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shottel's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
World Running Down isn’t innovating, but that’s okay. It’s solid fiction, set a couple generations after rich people jump ship to a new planet after deciding that earth is a lost cause. A few large cities remain the last bastions of prosperity, while outside their borders things somewhat resemble Mad Max. In this environment Valentine, a trans guy trying to scrape together enough money to buy a visa to one of the cities, takes a job that sends him down a path that involves a lot of reflection about what it means to be sentient and our duty to others and the environment. Less high-falutin, there’s also a lot of gay emotions and some sex. It’s a genuinely enjoyable novel, especially if you like more reflective fiction or trans or gay main characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Dysphoria, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Animal death, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
meshell's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
World Running Down by Al Hess was such an interesting exploration of identity, friendship, artificial intelligence, and what a peri-apocalyptic future might look like, and left me with a lot to think about.
There is the archetype of the gated city of splendour and the surrounding communities of struggle and strife, but both are shown with care I think. On that note, I was intrigued by some of the settings of the story - and I thought the world building was brilliant:
- Salt Lake City as a gated city of plenty, run by artificial intelligences called Stewards, and a human council.
- Several outer communities in varied states of anti-technology, stealing from travellers, but in a way that was implied to be subsistence based rather than just based around cruelty like some of the city based "respectable" criminals. There is a designated queer community.
There is a love story, some unexpected allies, a mystery, ADHD rep, and queer, trans rep. It's got a great combination of cozy and adventure - and just some deep conversations. I think there is a lot going on in this book, and I think for the most part, it was really well done.
There is the archetype of the gated city of splendour and the surrounding communities of struggle and strife, but both are shown with care I think. On that note, I was intrigued by some of the settings of the story - and I thought the world building was brilliant:
- Salt Lake City as a gated city of plenty, run by artificial intelligences called Stewards, and a human council.
- Several outer communities in varied states of anti-technology, stealing from travellers, but in a way that was implied to be subsistence based rather than just based around cruelty like some of the city based "respectable" criminals. There is a designated queer community.
There is a love story, some unexpected allies, a mystery, ADHD rep, and queer, trans rep. It's got a great combination of cozy and adventure - and just some deep conversations. I think there is a lot going on in this book, and I think for the most part, it was really well done.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, Transphobia, Classism, Violence, and Sexual content
alyssamayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I loved reading a book with a trans character in my hometown of Salt Lake City! I loved the characters and the conversation about AI sentience.
I wish there had been more mention of the mountains
I wish there had been more mention of the mountains
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Animal death, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
tigger89's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I don't go for main-plot romantic books too often, but I'm glad I made this exception. Both Valentine and Osric were wonderful characters in complicated situations, and I enjoyed watching them fumble around with each other. Yes, this is that kind of book: light on the steam, and heavy on the awkward discovery. And it's well-justified awkwardness, given that one of the heroes is an AI who only recently had to use a physical body. While I'm aware comparisons of transgender people with robots isn't everyone's cup of tea, it's worth noting that the author is himself a trans man, and it's more nuanced than it might sound at first glance. For example, Osric experiences dysphoria from his physical form not being like the distributed consciousness he'd previously inhabited; the fact that his body is artificial/non-human isn't the point of comparison.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting's vibe. It has a wonderful futuristic-yet-retro vibe that reminds me a bit of the Fallout universe(in fact, I wonder if the main character's name isn't a reference to Nick Valentine, from Fallout 4), except throwing back to a time that's a little earlier than the atomic age. I also liked the way the Mormon community the group encounters was used in this story. As someone who has known LGBTQ Mormons, I'm aware the situation isn't quite as black and white as many people might think, and I appreciated this take on what one offshoot community might look like in the future.
As a bonus, Al Hess is a talented artist. In addition to painting the cover of the book(!), he drew portraits of many of the main and secondary characters. Two — Valentine and Osric — are included at the front of the book, and the rest can be found on his website.
My biggest gripe with the book is that some plot threads seemed to be left dangling. The most egregious was the part about the mutant animals, which got built up and then just dropped. I don't care how sweet it is when our two leads kiss, I wanna know what was up with the mad science! But if you're reading primarily for the romance and characters, you shouldn't have any issues with this, as I feel that half of the plot was wrapped up very nicely. I can't promise you won't yell at the characters and pitch the book across the room, however, but isn't that just a sign of being invested in a good drama?
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting's vibe. It has a wonderful futuristic-yet-retro vibe that reminds me a bit of the Fallout universe(in fact, I wonder if the main character's name isn't a reference to Nick Valentine, from Fallout 4), except throwing back to a time that's a little earlier than the atomic age. I also liked the way the Mormon community the group encounters was used in this story. As someone who has known LGBTQ Mormons, I'm aware the situation isn't quite as black and white as many people might think, and I appreciated this take on what one offshoot community might look like in the future.
As a bonus, Al Hess is a talented artist. In addition to painting the cover of the book(!), he drew portraits of many of the main and secondary characters. Two — Valentine and Osric — are included at the front of the book, and the rest can be found on his website.
My biggest gripe with the book is that some plot threads seemed to be left dangling. The most egregious was the part about the mutant animals, which got built up and then just dropped. I don't care how sweet it is when our two leads kiss, I wanna know what was up with the mad science! But if you're reading primarily for the romance and characters, you shouldn't have any issues with this, as I feel that half of the plot was wrapped up very nicely. I can't promise you won't yell at the characters and pitch the book across the room, however, but isn't that just a sign of being invested in a good drama?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Alcohol, Trafficking, Violence, Deadnaming, and Sexual content
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