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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
The premise of this book is what drew me to it, along with Aaron’s other work. The deliberate unsettling nature of knowing this was the only book that read exactly this way contributed to the themes of the actual work in ways I did not expect. It’s well worth checking out if you’re interested in experimental storytelling!
Reading of Seed #41589 completed 10/28/21:
Feeling very fortunate to have been able to swap copies with a friend and be able to experience this story in a new way. There were so many differences between them (including character development, completely new scenes, and manner of speaking between the two MCs, as well as of the narrator) that shifted tone for me. While the plot overall follows all of the same beats, I thoroughly enjoyed feeling like I was reading the story of one of the parallel universes (side note: there were also certain scenes, dialogue, and narration that destroyed my heart even more than my original copy did).
Re-read of Seed #40677 10/14/21:
How did this emotionally destroy me even more the second time around?
Feeling very fortunate to have been able to swap copies with a friend and be able to experience this story in a new way. There were so many differences between them (including character development, completely new scenes, and manner of speaking between the two MCs, as well as of the narrator) that shifted tone for me. While the plot overall follows all of the same beats, I thoroughly enjoyed feeling like I was reading the story of one of the parallel universes (side note: there were also certain scenes, dialogue, and narration that destroyed my heart even more than my original copy did).
Re-read of Seed #40677 10/14/21:
How did this emotionally destroy me even more the second time around?
If I read this stand alone with no concept that there were other copies different from this, it'd be a 4* at best (I did quite enjoy my version, especially the ending and the reveal, and as an easily spooked person, the earlier parts of the book had me scared to read at night). However, the overall experience reading this book in parallel with friends, reading a chapter a day and discussing each chapter in detail, was a novel experience I don't think I will have the pleasure of experiencing again. I also loved the theme of no same copies applied to the plot of the book.
Initially, I thought this book would be more like "choose your own adventure" where different copies got different stories. Instead, it's about the same story but how it's told is different (and details here and there differ). It may seem inconsequential but I like to see it as an analogy to reading in general, like reading a translation of a book, or to a greater extent, even the same copy because words can have different meaning to different people.
Initially, I thought this book would be more like "choose your own adventure" where different copies got different stories. Instead, it's about the same story but how it's told is different (and details here and there differ). It may seem inconsequential but I like to see it as an analogy to reading in general, like reading a translation of a book, or to a greater extent, even the same copy because words can have different meaning to different people.
mysterious
slow-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:
Yes
This book seems a little hard to rate cause of the nature of it. I read the audiobook that is freely available as a podcast, which is strand #01896, I believe. The concept is so fascinating and interesting that it's a shame I didn't like the book enough to buy my own, unique copy.
Okay, so the thing most likely to be consistent in every version is the writing style, which was one of my least favorite elements of this novel. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't anything special. The author felt the need to remind us every few minutes that this book doesn't take place now, in 2021. The number of times some element of "this was before X" came up was just unbelievable.
After that would be the characters...which I also didn't like. The lead, Ryan (or Orion?) was terribly bland yet still entirely unlikable. And he suffers from a terrible case of "gay guy completely removed from queer culture and in love with a straight man." Not to mention both the main character and his best friend have terrible, tortured pasts that are only ever hinted at and never fully revealed.
On the plus end, the plot itself wasn't bad, and the setting was absolutely fascinating. The ending almost made up for the rest of it. So worth a try for novelty alone.
Characters: 5
Plot: 7
Setting: 8
General appeal: 5
Writing style: 5
Originality: 7
Ending: 8
Okay, so the thing most likely to be consistent in every version is the writing style, which was one of my least favorite elements of this novel. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't anything special. The author felt the need to remind us every few minutes that this book doesn't take place now, in 2021. The number of times some element of "this was before X" came up was just unbelievable.
After that would be the characters...which I also didn't like. The lead, Ryan (or Orion?) was terribly bland yet still entirely unlikable. And he suffers from a terrible case of "gay guy completely removed from queer culture and in love with a straight man." Not to mention both the main character and his best friend have terrible, tortured pasts that are only ever hinted at and never fully revealed.
On the plus end, the plot itself wasn't bad, and the setting was absolutely fascinating. The ending almost made up for the rest of it. So worth a try for novelty alone.
Characters: 5
Plot: 7
Setting: 8
General appeal: 5
Writing style: 5
Originality: 7
Ending: 8
There's nothing creepier than a weird basement.
When Orion and Nico discover a hidden basement in their old house they are thrilled. They immediately decide to turn it into a big party room. But when they venture down the side hallways they find the basement doesn't end. They find multitudes of drably decorated rooms and other stairways leading down. The basement goes on for miles. What is it? Why is it there? Who is that person standing in the corner? Every page is a new discovery and just when I thought I knew where the story was going I quickly realized I was wrong.
I'm going to be honest. I was doubtful of this book. It's procedurally generated so that every copy is different. So the basement that my Orion and Nico experience will not be that same as your Orion and Nico. But there's no gimmick to be found here. I won't pretend to understand how it works but in execution I can't say I noticed anything that felt computer generated. To me, the knowledge of my copy's uniqueness upped the creepy feeling, like I was exploring my own basement, created just for me.
The story itself, like I said above, took several unexpected turns that I won't get into but I will say that I enjoyed the experience very much. I enjoy books where the characters are discovering the world at the same time as the reader and the exploration and reactions to the basement seem legit and relatable. And Reed does a great job weaving together the explorations of the characters relationships and of the basement. It all fits really well together.
