Reviews

Summerland by Hannu Rajaniemi

laurii's review

2.0

I wish this book was more science fiction and less spy novel. The concept of the afterlife, the city of Summerland, and the Presence were all very interesting, but I think I just don't care for spy stories regardless of how much I like the premise.

fleshemoji's review against another edition

3.0

I feel like there were some really interesting ideas here, in the way the whole concept of the afterlife is utilised, that could really have done with being explored, honestly in favour of the stale trope of women detectives using any means necessary to advance in a job that doesn't care for them, which... I rather like my fantasy/SF either a bit lighter on the shitty reality of my actual lived experience or you know, give me some decent commentary on it if I'm stuck in the same hellish landscape as real life.

Alas, Rajaniemi doesn't go there, and this was neither memorable nor really worth recommending, and certainly a far cry from the absolute gem that the Jean le Flambeur trilogy is.

shane_tiernan's review against another edition

4.0

Can always count on Rajaniemi for cool originality. In this book, one cool idea, the dead can live on in another world and communicate with the living world through technology, spawns MANY cool ideas about the details of how it actually works.

I did get a little lost in the plot with the double and triple agents, but by the end I felt pretty caught up. I also liked that it wasn't 700 pages like many new books nowadays.

bigbeardedbookseller's review against another edition

3.0

Another book that was sold to me by all the hype associated with it.

It isn't a bad book, in fact it has a great idea that seem to be almost executed well, the writing is solid but not sparking.

Would still read more from Hannu Rajaniemi.

megaslippers's review

 The afterlife is real because of mathematics and Brits got their first. Queen Victoria is still in charge in the 1930s. Also there are so many spies? Sounds like exactly my kind of nonsense. Very reminiscent of The Laundry Files. There’s even a quote from Charles Stross on the cover it.

The afterlife exists in the 4th dimension. Rajaniemi has created some wonderful constructs that exist in with 4D space. Really neat and consistent set of mechanics to play by. There’s only one section where I think he goes off the deep end with the Physics chat.

Rajaniemi also plays with alternate history ideas nicely. What Lenin in Summerland is very interesting.

The intrigue and spy stuff is fine. A lot of time is spent in building this wonderful world and the resolution ends up feeling a little rushed. I boshed this out in a few days, it’d appreciate another hundred more pages developing the espionage. I however don’t need a sequel, the ending is nice.

I should go back and read Rajaniemi’s other stuff, it won’t be a high priority as I’m not ready for a series at the moment.

Not sure what’s next, I’ve got about 4 books on the go at the moment. 

oki93's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

sanchokapybara's review

medium-paced

3.0

anzuk's review

medium-paced

1.0

henkka's review against another edition

3.0

The book got quite good and interesting by the end but the first half was a bit of a struggle to connect to. As things started to unfold a bit more the book got a lot more enjoyable to read. At the beginning the book was feeling like 2/5 but by the end it was 4/5.

bericheri's review against another edition

4.0

I don't usually enjoy spy novels but apparently I do when they're set in a post Great War world, where the afterlife exists and death doesn't matter.