After finally reading the source material behind the 2002 movie of the same name, I have to say I really admire what the screenplay adaptation did.
Maybe it was the translation but the prose felt very klunky. I had my eyes rolling for the first few pages stumbling upon gems like “The rotting leaves made the water appear crimson, like blood”. Thank you, I have TV if I don't want to make mental leaps from one red liquid to another.
The novel really dragged on until the big reveal. (Spoiler ahead) The idea that an alien civilisation sees humanity as a threat and wants to launch a preemptive strike against us, just because of first contact is great. That they are interest group, or cults for and against making and keeping contact is great. But this we find out at almost at the end, which is then quickly finished by a stupid Ghost Ship style massacre. Ugh. Good ideas wasted.
I hope you like welding and melting metal - it comes up a lot. As does a weird machine that recycles condoms - Checkov's Condom Cleaner?
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