disappointed

disappointing finish to what could have been a very good story. good build up and well read just feel let down at the ending or is it leading to a 2036?

8 people found this helpful

The end of the end is here.

Would you try another book written by Dmitry Glukhovsky or narrated by Rupert Degas?

Yes I would listen to another book. Don't wanna brag but I have already listened to three. Metro 2033, Metro 2034 and Metro 2035.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I was looking forward to seeing where this book was going to end. I was really looking to see if there was anyone alive on the surface still.

Which character – as performed by Rupert Degas – was your favourite?

Think I will have to say Artyom. I had a bit of a wobble liking him when he started acting like a spoiled kid and made all the wrong decisions after quick snap judgements without thinking things through.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

I would the first book Metro 2033 but i think the other two books don't have a big enough hook to make a movie with it.

Any additional comments?

All three of the Metro books are worth a listen and Rupert Degas did a brilliant job of reading and making all the characters different. I can't think of any that were the same or just slight variant of other voices he did. Some of the words in Russia i mauled while trying to read the book but listening to him read it it was so much easier to understand.

17 people found this helpful

Strange continuation!

SPOILER ALERT! The book as a piece of literature is of course great. Stands up to the previous ones. But the simple fact that there are no "monsters" and dark creatures absolutely changes the dynamic of the story. It doesn't feel right. The "out of nowhere" factor is missing. I miss the Dark Ones...

3 people found this helpful

Not as good as the 1st two

Bit of a letdown. Some parts went on a bit and lost its way but it was a must after reading the 1st two. It was nice how he spliced the 1st two books into the 3rd. Linked up well

3 people found this helpful

Its ok.

25 hours is a long time to hang in. The story is good but elongated for no real effect. The 'hero' makes some stupid decisions and has 'nine lives' but I did want to find out what became of him. The reader is excellent. So many complicated Russian names and personalities. He gets them spot on for me.
To sum up, its worth a read if you've got time and patience.

2 people found this helpful

Another fantastic instalment

A brilliant listen. I hope they make a third metro game this year. Fingers crossed.

5 people found this helpful

Brilliant

Just completed the trilogy, and what an absolute thrill it was. The story is phenomenal and the ending has left me awe struck. Rupert Degas did an excellent job narrating throughout the entire trilogy and it really made me feel like I was part of the story. This has left me not only excited for the newest game but also the possibilities of future movies too. Excellent franchise.

4 people found this helpful

Disappointing

An anti-climactic and weak end to the series which lost most of the first book's wonder and charm, devaluing a fascinating and unique setting with Illuminati-style nonsense and various questionable plot twists that become obnoxiously predictable.

4 people found this helpful

Hopeful

Even though I enjoyed it, Metro 2034 is the odd one out in this series and our time would have been much better spent with the hero of the Metro, Artyom.

There are new characters in Metro 2035 that we should already know because they have deep personal connections with the character. We get the occasional memory from him but it isn't the same as properly developing a character, especially when they disappear for long stretches of this book.

We actually spend more time with returning characters from Metro 34, one of which is an entirely pointless inclusion. The character is also involved in the worst chapter of the entire series, chapter 14. This messy chapter is entirely dialogue based without any internal monologue, and it just doesn't work. It's confusing and slams the breaks on the story.

I can only assume that the author had not planned on writing a third book, or could not afford to write it, but the success of the video games gave him the opportunity. I'm glad it did, it's nice to be back in Artyom's head, for the most part. This is a more nihilistic Artyom, but he's also an optimist too. At other points he's a prophet, a hero, a madman and even a whistleblower.

Artyom wants out of the Metro, he wants to live on the surface and believes it's the only way humanity can survive without becoming something less. He believes that the people of the Metro can't be the only survivors in this broken world and sets out to prove this.

The book is about who's really in power and how most people are willing to be led if the spin is right, even if they live miserable lives. There's always some "other" or faction to blame after all. That makes Metro 35 the most Orwellian novel in the trilogy and I really love it for that. It also shows people at their worst and most desperate.

As I said, I do have problems with the lack of character development and there's a lot of repetitive speeches from Artyom. A religious element has also crept into the novel and into our protagonist, and it's not a welcome inclusion. Nothing interesting is done with it or said about it that hasn't been said before. It's also the only philosophy not to get much of a kicking.

Finally, I have to say that I miss the monsters. They're entirely absent after making up a large chunk of the previous book. Maybe the author wants to say that man is the real monster but it's jarring that they've vanished without explanation. Some of the fear and imaginative imagery has gone with them.

Regardless, this is a fine end to Artyom's tale. It leaves you with just the right amount of hope for him, if not the Metro, depending on how you look at things. I'd recommend the entire series and the videogames, to horror fans, and to fans of adult, dystopian science fiction.

As to the narration; if you've enjoyed Rupert Degas' performance up until now, then this is more of the same. He puts that hope and passion into his Artyom performance, even if it is done in a funny accent.

7.5/10

1 person found this helpful

A long winded story that achieved nothing...

The first one was good, the second was pointless and confusing, and the third just left me feeling like there is no hope left for humanity as they can't be bothered to save themselves out of inconvenience...
The one positive is that the narrator is excellent, worth his weight in the narrative world, but even he couldn't save this long winded journey too nothingness. I only wish Artion well on his future endeavours.

1 person found this helpful