry about address conflicts. This DHCP interface is really slick, so much so that it almost seems like D-Link knew that there would be problems with the default settings setup. Hmm...

(Settings static IPs works as well...and flashing the router and installing alternative firmware might too)

2) When there's lots of cables plugged in, it doesn't stay upright. Really small annoyance...just a weird design choice
3220477
I like it. It's big and bulky, but that's to be expected when you add a battery to the back of your phone. I think it's easier to hold now.

The downside is the case itself. Definitely the weak link. The rubber case doesn't fit as well as other cases I've used. The buttons don't quite line up, and it feels like it's going to come off at the sides.
4046338
I have used this chain cleaner quite a bit and the basics behind the system are pretty good and logical. It does a nice job of degreasing the chain, but there are some things that make it inferior to Pedro's Chain Pig&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Pedros-Chain-Cleaner-Pig-Tool/dp/B009NN261Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Pedros Chain Cleaner Pig Tool</a>. First the handle comes off (for storage), but this means that with a lot of degreaser and grease flying everywhere during the degreasing procedure, this can come flying off and result in spilling and an awkward experience. Second, the machine just "floats" on the chain and is reliant on you to keep it perfectly straight. By contrast, the Chain Pig attaches to the rear derailleur leaving you with a free hand and a more consistent connection to the chain. Lastly, the chain cleaner is not that durable. I stored it on a shelf at shoulder height, it feel off onto a carpet and cracked, thereby essentially rendering it leaky and useless. I still think that Park is great at making things out of metal, but any of their tools that involve plastic or rubber have been disappointments to me.
3630085
This keyboard is great in many ways, but it also has a few non-negligible flaws.

The Pros:  Sturdy, attractive design.  The iPad Pro I use rests securely in the rubber-lined groove at the top.  It is heavy enough to hold up the iPad, too.  The Bluetooth connectivity has been smooth and unproblematic, and battery life seems quite good (3 weeks and still going).  The assortment of keys ensures good functionality, as does the multiple Bluetooth channel selector.

The cons:  The keys have a jiggly, annoying feel, and are quite loud.  This is a pretty big deal for some people, and if you anticipate spending a fair bit of time typing, check it out first, if you can.  The noise doesn't bother me, but the wobbly keys feel cheap.  You can simply rest your finger on a key with no pressure and jiggle it back and forth. Also, the on-off switch is in an unintuitive, difficult to access spot.
522552
Overall, I like this product, but there's a couple things that are not so great.  One, as mentioned in a bunch of posts is the weird duplication direction from position 2 towards position 1--not the greatest thing when we're talking a slight mistake can erase you're entire life.  And two, after about 6 months of use, it just stopped showing up on my desktop.  I tried everything, the cord, the connection, the slot it was plugged into.  At the end of the day, it was the duplicator that was the problem.  I'm now about to embark on the return/warranty process to get it fixed.  Hhhhhhuuuuugggg, hopefully that's not too difficult.
1614606
This was almost a superb book.  Almost.
I almost felt sufficient sympathy for the main characters, but most of them were inadequately fleshed out.
I almost understood the grief for lost Tigana.  At one point  I was murmuring 'Tigana' because _I_ could say it (this is the kind of  irrational thing a good fantasy book has you doing), but that feeling  wasn't sustained.
Certain points of the plot almost succeeded.  Particularly I point to the romances and the death-that-isn't of a main  character. In places I can see what he was aiming for, but it falls short.  Sometimes I don't see the point or meaning of an event at all.
I get an  appreciation of the histories and cultures and landscapes of the provinces  of the Palm that is almost sufficient.
I can't contrive any more almosts.  Another peeve is the unnecessary and intrusive use of the present tense in  places.  I have nothing against the present tense, but it wasn't acheiving  anything.  Despite all of this, Tigana gets four stars because it is a very  good book, just not quite what it could have been.
249311
Cursor's Fury is the third book in Jim Butcher's six part Codex Alera series. Cursor's Fury does a lot of what you expect from a middle novel - it develops some of the main characters, moves the plot along, sets up the remaining books, but it's easily the weakest entry in the series.

