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crimsoncor's review against another edition
5.0
Terrific world-building and a really fun concept (until you start to think too hard about the horrific world that actually exists under the hexarch). Like super-evil Harry Potter candidate sorting. The story plays out in a way that is both predictable (as main POV character is directing most things) and very unpredictable. This is also made more interesting with the bicameral nature of the main character and the fact that half is very unpredictable, so you have to consider them an unreliable narrator. And who doesn't love them some droids (I mean servitors).
samkb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
ghosty773's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
narratricenessa's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.75
woozy8310's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
m3lwar3's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, War, and Murder
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Grief, Genocide, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Murder, Mental illness, Gun violence, Death, and Colonisation
Minor: Gaslighting, Cursing, and Blood
killersloth's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings. The world building is extremely imaginative and two main characters were very good. But honestly the lack of descriptions and explanations really brought the book down for me. It wasn't just the soft magic system presented as hard magic but with no real rules that matter to the story. That's annoying when it happens, but I can deal with it. But there was just such a lack of descriptions in general. Places, people, etc. were all just left very vague and I felt it was hard to picture and follow what was happening. And because of that it was hard to get invested in the plot.
I listened to the audiobook, and honestly I think this just would have been a MUCH better experience in written format. There are way too many weird names of people, factions, places, ships, etc., plus the in media res approach just made it very difficult. After about 3-4 chapters I actually started over and re-listened so I could try to figure out what was going on.
My favorite part of the book was in the third to last chapter where we get a flashback of Shuos academy. Finally we drop the unintelligible technobabble and get a piece of a tragic human story, in a cool backdrop setting of game design competitions and seduction classes. Give me a whole book of Shuos school, please.
I listened to the audiobook, and honestly I think this just would have been a MUCH better experience in written format. There are way too many weird names of people, factions, places, ships, etc., plus the in media res approach just made it very difficult. After about 3-4 chapters I actually started over and re-listened so I could try to figure out what was going on.
My favorite part of the book was in the third to last chapter where we get a flashback of Shuos academy. Finally we drop the unintelligible technobabble and get a piece of a tragic human story, in a cool backdrop setting of game design competitions and seduction classes. Give me a whole book of Shuos school, please.
yvarg'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
erinsbookshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0