Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Did not finish. Reminded me in some ways of the Foundation books. Full of lots of really intriguing concepts, but trying to wrap my head around this idea of a future Earth just made my head hurt.
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Too Like the Lightning is not your typical novel. It’s sci-fi, political intrigue, and philosophical treatise, all in one, with a hefty dose of meta-commentary layered throughout. It challenges many of the norms of writing, and some core aspects of human nature. The plot is focused on deftly unraveling the tangled web of politics that controls this society from the shadows, delivering a constant sense of action and suspense even though not much actually happens. For me, it’s the ending that ruins books like this, if the reveal doesn’t live up to the mystery. Too Like the Lightning avoids that pitfall by leaving much of the mystery for the sequel to reveal.
I loved the world created for this novel, but the story itself wasn't quite as engaging. The story is good, it just seems a bit overwhelmed by it's setting. Also note that this is book one of a two-part novel.
challenging
dark
funny
tense
slow-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
This book started out so incredibly strong. It's probably the most interesting world-building I've ever read, in the way its presented and slowly laid out in conjunction with the sheer size and implications.
But then, around the 300-page mark, it just loses steam. It's as if Palmer got tired of writing a story with the original cast of members, and kept introducing more. Yes - all of them are interesting in their own right. No - making this a soap really didn't feel right.
I'm super happy I picked this book up. I don't like how it's shifting to another genre, but I do really look forward to the rest of the Terra Ignota series.
But then, around the 300-page mark, it just loses steam. It's as if Palmer got tired of writing a story with the original cast of members, and kept introducing more. Yes - all of them are interesting in their own right. No - making this a soap really didn't feel right.
I'm super happy I picked this book up. I don't like how it's shifting to another genre, but I do really look forward to the rest of the Terra Ignota series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture
I cannot say enough good things about this book! It is deliciously, gloriously dense with details that out the author as a hardcore history nerd (Professor, even!). It's combination of utopia + history is so extremely relevant to my interests I still get giddy every time I try to talk about it. :D I finished this this summer (and forgot to mark it 'read' until now!) but as I go about my life, reading about history and philosophy, as one does, I'm constantly learning new things and remembering it being referenced in TLL and getting excited for how rich this book is all over again. For those who aren't really into history or nerdy details/ideas, I'm not sure how they may like it, it might be just as enjoyable read simply as a fantastic utopian book, but it might be difficult to get through, with the flowery language especially. It took even me quite a few chapter to get into the swing of it, but it was DEFINITELY worth it. This is by far my favorite read of the year, and I cannot wait for Book #2 in February!!
This had so much potential. I liked the conceit of tying a futuristic depiction of politically correct self-censorship to the writing style of Ancien Regime authors tailoring their criticisms to the nobles funding and reading their work; and it cleverly suggests that a seeming post-national utopia of progressivism would ultimately create a kind of neo-caste system that mistook kinds of jobs for ideological identity. But it takes very little time for Palmer to establish these foundations and then the book never builds anything out of them, either by fleshing in the world or crafting anything compelling out of its scattershot mystery story. The protagonist is the only character of substance and the political intrigue that is repetitively harped upon never feels like a revelation because it's obvious from the start that this supposedly post-capitalist, post-nationalism world is still deeply enmeshed in personal greed and territorial grievances.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Époustouflant, à couper le souffle.
Once you get past the writing style and the fact that it takes itself very seriously it is a halfway decent novel. Palmer is an excellent world builder.