Review: Strange way to write a book. .
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 5, 2012
I truly like the premise of this story. . .very inventive and exciting story.  However, none of the books in this 4-book story stands on its own merits (as the description of the book states). Each book ends without any resolution, so it becomes necessary to read the next book in the series.  My opinion is that this is a really stupid way to write ONE story. Yes, I'm reading the entire series, but I must say that I'm completely exhausted. The writer has a tiring style, and could use the help of a competent editor. It is rare for her to write a standard sentence: you know, subject, verb, object. In addition to the necessity to re-read sentences and paragraphs to figure out to whom stray pronouns refer, it is also very easy to forget plot elements because of all the irrelevant verbiage.  Too bad Ms. Webb is not a believer in strong, short sentences, and the advantages of getting to the *&#^$% point!  In short, the story is a good one.  Irrelevant scenes and plenty of blather clutter it up. Hard not to think it is done simply to sell more books. I won't be reading anything else by Ms. Webb, as I have a life outside of reading (and reading and reading and reading). Upon further thought: Author's vision, plotline and gradual exposition of the underlying "mystery" are excellent. My star rating is based upon that. I wasn't bothered by one-dimensional characters or the relationships between them. Some nice prose here and there, too. But the story lends itself to a sparse, clean telling, more appealing to the scientifically-minded. Her strength is in the thinking, not particularly in the telling. Maybe she can partner up with a writer; one who knows that, after all, not every little thing that we excrete is precious, or share-worthy.