I'll start off with the strengths: Tavi continues to develop into a really impressive character, very cerebral, very witty, very effective and competent, all while remaining a very human character. Likewise, Cursor's Fury does move the plot along nicely, setting up well for the remaining three novels in the series. Butcher ties up a few loose ends while developing some key plotlines. Butcher also reveals some important secrets (though they weren't very well kept to begin with). Finally, Butcher's writing is competent, if never lush.

The real problem with Cursor's Fury is that aside from Tavi, Max and a couple other side characters, the characters are really flat and unrealistic. Isana, who admittedly was always one of my least favorite characters in the series, has become almost painful to read about. Amara has become much more one-dimensional since her debut in the Furies of Calderon. The good guys are so blatantly noble and the bad guys so blatantly bad that it feels like you're occasionally reading a manual on fantasy clichs. While this problem improves somewhat in future volumes, it really detracts from Cursor's Fury. Another major problem is that the novel is remarkably predictable. Butcher executes everything in a competent, fairly logical way, but there are very few surprises, very few twists.

As I said earlier, Cursor's Fury is, in my opinion, the weakest novel so far in the Codex Alera series. If you liked the first two novels then Cursor's Fury is definitely worth your time. Despite its flaws, it is a fairly entertaining read and is certainly a quick read. It works well as a bridge novel and sets up the second-half of the series nicely. Recommended.
3017519
This is a strong entry with enough weaknesses to make it infuriating.
First, its strengths.
It's well written. The author knows the language and how to use it.
The plot is strong enough to drive the story (with some major bumps discussed below).
It's an interesting setting. A spice shop in Seattle is intriguing and the author's expertise in both is clearly apparent.
But, this expertise is the source of the book's major weaknesses. I'm interested in Seattle, but I don't need every detail on every landmark. I really don't. I'd guess that at least a third of the book is given over to descriptions of Seattle neighborhoods and landmarks. The author shows a similar expertise in spices, their qualities and uses, but integrates it more skillfully into the narrative.
I understand this is a "cozy" mystery which I take to mean it's not filled with blood and gore. But cozy shouldn't equal dull. About half way through I got very tired - and worse, annoyed - by the endless stop and drink tea or eat a meal in an historic neighborhood or building and discuss the same questions over and over again. I was annoyed because the author obviously can do better. She's not a novice at her craft.
I'm giving this a four star review because it's professionally written and I love the way she's integrated the spices and spice shop into the story. A little professional editing would take it to the next level.
3878579
The book has some very nice photos and info, but there is one main weaknesses. This is supposed to be dedicated to cities, but it misses many popular ones (Boston, Portland, Auckland, NZ) and instead has towns of just a few thousands. Some towns are noted for the wildlife that is not actually in the town but far outside. If this is cities book, stick to cities and get all of the good ones!

Also, it would be nice if there were a map showing where each place is on the page (rather that at the beginning of the book).

Some of the "strengths" and "weaknesses" for each city are a bit trivial. Or, they discuss about living in the city rather than travelling.
4043419
First of all the good - I enjoy the playing by all the players on this CD. Everyone is solid, and the solos are excellent.

But I have two main problems. First, I find the tunes themselves to be somewhat weak, particularly considering Metheny, Corea, and Burton are all excellent composers, and in fact one of my favorite things about Metheny is his genius with melody. Many melodies are pleasant, but none are especially memorable.

However, the thing that bugs me the most (and I am surprised to not to see it mentioned by others) is that the mix is bad. The piano sounds like it was placed about 20 feet further away than all the other instruments. This is especially noticeable during the piano solos, when it seems like the bass and drums have more presence than the piano, but even in the comping Corea is not well balanced with the others. For example, if both Metheny and Corea are comping, your ears are drawn to Metheny and have to strain to listen to what Corea is doing. Frankly, I am shocked that the CD was released this way.

