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The Human Division #12
The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads
United States Diplomat Danielle Lowen was there when one of her fellow diplomats committed an unthinkable act, which had consequences for the entire planet. Now shes trying to figure out how it happened before it can happen again. Putting the puzzle pieces together could solve the mystery or it could threaten her own life.
29 pages, ebook
First published April 2, 2013
52 people are currently reading
1814 people want to read
About the author
John Scalzi
185 books28.5k followersJohn Scalzi, having declared his absolute boredom with biographies, disappeared in a puff of glitter and lilac scent.
(If you want to contact John, using the mail function here is a really bad way to do it. Go to his site and use the contact information you find there.)
(If you want to contact John, using the mail function here is a really bad way to do it. Go to his site and use the contact information you find there.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 8, 2025
I am both very eager to read next week's final installment, and somewhat saddened, because then it will be over.
I bought it.
I bought it.
April 9, 2013
Dude, the last chapter is going to have to be pretty epic to actually wrap up the plot, such as it is, after the last few semi-wasted installments. I can't imagine this reading coherently as a novel at all, and yet all spread out it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
BUT EVERYONE STILL LOVES IT SO WHAT DO I KNOW
BUT EVERYONE STILL LOVES IT SO WHAT DO I KNOW
April 2, 2013
Oh, yeah. This is why we read Scalzi. All the classic tropes arranged in a new and engaging way.
A very good read.
A very good read.
November 25, 2024
Shadowy, cloak and daggery - so much intrigue in a couple of pages
September 1, 2021
Tension continues to grow as Earth diplomat, Danielle Lowen, starts the story trying to find out why a Brazilian diplomat killed another member of their team before killing herself (in The Observers). It ends with her trying to figure out how the Brazilian consulate was bombed. Overall, it’s an exciting little story that further raises expectations for the final one in the series. Someone is messing with Earth, the Colonial Union, and the Conclave. Hopefully, Scalzi will pull it all together in story #13.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
April 2, 2013
I can't even imagine how this is going to be resolved in one final chapter. This was another great chapter; we got some important/terrifying information/resolution on the events of a previous chapter, but I still don't feel any closer to understanding what the big picture is all about. Which is both delightful and agonizing.
Having read Stephen King 's Green Mile (in paper book form) and his later online experiment, The Plant, it occurs to me, in reading The Human Division, that King was simply ahead of his time, serial fiction like this far more viable and enjoyable when it's delivered to my Kindle every Tuesday. Reading these brief snips over the last several weeks has been a real highlight of the week and I wonder if this experiment will encourage other writers to dabble in and bring back serial fiction in a meaningful way.
Having read Stephen King 's Green Mile (in paper book form) and his later online experiment, The Plant, it occurs to me, in reading The Human Division, that King was simply ahead of his time, serial fiction like this far more viable and enjoyable when it's delivered to my Kindle every Tuesday. Reading these brief snips over the last several weeks has been a real highlight of the week and I wonder if this experiment will encourage other writers to dabble in and bring back serial fiction in a meaningful way.
March 19, 2013
Danielle Lowen, doctor and diplomat reappears in this episode as she returns to earth and tries to negotiate with the Ambassador from Brazil. Unfortunately, before the can meet with them the Brazilian consulate in New York is bombed, just minutes after she left. This international incident distracts the media and the government from what Lowen's mission and negotiations were really about - finding out why fellow diplomat Luiza Carvalho (of Brazil) killed another member of their diplomatic team while in outer space observing a routine mission of the spaceship The Clarke (from a few episodes ago, in The Observers). Then, back in D.C. Danielle happens to stop into a bar and is approached by a seemingly random pharmacutical rep who just so happens to have some theories on how a nice normal person could be tuned into a programmed assassin without their knowledge.
July 2, 2014
This was an odd one. A little creepy, too short to really tell too much, is there a conspiracy? I don't know even after reading this episode.
I'm kind of neutral on this - didn't like it, didn't not like it - just put in my time in order to get to the last episode.
One more episode left in Scalzi's 13 episode story called The Human Division. It's a long one so I'm really looking forward to it.
I'm kind of neutral on this - didn't like it, didn't not like it - just put in my time in order to get to the last episode.
One more episode left in Scalzi's 13 episode story called The Human Division. It's a long one so I'm really looking forward to it.
