Customer Reviews

The Long War (Unabridged)

Why is Pratchetts' name on the cover?

This was another dreary novel with characters that were dull, except Lobsang perhaps.

I just didn't root for anyone in this meandering philosophical miasma, of pseudo steampunk, old colonialism and sadly all too recognisable movie references that I knew (nerd or what). The first book was a disappointment and sadly he/they have managed to compound that disappointment.

It appears that there will be a follow up to this, a completion of loose ends and possibly a point to the whole concept of the originally good idea. I will read it when available out of curiosity rather than as an avid fan.

The problem with creating a science fiction "opportunity" such as the one the Long Earth presents is that you need a space opera to do it justice. When "The Long Earth" came out with its Pratchett notion of a potato inspired device (quickly forgotten in this latest because it was a tad too ridiculous) that gave rise to an infinite series of earths for humanity to expand into, it created a vast series of options for the authors to explore.So vast, in fact, they've fallen short with this latest, directionless effort. All it has done, in truth, is show the brilliance of the idea (though rehashed somewhat - see Greg Bear's 'Eon') and the incapacity of the authors to deal with it. The reality is the concept needs Peter F Hamilton to do it justice. The vastness of the new world of Datum East/West requires more words than these authors are prepared to throw at it and this sequel flounders in a mire of nothingness.
Part of the problem is Joshua Valienté's weary inclusion - it's almost as though the character isn't interested; part of the problem is the character of Sally - she's intensely dislikeable; part of the problem is that Lobsang's not in it enough; the whole of the problem is nothing gets the detail it deserves. We've too many threads fighting for four hundred pages of large print space and no one's a winner. As a reader I want to investigate more about the culture of Trolls, of Kobolds, of Beagles; I want a thorough story following Capt. Maggie on her personal starship Enterprise with the Cat; I need Joshua to be kicked in the backside to show some enthusiasm; I want the gifted Roberta and her Chinese expedition to get ten times the airtime. The whole East twenty million voyage is begging for a juicy hook to yank the reader. The disappearance of the Trolls (yet they are too easy to find) is casually handled; the chewing off of Joshua's appendage unexplained; the "war" that is the title is merely an apologetic after-note of vapid inconsequentialness scrawled in the final chapters. I've seen more fight in the Norse Sagas on Valhalla than I saw in this book.
I was disappointed. The concept of stepping into an alternative reality is handled better by the likes of S M Stirling. He devotes a trilogy to just one "step" and you can see why. The creation of four million worlds needs four million pages, in truth. Pratchett and Baxter have created something too big to handle - and this is coming from two of the very best authors out there. I've read nearly everything these two authors have ever produced. They have all the kudos they deserve for they are very, very good at what they do. But...it's possible for even the very best to produce a poor book...and this might just well be a nadir for them. I hope the next is better. In summary...The Long Earth was great; The Long War...disappointing.

Having enjoyed The Long Earth, I'd been looking forward to reading this - however, I struggled to finish it, it was such a disappointment.

The book laboured over re-establishing the characters and re-visiting the plot, and had none of the freshness and wonder of the first book. Indeed, the old characters seemed washed-out and uninteresting, while the new ones really didn't establish themselves.

On the basis of this sequel, this doesn't feel like an idea with legs.

Usually I can't put a Terry Pratchett book down as they are page turners that have me hooked, however, Long Earth was ok, but this sequel was just so boring, numerous sub plots that did not culminate in an ending.
I think this book was trying to be too clever and failed. And we still don't know if Lobsang is Time indulging himself in the affairs of Humans.
This book with certain words and phrasings appears to be aimed at the American market which to an Englishman is annoying but not as annoying as the story which was just plain boring.
I love the Discworld books and to my mind TP is THE greatest living author, however this collaboration is not up to the usual standard of a Discworld story and I certainly won't be buying a Steven Baxter book anytime soon.

I have no objection to writers starting a project, then not finishing it. That is life as a creative artist I presume. However when they cobble together an ending like this, just to publish and sell it feels like fraud to Me.
The book starts well enough, and continues the momentum of it's predecessor, whilst introducing a host of new characters. However toward the end the plot simply goes to pieces. First of all how the hell does sally find the ring that Joshua took with him!, then how does Joshua step away from the beagles, what was the point of the whole Chinese expedition, plotwise?.
Clearly the writers ran out of steam, and simply couldn't be bothered to finish what they had started. They last three chapters might as well have read "...and then he woke up and realised it was all a dream" for all that they did for the story. I really thought better of the writers than that.
I certainly shan't be wasting any more money on Mr Baxters output, and Mr Pratchetts next discworld novel had better be a cracker to expunge this blatant rip off from my memory.

I had not originally intended to buy this. The first volume was not, in my opinion, the best possible longer treatment of the original short story. Then I changed my mind.
I would quibble about the description of "a generation after..." the previous volume.
It reads like the second volume of a trilogy, very downbeat, one of the very first-met characters of the original dies off. There are lots of loose ends left and lots of newish characters who don't seem to be doing very much in this volume.
Like some of Bujold's stories, the details that really matter may be only a short sentence - missed if you read it too fast, as I always do (the first time) - and then whole chunks of the following story don't quite make sense.

Worth ploughing through The Long Earth to get to the second book. Much more fast paced, more characters which were fleetingly introduced in The Long Earth playing a much bigger part all with connecting stories going on..... I was just a little disappointed by the end, one minute each of the stories were in the thick of the action then it was all wrapped up. It reminded me of doing an exam when the teacher gave a 10 minute warning to the end of the exam & you tied up all the lose ends as succinctly as possible...... Worth a read but not something I would be actively recommending.

The long Earth was a good, a brilliant idea at least with a somewhat poorer execution. The Long War on the other hand... it's simply poor. In every aspect. The infinite possibilities of worlds needed a "Hamiltonish" (referring to P.F. Hamilton for those who don't get the term) handling, a (much) vaster book (even.... books) and more working with characters. It's a pity such a great idea "goes down the drain". Seems like the authors "pulped it down" for 'American' readers.
Summarizing: If you are a fan o Terry Pratchett, of course you 'll buy it, it's a common fate (when Sir Terry publishes even his shopping list, we all pre-order it in Hardcover). If you are a fan o Baxter, perhaps you may find the critical mass of strength of character needed to avoid it. If you are neither, find something better to do with your money.

I read Terry Pratchett for his wit, humour and wisdom. This book has none of that. It is complex, multi-stranded and boring. I couldn't care less if the protagonists lived or died. If you decide to read it you must read "The Long Earth" first but I wouldn't bother. it is the first offering by TP that I have failed to finish.

I fear that the essential Pratchett humour was entirely lost in this book. I do not like it and I am struggling to even finish the book.