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parksystems's review against another edition
3.0
i really wanted to like this book, and was very dedicated to the cause of reading it. but sometimes i really had to drag myself through it. it would slip into explaining slumps of the most boring variety. sometimes i felt annoyingly jostled by the consistent shift in first person each chapter. the chapters can be only a page or two, and going between the perspective of an AI, to a feng shui elder, and.. and.. and.... and always only to return back to the most boring white guy.
however, even more aggravatingly, was the mediocre white dude at the center. i recognize the message of this book was ultimately (and sometimes too self-consciously) meant to be one of equality, and made an effort to include diverse peoples. but this somehow makes it even more sad that in the end most things always come back to the boring white dude as relatable protagonist. i get that this is who we, in all our variety but sharing our upbringings within white patriarchy, are most capable of connecting with. "hey, he's a *good guy*" sure, but my god is he just the soggiest oatmeal person and his transformation into having a backbone because a radical brave asian woman *needed him* feels cringey manic pixie dream girl for me, personally.
however, in retrospect, considering what ive gained from reading this and how much more it could have focused on boring white man, i get that the distributed perspective was potentially the most valuable element. like it i feel similarly retroactively appreciative of the over-explaining. i gained considerable knowledge about so many things through the stories off-road information overloads. and most of all, in my reasons for the stars im giving it, i really like that it tried to tackle and unravel very pressing present geopolitics, technology, etc. but overall, i cant really recommend this book - read a summary of this and read the mars trilogy instead.
however, even more aggravatingly, was the mediocre white dude at the center. i recognize the message of this book was ultimately (and sometimes too self-consciously) meant to be one of equality, and made an effort to include diverse peoples. but this somehow makes it even more sad that in the end most things always come back to the boring white dude as relatable protagonist. i get that this is who we, in all our variety but sharing our upbringings within white patriarchy, are most capable of connecting with. "hey, he's a *good guy*" sure, but my god is he just the soggiest oatmeal person and his transformation into having a backbone because a radical brave asian woman *needed him* feels cringey manic pixie dream girl for me, personally.
however, in retrospect, considering what ive gained from reading this and how much more it could have focused on boring white man, i get that the distributed perspective was potentially the most valuable element. like it i feel similarly retroactively appreciative of the over-explaining. i gained considerable knowledge about so many things through the stories off-road information overloads. and most of all, in my reasons for the stars im giving it, i really like that it tried to tackle and unravel very pressing present geopolitics, technology, etc. but overall, i cant really recommend this book - read a summary of this and read the mars trilogy instead.
kerstincullen's review against another edition
3.0
I am not really sure what happened in the plot, but the ideas were fantastic, the characters interesting, and the writing enjoyable. This book is really about communism and China, although there are some low G moon jungle gym habitats too.
I really love Kim Stanley Robinson, but this is not my favorite novel by him. Still, I enjoyed it.
I really love Kim Stanley Robinson, but this is not my favorite novel by him. Still, I enjoyed it.
modernviking's review against another edition
4.0
Everything to do with the Moon in this is secondary to the political plotline. Interesting take from the author on geopolitics, and internal, in another 30 some years. Unfortunately, it loses all sense of possibility when somehow climate change isn't even mentioned.
jjfragier13's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
the_slackening's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Too wordy in between scenes. I like the scenes with Fred and Qi, that was about it.
ainsleym's review against another edition
My library copy of this book described it as being about "space exploration and political revolution" but after 200 pages it's about neither. My best description is that this is a non-thrilling thriller, where there are secret organizations and conspiracies and all sorts of interesting things that aren't really important to the characters or plot. Not my thing, will be returning to the library and probably won't ever come back to this.
jhallobc's review against another edition
1.0
I planned to give this book two stars until the last page, which caused me to look for a zero star option.
Remember when you were a kid, playing cops and robbers, but really just running back and forth between being captured "in jail" and getting chased? That's this book. With bonus Chinese poetry and philosophy that you really don't want or need.
I've liked most of what I've read from KSR, but if this is his new direction, I'm out.
Remember when you were a kid, playing cops and robbers, but really just running back and forth between being captured "in jail" and getting chased? That's this book. With bonus Chinese poetry and philosophy that you really don't want or need.
I've liked most of what I've read from KSR, but if this is his new direction, I'm out.
scottpm's review against another edition
1.0
Nope just not for me. Far too long and heavy handed writing that seemed to go in circles.