City on Fire

Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: METROPOLITAN and CITY ON FIRE have a unique angle on magic which may be refreshing to those who, like me, have "outgrown" traditional fantasy stories. It's a bit on the literal side, more like electricity than like dreams, but the exploration of it is thorough and honest, and the story is compelling. I'm certainly looking forward to the third volume.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Solid Enjoyable Read
Review: Metropolitan left me wanting more and City on Fire delivers. OK the politics and conflicts are a bit like a formal game of chess, but the story carried me forward and kept me engrossed. Williams has a slightly skewed way of writing and this made City on Fire more enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Unsatisfying and disappointing on many levels
Review: Reading this book is like trying to hold onto a handful of water. The characters are paper-thin, unbelievable and unlikeable; the multiple plot threads are unconvincing, tangled, and ultimately go nowhere; nearly every bit of action that might have been interesting happens at a remove. Read WJW's books--ARISTOI, HARDWIRED, VOICE OF THE WHIRLWIND, DAYS OF ATONEMENT--but stay away from this one and its prequel.

Rating:
Summary: Wordy and boring
Review: Walter Jon Williams is one of my favorite SF/Fantasy writers. I very much enjoyed Hardwired, Knight moves, Days of Atonement, and (of course) Metropoliton. City on Fire rips along at a great pace, showing the difficulties inherent in changing power structures (something that most writers leave to the "happily ever after"). I very much enjoyed Ahai's growth as a person during this book and can't wait till a sequel come sout!

Rating:
Summary: Williams does it again!
Review: Walter Jon Williams is one of my favorite SF/Fantasy writers. I very much enjoyed Hardwired, Knight moves, Days of Atonement, and (of course) Metropoliton. City on Fire rips along at a great pace, showing the difficulties inherent in changing power structures (something that most writers leave to the "happily ever after"). I very much enjoyed Ahai's growth as a person during this book and can't wait till a sequel come sout!

Rating:
Summary: Williams: Among the Best
Review: Williams has become one of my favorite authors, and I hold my favorite authors to very high standards. City on Fire did not disappoint. Williams continues in his tradition of putting gripping characters in worlds that are fantastically imaginitive. I just can't get enough of his writing.