The Tesseract

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Summary: one more thing...
Review: i also thought this book was appealing to my age group too. (14-15 years

Rating:
Summary: the best book since 'the beach'
Review: i thought 'the tesseract' was really cool- i haven't read a good book in ages! i really liked the idea of changing between different characters. i felt as if i was actually in the story because it was so well written!

Rating:
Summary: One moment in time
Review: Great book, detailing a small moment in time (although not exactly run of the mill!) and how all the protagonists got there. Based around a shoot out in a dodgy hotel, it first deals with the two sides of the shoot out. Once they move the gun play outside the hotel it starts to affect others (not suprisingly!) and they affect others etc. The book breathes life into the bystanders, rather than just the core 'interesting' characters, and how each of their actions affect the others. It's hard to say much else, other than it's hard to put down and if his books keep getting better like this I'm seriously looking forward to number three!

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Summary: Very Tight.
Review: After spending all last year giving "The Beach" to friends and telling them how good it was, it's nice to finally have another book to rave about. Something about Alex Garland's writing really speaks to me. I finished "the Tesseract" felling as I had when I finished "the Beach", like it was a book I wished I'd written myself. Its simultaneous allowance for stark reality, comic-book fantasies and mythological backgrounds, is really stunning. There's so much to this book, and all the real-time action takes place in maybe half an hour. I don't think that this is better or worse than "the Beach", I just think it cements Garland's reputation as a serious writer of fiction for my generation, and I'm already looking forward to his next book.

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Summary: Very Impressive!
Review: Let me first say, that if you are picking up this book in the hopes of another story like "The Beach" you will need to re-adjust your view of Alex Garland before jumping in. The Beach was one of my favorite books of the last few years, but with The Tesseract, Garland has surpassed my expectations. His new novel is a thrilling read and an experiment in plot construction. His gritty style is out in full force as usual, this time on the streets of Manilla. Fans won't be disappointed, as Garland weaves another complex tale set in a foreign tropical surrounding that, once again, allows you to lose yourself in another world. If you have read The Beach, you already know that it is an incredible book. Once you read The Tesseract you will see that Garland is an incredible writer as well.

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Summary: better than the Beach?
Review: Am I the only Alex Garland fan who preferred this title to the Beach? I found the Tesseract a more maturely written and constucted book. I would go so far as to say - an almost perfect read.

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Summary: Separate but equal....
Review: I was expecting a re-make of The Beach, I admit it! And although I was a little disappointed at first, the overall effect of The Tesseract was incredible. Deeply interwoven characters and plot. Very Pulp Fiction-ish. I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to Garland's next project.

Rating:
Summary: enthralling, at a seductive pace
Review: yes, i would agree with the other reviewers that it would be hard to peg the author of 'the beach' and 'the tesseract' as the same person. but what does that say about a writer facing the expectations of following up such a critically acclaimed piece with a work that shines twice as bright? garland presents such a keen psychological understanding of so many different types of people in this novel that i swear he is either exceedingly intelligent or excessively schizophrenic, or maybe even both.

Rating:
Summary: Not for fans of "The Beach"
Review: Having read "The Beach" some time ago I was elated to see that Garland had written another novel. I went into "Tesseract" expecting it to be similar to "The Beach". It isn't. At all. It's dry, sparse & moody. If you liked "The Beach" and are wanting another read like it, then know beforehand that "Tesseract" ain't it. Saying that, I must set forth this: "Tesseract" is a good novel. Sort of a "Pulp Fiction" or "Short Cuts" in novel form. It's interesting how Garland sets up stories for different sets of characters & then has them finally interact in a showdown at the end. "Tesseract" is entertaining, very well-written and altogether a satisfying read. I enjoyed it. Just not as much as "The Beach". And that's the problem when a reader comes to a novel with a mindset or an idea of what to expect. If you pick up the book not expecting it to be "The Beach" all over again, I think you'll like it.

Rating:
Summary: Better than The Beach
Review: If you're looking for another Beach, foget it. Garland takes 10 giant steps forward to create one of the most unique and satisfying novels of the year. Lyrical, visual and exhilarating. Can't wait to see where he goes next.