For a similar type of abum that I think is MUCH better and includes Burton and Metheny with other players, check out the CD  "Reunion".
3630894
I like this speaker; I do. The sound quality is impressive for the small size. It's rechargeable. It's portable. It's loud. It's tiny. It's relatively inexpensive. But I have a few design gripes, which surprised me considering the excellent overall rating this item has received.

- There is not enough heft to this thing to keep it upright at times. If you're trying to maneuver the cord to plug it into your audio source, this speaker is likely to topple over or list to the side. Sometimes positioning everything so that it's upright can be awkward.
- The audio jack and USB charging cord are fused into one cord that splits and has two ends. I wish this were two separate cords. It's damn near impossible to charge this thing with the USB end while using the audio jack at the same time, since the two have maybe 3-4 inches of independent movement before they're fused together. So forget listening to music while this is charging. I was hoping to use this as a guest room amenity, but having the audio jack plugged in while one sorta dangles there is not too attractive, and then guests would have to plug this back in between uses. I'm not about to print out an instruction sheet for this thing, so I fear its use for visitors is relatively limited. The bulk of the dual cord also contributes to the toppling problem mentioned above. It seems there must be some way to mitigate this issue.
- Positioning of the switches and outlets is awkward. There's an on/off switch on the back of the speaker, with an indicator light on the front, an audio/charging port on the left, and a port for connecting another speaker on the right. I'd prefer that the charging and audio port be either next to each other, or on adjacent sides of the speaker. The charging and audio-in port would ideally, I think, be located on the back of the speaker... because who wants cords sticking out of the side?
- The faux metallic finish on the top, around the speaker outlet, is already wearing away with VERY light and infrequent use. Cosmetic flaw, but a flaw nonetheless.
3600983
The good:
- It's a pretty darn good mouse, overall
- I love the amount of buttons, but what blew me away was the mouse wheel side tilt buttons.
- Nice DPI adjustment
- Nice colors
- Good macro/combined key/windows/hotkey maneuverability
- Braided cord!
- Thumb rest!

The not so good:
- The color scheme is a little less customize-able than I thought
- The software definitely has some gaps. For example, it doesn't leave an icon in the taskbar when it's open, which I thought was really weird.
- The driver is available online, but not through the product site (either that or I just couldn't find it)--so I spent 20 minutes looking for it off shady sites.

Other thoughts:
- Nice addition with the weights. However, I seem to have no use for them, as they're only 4g each--but I suspect others might use them.
3273541
It's fairly solid, and looks nice, but has a few flaws. Within the first 2 months or so of daily use, a lot of threads started coming off areas that are straight cut (around zippers and such). Also, the "leather" on the shoulder pad has cracked in 3 places, and I've only had it about 4 or 5 months. All in all, not that bad, but it's not flawless.
4204958
When B&N designed this one, they were putting together a reading device that also happened to have some tablet features. As a result, what you get is pretty limited.

It's a fairly sturdy device by feel, and not difficult to hold for a while and use. The quality of the screen is pretty good and it's not difficult to read for extended periods of time (so long as you're not out in the sun anyway, almost all LCD screens perform poorly there).

Very little of the space on the device is available for sideloaded content by default, so you need to use microsd cards to add more if you want to do too much with that.

You can sideload content from any source that uses Adobe DRM for epubs, and also epubs that don't have DRM at all. This means that getting ebooks from the library is pretty simple. You can install an Overdrive app and do it directly without going through a computer if your library uses overdrive.

You can root it to get access to more apps. If you want to run a more pure version of Android, you can go for either putting together a Cyanogenmod card yourself or purchase one already made from Nook2Android.

B&N gives away a book and an app every Friday on their blog, so that's worth checking in on regularly.

On the whole, this is an okay device for reading and can be a kind of nice semi-tablet to give to someone who normally tends to load their computers/tablets up with viruses by being carelessness. It's locked-down state works in your favor from that perspective.

For more general tablet use, this is a pretty poor choice. Also, as of mid-2013 the later devices (Nook HD/HD+) have been radically marked down, so if you're going to buy one of these you should look to get it pretty cheap. Otherwise, it'd almost certainly make more sense to hold out for something more full-featured.