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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
This was a great third installment to Scalzi's Interdependency trilogy, with our favorite characters attempting to sustain the lives of billions for as long as possible before the "flows" between systems collapse and humans are marooned in disconnected and unsustainable habitats. Lord Marce, Lady Kiva, and the Emperox herself are back in the story, and, if you like these characters, you get to spend a lot more time with them. Kiva Lagos continues to be a hilarious creation with her new relationship opening up possibilities (and new occasions for profanity), and the palace interface that allows for Emperox Grayland II to consult all of her imperial predecessors continues to be fascinating. I'm impressed with Scalzi's willingness to not pull any punches as he advances along this series, and I will certainly be reading the next volume. I also hope this becomes a series of movies for TV seasons at some point, because I think it will be a pleasure to watch just as it is a pleasure to read. Strangely appropriate work for the period we're living through (climate change is of course central to this book's key questions), still human and affectionate even when the outcomes of certain plot developments are brutal.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Old school, social commentary science fiction. Humanity builds an interdependent future where, intentionally or not, more and more of the total wealth accumulates in a small number of hands, but everyone has a sufficient standard of living that the masses tolerate it. Then the infrastructure starts to catastrophically fail. The 1% observe: “It’s the end of civilization as we know it. And it’s going to be great for business.” Mercifully, the chief executive ("The Last Emperox" in question) is of the masses and decides that she's going to do her damnest to keep everyone alive.
But it's hard, and harder now because generations have put off dealing with the problem. As the Sir Malcolm of the story, Kiva Lagos, summarizes it:
Good people are mostly good; bad people are mostly bad; and Kiva swears enough that Sir Malcolm would give her a grudging nod of respect. And indeed she did go far.
It's a hard book. There's a character death that really hurts. And it's eerily timed. I suspect Scalzi was thinking catastrophic climate change when he started the series; now we're teetering between devastating worldwide pandemic and devastating depression.
But it's also quite Utopian and hopeful. Aside from all the corpses.
Well worth the time.
But it's hard, and harder now because generations have put off dealing with the problem. As the Sir Malcolm of the story, Kiva Lagos, summarizes it:
whenever selfish humans encountered a wrenching, life-altering crisis, they embarked on a journey of five distinct stages:
1. Denial.
2. Denial.
3. Denial.
4. Fucking Denial.
5. Oh shit everything is terrible grab what you can and run.”
Good people are mostly good; bad people are mostly bad; and Kiva swears enough that Sir Malcolm would give her a grudging nod of respect. And indeed she did go far.
It's a hard book. There's a character death that really hurts. And it's eerily timed. I suspect Scalzi was thinking catastrophic climate change when he started the series; now we're teetering between devastating worldwide pandemic and devastating depression.
But it's also quite Utopian and hopeful. Aside from all the corpses.
Well worth the time.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yup, this went out with a bang. I thought the twists and turns of the last book were good but holy shit this one put the pedal to the metal. It did still follow a sort of formula all three books fall into, but it did so in a way that still had a number of crazy surprises. This book had me guffawing at multiple points in a great way, including the biggest twist that made me sit up and about, “WHAT?!” I needed to take a break after that one.
Accessible yet thrilling and surprising, The Interdependency trilogy, especially with these last two books, have beautifully hooked me to the writing of John Scalzi. I can’t wait to read more!
Accessible yet thrilling and surprising, The Interdependency trilogy, especially with these last two books, have beautifully hooked me to the writing of John Scalzi. I can’t wait to read more!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Frankly it's a shitty cop out from an author so shit he can't come up with a good ending. Then the author somehow tries to blame how long it to to write on supreme overlord Trump. What a massive cucktard.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
slow-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:
Complicated
Fine. Sad. Third ones are always tricky.
adventurous
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
Satisfyingly twisty, with compelling characters. Not sure I love everything about the ending, but it worked.