Scan barcode
A review by atagarev
Columbus Day by Craig Alanson
2.0
This book was just too all-American for me and not at all in a good way. In theory the cast of supporting characters represents a variety of nations, ethnicities and backgrounds but they are all paper thin cutouts. The only two perspectives that are really developed with any depth are our protagonist and Skippy who acts as almost a mirror image of the protagonist in terms of personality. I just don't get it; if you are only comfortable writing from the perspective of a modern US grunt then do that, great, do that, but if you are going to put in a supporting cast that would theoretically have a broad variety of perspectives then at least try to present their perspectives in some way.
Furthermore, the story constantly reinforcing the character's perspective really rubbed me the wrong way. Getting the perspective of a not-particularly-intelligent grunt thrown into a wider galaxy beyond his understanding? Sounds great. Having his disdain for science and education repeatedly supported by all relatable side characters? Eh, not so great. Having a god-like AI straight up tell him that humans are incapable of understanding the Universe or even the most basic technology of more advanced species? Hold on, why is this book even pretending to be science fiction if all technology is going to explicitly be magic beyond the comprehension of mere humans?
The whole story just ends up with humans being essentially pets adopted by a trickster god who found our character funny. Actually, written out like that this could have worked if it was going for the absurdist tone of Hitchhiker's Guide but the first half of the novel is a humdrum military fiction and it never actually commits to switching genres.
Also Skippy is just annoying and not at all charming like we are so obviously supposed to find him.
Furthermore, the story constantly reinforcing the character's perspective really rubbed me the wrong way. Getting the perspective of a not-particularly-intelligent grunt thrown into a wider galaxy beyond his understanding? Sounds great. Having his disdain for science and education repeatedly supported by all relatable side characters? Eh, not so great. Having a god-like AI straight up tell him that humans are incapable of understanding the Universe or even the most basic technology of more advanced species? Hold on, why is this book even pretending to be science fiction if all technology is going to explicitly be magic beyond the comprehension of mere humans?
The whole story just ends up with humans being essentially pets adopted by a trickster god who found our character funny. Actually, written out like that this could have worked if it was going for the absurdist tone of Hitchhiker's Guide but the first half of the novel is a humdrum military fiction and it never actually commits to switching genres.
Also Skippy is just annoying and not at all charming like we are so obviously supposed to find him.