Reviews

I loved this! I always want a bit more from a universe when I'm reading a series and this collection of stories was perfect for that! Though of course it just left me wanting even more

staticmemories's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.0

hivequeen's review

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4.0

Definitely worth a read for anyone who enjoyed the main series!

meemzter's review

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4.0

This collection of short stories (+ a novella) set in Lee's Hexarchate is a no-brainer for anyone who liked Machineries of Empire. If you haven't read Machineries of Empire, probably don't read this! (But do go read Ninefox Gambit immediately, please and thank you.)

The stories vary in length - many are very, very short (2-3 pages). They also vary quite a bit in their degree of feeling ""canon."" Honestly a lot of this collection feels like fan-fiction, in the sense that there is a fair amount of "slice of life" or "what if..." storytelling here. If you love these characters, it's a lot of fun. There are also author's notes accompanying each story which make this collection feel like a cozy sit down with Yoon Ha Lee.

Having said that, I think that playing around in the sandbox of this universe serves a very different purpose from the original trilogy, which was wildly ambitious and epic. I had fun reading this, and the novella was SO fun - like if I had dreamed up an alternate ending to Revenant Gun it probably would have looked something like this - but I think for me.... in terms of how I personally think of MoE as a series, Revenant Gun is still the end.

Anyways, if you're a fan of the Hexarchate, you really can't NOT read this book. Them's the facts. If you loved MoE because of Cheris/Jedao, there's a lot to love here. So enjoy!

stephenmeansme's review against another edition

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adventurous dark lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Content Warnings

kleonard's review

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5.0

Excellent, clever, and often funny stories mostly about Shuos Jedao, a primary character from Lee's trilogy set in the same universe. drawing on Lee's own experiences as an Asian-American in Texas. I loved these origin stories and escapades and gaining an even better feel for the world in which they're set. I recommend these stories and the full Machineries of Empire series.

kbhenrickson's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed the stories in this collection, which mostly have a lighter tone than the Hexarchate novels. It was fun to read about Jedao as a kid and learn more about his family as well as take a peek into the lives of some of the other characters. I especially liked the final novella, "Glass Canon," which explores what happens after the end of Revenant Gun. There are also interesting author's notes for each story. If you liked the Machineries of Empire series, I highly recommend following it up with this collection.

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