April 2, 2013
Dear John,
Did you really need to mention the "Cuba Libré" 4 times?
If the clue-hammer audience is who you're writing for,
then I'm out. I'm happy for you that you've found a way
to increase your income bracket with the $0.99/"story" model,
but the quality is simply not there (e.g. handwaving everything
with nanobots).
Did you really need to mention the "Cuba Libré" 4 times?
If the clue-hammer audience is who you're writing for,
then I'm out. I'm happy for you that you've found a way
to increase your income bracket with the $0.99/"story" model,
but the quality is simply not there (e.g. handwaving everything
with nanobots).
April 2, 2013
A good solid episode, but short. With only one story left though, I wonder what the last episode is going to be, and how Scalzi is going to tie everything up in two hours. Maybe it's just a big lead-up to a full novel. Still, if you've listened this long, you will enjoy this episode.
April 4, 2013
This episode is worth it for the Star Trek joke alone. (Scalzi claims he didn't notice it when he wrote it, but then did, and left it in. It's awfully fortuitous, if it was inadvertent.)
October 29, 2023
United States Diplomat Danielle Lowen persists in her efforts to solve the murder of the Earth diplomat on New Clarke. Knowing who the culprit is marks only the beginning of the puzzle. She endeavors to piece together the motive, and a chance encounter with a stranger might hold the key. But was it by chance or design? Lowen harbors a theory so outlandish that it defies belief, and the potential consequences could be dire for everyone involved.
May 23, 2024
( Format : Audiobook )
"Of course, that's him."
Looking back to the murder of the Brazilan diplomat which had occurred on the Clarke, the woman who had autopsied him looks for answers. Fascinating, as scary, short story, twenty in Scalzi's The Human Division.
The narrator is, again, William Dufris, his performance excellent, reading with clarity, pace perfect and each character voice distinct and appropriate. He really helps bring the book to life.
Recommended.
"Of course, that's him."
Looking back to the murder of the Brazilan diplomat which had occurred on the Clarke, the woman who had autopsied him looks for answers. Fascinating, as scary, short story, twenty in Scalzi's The Human Division.
The narrator is, again, William Dufris, his performance excellent, reading with clarity, pace perfect and each character voice distinct and appropriate. He really helps bring the book to life.
Recommended.
September 9, 2017
I enjoyed the series more as I went through each episode. At first I struggled because it seemed like random stories set in this universe. But as it continued and I realized it was interwoven story lines I enjoyed them more. The main characters were enjoyable. It's pretty traditional sci fi fare but still worth the read.
May 14, 2023
A United Nations meeting gets screwed up and the State Department representative who was supposed to meet the Brazilian ambassador get a doofus undersecretary instead. She reams him a new one and wants answers in half an hour. The embassy where the meeting took place in explodes causing chaos. Then she meets this guy at a bar….. definitely recommended
May 30, 2019
Genius!
August 12, 2019
Yes, I think I get it......
November 16, 2020
Now I really want to find out how it all ends
November 24, 2020
Scary good
June 25, 2021
Another good one
March 6, 2023
More squels
So not even subtle on the cliff hanging in this episode of the Life and Times of Earth's latest non-investigator. Sadly I'm sure it sells. Still a story of worth.
So not even subtle on the cliff hanging in this episode of the Life and Times of Earth's latest non-investigator. Sadly I'm sure it sells. Still a story of worth.
February 29, 2024
Flew right by
A tension filled mini-mystery with a nice follow up. I'm looking forward to the next episode. The big finale, eh?
A tension filled mini-mystery with a nice follow up. I'm looking forward to the next episode. The big finale, eh?
October 14, 2024
Why did the Brazilian member of the CDF diplomatic team kill another member of the team?
October 23, 2024
Earth diplomat attempts to discover why a fellow diplomat killed the lead observer on a diplomatic mission.
March 20, 2018
2.5 Stars
July 1, 2013
This review is for the entirety of The Human Division, comprised of The B-Team; Walk the Plank; We Only Need the Heads; A Voice in the Wilderness; Tales From the Clarke; The Back Channel; The Dog King; The Sound of Rebellion; The Observers; This Must Be the Place; A Problem of Proportion; The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads; Earth Below, Sky Above.
