Review: Black Hole Sun

By: David Macinnis Gill
Published: August 2010 by Greenwillow Books
Format: Hardcover, 340 pages
First Reviewed: March 2011
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You don't want to mess with Durango.

Durango is playing the cards he was dealt. And it’s not a good hand.
He’s lost his family.
He’s lost his crew.
And he’s got the scars to prove it.
You don’t want to mess with Durango.

Rating: 1/5

I saw this at the bookstore a while back, thought the description was so vague I had to read it. Why? I don't know. But from the first "Chapter 0," I was confused and bored and just ready to get the book over with.

The setting was the best part, but my main problem with it was that I was never completely "in" it. I imagined it as best I could, considering it is Mars, but...it just wasn't working for me. I think that had a lot to do with the actual plot and writing, too, though.

Never, not once, did I give a rat's behind about the characters. They held no emotion dimensions and weren't distinguishable from one another nor were any of their personalities likable or fully developed. The best character was an artificial intelligence grafted into Durango's brain, for crying out loud. She had the best lines and the most developed personality. The rest were completely one-dimensional and boring.

I didn't care for the writing style either. It took me most of the book to get comfortable with it, but I never grew to like it. It was choppy and I often had to re-read sentences. It was all over the place, in my opinion. I just couldn't for the life of me like the writing. It was a complete struggle to get through, and I can't think of anything nice to say, so I'm going to stop here.

This is going to be another short and sweet moment on the plot because I don't have much good to say. From the very first page, I was so confused and literally asked out loud, "Um...what is this?" And I continued to ask myself that throughout the book. I just didn't find anything to like. The action was okay, but that's all it is. There's no relationships built; they're all weak. There's really no plot line to follow. Just, "This is what we're doing, now do it!" I expected so much more from this. It just didn't work for me.

I don't think it's any surprise to say I didn't like it and I really have a hard time saying anything positive, which kind of bothers me. I don't like to be completely negative about an author's work. But...it just wasn't crafted well. There was so much more that could have gone into it. Action isn't a plot. And apologies for the short review. I just rather have a short one than one where I ramble on about my dislikes.