05-12-2013, 09:02 AM
Have you ever read a book and wish you weren't reading that particular book? But you keep reading, hoping the book gets better and it never does, but you slog away because mama didn't raise no quitters. By the end, you are just glad the book is done so you never have to read it again. And if there are sequels, which is highly probable seeing how the book ended, chances are high you won't read them. Maybe if they are free, but no, Greg, snap out of it.
Such was the feeling I had with 'The Lives of Tao'. What made it worse was that I paid for the book. It's one thing if I get a bad book from the library, but if I buy the book, I'm expecting a little more quality.
The rudiments of the story is this: Tao is a Quashing alien life force that exists symbiotically in a human. The Quashing race has been living for millions of years here on earth after their spaceship crashed. Fortunately because of their gaseous nature they were able to inhabit any life form. The can live forever as long as they are inside a host. In the case of the titular Tao, he has been in some of the greatest or infamous people in human history from Ghengis Khan to the guy who invented Tai Chi.
In his current incarnation, he is hosted by a schlub named Roen. Tao must whip Roen into shape to be a super agent in the war between various factions of the Quahsing. There are the Genetix who see humans as little more than chattle to be used for the Genetix's own ends and the Prophus who see their role as saviors of the human race in the face of the Genetixs.
First off, if I had an alien talking to me in my head, I'd be down right angry and would be looking for any way to get him out. Plus, Roen, is stupid. Every spark or thought or creativity can now only come from Tao. He is just a horse to be ridden. That is not a character I'm looking to follow in any story. Roen whines about his job. Roen whines about Tao. Roen whines in the middle of battle sequences. I just didn't like him.
As for Tao, he can do no wrong. Since he has been around for millions of years, he knows everything and has been everyone. There isn't a lot to relate to. And the idea that every achievement in human history was the result of the aliens messing around left me a little cold. That is not how I want my humans to be.
Plus, the writing was really soft, like a YA novel. The characters were all caricatures. The dialogue tried to be cool but came off as fake.
Face it, I did not like this book.
Such was the feeling I had with 'The Lives of Tao'. What made it worse was that I paid for the book. It's one thing if I get a bad book from the library, but if I buy the book, I'm expecting a little more quality.
The rudiments of the story is this: Tao is a Quashing alien life force that exists symbiotically in a human. The Quashing race has been living for millions of years here on earth after their spaceship crashed. Fortunately because of their gaseous nature they were able to inhabit any life form. The can live forever as long as they are inside a host. In the case of the titular Tao, he has been in some of the greatest or infamous people in human history from Ghengis Khan to the guy who invented Tai Chi.
In his current incarnation, he is hosted by a schlub named Roen. Tao must whip Roen into shape to be a super agent in the war between various factions of the Quahsing. There are the Genetix who see humans as little more than chattle to be used for the Genetix's own ends and the Prophus who see their role as saviors of the human race in the face of the Genetixs.
First off, if I had an alien talking to me in my head, I'd be down right angry and would be looking for any way to get him out. Plus, Roen, is stupid. Every spark or thought or creativity can now only come from Tao. He is just a horse to be ridden. That is not a character I'm looking to follow in any story. Roen whines about his job. Roen whines about Tao. Roen whines in the middle of battle sequences. I just didn't like him.
As for Tao, he can do no wrong. Since he has been around for millions of years, he knows everything and has been everyone. There isn't a lot to relate to. And the idea that every achievement in human history was the result of the aliens messing around left me a little cold. That is not how I want my humans to be.
Plus, the writing was really soft, like a YA novel. The characters were all caricatures. The dialogue tried to be cool but came off as fake.
Face it, I did not like this book.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
