A Learning Experience, Book 1

Great concept / Hated the prosletyzing

What would have made A Learning Experience, Book 1 better?

I wanted to love it I really did, the concept is awesome. But the endless prosletyzing was exhausting. Everytime I was getting into the story, I was pulled out of it about by the author talking about the MSM, the uslessness of the government, and the rapaciousness of lawyers. Topics I at least sympathize with him on, but MAKE IT INTEGRAL TO THE STORY. Just mentioning the character hated working in medicine because (insert political viewpoint here) is jarring.

Whew.

Sorry about that.

What was most disappointing about Christopher G. Nuttall’s story?

the preaching

45 of 52 people found this review helpful

Too much politics

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This was like a tea-bagger political manifesto with an incidental sci-fi story slipped in among the ranting. Even if I had agreed with the politics, it would have been too much. It was all way too distracting and constantly pulled me out of any immersion in the story. The assertions happened in practically every other sentence, from how food stamps oppress poor people, to how only people who own guns can be trusted, to how the best way to eliminate corporate corruption is to stop any oversight of their actions.

I got through the story, but I will never read a book by this author again, let alone complete the series.

Has A Learning Experience, Book 1 turned you off from other books in this genre?

I will certainly not read any more books in the genre of "Sad Puppy Champion Wanna-Be".

Did Christian Rummel do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes. Narrator was fine.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment, eye-rolling, and contempt.

Any additional comments?

If you're not an anarchist, conspiracy theorist, or ignorant red-neck, you'd be better off looking elsewhere for a good book.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Trying so hard to finish

well the whole idea of the story was awesome and I couldn't wait to dig in, then it became very clear very fast that Nuttell was instead of writing a great sci fi novel, he was writing his anti establishment, anti American,anti everything manifesto disguised in a sci-fi story. It just got worst and worst to the point that I could almost picture him just writing away with a pissed off look on his face & it completely took away from what could have been a really fun story. Also, the repetitive he said,she said,Steve said,she said,Steve said... geeze. I'm really dissapointed, I was really looking forward to this story. Do yourself a favor & skip to last chapter & the prologue literally sums up the book without Nuttall's personal gripes,hate & reasons why he lives on an island far from Western ideology. Overall I'm very dissapointed.

39 of 48 people found this review helpful

Lost Oppertunity

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Mr Nuttall is a powerful storyteller. The narrator has a strong alpha male delivery and I am normally a big fan.The storyline had the opportunity to be insightful on a wide range of current and relevant social, political and science issues. It passed on those opportunities.I would actually like to see this book(series?) researched and rewritten with some depth that would add credibility and dimension to the story. The characters must have real struggles and more complex emotions than are expressed. The science for what they are doing has a lot of interesting nuance, drama and history. The backdrop of a citizenry defined by a long series of wars in foreign lands would be compelling. Those intrigues combined with the exploration of the wide disparities in experience between rural and urban America would make this book award winning. That dichotomy of urban versus rural or the impacts of culture and politics in a dense population(like in space) or a dispersed population seems to particular relevant for this work of fiction.

Any additional comments?

If this book was a dinner it was boiled with no seasoning, herbs or spices... Since I like meat and potato I would eat it but be looking for the salt the whole time.

26 of 32 people found this review helpful

Had to return it. Could not finish.

What would have made A Learning Experience, Book 1 better?

This was just so mixed with political and government hate that it got ridiculous. It was just so over the top.

Has A Learning Experience, Book 1 turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. I actually like many of Nuttall books.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

It felt like he was in a race to finish. Not a presentation I could listen to for long.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I felt the under lying story was a decent concept.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

THE very beginning to Stocker's Empire's Corps

If you didn't get Nuttall's politics and opinions in The Empire's Corps, you can't miss it in this. Nuttal uses a 2x4 to get it into your head. By the end of the book, you will know where Col. Stalker (Stocker?)'s Empire came from. We sort of knew it anyway, but here's the tale to tell it.

You will learn how the usually exemplary Nuttall feels about politics and politicians, society, the military and U.S. actions in the Middle East, law and justice, and several other things. Even if you agree with him on every point, you will tire of the lectures.

Then there're the problematic literary aspects that detract from your reading enjoyment. Steve's death was absorbed, and they moved on. Later they name a ship after him, but that is about all the emotion invested there. There are some kids among the brothers, but we don't even remember their names, and they never figure into the story. Thank goodness there is tech to take care of them, since the parents are not around. The entire story took place in less than 2 months. Thank goodness the aliens are morons and could easily be overpowered by 3 of 'Murika's finest. And thank goodness the moronic aliens had neural interfacing headbands so our heroes could link to the computer system to run the ship and access all the tech that allows them to accomplish in 45 days what should have taken 10 years.

We who love this genre love references to all our other beloved works, but there are just too, too many references to Star Trek especially, but also Babylon 5, Harry Potter, Atlas Shrugged and more. Naming the moon base Heinlein should have been a grin for us, but it became just another eye roll.

This back story is so childish and amateurish that you'd think Nuttall had written it in high school after having read all the above literature. The only reason any of us will go on to the next volume is to get the history that led to the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire so we can get to the really good stuff in The Empire's Corps. And I guess we end up soundly defeating all the thousands of alien species mentioned in this book, since there are none by Ed Stocker's time.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

If you enjoy Libertarian rhetoric with a side of misogyny, this book is for you.

I normally love all “how we got into space” and HFY stories. Unfortunately, throughout the book, the author beats you upside the head with Libertarian propaganda. The inadvertent misogyny at several points makes the book less palatable. The “homeschooling rah rah!” Theme also got old quickly. I don’t know whether the author truly sees the world like this is is pandering to an incel audience, but either way, I’m going no further with this series and unlikely to read more from this author.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Propaganda

Propaganda. Do not under any circumstance is purchased this book. Most of the ideas or derivative there seems to be some kind of underlying political thrust that does not belong.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Very disappointed...

Heavy handed, quasi libertarian rant with nanp plot. ArkRoyal, et al much better. NOT HEINLEIN.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Disapointed

Any additional comments?

I made it to the 3rd chapter before I had to shut it off. I was expecting something much more along the lines of Mr. Nuttall's previous writings - they were much more focused and mature than this one. Will pass this one on to my teenager and see what he thinks - might be more his speed.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful