Interesting but long in the wind
599421
As an Iron Maiden fan since their debut album, I was really excited about this book.  Less than halfway through it (the album "Number Of The Beast), I'm not sure if I'll continue it much longer.  There is so much written about other people that it clutters the pages.  I want to read about Dave Murray, Steve Harris, in essence "the band" and what they did on and off stage, recording, anything exciting, etc.  Nothing yet that really goes into that.  It's like I'm not even reading about Iron Maiden.  Maybe this is a hit for some people, but I'd recommend another title.
2417028
The author makes some interesting points about the history of science and its processes, but uses far too many words to get there. The book is three times as long as it need be..
1131996
I liked the descriptions of life and customs in the first century. The religious differences between the leading characters were interesting, but were left open ended. Based on the ending, the characters resolved their differences, but what was the final decision. Personally, I would like closure on the issue. As a physicist, I found the science sketchy. If they form a wormhole once, why could it not be formed again? I liked the book and discussed it with some friends, but it is not a book I would recommend to either scientists or religious students.
2536620
This book is very interesting.  The author "jumps around" in time rapidly and is sometimes difficult to follow, but otherwise it is worth a read.
3632012
This was a pretty interesting book. This book is told like The Name of the Wind. A person comes to interview Tea and the chapters alternate. The ones in the present and the ones of Tea telling her story. I had a hard time keeping my attention on Teas story though. I don't know if it was my state of mind (I was super stressed from life while reading this) or if it was the writing. I liked learning about the asha, but they really seemed to be an escort service and that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Or thats the way they were portrayed anyway. Will I keep reading this series? Yes! I want to know more about how Tea got exiled. I want to know how her love became her love. I want more from this world.
1889866
I had a tough time getting through this book.  In fact it took me a couple of months.  The premise is very interesting and a somewhat unique take on time travel.  However much of the story dragged with long details of teen loves, which was in start contrast to the interesting and exciting start to the book.  One reviewer commented on a "bad ending".  I wouldn't go so far as to say it was bad, but it felt a bit flat after a strong and exciting climax.  But still an intriguing twist.  I see there is a follow up story, but at least this book does not end with a strong hook to the next book.  Overall the storyline was interesting, but the slow moving parts made it tough to stay attached.
4737551
This was an enjoyable book but went on far too long.  It could have been shortened in places.  Also, toward the end I felt the use of names such as "mom", "old man", etc. seemed out of place.
716907
Very longwinded. I often felt like the author was just filling pages with miscellaneous words because of a lack of documented evidence. I learned to skim pages to get to the meat of the book. Interesting blip in history, though.
2633950
This is a very interesting fantasy.  The characters eventually come alive, but this book is entirely too long.  This story could well have been told, and told well, in 200 to 300 pages, rather than the 606 the author used.  There is enough here, however, to lead me to read Sea without a Shore, vol. 2 of the saga.
3002414
I admire Mr. Patterson for all of his diligent research.  That being said, though the book was detailed and gave insight to both perspectives, both Palestinian and Jewish, it was quite long and talked more than anything.  The dialogue always seemed a bit one-sided while David was doing most of the listening.  I get it, as a lawyer, I had to research and listen to all sides.  But the chapters were very long, and though had some interesting twists and turns, it was just longer than it had to be.  And the ending to be quite honestly, fell a bit flat.  He is a fine writer and historian.  I also didn't realize that his book was written ten years ago.  It could have been written today, they have same issues.  So if you're really into history, then this book is for you.  I like to read for enjoyment and this was just too long.
321772
This is a really interesting true story that starts with the age of the highwheeler when America was transfixed with the bicycle.  The story is primarily about a young man from Pittsburgh who attains the financial support of a prominent magazine of the time and attempts to ride the new "safety" bicycle with pneumatic tires around the world, starting in New York and heading West.  He makes the mistake of riding through one of the most dangerous parts of Turkey and straight into the Armenian Genocide, and disappears.  The remainder of the book is about the search for information on his demise.  This book at times became laborious to read and digressed into a sequence of events without much embellishment, drama, or commentary.  Some of the language of the era, diplomacy, and foreign language was a bit difficult to follow.  However, the story was compelling and I would recommend it.
3405906
This book presents changes in the Americas (mostly) that occurred after Columbus's discovery of 1492 (neglecting for the moment the matter of earlier discoveries). Those changes, characterized by another author as "The Columbian Exchange," are quite interesting as presented by Mann in broad brushstrokes. The cultural and economic dynamics of the slave trade and botanical exchanges (most food products) provide perspectives not mentioned in typical accounts of American history.
Unfortunately, the author gets bogged down in the second half of this book as he dwells on minutiae of individuals and specific cities. The author, a journalist, apparently could not resist sharing everything he learned from historians, when I would have preferred that he stuck to the Big Picture.
Still, I intend to read his companion book, 1491, which reportedly describes America as it existed before The Columbian Exchange. I will watch for the point in that book when the author shifts into an excess of detail, and put it down.
153936
Questionable theology and long winded beginning, but very interesting.
3652276
Reading this book has been an experience for me.  I wanted to find out more about the life of one of America's most famous inventors, and this book has helped me along the way, so I give it credit for that.  However, I have felt like I am trudging into a mighty windstorm, reaching deep into my soul to plunge each forward step as I slowly turn the pages in this book.  There are pockets of enlightenment throughout the book, but it really is a relaying of facts about Edison's life, which is technically what a biography should do, but this book does not come alive in my hands like others have.

To be fair, I did accomplish my goal of learning more about this great man.  I learned that a lot his inventions were a result of not just great intellect, but of great work ethic and stick-to-it-iveness.  Also, one of his greatest contributions was a corporate model for delegating work among his subordinates.  The speed of the development of his inventions was the key, as several other inventors were working on similar ideas at the same time.

Anyway, I recommend the book as a good introduction to the life of Tom, but I am sure that there is a book out there that will give you the same enlightenment without making you feel as though you've crawled on your hands and knees through the Sahara, with a canteen full of lukewarm water that leaks at a very slow rate.
1989944
The novel has a very interesting plot, but I feel the author never quite fully developed the possibilities, especially at the end.  It is one of those stories which runs fast and furious then slows; this tends to make the reading a bit uneven.  The unevenness of the pace is not particularly bad, just a bit annoying because I could get excited and then have to say why did it slow down?.  The characters are generally well developed and one can get very involved with them.  I liked the novel and will probably reread it at some future time.  All in all, it is a good read.
4320362
I didn't go crazy for the story but it was a fun read. The main characters were interesting but their moods and feelings and personalities shifted with the wind. A bit hard to get a grip on them at times. But, with that said its worth picking it up as it did have a good storyline that keeps moving at a reasonable flow. The ending also left you wanting to keep up with the characters.
4134086
Interesting story, but it is very long and detailed.  It reminded me of Pillars of the Earth, but moves a lot more slowly.