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quorumbutton's review
While the world/premise seems interesting (AI religious trauma, transhumanism and cyborgs, etc etc), the execution was more bewildering than engaging. This was an example of "drop the reader in the world without explanation" that didn't work for me.
The characters also didn't really draw me in -- I wanted to like Sunai, but his intense self-loathing and self-destructive behavior turned me off. Honestly everyone in the book just seemed like they were miserable, traumatized, and angry. Coupled with my personal squick of mindfuckery being the main plot-component driving a story forward, I dropped this.
The characters also didn't really draw me in -- I wanted to like Sunai, but his intense self-loathing and self-destructive behavior turned me off. Honestly everyone in the book just seemed like they were miserable, traumatized, and angry. Coupled with my personal squick of mindfuckery being the main plot-component driving a story forward, I dropped this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
kal517's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
rei_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
I don’t know how to rate this one. On one hand, I really enjoyed reading it. I liked the characters and narrative voice, and was invested in what was happening.
On the other hand, I was often confused and I’m not sure I could summarize exactly what happened, even by the end of the book. Between pretty complex world building and all the AI stuff, shifting narrative voices, and characters who constantly don’t want to admit things to themselves or say things out loud, plus an element of mystery or at least the unknown, it’s sometimes hard to grasp exactly what’s going on. I think it’s a credit to the author that I enjoyed it as much as I did in spite of being confused. I wish it was all clearer though.
On the other hand, I was often confused and I’m not sure I could summarize exactly what happened, even by the end of the book. Between pretty complex world building and all the AI stuff, shifting narrative voices, and characters who constantly don’t want to admit things to themselves or say things out loud, plus an element of mystery or at least the unknown, it’s sometimes hard to grasp exactly what’s going on. I think it’s a credit to the author that I enjoyed it as much as I did in spite of being confused. I wish it was all clearer though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Body horror
Moderate: Alcohol, Gore, War, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual content
batesbarb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
solari's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book doesnt pull its punches, and doesnt spoonfeed you worldbuilding. Its more about the trauma and the grief than robot fights. Whether this trauma is generational, interpersonal, or divinely wrought, all of it is done so well and believeablly. It speaks to the quality of writting as a whole as amazing. Id watching this movie, tv series, anything. I need more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty
devynreadsnovels's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, and Gore
Minor: Cannibalism, Torture, Kidnapping, War, Drug use, Alcohol, Self harm, Gore, and Toxic friendship
justkyliep's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Being a bit of a lunatic, he hopes he's about to meet a god.
The Archive Undying is a brilliant example of exactly the sort of weird science fantasy I love to sink my teeth into. Sunai, with his dry wit and his disaster decision making skills, quickly won me over as he find himself in the middle of a one-night-stand-turned-Harbor-moderated-expedition he has no business being part of. As the expedition complicates and reveals conspirators reaching far beyond a scientific excursion, readers are led into a mind-and-reality bending reconstruction of the past. While this book is fairly niche in genre in content, it's bound to find its people with lovers of jealous and possessive AIs, visceral description, and big-ass bone robots.
The truest strength of The Archive Undying lays with its structure. Candon's narrative reveals very little plainly and constantly overwrites the character you think you know with new revelations. Even reality, as Sunai experiences it, is left with memory gaps and uncertain data. Like Sunai, I found myself trapped in a desire to trust despite unquestionable doubts. It is exciting and frustrating to be so thoroughly taken down the rabbit hole with a character that has every reason to doubt their own perceptions. I also find this feeds perfectly into the themes of being trapped in an unwell (or slowly healing) body.
I would especially recommend this book to enjoyers of Piranesi, Harrow the Ninth, A Memory Called Empire, and This is How You Lose the Time War.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor/Forge for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The truest strength of The Archive Undying lays with its structure. Candon's narrative reveals very little plainly and constantly overwrites the character you think you know with new revelations. Even reality, as Sunai experiences it, is left with memory gaps and uncertain data. Like Sunai, I found myself trapped in a desire to trust despite unquestionable doubts. It is exciting and frustrating to be so thoroughly taken down the rabbit hole with a character that has every reason to doubt their own perceptions. I also find this feeds perfectly into the themes of being trapped in an unwell (or slowly healing) body.
I would especially recommend this book to enjoyers of Piranesi, Harrow the Ninth, A Memory Called Empire, and This is How You Lose the Time War.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor/Forge for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, and Body horror
Moderate: Cannibalism and Confinement
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