My first thought about this, the latest story in the Old Man's War universe from John Scalzi, was annoyance that I hadn't read it whilst it was being released. The individual episodes each come to around 25 or 30 pages on my Nook (except for the first and last parts) and it would have been fun to read them and have the cliffhangers as it happened. In the end, though, being able to read the entire thing in one go was also pretty cool.
At the end of The Last Colony, John Perry and the Conclave revealed the nature of interstellar warfare and diplomacy to the citizens of Earth. This story details some of the fallout from that decision, dovetailing neatly with the B-team mentioned in the first episode and their attempts to remedy the diplomatic events that occur as a result. It's a welcome return to the universe from Scalzi, who has mostly stayed away from writing more tales here for the last five years (since the the publication of Zoe's Tale). I really enjoyed catching up with the universe, and the episodic nature of the story was handled extremely well.
Looking forward to reading Scalzi's next works in this direction, both from the perspective of this universe and the perspective of episodic storytelling.
My first thought about this, the latest story in the Old Man's War universe from John Scalzi, was annoyance that I hadn't read it whilst it was being released. The individual episodes each come to around 25 or 30 pages on my Nook (except for the first and last parts) and it would have been fun to read them and have the cliffhangers as it happened. In the end, though, being able to read the entire thing in one go was also pretty cool.
At the end of The Last Colony, John Perry and the Conclave revealed the nature of interstellar warfare and diplomacy to the citizens of Earth. This story details some of the fallout from that decision, dovetailing neatly with the B-team mentioned in the first episode and their attempts to remedy the diplomatic events that occur as a result. It's a welcome return to the universe from Scalzi, who has mostly stayed away from writing more tales here for the last five years (since the the publication of Zoe's Tale). I really enjoyed catching up with the universe, and the episodic nature of the story was handled extremely well.
Looking forward to reading Scalzi's next works in this direction, both from the perspective of this universe and the perspective of episodic storytelling.
April 7, 2013
This is the twelfth of thirteen episodes in The Human Division, a serial novel and something of an experiment. I'm looking forward to the last installment, but saddened to think that will be all. I suppose I still have several other books to hunt down from this world and this author.
The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads, as is the pattern with even-numbered episodes, deviates from the main cast. This time, we see what Danielle Lowen, the doctor from the Earth ambassadors in episode 9 is up to on Earth. She was supposed to find the CU guilty of an ambassador's murder, but instead unearthed a deeper conspiracy. She isn't safe once she gets back to Earth, even with the top authorities reluctant to see the happenings on the Clarke as part of a deeper plot. The embassy she was supposed to have a meeting in blows up while she's getting a bagel across the street, and then meets a mysterious individual claiming to be a pharmaceuticals rep. "John Berger" warns her not to go home after telling her exactly how Luiza Carvalho might have been manipulated into killing someone, and she, smart woman that she is, listens.
I couldn't help but wonder, as this installment came to a close, if John Berger was the same mysterious informant who spoke to Birnbaum in A Voice in the Wilderness. I suppose there's no way of knowing, though his attitude would have had to alter significantly. One would have to know just how much time has passed between these episodes, and I don't.
For a "B story" episode, this seemed to hint a lot more at the larger picture than some of the stories involving the diplomatic crew on the Clarke. It was also full of action and intrigue, and I'm quite interested to see how the story wraps up, in the end.
Once more, I listened to this on audio, narrated by William Dufris. I have no complaints about his narration, though this installment's taking place entirely on Earth might've made his job a little easier, this time around. He did pronounce Brazilian names and places well, though there were times when the Brazilian politician sent to stall Lowen sounded Transylvanian.
I can't wait for Tuesday.
The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads, as is the pattern with even-numbered episodes, deviates from the main cast. This time, we see what Danielle Lowen, the doctor from the Earth ambassadors in episode 9 is up to on Earth. She was supposed to find the CU guilty of an ambassador's murder, but instead unearthed a deeper conspiracy. She isn't safe once she gets back to Earth, even with the top authorities reluctant to see the happenings on the Clarke as part of a deeper plot. The embassy she was supposed to have a meeting in blows up while she's getting a bagel across the street, and then meets a mysterious individual claiming to be a pharmaceuticals rep. "John Berger" warns her not to go home after telling her exactly how Luiza Carvalho might have been manipulated into killing someone, and she, smart woman that she is, listens.
