Avery
Been looking forward to this one for a while so high expectations going in. It bogged down a bit in the middle due to the sheer number of factions, characters, and interest groups. After a bit of “thinning out”, it started to feel more like the other books, which was nice. Loved the action and plotting, especially around the core characters/plot, just couldn't keep all the faction stuff straight in my head at all.
PS Jamal - new favorite character
Lots of interesting ideas without getting bogged down or feeling difficult to read. Everything feels woven into a plot that moves relatively quickly.
I especially liked the creative depictions of “alien” technology. It felt believably different and something I hadn't seen before.
I didn't mind the frequent reuse of character names. Sometimes it made it hard to keep track of how much time has passed, but it was nice not to spend time “getting to know” each new character, if they're only going to be around for a couple chapters. Just a “This Bianca was a scientist” and we move on with the story. Refreshing.
I will say that the switch in perspective every chapter drove me up a wall, but that probably just means I was very invested in the story.
I was into the setup and first quarter or so, with the old residents trying to fight against the invading billionaire trying to buy up the land. Unfortunately then it ended up going more gory than creepy, with an emphasis on describing dissolving body parts. I was hoping for a different ending but felt like it pretty much ran on rails, and ended up relatively predictable.
Continues to give me my RPG “number go up” fix. I continue to get disproportionally excited about fictional loot drops and new abilities. I like that most abilities have multiple options when granted, so I can try to guess the best one before the character picks.
I appreciated meeting some other characters that had personalities other than “I hate you for buying all the head start slots”. The main characters also gradually get less annoying as the series goes on.
I think I had hoped that the Renown stat would end up as something other than just another leaderboard/experience counter. The fact that it's usually granted at the same time as experience makes them feel very similar. More of an effort could have been made to separate these mechanics. Maybe a low level high renown player.
Definitely fun. Makes me wish I was playing an great RPG but who has time for that! Anyway, nothing would be as epic as this.
The characters are .. decent, it helps that the main characters aren't terrible people, but I can't say the dialogue is my favorite ever. That said, the systems, loot, battles, plotting are all <3
I continue to enjoy the series. Halfway through this book, I swapped to the audiobooks, read by James Marsters, which I'm also happy about. I'll probably continue listening rather than reading.
I really liked Michael as a character in this, though found the way he (and the plot) were introduced pretty jarring. I second guessed myself several times, thinking I had skipped a book.
Some of the writing is a little weird (idk how many times he mentions “the tips” of some character's “firm breasts” but it's definitely several times in the space of a few hundred pages..)
Ended up being better than I was expecting :)
It's clear the author is pretty familiar with MMO/raiding-style games from the integration of lots of systems, aggro mechanics etc. This makes the combat more interesting, and combined with the cool loot and abilities, makes it feel like I'm getting the buzz from playing a great game (which I don't have much time to actually do these days).
This is the first book in this genre where the death penalties aren't game-ending, which was really refreshing! Allows the main character to not feel overpowered or too lucky.
There are some blocks of stats in there which aren't usually my favorite but it's not too often, so it was alright.
I was surprised to finish this book less sure that SBF clearly did something criminal, vs being a jerk adjacent to a poorly-run business in a scammy industry. I'm not sure why, but I didn't expect to run into so many other characters that felt equally responsible for the issues. Caroline Ellison seems like an obvious candidate.
Michael Lewis continues to impress, with his ability to write a narrative that feels like it respects all the people it describes, without shying away from discussing their failings objectively. This applies to his descriptions of the characters, movements, businesses.. makes it an interesting read where you have to come to your own conclusions.
Might be interesting to have an afterword added now that the trial has been resolved.
Fun, twisty book, went by quick and left me pretty sure I'll read the sequel.
The world building, especially as we learn more, was definitely my favorite part. There's a lot of mystery and plenty of unanswered questions, without feeling like this was just a setup for another book.
The main character is a little too “best at everything”, breaking immersion a little. Would have been nice for him to fail a little more often and have to rely on other people. The individualistic theme it evokes gives the book a little of a hero-worship feeling. The big bad establishment gets accused of loving heroes, but I can't help but feel like the author does too.
I liked this more than I thought I would. Was pleasantly surprised to see it was somehow not very partisan. I certainly wasn't expecting to feel like I should be working in government. If “Born to Run” can make anyone consider running, this book does the same for joining a governmental agency/department.
One of my favorite parts of this book is how it describes what kinds of problems are solved by different departments – the Departments of Energy, Commerce, and the National Weather Service for instance. I'd love a recommendation for a book that goes into more depth here, especially if it keeps from getting dry like Michael Lewis always seems to manage!
I'm beginning to think that Blake Crouch only likes writing amnesic main characters. That said, this one did end up being different enough from his other books to feel worth reading.
I was happy to see Twin Peaks mentioned in the Afterword - I also enjoyed this show and it's easy to see the influence. If Peaks was guilty of spending too much time on the mundanity of small town life, Pines might have erred in the opposite direction - I wouldn't have minded a bit more time marinating in the eerieness.
Interested to see what happens in the next books.
I was interested in this book but never expected to find a new potential favorite hard sci fi author to put alongside Greg Egan and Peter Watts.
Talk about a masterclass in complex exposition. The author manages to introduce countless fascinating new ideas, mostly involving transhumanist societies (similar to the previously mentioned authors) but, unlike some, manages to make it flow so beautifully with the story that you barely notice.
I'll readily admit, as is normal for me in this genre, that I didn't follow every twist and turn in the story. The nature of the exposition almost encourages this, starting in the middle of the action, barely explaining any of the crazy neologisms (many based on valid science) that it uses. What a ride!
Hard to know exactly what to say about this one.
When I started the book, I was worried there might be more gothic/fantasy elements than sci fi, but there were more than enough fascinating ideas to draw me in. It didn't go in the direction that I had expected/hoped, but the subversion of my expectations ended up interesting in itself. It kind of goes in a more philosophical direction than the sci fi one I'm used to.
I do think that the story probably could have ended several chapters earlier, taking longer to wrap up than I expected. I'd love to read more about the world built in this book, but the last few chapters of this one ended up a bit predictable and strayed from the cool ideas of the first 2/3.
One note about the audiobook - while on the whole it was well done, the French accent was basically impossible to understand (as someone who speaks French, this was frustrating). Might have to flip through a physical copy to see what it looked like in print.
I wasn't a fan of most of the book but I think it redeemed itself for me in the last chapter. The optimistic solarpunk vibes felt bland and the whole “artificial consciousness came and went and no one cared” felt convenient and unrealistic. The naivety of both characters felt ... convenient and unrealistic.
All that said, the question of whether animals, plants, objects, robots are fundamentally or meaningfully different from each other, and whether purpose is important pushes back gently on the simplicity of the utopian vision. I found this part interesting, but wish the characters had been more willing to really get into it!
