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bmcraec's review against another edition
3.0
I’m having some trouble deciding what to think about this book. On the one hand, it’s an interesting slice of the complexities of China, which clearly is a primary theme for KSR. On the other hand, the overall braided structure of the novel moved the plot forward as expected, if not with delight for me. I’m glad I read it, and have recommended it to others, but hoo-boy, I struggled to suspend my disbelief regarding intuitive mid-wifery in the last 20 pages. Could the ending have been more satisfying? Yes. Yes, it could.
onceandfuturelaura's review against another edition
4.0
I liked all of this. I loved some of this. Especially this:
I loved that. I loved the idea that protest might -- MIGHT -- bring a better world.
I did not understand the ending. Or maybe I just resented it. I want to imagine a better world. Not just dust on the moon.
"Decay is inherent in all compounded things, persevere diligently." These were the Buddha's final worlds, or so they tell us."Continued perseverance futures," says the Yijing. Of course anything alive has to persevere, that's the definition of life. So these encouragements are possibly a bit stupid; I often feel that way, I should give up on them. Stating the obvious can sometimes be helpful, but usually, it's only irritating. One towns and says of course to such simpleminded exhortations. Do the necessary things! Yes. Now again the time has come when we have to act. So: act.
I loved that. I loved the idea that protest might -- MIGHT -- bring a better world.
I did not understand the ending. Or maybe I just resented it. I want to imagine a better world. Not just dust on the moon.
danguajars's review against another edition
4.0
Es un libro de ciencia ficción dura, que mezcla política con sociología y una gran cantidad de exposición didáctica.
Y ME ENCANTÓ.
No me gusta tanta exposición, pero en este caso resultó relevante e interesante, con China en el foco cultural, histórico, político y tecnológico.
Lamentablemente queda en continuación.
Y ME ENCANTÓ.
No me gusta tanta exposición, pero en este caso resultó relevante e interesante, con China en el foco cultural, histórico, político y tecnológico.
Lamentablemente queda en continuación.
bobreturns's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as New York 2140, and a poor shadow of the Mars Trilogy.
It's Kim Stanley Robinson, so it's still a kind of interesting book, but there's not really anything new in here. The core ideas are all ones he's explored before, and the only real difference with this one is that it's viewed through a slightly more sino-centric rather than anglo-centric perspective. Which is all well and good, except that it feels a little bit like KSR went to a blockchain conference in China and wrote a book to justify the travel expenses.
There are three narrators on the audiobook, which is a little strange, but kind of works.
If you're a KSR fan already this is fine, but if not start with the Mars trilogy or Green Earth before going for this one.
It's Kim Stanley Robinson, so it's still a kind of interesting book, but there's not really anything new in here. The core ideas are all ones he's explored before, and the only real difference with this one is that it's viewed through a slightly more sino-centric rather than anglo-centric perspective. Which is all well and good, except that it feels a little bit like KSR went to a blockchain conference in China and wrote a book to justify the travel expenses.
There are three narrators on the audiobook, which is a little strange, but kind of works.
If you're a KSR fan already this is fine, but if not start with the Mars trilogy or Green Earth before going for this one.
chappellmw90's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
oleksandr's review against another edition
3.0
This is a near future hard SF novel with political elements. I read is as a part of monthly reading for September 2020 at The Evolution of Science Fiction group.
The story’s start is quite interesting (spoilers of the first 5% of the book, setting the scene): an American IT guy Frederic Fredericks travels by a regular shuttle to the Moon, where he has to deliver a quantum phone (linked via entanglement to the unique other phone and hacking-proof) to a customer. The largest colony on the Moon is Chinese (therefore “red” in the title), but there are many countries present and it is more a global collaboration than competition, even despite there are some China-US issues. On the shuttle he meets Ta Shu, old Chinese man, a famous poet in his youth, but currently more a net celebrity (with a travelog) and feng shui master. The transfer of the phone went sour and now Frederic is on the run, together with a princeling – Chan Qi, a pregnant daughter of CCP politburo member and finance minister.
Strong sides: as always great infodumps – from current views on forming of our satellite to Chinese history, to bamboo growing to feng shui to quantum mechanics. In this sense his books are a great way to learn new things.
Weaker points: no character development and too much Chinese propaganda. All positive praises come from Chinese in the text, so it is hard to divide what the author thinks and what are just the characters. This starts with Mao, who killed by his policies more people than Hitler and to the current president Xi, who “worked hard at poverty reduction, and land restoration, and reducing corruption in the Party.” He is the same Xi, who pushed for the removal of term limits for the president, whose cult of personality was evident when the story was written and whose “fight with corruption” surprisingly well hit only folk loyal to his predecessor Hu Jintao, but say when ‘Panama leaks’ were out showing corruption among “his folks”, there very term Panama was banned from Chinese search engines.
The book started great but the ending was both too choreographed and rushed and more to show authors political preferences (as in the Mars trilogy) than to make a good story. Four star start and two star final make for three star overall rating
The story’s start is quite interesting (spoilers of the first 5% of the book, setting the scene): an American IT guy Frederic Fredericks travels by a regular shuttle to the Moon, where he has to deliver a quantum phone (linked via entanglement to the unique other phone and hacking-proof) to a customer. The largest colony on the Moon is Chinese (therefore “red” in the title), but there are many countries present and it is more a global collaboration than competition, even despite there are some China-US issues. On the shuttle he meets Ta Shu, old Chinese man, a famous poet in his youth, but currently more a net celebrity (with a travelog) and feng shui master. The transfer of the phone went sour and now Frederic is on the run, together with a princeling – Chan Qi, a pregnant daughter of CCP politburo member and finance minister.
Strong sides: as always great infodumps – from current views on forming of our satellite to Chinese history, to bamboo growing to feng shui to quantum mechanics. In this sense his books are a great way to learn new things.
Weaker points: no character development and too much Chinese propaganda. All positive praises come from Chinese in the text, so it is hard to divide what the author thinks and what are just the characters. This starts with Mao, who killed by his policies more people than Hitler and to the current president Xi, who “worked hard at poverty reduction, and land restoration, and reducing corruption in the Party.” He is the same Xi, who pushed for the removal of term limits for the president, whose cult of personality was evident when the story was written and whose “fight with corruption” surprisingly well hit only folk loyal to his predecessor Hu Jintao, but say when ‘Panama leaks’ were out showing corruption among “his folks”, there very term Panama was banned from Chinese search engines.
The book started great but the ending was both too choreographed and rushed and more to show authors political preferences (as in the Mars trilogy) than to make a good story. Four star start and two star final make for three star overall rating
selefa's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
coreygolden's review against another edition
challenging
informative
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? No
3.5
mesocricetus's review against another edition
3.0
Not comparable to the Mars trilogy in any way, but I still enjoyed it. It was a bit slow in the middle, but the ending was more exciting.