When Orion and Nico discover a hidden basement in their old house they are thrilled. They immediately decide to turn it into a big party room. But when they venture down the side hallways they find the basement doesn't end. They find multitudes of drably decorated rooms and other stairways leading down. The basement goes on for miles. What is it? Why is it there? Who is that person standing in the corner? Every page is a new discovery and just when I thought I knew where the story was going I quickly realized I was wrong.
I'm going to be honest. I was doubtful of this book. It's procedurally generated so that every copy is different. So the basement that my Orion and Nico experience will not be that same as your Orion and Nico. But there's no gimmick to be found here. I won't pretend to understand how it works but in execution I can't say I noticed anything that felt computer generated. To me, the knowledge of my copy's uniqueness upped the creepy feeling, like I was exploring my own basement, created just for me.
The story itself, like I said above, took several unexpected turns that I won't get into but I will say that I enjoyed the experience very much. I enjoy books where the characters are discovering the world at the same time as the reader and the exploration and reactions to the basement seem legit and relatable. And Reed does a great job weaving together the explorations of the characters relationships and of the basement. It all fits really well together.
Take House of Leaves' Navidson Record endless house of horrors, mix in heavy helpings of Dark Matter's parallel universes and sprinkle in some great LGBTQ representation and you get Subcutanean.
This book is creative and fun. The two boys you follow, Niko and Orion, have a fascinating friendship which grows and changes throughout the story. The moments of horror were often delightfully blindsiding and were handled SO well. I finished the story desperately wanting to read it again. And the best part is that I CAN reread it and have it be different the next time through. This book is generated in numerous differing versions so next time I might read a different one to see how the experience changes. This is definitely a book I don't think I'll forget for awhile.
This book is creative and fun. The two boys you follow, Niko and Orion, have a fascinating friendship which grows and changes throughout the story. The moments of horror were often delightfully blindsiding and were handled SO well. I finished the story desperately wanting to read it again. And the best part is that I CAN reread it and have it be different the next time through. This book is generated in numerous differing versions so next time I might read a different one to see how the experience changes. This is definitely a book I don't think I'll forget for awhile.
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting exploration of multiple worlds via 2 friends exploring a strange labyrinth under their house...
I have a very personal connection to this book because I moved into the room that the author moved out of. So all the infinite permutations unfolded right under my bed! The strange, labyrinthine style of our house is certainly inspiring, but Reed did a much better job of plumbing its depths and making it creepy than I would have. I don't often read horror and Reed struck the right balance of deliciously creepy without leaving the reader with bad dreams.
The coolest thing about this book is that it has a personal connection for every reader because each copy is individualized. So, even though every reader has a unique experience when reading the same book, Reed magnified this subjective experience ten-fold through his medium. Having unique copies is also really cool because it depicts in craft form what the content of the story is: infinite worlds with varying degrees of permutations of ourselves in them. I highly recommend this work and any of Reed's work.
The coolest thing about this book is that it has a personal connection for every reader because each copy is individualized. So, even though every reader has a unique experience when reading the same book, Reed magnified this subjective experience ten-fold through his medium. Having unique copies is also really cool because it depicts in craft form what the content of the story is: infinite worlds with varying degrees of permutations of ourselves in them. I highly recommend this work and any of Reed's work.
A queer fantasy horror story, twisty and fun.
I have two different copies, which diverged enough to be fun and interesting (I read them both in the same evening, so the differences were very fresh). The two narrators felt like genuinely different people who happened to be experiencing (approximately) the same events.
The stats page at the back of the second copy suggested alternate plots and twists that are *very* divergent from the two I read. I'm intrigued! Maybe I'll have to obtain further copies...
I have two different copies, which diverged enough to be fun and interesting (I read them both in the same evening, so the differences were very fresh). The two narrators felt like genuinely different people who happened to be experiencing (approximately) the same events.
The stats page at the back of the second copy suggested alternate plots and twists that are *very* divergent from the two I read. I'm intrigued! Maybe I'll have to obtain further copies...
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You can read my full review here: https://mediadrome.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/subcutanean-by-aaron-a-reed/
When you first open this book, you’re greeted by the following:
"The book you’re holding is unique. There is no other exactly like it.
Each printing of Subcutanean is different. This is the one and only version generated from seed #(insert seed # here – mine is 30036). Words, sentences, or whole scenes may appear in some printings that do not appear in others. No two copies are alike.
But all of them are the same story, more or less. Don’t worry about what’s in the other versions. They don’t matter. This is the one you have.
This is the one that’s happening to you."
This is such an interesting idea. I love the idea that I could pick up a second copy in the future and experience something different than I did this time. If I could change anything, I think I’d just have liked to see a little bit more overtly creepy stuff happening. I mean, it felt bizarre for sure, but the threat-factor felt like it could have been ramped up just a hair. But still, it is an excellent book.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
I received this as an advance review copy from the author.
When you first open this book, you’re greeted by the following:
"The book you’re holding is unique. There is no other exactly like it.
Each printing of Subcutanean is different. This is the one and only version generated from seed #(insert seed # here – mine is 30036). Words, sentences, or whole scenes may appear in some printings that do not appear in others. No two copies are alike.
But all of them are the same story, more or less. Don’t worry about what’s in the other versions. They don’t matter. This is the one you have.
This is the one that’s happening to you."
This is such an interesting idea. I love the idea that I could pick up a second copy in the future and experience something different than I did this time. If I could change anything, I think I’d just have liked to see a little bit more overtly creepy stuff happening. I mean, it felt bizarre for sure, but the threat-factor felt like it could have been ramped up just a hair. But still, it is an excellent book.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
I received this as an advance review copy from the author.