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kathyxtran 's review for:
Empress of Forever
by Max Gladstone
An oddly paced novel that seems episodic, structured as though better suited as sort of a TV mini-series.
For me, there wasn't enough development in Viv/Empress tension, except that she tended to be a bit single-minded, solution-focussed, except not--because this simulation of Viv is supposed to be markedly different for caring about her friends. The Silicon Valley/tech industry PM stuff that is supposed to be cute was irritating, and I wondered where this could have gone if it pushed harder on the idea that a tech billionaire with Thanos-level arrogance about solving the world's problems becomes an intergalactic tyrant. Now that I've typed that out, I don't think I would find that very interesting either, but instead we get a more traditional type of battle of the chosen one with a deeper-than-you-know connection to the antagonist, in a sort of fun world and cast of characters, which, I guess, is fine.
For me, there wasn't enough development in Viv/Empress tension, except that she tended to be a bit single-minded, solution-focussed, except not--because this simulation of Viv is supposed to be markedly different for caring about her friends. The Silicon Valley/tech industry PM stuff that is supposed to be cute was irritating, and I wondered where this could have gone if it pushed harder on the idea that a tech billionaire with Thanos-level arrogance about solving the world's problems becomes an intergalactic tyrant. Now that I've typed that out, I don't think I would find that very interesting either, but instead we get a more traditional type of battle of the chosen one with a deeper-than-you-know connection to the antagonist, in a sort of fun world and cast of characters, which, I guess, is fine.