The Sword and Laser discussion

I've only read the first 3 chapters, but so far, it seems like the description of the book (on Amazon, here on GR, and I think even in the kickoff podcast) has kind of taken away some of the thrill for me. (view spoiler)[Not sure this is really a spoiler but the fact that the "blackout" time is them jumping into/seeing the future (hide spoiler)]

The fact that everything I've seen written about the book has the above fact might be making it harder for me to care about the characters. If I didn't know what they saw during the blackout/its relevance, I might be more on edge, as "in the dark" about what happened as they are, and it might make me like them more. It would add to the thrill, as I discovered along with the characters what was going on. Anybody else feel this way?

I agree with you 100%. I was hoping for a little more thriller in the book when I started. I am further ahead and I can honestly say that for those first few chapters I had a hard time caring about the characters. I think your suggestion would really change up the story, thanks for the thought.

I didn't know if my ambivalence was because I had just finished some really character focused novels or not so I am happy to hear someone else feeling that the characters were weak.

Even at the end of the book I didn't care one once about any of the characters. There was not one simple thing that made them unlikeable, I just didn't grow attached to any of them.

Yeah, I'm only about halfway through but it seems the characterization could be a rad more robust.

I kept thinking there must be more to it. Aliens, maybe.

Hehe .. I saw a bunch of flashforward topics jump to the top of the update notifications and I said to myself "Jenny must have finished Flashforward.". Seems I was right.

I responded to EVERY THREAD so I wouldn't feel so left out. It took so long to get to the top of the hold queue at the library! Quick read though.