What Trekkie doesn't love Data? (This Trekkie does.) This review is not an indictment of Data, though it is a mild rebuke of the man behind the combadWhat Trekkie doesn't love Data? (This Trekkie does.) This review is not an indictment of Data, though it is a mild rebuke of the man behind the combadge.
It is the result of more than 11 hours of decent narration dragged down by far, far too many repetitions of the phrase "pig's penis." It was shocking and a little silly the first time, Brent. Then it was just juvenile and dumb. And when it popped up for the last time, it was loud, and the guy in the car next to me was genuinely appalled. Sorry, dude!
Repetitive details aside (aside from the totally irrelevant, oft cited pig's penis, there is just a LOT of repetition, to the point it's condescending to the reader/listener), there were some positives: This mystery wasn't solvable by our main character, a lightly fictionalized, I assume, version of Spiner in a heavily fictionalized narrative. That was nice to see — he's ultimately not afraid to admit he's an anxious, awkward guy with a predilection for greasy food, the 1940s/50s, and women with horribly cheesy, awfully similar names (Candy Lou Jones is the tip of the iceberg!) who apparently all look like a who's who of '90s movie blondes.
Anyway, this is like a bad holodeck episode that meanders its way through mediocre writing and a painfully wrought plot. It's at its best when Spiner is being (we assume) real, which is mostly in his banter with real-life friends and, weirdly, in his highly confessional, heartwarming, energized ... dream sequences. It made me wish this was just a regular memoir.
Those constant references to so-and-so being a "dead ringer" for Jodie Foster, Glenn Close, etc. might be overcompensating for the only actual encounter with a non-Trek female celebrity in the story being a genuinely funny, if damning, encounter with Lauren Bacall many years before our central fictional story takes place. The encounters with male celebrities are funnier and not worth spoiling.
The main thing Trek fans will enjoy here are the very brief appearances of all the big Trek stars, but with the exception of Patrick Stewart, they are underused. Maybe he made a deal with them all except Levar Burton —who's broadly, if lovingly, mocked — not to tell any tales in exchange for their voices in the audiobook? Maybe someday we'll get their stories (hopefully not in this format)....more
One of those books that makes you say, "Oh, I recognize that that was supposed to be funny" but doesn't make you laugh out loud. Both critical of cuteOne of those books that makes you say, "Oh, I recognize that that was supposed to be funny" but doesn't make you laugh out loud. Both critical of cute and trendy things and chock-full of them to the point of fad fatigue. This is both the point AND exhausting. I can only take so much cleverness. Willis is clearly clever, but this story didn't have enough heart in the middle to sustain it on cleverness alone.
Our heroine scientist has almost no depth and her friends and lovers even less. A critique of management culture and culture generally that doesn't bite deeply enough to leave a mark. Still pretty fun....more
Solidly bland take on fantastical concepts. Magic and self-hate and drama in a world not unlike our own (but for the whole magic bit). Too close but tSolidly bland take on fantastical concepts. Magic and self-hate and drama in a world not unlike our own (but for the whole magic bit). Too close but too far away to have any gravitas.
A midpoint wondering about not wanting to dwell on whimsy any longer put into words why I was having trouble with the book as a whole, almost pushing this ahead another star or two, but alas. The thing is too cute, too neat, too ready with a reference to a very current cultural touchstone to get me to feel anything all that deep or interesting. The bad guy was an unrelatable supervillain who could/should have been a tragic figure. The author tries and fails on that score — in the end, no one is real.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and a few times was convinced I'd accidentally fast-forwarded past some key development. Nope, it's just that jumpy.
I'm interested in this writer now, though, and would try something else if he wrote another genre or set his story in another era, maybe....more
I loved how the main character in this book handled herself when people were rude, violent, or just plain awful. (If you're in the first half and don'I loved how the main character in this book handled herself when people were rude, violent, or just plain awful. (If you're in the first half and don't know what I mean yet, hang in there.) She was restrained and realistic. She never veered into amazing action heroine, even when the situation called for one. She was just a bright, tired academic struggling to keep afloat in a weird situation. When she did come up with amazing or clever solutions, it was always in keeping with her character.
That made it all the harder to read, again and again, just how badly she fumbled normal personal life stuff. She was really the worst at maintaining a decent relationship with her husband, and pretty childish with her parents, too.
Now to the meat of the story: It similarly handles the bizarre with aplomb but misses the mark occasionally with more ordinary people. It's like we just forget entire side quests/adversaries because the author figures out a new, more awful way to torture the main character.
Positive points for making sure we don't jumble up things when they get more confusing than they have a natural right to (writing about this without spoiling anything is impossible, so just trust me when I say it works). Also for the title. What a good title!
Negative points for the name Pepper. Her parents named her after a dog (ugh, but sorta in character), but ... I really never want to hear about a human named Pepper ever again. This might be a result of having listened to this as an audiobook (which was otherwise a very well-done audio story — I just cringed every time she said "PEPPER"). Also for a bit more predictability and an ending that is a bit neater than I expected....more
**spoiler alert** Solid coming of age story that happens to be a crime adventure and a family drama and a few other things besides. I appreciate the s**spoiler alert** Solid coming of age story that happens to be a crime adventure and a family drama and a few other things besides. I appreciate the spare and careful character building at the heart of it most of all. The plot is the stuff of my comfortable suburban nightmares, but rendered tenderly and with compassion without ever crossing over into sweetness.
East is just a golden character. You want everything for him and expect nothing but the worst.
I have a pet peeve about excessive slang where it doesn't come naturally to the author or disrupts the narrative flow, and he renders this quite nicely, as well. The boys say "I'm a ..." instead of "I'm going to," which works authentically, but they aren't incapable of code switching, either....more
Unsatisfying delivery on a premise with potential. Like a feminist T-shirt on a jerk who'd never admit he hates *most* women, in novel form.Unsatisfying delivery on a premise with potential. Like a feminist T-shirt on a jerk who'd never admit he hates *most* women, in novel form....more
Just the sort of book I love, weirdly mysterious and wildly unreal, but so limply written at times, as appropriate as it was for the character, that iJust the sort of book I love, weirdly mysterious and wildly unreal, but so limply written at times, as appropriate as it was for the character, that it was hard to finish, as easy as it was to read in fits and starts.
Five stars for skillfully and precisely delivering what I expected here. Exactly the kind of thing I expect to be found deserving of a Hugo. If you'reFive stars for skillfully and precisely delivering what I expected here. Exactly the kind of thing I expect to be found deserving of a Hugo. If you're expecting a Pulitzer or Booker prize winner or an Oprah's Book Club selection, this ain't it. But it sure suited my mood for some solidly entertaining sci fi with a decent touch of humanity.
The choice of narrator is just fun enough to keep you guessing why the author would bother with him, but even when others are down on him for "just" being a doctor instead of a mover or shaker or supergenius, he's the everyman hero a reader needs to ground a story across more time and space than we can reasonably contemplate.
The central romance only works because he's just a dude doing his best who never seems to be full of himself or sorry for himself. It's not especially romantic, though, if that's what you're looking for.
There were some big missing pieces here, but thanks to the writing, I didn't really worry about them. Perhaps they were more missed opportunities than plot holes? In the end, I feel less annoyed by what didn't happen and more interested in a sequel. (No idea if one exists though!)...more
At the halfway point, I recommended against reading this book when asked, but I feel like it redeemed itself in the second half. Now I'd say, "Reader At the halfway point, I recommended against reading this book when asked, but I feel like it redeemed itself in the second half. Now I'd say, "Reader beware" instead. It's not an easy book or a nice one, but it is certainly interesting and written creatively.
When we finally get down to Earth and its recent past, I couldn't help but wonder why the first third to half of the book was such a laborious third-person recollection of what was surely the fascinating part of the story.
Joan and Leone and Nyx are characters worth spending more time with directly rather than obliquely or belatedly. Jean de Men is a wasted villain whose great power is referenced in ways that dim its ferocity rather than seen directly (what we see is disgusting rather than cultish or compelling like we're told to expect).
But my main issue is the initial main character. Christine isn't all that compelling, and the endless nonsense about grafting stories on skin quickly dulls and doesn't make sense except metaphorically. If it was talked about less, or came to some important apex, maybe I would have come to appreciate it. As it was, I dreaded yet another sentence with the word "graft" in it.
Anytime Tranculo appeared, I was tempted to skim. I felt like I knew what he was about and didn't care.
Also how many times can we talk about genitalia grotesquely?...more
Imagine yourself in the future, say 60 years from now: Are you mostly interested in babies, poly culture, your proto-anarcho-socialist web-based back-Imagine yourself in the future, say 60 years from now: Are you mostly interested in babies, poly culture, your proto-anarcho-socialist web-based back-to-nature community, and gender identity and sexuality; occasionally curious about those literal aliens in your backyard and Judaism; and would you put everything else a distant third? If so, this book might be for you.
If not, go into it aware that it focuses almost entirely on those aspects of a first-contact scenario: What would it be like if an woman whose very special interests are post-heteronormative, post-monogamous gender, family, and community dynamics and pretty confusing tech stuff (a mesh helmet that regulates hormones unless it doesn't serve the plot; a wholly overwhelming, constant feed of information and questions, where your literal social ranking depends on how much others trust your opinion; plus little sensors everywhere, just for starters) made first contact?
What if contact was with a pair of species whose own culture is basically centered on a different but poorly explained family dynamic ("cross-sisters" and gender-shifting mating pairs and the hierarchy itself), who think they have come to save humanity?
That's a long, convoluted setup for a reason: IMO, this book is mostly convoluted setup for a "cute" ending. The narrator occasionally nods at her own faults, or wallows in them, but the author does far too much hand-waving away of gaping holes in the story without acknowledging how weird it is.
**(Mildly spoilery: I have nothing to say but UGH to everything in the corporate/Zealand section and to the ... spider sex stuff.)**
2.5 stars because I've definitely never read anything like this before, but I'm not sure I'd like to, either.
This is not a critique of the identity or family dynamic of anyone real or fictional; it's a critique of a book that happens to center those concepts at the expense of a good read that could have been better....more
This "stand alone" novel is actually a sequel. I really liked it but also felt like I was a few steps behind Interesting, unusual, compelling writing.
This "stand alone" novel is actually a sequel. I really liked it but also felt like I was a few steps behind at times. Definitely worth your while, but I left it feeling like I needed to go backward to the first book....more
I came into this book thinking it would be WEIRD weird. But it was more "creep in a tutu and viscera" weird than "I am actually freaked out right now"I came into this book thinking it would be WEIRD weird. But it was more "creep in a tutu and viscera" weird than "I am actually freaked out right now" WEIRD. The author is clearly in his element here, and the storytelling is seamlessly fun and mildly clever even at its darkest.
Perhaps the highest-stakes scenarios populated by a mix of characters who are dedicated to playing it cool aren't for everyone, but I enjoyed the ride.
I wouldn't say it hit the right note in every scene or characterization, but the heroine-ish main character is thoughtfully rendered and the disorder of the beginning serves the plot well without it wrapping up too neatly....more
A very well-written book about people you hate to like reading about. Privilege is fascinating and viscerally deplorable to those of us who can't be sA very well-written book about people you hate to like reading about. Privilege is fascinating and viscerally deplorable to those of us who can't be sure where we lie on the spectrum, or who are uncomfortable with the answer we might get if we thought about it more.
Dee strikes an improbable balance that allows you to feel all these things at once.
People who float along, heedless of consequence, when putting others in danger or treating others' feelings like annoyances at best, bills to be paid off at worst, are not the kind of people we want to be or see. But this glimpse into their world feels mostly authentic if a little lacking in introspection (as are the characters, so even this is not exactly a criticism).
My small quibble with the writing is some jarringly anachronistic dialogue. Otherwise, the writing *is* the reason to read this book.
Finally, there is an unexpectedly heavy-handed turn toward "outsider art" late in the novel (not a spoiler, I promise!), about which the author notes in the accompanying Q&A, "I did a ton of research there—more than I needed to, surely." It shows. It feels like he's trying to show either the futility of attempting to be "deep" while privileged, or else trying to distinguish this character from the pack as a person striving to be more than just privileged, but most of all, like he was just fascinated by the subject and wanted to write a story about it, so he wedged this odd bit in.
I'd read something else by the author, but I was more than glad to be done with these characters....more
Very brief and yet still boring. The main character is unlikable, a perv and a prankster who supposedly gains the key to life's mysteries. The "six fiVery brief and yet still boring. The main character is unlikable, a perv and a prankster who supposedly gains the key to life's mysteries. The "six fingers" of the title are a particularly uninspired symbol.
I could see this being worked into a middling Twilight Zone episode (was it?) but not much more....more
This book starts compelling and unusual and finishes well enough; I can't help but feel it could have been stronger all the way through with a bit of This book starts compelling and unusual and finishes well enough; I can't help but feel it could have been stronger all the way through with a bit of editing.
The writing was generally clever, thoughtful, and strong, but I think the translation could have used a little polishing — at least I'm assuming that's what's to blame for occasional awkward phrasing.
The twists are fun and worthwhile. Keep reading for those.
Unfortunately, substantial peaks and valleys in the narrative kept me wondering "When will this part be over?" or "Why couldn't he do more of this!?" a little more than I'd like.
Part of the problem with having 11 or more main characters and plenty of extras is that some will, inevitably, be based more on the author's personal experience than others. The narrative even acknowledges this potential problem!
When Le Tellier strays too far from middle-aged Frenchmen, he risks characters who come across more as stereotypes or cliches than fully realized people.
Thus, the self-insert author character and the aging architect are two of the most compelling stories. A few outliers stand out in a positive way. One is a middle-aged Frenchman, still, but we can all hope this one has almost nothing in common with the writer. The peripheral characters involved in solving the mystery at the heart of the story are underused but entertaining.
I have mixed feelings about the majority of the women and girls; while Le Tellier writes compassionately, they are just not as compelling as the men.
On the other end of the spectrum, the gay Nigerian singer is flat in part because, I feel, the author writes unbelievable "hit" music for him.
One young woman has no substantive backstory before being plunged into the spotlight toward the end — and without spoilers, I found this chapter/section by far the weakest part of the book.
Not a spoiler, but the Late Show does not film live, right? This threw me off way more than it should have. It was hard to know whether other hot takes on American culture and politics were meant as satire, commentary, or the author's view of how things genuinely are in the US today. His buffoon of a president, for example, was sort of humorous although not very original. Maybe I'm just tired of presidential buffoonery?
I'm offering a lot of critique here, but I genuinely enjoyed reading almost all of this book. It is substantially better than your average thriller or sci-fi mystery. I just wish it had lived up to all that potential throughout....more
**spoiler alert** This story is at its most interesting when it strays furthest from the central space god mystery narrative and explores what an unre**spoiler alert** This story is at its most interesting when it strays furthest from the central space god mystery narrative and explores what an unreliable sci fi narrator can mean.
It's trying to be one too many things at a time, and I'm not sure it works as a whole. I really like the pitiful resilience of the narrator, Ren, the hoarding disorder piece, and the idea of a mysterious, truly alien entity in the form of a living "city." Mack is a creative modern archetype with a proper slow-burn narrative.
The revenge plot or whatever never really gets the conclusion it deserves; the bad guys are really nice or totally absent until they're suddenly, swiftly evil, but their motivation for several different actions goes totally unexplained. Also, the bond between the main character and the beloved Pathfinder, a figure worshipped and admired by all, is always told, never really shown. The Sung-Soo and Suh-Mi characters are also bizarre and feel more like plot-advancers than realistic people despite their central roles.
It's like the author had 2 or 3 books in mind and was told to condense them into one, but had a bad editor advising where to cut. It ends quite abruptly and out of sync with the rest of the story. Very magical and not very interesting ending, I felt....more
The president heard you read this book and had mixed feelings about it
Hi there, Goodreads, I see that you're thinking about reading this book. Well, IThe president heard you read this book and had mixed feelings about it
Hi there, Goodreads, I see that you're thinking about reading this book. Well, I'm the President and I once thought that was a good idea. I wanted to encourage you to explore those feelings. Curiosity is the heartbeat of America, and of this book. It reminds me of a bunch of great stuff about the current rapidly declining state of our country, but in a clever, fun way. Maybe we can work on making that happen together? I know I can count on you to do your part! Would a free cookie help? A free cookie always helps! One is being sent your way right now!
(The president is the best part of the worst world, somehow. This ordinary interpersonal melodrama/time traveling book drags a bit in the middle but gets where it's going in a pretty satisfying way. Recommended.)...more
Exactly what I imagined I was better than, as a teen avoiding the fantasy section of the library, yet simultaneously proof that I might have been missExactly what I imagined I was better than, as a teen avoiding the fantasy section of the library, yet simultaneously proof that I might have been missing out. The dragons are minimal; the weird leather getups are maximal. The humor is moderate; the writing almost arrogantly clever. The overwrought spellings are totally tropey fantasy, but the story is, in its nod to anthropology, a fun lark.
I checked this out as an ebook with the full Nevèryon 4-book series and couldn't make it very far into the next title before needing a break. The short story/novella format here makes it much easier to digest.
I'd like to read more Delany, but I'm not sure how soon I'll personally return to Neveryon. The penis pouches* and prophecy will have to wait.
If you, like me, put this book off for almost two decades because it was too bleak, the movie too grim to finish, don't hesitate any longer. It is sadIf you, like me, put this book off for almost two decades because it was too bleak, the movie too grim to finish, don't hesitate any longer. It is sad enough that I still hid away from my family to cry privately before finishing it (no spoilers, but after 18 years you have to either know culturally or from reading the first few pages that it's going to be a sad one), but not so sad you can't handle it with that preparation.
**spoiler alert** "Tidy" is not exactly an exciting prospect. Tidy implies a certain primness, order, care verging on fastidiousness. This book has al**spoiler alert** "Tidy" is not exactly an exciting prospect. Tidy implies a certain primness, order, care verging on fastidiousness. This book has all that to a fault, but it also has heart, character, confusion and frustration.
I'm not left entirely satisfied, but I still found the journey worth taking, aside from many passages that felt more like a listicle ("A billion billion objects humanity made! You won't believe there's this much shit in the world!") than literature. In some sense that was the point, but that doesn't make the reading of those lists more satisfying....more
Loading...
