Dan

I got strong Andy Weir vibes from this (maybe emo Weir). This is ultimately a story about grief couched in a sci-fi setting but I think it worked well. Like the characters, I felt oddly compelled to tear through this one.

I love a short story collection and this one does not disappoint. What a great way to get a sense of the breadth of an author I haven't read.
“A Dusty Lunch” is the most touching and authentic portrait of a war veteran I've ever read. The reader piecing together the spirit of the man along with the narrator is beautifully done.
The banter of the “old feminists” in “Airborne” was another highlight. I feel like I had a cocktail with them.
The stories keep drifting on to the next cast of characters (or even genre) but immediately understanding them and their world from a few carefully-crafted passages makes this a delight to explore. I didn't expect to experience a reincarnation or an alien entertainer but here we are.

What a ride! This was mind-bending and kept me guessing. One of those time travel things that immediately wants to make you start the book over once you've gained new perspective. It's a great example of modern sci-fi - very human, the fantastic future tech is there but in the background in service of the character-driven narrative. Seems very filmable. I hope someone is working on the major motion picture.

An average person plucked from obscurity and rapidly propelled into fame learns it's as harmful and addictive as any drug. Our omnipresent infinite feeds are forever altering us as individuals and as societies. Are we equipped to handle what we're becoming? In my opinion, the sci-fi plot is not all that important - it's merely a means to explore the broader human themes. Nevertheless, the mysteries surrounding it keeps the pages turning.

Could have been a little more fleshed out - in particular, I'd like more description of the Kaiju. It's a fun, quick romp that kept me entertained and turning pages.

What an incredible journey. This will stick with me for a long time.

I'm now re-centered in the universe as my own planet orbiting along with other human planets, each of their inner worlds forever unknowable to me. The running theme of human connection intertwined with cosmic connection works so well for the story and the insight it offers.

As a new father surviving a global pandemic and late-stage capitalism, Theo's position is eerily relatable to my own. Any parent reading this will know all too well the struggle to find the balance between protecting your kids, imparting your wisdom, and letting them gain their own.

The Overstory sparked an urge to learn more about trees and fungus. Now I suppose I'll go brush up on exoplanets and the Webb telescope and hold out hope that our flawed monkey brains are good enough pass through the Great Filter.

I soldiered through just to get the plot points on where all the planeswalkers end up, but wow it was difficult. So much terrible prose. I don't know how this guy is even a writer.