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most_trusted_lieutenant's review against another edition
1.0
This is light SF, and basically epic fantasy in space. Which came as a surprise, since I've read a lot of reviews/opinions saying that the book is strong/hard/confusing, and with math defining the laws of the world.
But the math words here don't have any meaning, they don't refer to real math concepts. Instead, they describe the magical effects that Hexarchate (our galactic empire) uses in warfare. Like the "Basis Vector Ideal Field" instead of Field of Faith. This does not make the descriptions less imaginative, though.
Apart from this, which I expected to be the specialty of the book, it feels heavy on tropes. Galactic empire is hegemonial and organized in factions, members of which all have the same character traits. The people get comments like "That's so [Faction Name]" a lot. Soldier faction is blunt, unimaginative, down-to-earth, taking pride in the most inappropriate jokes ever heard in Hexarchate. Spy faction can't greet you without starting some kind of game. Our MC has a mentor, whom she has substantial reasons to despise, but of course he actually has the heart of gold.
Worldbuilding concepts of calendrical system of beliefs and formation instinct are great and in the vein of what I wanted to get from the book, but they appear in purely epic-fantasy-style situations, which is not how I'd like to explore them. More info on society, utilities and minutiae would be more interesting to me than endless intrigue.
But the math words here don't have any meaning, they don't refer to real math concepts. Instead, they describe the magical effects that Hexarchate (our galactic empire) uses in warfare. Like the "Basis Vector Ideal Field" instead of Field of Faith. This does not make the descriptions less imaginative, though.
Apart from this, which I expected to be the specialty of the book, it feels heavy on tropes. Galactic empire is hegemonial and organized in factions, members of which all have the same character traits. The people get comments like "That's so [Faction Name]" a lot. Soldier faction is blunt, unimaginative, down-to-earth, taking pride in the most inappropriate jokes ever heard in Hexarchate. Spy faction can't greet you without starting some kind of game. Our MC has a mentor, whom she has substantial reasons to despise, but of course he actually has the heart of gold.
Worldbuilding concepts of calendrical system of beliefs and formation instinct are great and in the vein of what I wanted to get from the book, but they appear in purely epic-fantasy-style situations, which is not how I'd like to explore them. More info on society, utilities and minutiae would be more interesting to me than endless intrigue.
timinbc's review against another edition
4.0
Three stars plus one for sheer audacity.
And I'm filing it as a fantasy.
I'm sure I have never seen a book in which the proportions of content were like this one.
Let's see ... 15% plot, 45% handwaving and 40% outright BS.
It's ridiculous.
And it's unputdownable.
I'm going to read the next one, and at the end I fully expect that I will hate both of them with an eternal fire. But by golly, I *will* read it.
I have a math degree, maybe I'm biased.
And I was NOT pleased with the part of the ending where Bah.
And I'm filing it as a fantasy.
I'm sure I have never seen a book in which the proportions of content were like this one.
Let's see ... 15% plot, 45% handwaving and 40% outright BS.
It's ridiculous.
And it's unputdownable.
I'm going to read the next one, and at the end I fully expect that I will hate both of them with an eternal fire. But by golly, I *will* read it.
I have a math degree, maybe I'm biased.
And I was NOT pleased with the part of the ending where
Spoiler
everyone on the ship is very, very dead, except one. Guess who is the lucky one?tregina's review against another edition
4.0
Really impressed with the ways that I was enveloped by the world and drawn into the story, dropped right into the deep end but nonetheless never feeling like I wouldn't be given the tools to understand what was happening. I have a lot of thoughts I need to let simmer a little before I try to articulate them, starting with the fact that it quickly becomes clear we're asked to identify with the oppressors in these particular conflicts, so hopefully I'll remember to come back and delve a little deeper into that.
polarbear2023's review against another edition
Gave it a shot it was nice military writing but geniniynely way too much info like chill out
jesshaleth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
3.25
I understood about 65% of this book. Read 100% of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Child death, and Rape
queenofglitches's review against another edition
Third attempt and I cannot connect with the writing style. Tried Yoon Ha Lee before and while he has interesting ideas, the execution usually doesn't gel with me.
galexywitch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? Yes
3.5