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flori_pop's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
micaela11's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
zemroner's review
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cityinkwell's review against another edition
5.0
Man I Love Worldbuilding.
If you ever read a timeloop story and thought 'well why don't you just...' this book has got you covered. Mother of Learning is like the most bizarre DnD game you've ever seen, and as the novel progresses you can see the author slowly unfolding and developing just about every conceivable aspect of the world and mechanics therein. If it's mentioned, it's going to get a subplot, no matter what. This is true satisfying time travel, and such an attention to detail that it manages to make plain traditional high fantasy feel like a compelling, living breathing world. You learn about everything from architectural sciences to economics, only dry by way of Zorian's perspective on the matter. Everything has a reason for being, and when something is brought up, there is a tantalizing urge to keep going to see why it was mentioned. This is a SHOCKINGLY tight narrative for a serialized story.
Zorian is also an extremely interesting protagonist to follow, far more than basically any munchkin growth-focused novel I have ever read. At first he seems like your usual cold, antisocial Smart Guy you see in these novels, but as you go on the book explores his psyche and WHY he has that personality, and it sure isn't because he's too clever and intellectual to mix with the rabble. But he IS clever. Zorian has an absolutely comedic level of paranoia and resourcefulness that you later learn to be well-earned, and it leads him to increasingly bizarre leaps in logic that nevertheless keep him safe. His lack of trust in others and hiding behind the 'too focused on education and planning my future' facade helps keep the story feeling like its constantly moving even as he desperately belabours every detail of his plans. You learn to feel for this lead, and you also learn that every time you have a question to the tune of "why don't you X?" Zorian has approximately eight paragraphs across a myriad of chapters of why well, he did think of that, but THINK of the CONSEQUENCES. He is then thrust in a situation absolutely no one could have predicted and leaves that situation thinking 'more paranoia, got it'. 10/10 protagonist
If you ever read a timeloop story and thought 'well why don't you just...' this book has got you covered. Mother of Learning is like the most bizarre DnD game you've ever seen, and as the novel progresses you can see the author slowly unfolding and developing just about every conceivable aspect of the world and mechanics therein. If it's mentioned, it's going to get a subplot, no matter what. This is true satisfying time travel, and such an attention to detail that it manages to make plain traditional high fantasy feel like a compelling, living breathing world. You learn about everything from architectural sciences to economics, only dry by way of Zorian's perspective on the matter. Everything has a reason for being, and when something is brought up, there is a tantalizing urge to keep going to see why it was mentioned. This is a SHOCKINGLY tight narrative for a serialized story.
Zorian is also an extremely interesting protagonist to follow, far more than basically any munchkin growth-focused novel I have ever read. At first he seems like your usual cold, antisocial Smart Guy you see in these novels, but as you go on the book explores his psyche and WHY he has that personality, and it sure isn't because he's too clever and intellectual to mix with the rabble. But he IS clever. Zorian has an absolutely comedic level of paranoia and resourcefulness that you later learn to be well-earned, and it leads him to increasingly bizarre leaps in logic that nevertheless keep him safe. His lack of trust in others and hiding behind the 'too focused on education and planning my future' facade helps keep the story feeling like its constantly moving even as he desperately belabours every detail of his plans. You learn to feel for this lead, and you also learn that every time you have a question to the tune of "why don't you X?" Zorian has approximately eight paragraphs across a myriad of chapters of why well, he did think of that, but THINK of the CONSEQUENCES. He is then thrust in a situation absolutely no one could have predicted and leaves that situation thinking 'more paranoia, got it'. 10/10 protagonist
doostanthereader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cossty's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
not_enough_time's review against another edition
5.0
Just finished this series, waiting for ARC 4. A real page turner which kept me on my toes the entire time. Not amazing in a literally sense but epic nonetheless.
thenightman's review against another edition
3.0
Great story but let down by weak dialogue and characters. 2.5