A review by chrisomelo
Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Not an easy read and a bit of a slog at times. Mostly unlikable characters. You will get the most out of this book if you have a background in a liberal arts education--history, philosophy, Latin, comparative religious study and theology are all major themes--which may come off as elitist to some. Even having such a background myself I admit I found it somewhat indulgent. The greats of 20th century science fiction and anime/Japanese culture are touchstones as well. The author is truly a nerd among nerds.

And yet the ideas presented in this book are wholly intriguing and oddly compel you to keep reading. This book is part of a series and I'm hoping book 2 has the payoff for all the world building and setup in this one.
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