Scott

2026 - Update after 2nd reading.

Apparently I didn't remember the end. Is a coin-toss if I continue the series. I might continue just to flesh out my Cosmere knowledge.

The version I read was really 3 different collection of writings kinda merged together. The first collection which I believe was aimed towards a young family member was more impactful to me. Still a fun quick read.

I remember liking this book more as a youth, but now the characters seem too stratified.

Doesn't spell it out, but reading between the lines and it is just population control. Not sure I will continue the series.

Nice palette cleanser after all these grim-dark fantasy books. A fun story, low stakes and comfy.

Poetry and prose lightly wrapped up in a bit of sci-fi. Fun!

Was closer to a 3.5 stars.

Sort of unsatisfied with the ending, seemed like it was cut way short and just wedged in. Honestly was hoping for a few more books about the other silos.

There was a lot of unexplained stuff
- why did the nano threats die off outside of the field of silos?
- how were the nano threats maintaining just around the silos?
- what was up with the amount of twins from silo 17?
- what happened to the silo 40 and the silo's around it that “went dark”?
- Was Donald getting better? why?


Looks like there are other series about this world, which might answer my questions, will see if they are available at the library.

The story has hooked me and I am enjoying the “world building/destruction”.

Really enjoyed the premise, think it looses the thread towards the very end. I am hoping “Measurement” is a little more fleshed out.

Reminds me a lot of Fallout, but if it was only about the Vaults. Will see how this plays out.

I was a bit surprised at how some character arcs progressed.

I probably have too much of a pedestal for Sid to be impartial.

It was a fun romp about his life and various games development.

I will probably fall into a Civ time sink hole for the next couple weeks.

Up until the last few pages, I felt like it was a great Cthulhuesque sci-horror, not so much sci-fi.

Grading on a scale a bit here. I did not mind the digressions or flaws in his assumptions. I do wish there was a bit more character development. Was mostly interested in Conseil, reminded me a bit of Wodehouse's Jeeves, who was penned much later.

I liked the simple style of the writing more than the actual story/characters.

Very much a quick overview.

A fun simple romp. Pretty ahead of it's time for something 70+ years old. It was formative in the creation of D&D and is mentioned a lot in “Playing at the World”.

Continue on the path, there are some problems that seem to be introduced without instruction, or I am just dense at picking up on the lesson trying to be conveyed.

Goes into good detail about the history of espionage between East & West. Eye opening as to the depth of infiltration that happened on both sides. Last 5% of the book takes an interesting pivot.

“Spy”-cy enough to keep you interested through an in-depth history lesson.

The pivot after 1913 is interesting but very much in the realm of conspiracy.

Factual and an interesting subject. A lot of the backend I am guessing is still classified and a bit shady.

Got to maintain that garden!

Mostly seems like a setup to a bigger world, not sure why this was so popular in the local library/libby rec.

Is interesting, cuts down on some of the extraneous stuff around D&D 5e. Action economy seems intuitive.

Ended up reading 2 different translations, which were mostly alike in concepts and ideas, this translation being a bit more literal.

A bit repetitive, think these are my core “takeaways”

- Don't stress over anything, esp things you have no control over (which is most things)
- Death is coming (see above)
- Don't desire anything (see above)
- Don't care what others [past, current & future] think of you. (see above)
- Everything in nature is as it should be, rejoice in this.
- Rejoice in what you are and what you have.

I think these and most of the “Meditations” work well “locally” in small communities, but are easy to exploit in larger communities.

A bit repetitive, think these are my core “take aways”

- Don't stress over anything, esp things you have no control over (which is most things)
- Death is coming (see above)
- Don't desire anything (see above)
- Don't care what others [past, current & future] think of you. (see above)
- Everything in nature is as it should be, rejoice in this.
- Rejoice in what you are and what you have.

I think these and most of the “Meditations” work well “locally” in small communities, but are easy to exploit in larger communities.