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faroresdragn's review
3.0
The premise of this book is pretty interesting, and the author goes to really neat places with it, though the idea of a permanent afterlife kind of reduces the importance of espionage in the living world, which is the entire plot of the book. But I also really liked the idea of what the soviets would have done if they got their hands on soul technology.
laurii's review against another edition
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.
kittymamers's review against another edition
2.0
lugesin seda raamatut tegelt spst, et tahtsin näha, kuidas tõlge on. tõlge on väga hea!
aga muidu... selgelt ei ole minu raamat. mulle meeldib see alternatiivajaloo element (tegevus toimub 1938. aasta lõpus, aga maailmas, kus tuumafüüsika asemel möllatakse surmajärgse eluga). mulle meeldib see teaduse osa sellest teadusulmest (kuidas vaimud elavate maailmas ringi liikuda saavad, kuidas käib suhtlus jne)... aga ma ei saa absoluutselt mitte midagi aru sellest spioonidraamast, mis seal toimub. kes on kelle poolt, kes on hea, kes on paha, kes on agent, kes on topeltagent, misasi see topeltagent üldse on? ma ei tea ja mind tegelt ka väga ei huvita :( nii et selles osas oli raske lugemine, venis ja ei edenenud. lõpuks ikka ühtteist sai selgeks ja kui kohe otsast peale uuesti loeks, saaks juba paremini aru, aga ei olnud nii huvitav, et seda teha. siiski, kellele sellised asjad meeldivad, nende jaoks võiks see olla täpselt selline asi, mis neile meeldib, nii et lugege ikka, kui spioonid meeldivad :)
aga muidu... selgelt ei ole minu raamat. mulle meeldib see alternatiivajaloo element (tegevus toimub 1938. aasta lõpus, aga maailmas, kus tuumafüüsika asemel möllatakse surmajärgse eluga). mulle meeldib see teaduse osa sellest teadusulmest (kuidas vaimud elavate maailmas ringi liikuda saavad, kuidas käib suhtlus jne)... aga ma ei saa absoluutselt mitte midagi aru sellest spioonidraamast, mis seal toimub. kes on kelle poolt, kes on hea, kes on paha, kes on agent, kes on topeltagent, misasi see topeltagent üldse on? ma ei tea ja mind tegelt ka väga ei huvita :( nii et selles osas oli raske lugemine, venis ja ei edenenud. lõpuks ikka ühtteist sai selgeks ja kui kohe otsast peale uuesti loeks, saaks juba paremini aru, aga ei olnud nii huvitav, et seda teha. siiski, kellele sellised asjad meeldivad, nende jaoks võiks see olla täpselt selline asi, mis neile meeldib, nii et lugege ikka, kui spioonid meeldivad :)
fleshemoji's review
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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 against another edition
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
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