I couldn't help but wonder, as this installment came to a close, if John Berger was the same mysterious informant who spoke to Birnbaum in A Voice in the Wilderness. I suppose there's no way of knowing, though his attitude would have had to alter significantly. One would have to know just how much time has passed between these episodes, and I don't.
For a "B story" episode, this seemed to hint a lot more at the larger picture than some of the stories involving the diplomatic crew on the Clarke. It was also full of action and intrigue, and I'm quite interested to see how the story wraps up, in the end.
Once more, I listened to this on audio, narrated by William Dufris. I have no complaints about his narration, though this installment's taking place entirely on Earth might've made his job a little easier, this time around. He did pronounce Brazilian names and places well, though there were times when the Brazilian politician sent to stall Lowen sounded Transylvanian.
I can't wait for Tuesday.
August 13, 2013
Danielle Lowen is back on Earth after her entirely too exciting adventure on board the Colonial Union's diplomatic ship, the Clarke. Unfortunately, she's not done with events on the Clarke; she's still looking for an answer to the question of why an apparently ordinary Brazilian diplomat decided to kill a colleague and attempt to frame the Colonial Union.
Her investigation on Earth is supposed to start with the very routine step of talking to the Brazilian Ambassador and getting background information on the now-dead killer, Luiza Carvalho. Instead, it starts with a real blast as the Brazilian consulate where she is supposed to meet the Ambassador blows up while she's across the street getting a bagel.
This is a short, the twelfth of thirteen episodes in John Scalzi's serial novel, The Human Division. Lowen learns some creepy but possibly essential information, delivered by an apparent turncoat from whoever, or whatever, might be behind the conspiracy that seems to be plaguing diplomatic relations among Earth, the Colonial Union, and the Conclave. Plotting, characterization, and a clever sense of humor even in grim moments, all Scalzi trademarks, are all here. And it would be a disservice to say anything more.
Recommended.
I bought this one.
Her investigation on Earth is supposed to start with the very routine step of talking to the Brazilian Ambassador and getting background information on the now-dead killer, Luiza Carvalho. Instead, it starts with a real blast as the Brazilian consulate where she is supposed to meet the Ambassador blows up while she's across the street getting a bagel.
This is a short, the twelfth of thirteen episodes in John Scalzi's serial novel, The Human Division. Lowen learns some creepy but possibly essential information, delivered by an apparent turncoat from whoever, or whatever, might be behind the conspiracy that seems to be plaguing diplomatic relations among Earth, the Colonial Union, and the Conclave. Plotting, characterization, and a clever sense of humor even in grim moments, all Scalzi trademarks, are all here. And it would be a disservice to say anything more.
Recommended.
I bought this one.
April 7, 2013
I was expecting the twelfth episode of John Scalzi's The Human Division to finally reveal who has been behind the acts of war described so far. While The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads provides some great new information, we still don't know who the antagonists really are. Danielle Lowen, who you might remember from episode nine, The Observers, is back in the United States. She witnesses a terrorist attack and while trying to puzzle together who could be behind it, receives some interesting information.
I'm happy to hear that the final episode next week will be double-length. This was an exciting episode, but it didn't have much of a cliff hanger. We get a nice reveal at the end, but it's only about one aspect of what's been happening and still doesn't show us who did it. I expected a big reveal in this episode so that we could be left salivating at the resolution in the final episode. Scalzi hasn't let me down yet; I'm still excited to read the finale, but The Human Division's structure has been building oddly to the climax.
I'm happy to hear that the final episode next week will be double-length. This was an exciting episode, but it didn't have much of a cliff hanger. We get a nice reveal at the end, but it's only about one aspect of what's been happening and still doesn't show us who did it. I expected a big reveal in this episode so that we could be left salivating at the resolution in the final episode. Scalzi hasn't let me down yet; I'm still excited to read the finale, but The Human Division's structure has been building oddly to the climax.
June 13, 2013
This chapter of The Human Division picks after the events of The Observers. I'm finding incredibly amusing how John Scalzi is managing to tell a story with so many characters, yet maintaining each chapter interesting, compelling, and full of vivid characters. Scalzi's writing style masks a narrative that could very easily become convoluted at the hands of other writers. Fortunately, it is the author of Fuzzy Nation and Redshirts who's conduction this one-man orchestra, and a reader couldn't ask for more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews