In the afterword, the author likened this book to a pop song - something light and fun. I see the intention there, but I felt like the dialogue was aiIn the afterword, the author likened this book to a pop song - something light and fun. I see the intention there, but I felt like the dialogue was aiming for funny but landed as tiresome for me. And the premise was interesting, but I felt that actual writing was a bit on the boring side. Part of the problem for me was that among the cast of characters, including the narrator, everyone talked in the same snarky way. I ended up skimming the last third of the book and I think that was a fine choice. ...more
I agree with my friend Rachel that it's pretty unappealing to read a pandemic novel, and annoying to read a book about the struggles of an author duriI agree with my friend Rachel that it's pretty unappealing to read a pandemic novel, and annoying to read a book about the struggles of an author during a pandemic.
The writing was nice, mostly, and I sped along as a reader, so the book held my interest. I enjoyed making character connections to Glass Hotel, but seems a shame one would need to read that one to fully appreciate this one.
The philosophizing didn't seem particularly deep or meaningful to me - and the musing about how humanity always thinks it's going through the end times seemed a bit pithy, and perhaps a little insensitive in regard to the very real smallpox apocalypse of indigenous people in North America that was referenced a couple of times in the 1912 sections.
The future bits - ugh, I just didn't buy the world building. I know this is picky but...people still use coins in the future? There would still be physical book tours? HOW does life sustain itself on the moon? Why does 2400 feel barely different from 2200 - that's 200 years! Why are things from centuries ago referred to as "retro" as opposed to "old-fashioned" (eg a mid 20th century fedora or paper books in the year 2400 - that's the time differential between now and the 1600s - you wouldn't call an Elizabethan ruff "retro" would you?). I know this is picky, but if you are going to write sci-fi you owe it to your readers to create verisimilitude.
The feeling I had upon finishing the book was emptiness.
For me the strongest part of the book, and the parts I had the most emotional connection to where those about Gaspery and his sister. The rest of the sections I struggled to connect to. ...more
This is what a graphic novel adaptation of a literary classic should be, and I'm not surprised that Ryan North would be just the right person to trulyThis is what a graphic novel adaptation of a literary classic should be, and I'm not surprised that Ryan North would be just the right person to truly capture Vonnegut's style and voice through comic form. ...more
This was everything I ever wanted in a Murderbot book and more - I'm so happy! And surprised after enjoying the novella lengths of the other books in This was everything I ever wanted in a Murderbot book and more - I'm so happy! And surprised after enjoying the novella lengths of the other books in the series, that this full length novel was by far my favorite.
Loved all the backstory on Preservation and the fact that Murderbot really had to reckon with and try to explain that it doesn't want to assimilate orLoved all the backstory on Preservation and the fact that Murderbot really had to reckon with and try to explain that it doesn't want to assimilate or "pass" as human, but does want to be respected for being who it is. Lots of parallels with marginalized groups here.
One thing I would really like to see in this series is Murderbot interacting (not fighting) with another Sec Unit who doesn't have a hacked governor module. We really only get Murderbot's perspective as a special SU, but what is it like for all the other Sec Units out there?...more
This was billed as a standalone story in the Murderbot Diaries series, but as someone new to the series, I felt a bit lost.
I'm going3.5 because of me
This was billed as a standalone story in the Murderbot Diaries series, but as someone new to the series, I felt a bit lost.
I'm going to try the first book and see how I like that and whether or not it clears up some of my confusion in reading this sixth book in the series.
I liked Murderbot's narration and the mystery was interesting. I just don't have a grasp on this world or the history of Murderbot and its relationship to the other characters.
Well, this was the weirdest thing I've read in a long time
The graphic novel's avant-garde style perfectly encapsulates the feeling of dread and hel4.5
Well, this was the weirdest thing I've read in a long time
The graphic novel's avant-garde style perfectly encapsulates the feeling of dread and helplessness many feel when thinking of the power of corporations, especially Big Tech, have over our lives. ...more
Oh man, I didn't think it could be possible to successfully dramatize the tensions within and the concept of I and Thou or of Oneness, but somehow KorOh man, I didn't think it could be possible to successfully dramatize the tensions within and the concept of I and Thou or of Oneness, but somehow Korean sci-fi writer Bo-Young Kim did just that within two of the four short stories that comprise this collection. When I first started reading these two stories I was NOT in the right frame of mind for the intellectual headiness of it and almost abandoned. It wasn't until I discovered that in the appendix that there was a glossary of key terms that I felt more confident to try again and I am glad I did!
The other two stories were a love story that I found to be okay+, but not super compelling - however, again, the information in the appendix about why the author came to write these stories elevated my feelings for it - and also made the author's title page dedication have such lovely meaning....more
Character traits come and go. Plot holes galore. Iffy science. It was impossible to suspend disbelief. (I only finished because impressively LUDICROUS
Character traits come and go. Plot holes galore. Iffy science. It was impossible to suspend disbelief. (I only finished because it was short, I wanted to know what would happen, and I was trapped under a cat)
I'm sure this will be optioned for a movie.
PS perhaps the author is possibly f***ing with us and the book is meant to be a joke? They named one of the characters Nathan and when he gets cloned he is thereafter referred to as original Nathan. As in the hot dog....more
I overall really loved this book. I loved the world(s)-building; I loved the narration; I really liked the characters, and the plot was good! I es4.5
I overall really loved this book. I loved the world(s)-building; I loved the narration; I really liked the characters, and the plot was good! I especially loved what the book had to say about class, opportunity, criminality(white collar vs the underclass), and personal responsibility.
My only quibbles are (view spoiler)[ 1. Wouldn't Cara have been discovered as being from the wrong world, like immediately, with all her tattoos? 2. I guess we are meant to assume that in every world in the multiverse people speak the same language? 3. Not sure that I buy the hint of redemption for Adam at the end - was wrapped up a bit too quickly (hide spoiler)]...more
It's been awhile since something had my attention so riveted. The concepts were compelling and the pacing/plotting spot on. And I am in awe about h4.5
It's been awhile since something had my attention so riveted. The concepts were compelling and the pacing/plotting spot on. And I am in awe about how many concepts in this 1980s book have found their way to so many other works of speculative fiction I've enjoyed. And can we also talk about how the protagonist is a strong black woman? And that one of her love interests is a slight Asian man? Octavia Butler was so ahead of everyone. Previous to this I'd only read Kindred but after reading this book, I want to read more more more Butler. ...more
Really interesting reading experience, with a mix of English and Aishihik words. The stories are pretty simpleINDIGENOUS FUTURISM GRAPHIC NOVEL Y'ALL!
Really interesting reading experience, with a mix of English and Aishihik words. The stories are pretty simple and mostly action, probably due to the constraints of vocabulary. The 2nd and 3rd chapters are allegories for the violent assimilation efforts of colonialists. Amazing art work in the bold red, black, and white color palette.
I liked how each chapter ended with "tl'áhù" which means "good enough for now". I like that - it means the story has paused, but not ended. ...more
Read the first 2/3 of the stories before feeling that they were all becoming repetitive, so skimmed the end. The author kind of has the same gimmic2.5
Read the first 2/3 of the stories before feeling that they were all becoming repetitive, so skimmed the end. The author kind of has the same gimmick going for almost all the stories ie (view spoiler)[ Protagonist senses something slightly wrong, and becomes obsessed/seduced by this anomaly. Weird thing kills protagonist (hide spoiler)]. Perhaps better read with more time apart. Also, yes, these are short stories, but all the characters were flat, as if more like fairy tales. ...more
It took me so long to read this novella - I think it could have been better as a short story at least half the length. It wants to be a story+poetry bIt took me so long to read this novella - I think it could have been better as a short story at least half the length. It wants to be a story+poetry but there is so little story, that it might have been more impactful if it were kept to a long poem length/short story.
At its heart, this wants to be a love story, but I didn't care about the characters or believe their love.
I got the gist of the worldbuilding, but it really was never more than a gist. I truly don't understand how the characters can be both incorporeal and corporeal and why they seem to act more like corporeal beings when they are mostly not. I don't understand why they each seemed to have cultural references and time to go read books when it seems they were bred to be assassins and nothing else - I suppose they absorbed human culture while they were on missions? And why do they even have genders if they are both produced in post human ways? Why?
There was a "twist" at the end that I saw coming, because time-travel story.
And the "lyrical language" many people seem to like. It was not for me. At one point a character says, "I veer rhapsodic; my prose purples". It was purple the whole time, and indistinguishable between characters.
The best part about this book was its amazing cover. I love it!...more
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