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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
This is just a lot of thoughts on academia, power, fighting power, misuse of science, overall fascism, but cobbled together to make a story about research on an alien world. No idea if I am actually enjoying it or not as it feels more like the author just wanted to make political points and while I agree with them, it is not the sort of book I thought I was picking up. It's more like commentary on real life disguised as a scifi book but in an obvious way.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dude does it again. what a fun concept well executed good politics and sharp prose. nothing to not like
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to enjoy this book so much more than I did. There are 1984 vibes, which was the last book I read. It follows an academic who has been imprisoned due to authoritarianism controlling science. It focuses heavily on alien ecology and revolution. It has all the concepts of what could be an AMAZING book.
But it really just didn't deliver for me. First of all, the narrative style just felt sloppy at times, I wasn't a fan. But the bigger issue I have is the overall story behind the story. It's the same issue I have with Tchaikovsky's Children of Time, where the humans are just set to kill and destroy but then they're given an Empathy Upgrade and conflict is resolved. Except here it's the alien ecology infecting the human brain and breaking it into its system. It was very clear once we saw how the aliens worked that there would be a message of "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" and that revolution requires trust and faith in those you are with. And I was so down for that! But then he had the aliens give us a cheat code so we wouldn't have to do any work to really trust that community.
If the third part had revolved around the Marchers interacting with the planet and really understanding how it worked and taking inspiration to build their revolution, showing that if given some hope and a push in the right direction, humans CAN overcome tyranny, this book might have made it to five stars. But I was so let down by what felt like a cop-out.
But it really just didn't deliver for me. First of all, the narrative style just felt sloppy at times, I wasn't a fan. But the bigger issue I have is the overall story behind the story. It's the same issue I have with Tchaikovsky's Children of Time, where the humans are just set to kill and destroy but then they're given an Empathy Upgrade and conflict is resolved. Except here it's the alien ecology infecting the human brain and breaking it into its system. It was very clear once we saw how the aliens worked that there would be a message of "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" and that revolution requires trust and faith in those you are with. And I was so down for that! But then he had the aliens give us a cheat code so we wouldn't have to do any work to really trust that community.
If the third part had revolved around the Marchers interacting with the planet and really understanding how it worked and taking inspiration to build their revolution, showing that if given some hope and a push in the right direction, humans CAN overcome tyranny, this book might have made it to five stars. But I was so let down by what felt like a cop-out.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
Top-notch. Interesting plot, fascinating worldbuilding, an engaging narrator with a perfect sense of dry humor. The book also seamlessly weaves together the biological and the political in a frankly brilliant way. Very interested to read more Tchaikovsky!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
I liked the science writing in this, especially the exploration of symbiosis as a key driver in evolution; although all the scientists in the novel being really confounded by this was quite annoying as there was very little of Kiln's biology that isn't founded in real but strange earth organisms. I can admit this is a special interest issue on my part.
However, the politics of the authoritarian overlords was overwritten and underbaked, smacking you round the head with telling you THE THEMES, lest you are too stupid to pick up on any of them organically.
However, the politics of the authoritarian overlords was overwritten and underbaked, smacking you round the head with telling you THE THEMES, lest you are too stupid to pick up on any of them organically.
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes