Comments on: BOOK REVIEW: Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole

By: Abhinav Jain (@abhinavjain87)

Abhinav Jain (@abhinavjain87) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:19:43 +0000

You got THAT right!

By: Nick Sharps

Nick Sharps — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:54:16 +0000

Author blurbs for books definitely need to be taken with a grain of salt. I can see where Shadow Ops gets the X-Men comparison (which is so overused it has become cliche – and I’m guilty of this as well) but the only thing Black Hawk Down about the series is that it involves modern US military. There is nothing else even vaguely Black Hawk Down’eqsue about it.

By: Abhinav Jain (@abhinavjain87)

Abhinav Jain (@abhinavjain87) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 06:22:42 +0000

On topic, I found it to be a better book than you did, Nick, which you already know

My main issue with the book, other than some of the things you mentioned, is the disbelief in Oscar Britton’s actions early on in the novel. Here is a TRAINED military officer, trained to carry out orders, obey them, and just do his job. And yet, he FREAKS out uncontrollably when he finds out he is a wizard, and a portamancer at that. Him freaking out and running off was a huge thing, when he had JUST brought in a Selfer himself.

By: Abhinav Jain (@abhinavjain87)

Abhinav Jain (@abhinavjain87) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 06:19:58 +0000

You want a book that has a quote from a HIGHLY notable author, and yet fails so damn hard that it might as well fall into a black hole?

Try Jay Kristoff’s 2012 debut Stormdancer, a Japanese steampunk fantasy in a secondary world. It was blurbed by none other than Patrick Rothfuss.

That book is a prime example in how to fail at research, butcher a language, and completely misrepresent a complex culture like that of feudal Japan.

By: JoshVogt

JoshVogt — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:58:53 +0000

I’d say at least speed-read the first, or get into enough to get a sense of the world and magic. Then, if you can’t make it all the way through, you should at least have enough perspective to enjoy the 2nd. Others may recommend straight skippage, but I always try to at least give a book its chance to tease my personal tastes.

By: Carl V. Anderson

Carl V. Anderson — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:57:02 +0000

I’ve had such a hard time with wanting to read this one because I’ve read reviews fairly consistent with this one regarding this book and raving reviews about the second. Tempting to skip right to the second one.

By: Maddog

Maddog — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:59:09 +0000

Keep those Honest reviews coming. We all know Sturgeons 90% law is still clearly in effect. And the last thing we need is more smoke blown up our bugle.

Time may not always be money. But Time is life that you can never get back.

By: Nick Sharps

Nick Sharps — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:33:16 +0000

Thanks for the feedback Chris. I came close to giving up on several occasions, probably after the 3rd or 4th repetitive argument of how evil the SOC was. Or the 3rd or 4th time Oscar made excuses for Sarah killing lots of school kids. It was probably my hope that Fortress Frontier was better that kept me reading above all else – and the slim chance that someone would shoot Oscar in the head.

By: Chris Bryant

Chris Bryant — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:11:52 +0000

I don’t think it would be possible to agree with a review as much as I did this one. I was so excited about this book, I loved the premise. But, the execution! A slow death based upon a thousand complaints. It took me weeks to read about half of the book, because I had to force myself to come back to it hoping it would get better. I eventually just gave up on it.

By: Nick Sharps

Nick Sharps — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:19:25 +0000

I did find Fortress Frontier to be a major improvement! I ended up reading the two books back to back and my review of Fortress Frontier can be found here:

http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/shadow-ops-fortress-frontier.html

Thanks for the feedback guys I’d rather have a less than stellar debut and a strong follow-up any day. It shows that Myke is developing as a writer. I see a ton of potential in him and the story.

By: IronOre

IronOre — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:22:42 +0000

The first one was tough because Oscar Britton was hard to like. However, the second book was much better.

By: Kristin Centorcelli

Kristin Centorcelli — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:20:20 +0000

Hope that Fortress Frontier will redeem the series for you! I wasn’t all that fond of Oscar, either, but, like Paul, the rest of the book made up for it:)

By: Bob @ Beauty in Ruins

Bob @ Beauty in Ruins — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:46:32 +0000

Interesting concept, unlikable protagonist – that pretty much sums up my feelings on the book. I really wanted to like it, and went into it with such enthusiasm, but I just never felt that connection that keeps you reading. I blame much of that on Oscar, who didn’t interest me in the slightest, but also on a plot that didn’t seem to have a clear sense of direction – it just felt like a lot of scenes that hoped to add up to something more.

By: Paul (@princejvstin)

Paul (@princejvstin) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:23:09 +0000

And a character I keyed on, hard. Indeed.

By: JoshVogt

JoshVogt — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:19:12 +0000

Mostly because it relies mainly on a whole new character.