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tvil's review
3.0
This is a very short interquel set between [b:Blindsight|48484|Blindsight (Firefall, #1)|Peter Watts|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924412s/48484.jpg|47428] and [b:Echopraxia|18490708|Echopraxia (Firefall, #2)|Peter Watts|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1380224957s/18490708.jpg|26174428], introducing a couple of characters and concepts from the latter, and setting the stage for it. As an appetizer it works fine, but I recommend reading it between those books; it didn't really explain any more about anything than I already knew from reading Echopraxia. It did explain a bit more about the state of the Earth and its government than the novels, however.
aardrian's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jonathanwallace's review
3.0
Some of what I enjoyed so much about Blindsight was repeated here and wasn't as novel.
pastathief's review against another edition
3.0
This was fine as a little interstitial scene between novels, but it's very short and very little happens in it. I fell like it would have been better to distribute it as a free teaser of sorts appended to the end of the previous novel, or as a prologue for the next, rather than presenting it like a separate work.
robotwitch's review
3.0
I didn't realise that this story in fact falls between Blindsight and Echopraxia, which I read much earlier in the year. Because of this, the details of how Echopraxia begins are lost on me. I couldn't remember how this short lines up with it. It was a good short, and I do really still feel affection for Jim Moore. But it takes a while for me to sink into Watts' writing style, which 30 pages doesn't provide enough room for.
nataliya_x's review
A short story set between Peter Watts’ [b:Blindsight|48484|Blindsight (Firefall, #1)|Peter Watts|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924412l/48484._SX50_.jpg|47428] (which I liked quite a bit) and [b:Echopraxia|18490708|Echopraxia (Firefall, #2)|Peter Watts|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380224957l/18490708._SX50_.jpg|26174428] which I’m about to start.
I understand it’s meant to be a sort of a prologue to [b:Echopraxia|18490708|Echopraxia (Firefall, #2)|Peter Watts|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380224957l/18490708._SX50_.jpg|26174428] and introduces the idea of hive minds — with non-hive-minded humans viewed by those hives as derided “baselines” whose brains cannot grasp anything that the hive mind can. Obviously.
Siri Keeton’s father misses his son, 14 years later. He gets a glimmer of hope for his son’s return. The end.
Oh, and there’s a cat with PTSD.
I can’t rate this one, really. It’s a sketch, a teaser trailer, I suppose. Hopefully it helped me prepare for [b:Echopraxia|18490708|Echopraxia (Firefall, #2)|Peter Watts|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380224957l/18490708._SX50_.jpg|26174428], in which case it served its purpose.
I understand it’s meant to be a sort of a prologue to [b:Echopraxia|18490708|Echopraxia (Firefall, #2)|Peter Watts|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380224957l/18490708._SX50_.jpg|26174428] and introduces the idea of hive minds — with non-hive-minded humans viewed by those hives as derided “baselines” whose brains cannot grasp anything that the hive mind can. Obviously.
Siri Keeton’s father misses his son, 14 years later. He gets a glimmer of hope for his son’s return. The end.
Oh, and there’s a cat with PTSD.
I can’t rate this one, really. It’s a sketch, a teaser trailer, I suppose. Hopefully it helped me prepare for [b:Echopraxia|18490708|Echopraxia (Firefall, #2)|Peter Watts|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380224957l/18490708._SX50_.jpg|26174428], in which case it served its purpose.
igemona's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
cepums's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
arkron's review
2.0
Full review at my blog.
Prerequisite: Read [b:Blindsight|48484|Blindsight (Firefall, #1)|Peter Watts|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924412s/48484.jpg|47428]. Otherwise: Fail to understand.
Prerequisite: Read [b:Blindsight|48484|Blindsight (Firefall, #1)|Peter Watts|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924412s/48484.jpg|47428]. Otherwise: Fail to understand.
bonriki's review
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
Short story bridging Blindsight and Echopraxia (which I have not read yet). This is setting the stage for events that I assume will come into full relevancy in Echopraxia but even so it explores themes of the technological singularity and maintaining baseline human relevancy without relying on technological modification.