Eric Stone
Brilliant "People's History" concept, but the character work is missing.
In Touch with Laika takes a fascinating Zinn-esque approach to sci-fi, using a transmission from the far future to give a voice to those history has silenced - starting with the Soviet space dog, Laika. As a fan of narrative history that highlights the disadvantaged, I was fully onboard with the premise. However, the execution feels more like a proof-of-concept than a fully realized story.
The Critique:
- The Zinn Angle: The concept of telling the untold stories of figures like Laika (and eventually Tesla and Marcus Aurelius in future installments) is incredibly compelling. There is a wonderful opportunity here for a deep emotional arc about being a conduit for the forgotten.
- Surface-level Protagonist: At 86 pages, we simply don't get enough of Ethan. We’re told he’s an emotional wreck, but because we don't see his daily life or his motivations, his mental breakdown feels unearned. He feels like a passenger in his own story rather than an active participant.
- The Social Media Loop: The final third of the book is heavily focused on the repetitiveness of internet skepticism. In a book this short, that space would have been better served deepening our connection to Ethan or the futuristic entity.
- The Format: Spreading this story across three separate novellas released over the course of six months is a big ask for the reader. Without a stronger emotional hook in Part 1, it's hard to feel the urgency to wait until June for the conclusion.
The Verdict: The writing is solid and the audiobook narrator was an excellent choice, but the story lacks the depth needed to make the reader feel the weight of Ethan's journey. I love what this book is trying to be - a sci-fi lens on the marginalized - but Part 1 doesn't quite bridge the gap between a great idea and a great story.
Brilliant "People's History" concept, but the character work is missing.
In Touch with Laika takes a fascinating Zinn-esque approach to sci-fi, using a transmission from the far future to give a voice to those history has silenced - starting with the Soviet space dog, Laika. As a fan of narrative history that highlights the disadvantaged, I was fully onboard with the premise. However, the execution feels more like a proof-of-concept than a fully realized story.
The Critique:
- The Zinn Angle: The concept of telling the untold stories of figures like Laika (and eventually Tesla and Marcus Aurelius in future installments) is incredibly compelling. There is a wonderful opportunity here for a deep emotional arc about being a conduit for the forgotten.
- Surface-level Protagonist: At 86 pages, we simply don't get enough of Ethan. We’re told he’s an emotional wreck, but because we don't see his daily life or his motivations, his mental breakdown feels unearned. He feels like a passenger in his own story rather than an active participant.
- The Social Media Loop: The final third of the book is heavily focused on the repetitiveness of internet skepticism. In a book this short, that space would have been better served deepening our connection to Ethan or the futuristic entity.
- The Format: Spreading this story across three separate novellas released over the course of six months is a big ask for the reader. Without a stronger emotional hook in Part 1, it's hard to feel the urgency to wait until June for the conclusion.
The Verdict: The writing is solid and the audiobook narrator was an excellent choice, but the story lacks the depth needed to make the reader feel the weight of Ethan's journey. I love what this book is trying to be - a sci-fi lens on the marginalized - but Part 1 doesn't quite bridge the gap between a great idea and a great story.