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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
This book was amazing.
Learning that Dickinson originally wrote it as a series of novellas made a ton of sense. As a single novel, the genre of this story hops around a lot (while always staying in the overall umbrella of science fiction), from a slipstream examination of the horrible ways trauma will fuck you up as an adult to a Michael Crichton thriller to Independence Day if it was realistic to *REDACTED FOR SPOILERS*. Through it all the characters are complex and weird and even when I agree with them most are generally unlikeable but in that wonderfully fascinating way that makes me constantly want to see what they will do or say next. They are all very charismatic. There are also at least two prominent PoV characters that are actually very likeable, and gay, so that rocks.
This book was also gross, some really spine-tingling body horror, some fascinating big ideas, a whole heaping of ETHICS (in the best way), some really fun action, and some of the coolest aliens/worldbuilding I've ever read. I'm extremely pleased to report that Seth Dickinson is capable of writing incredible books that aren't Baru, and I'm incredibly excited to read whatever he writes next.
Learning that Dickinson originally wrote it as a series of novellas made a ton of sense. As a single novel, the genre of this story hops around a lot (while always staying in the overall umbrella of science fiction), from a slipstream examination of the horrible ways trauma will fuck you up as an adult to a Michael Crichton thriller to Independence Day if it was realistic to *REDACTED FOR SPOILERS*. Through it all the characters are complex and weird and even when I agree with them most are generally unlikeable but in that wonderfully fascinating way that makes me constantly want to see what they will do or say next. They are all very charismatic. There are also at least two prominent PoV characters that are actually very likeable, and gay, so that rocks.
This book was also gross, some really spine-tingling body horror, some fascinating big ideas, a whole heaping of ETHICS (in the best way), some really fun action, and some of the coolest aliens/worldbuilding I've ever read. I'm extremely pleased to report that Seth Dickinson is capable of writing incredible books that aren't Baru, and I'm incredibly excited to read whatever he writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Initially put off by some of the early character writing, but a rare science fiction book I absolutely devoured; incredible character writing, would compare it to a less evil Dennis Cooper by way of House of Psychotic Women in the Annihilation universe. Made me understand the concept of “blorbos”. There’s a scene near the end where the world has been annihilated and one of the protagonist takes alien blood molly and talks about how much she wants to have a threesome with two men who want to kill and/or fuck each other
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
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:
Yes
If you're considering this read because you love Baru Cormorant, you'll likely be disappointed. This is more like Please Undo This Hurt or Kumara or my personal favorite, Testimony Before an Emergency Session of The Naval Cephalopod Command.
I struggle to describe it but if pressed I can say it's solid hard sci-fi; heavy with jargon and nerdy pop culture references, a searing exploration of what impells people to violence, and reminiscent of Michael Chrichton in tone and diction.
If you're on the fence, read the short story Anna Saves Them All first.
I struggle to describe it but if pressed I can say it's solid hard sci-fi; heavy with jargon and nerdy pop culture references, a searing exploration of what impells people to violence, and reminiscent of Michael Chrichton in tone and diction.
If you're on the fence, read the short story Anna Saves Them All first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Drug use, Homophobia, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Abandonment
FIVE STARS, NO NOTES.
if this was a movie, the ost would slap
if this was a movie, the ost would slap
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, War
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It feels like I’ve been reading this forever. It’s so slow and bogged down with math and physics as if the author is just showing off—it doesn’t add anything to the story. I feel such relief at just DNFing it. lol