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hybridhavoc's reviews
333 reviews
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
While The Terraformers is undoubtedly a science fiction novel, it doesn’t share many elements with the most common subgenres. No big ideas common in speculative fiction; no sweeping epic of space operas; no dirty boot camp of military sci-fi. It does share the anti-capitalism and deeply networked world of cyberpunk, but largely without the over-populated cities and all the grime. Instead it has an airier and brighter feel to it. There is a constant, persistent struggle against corporations that don’t give a shit about you, but it’s the people coming together that really matters.
And people really do matter. If I were to try to assign some subgenre to this I would call it identity fiction. To me it felt like the core theme throughout the book was an examination of what it means to be a person in a future where intelligence can be grown in just about any form. There is a large cast of characters with a diversity normally only seen in Star Wars-like space operas. The key difference here being that none of the forms are particularly alien - they have simply been uplifted.
While all of this is quite novel, leading to an interesting read, some of the execution still fell flat for me. Many of the characters are presented to us as being centuries old, yet they all felt to me to have an emotional maturity of someone in their twenties. The antagonists are absolute caricatures, only missing mustaches to twirl. Cookie cutter criminals would not bother me in the slightest if the story were written as a piece of humor, but I don’t believe there is any comedic intent in the entire story.
I finished the book feeling quite torn. I really applaud any work that is doing something unique in this space. I never got so bothered by the execution that I wanted to quit reading it, but there wasn’t much that was exactly pulling me back in either. If you are looking for a book that features diversity, identity, and cooperation then I think this is sure to please.
Edit: I have just realized that many elements of this book are a part of the solarpunk subgenre. I was familiar with the word but had never read anything that claimed that genre.
hopeful
informative
medium-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
3.0
I want to start off by highlighting that this story is unlike anything else I’ve ever read. That alone is refreshing, as science fiction can often feel like retreading the same ideas over and over just in different mixtures. The title of the book strikes me as a little bit of a misnomer though - the terraforming itself is largely already completed by the time we enter the story and while many of the characters were involved in that process, it doesn’t strike me as being vital to their characters. It is enough to know that the large majority of the characters we meet are invested in a balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem and that they fight for that.
While The Terraformers is undoubtedly a science fiction novel, it doesn’t share many elements with the most common subgenres. No big ideas common in speculative fiction; no sweeping epic of space operas; no dirty boot camp of military sci-fi. It does share the anti-capitalism and deeply networked world of cyberpunk, but largely without the over-populated cities and all the grime. Instead it has an airier and brighter feel to it. There is a constant, persistent struggle against corporations that don’t give a shit about you, but it’s the people coming together that really matters.
And people really do matter. If I were to try to assign some subgenre to this I would call it identity fiction. To me it felt like the core theme throughout the book was an examination of what it means to be a person in a future where intelligence can be grown in just about any form. There is a large cast of characters with a diversity normally only seen in Star Wars-like space operas. The key difference here being that none of the forms are particularly alien - they have simply been uplifted.
While all of this is quite novel, leading to an interesting read, some of the execution still fell flat for me. Many of the characters are presented to us as being centuries old, yet they all felt to me to have an emotional maturity of someone in their twenties. The antagonists are absolute caricatures, only missing mustaches to twirl. Cookie cutter criminals would not bother me in the slightest if the story were written as a piece of humor, but I don’t believe there is any comedic intent in the entire story.
I finished the book feeling quite torn. I really applaud any work that is doing something unique in this space. I never got so bothered by the execution that I wanted to quit reading it, but there wasn’t much that was exactly pulling me back in either. If you are looking for a book that features diversity, identity, and cooperation then I think this is sure to please.
Edit: I have just realized that many elements of this book are a part of the solarpunk subgenre. I was familiar with the word but had never read anything that claimed that genre.
Hammered by Lindsay Buroker
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is fun. It feels like it knows exactly what it is and doesn't take itself too seriously. Absolutely blew through it. Amazing narration as well!
The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Aftershocks by Marko Kloos
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Where to start. The characters are bland. The world building makes very little sense. It feels like the universe didn't exist prior to the the war five years earlier. Literally everything is about the war, the fallout from the war, and the persisting bad feelings about the war.
I spent literally the entire book waiting for the inciting incident that would really kick things off for one of our characters. That just sort of never really happened. There were several events that could have served that role, but they are all sort of revolved and peter out very quickly. Even all the way up to the final chapter of the book, I was still waiting for something to happen, until suddenly it was done. It feels like this is the first third of a book, and then the author hit a deadline and turned it in.
I won't be continuing the series to learn whether there is an actual story here.
I spent literally the entire book waiting for the inciting incident that would really kick things off for one of our characters. That just sort of never really happened. There were several events that could have served that role, but they are all sort of revolved and peter out very quickly. Even all the way up to the final chapter of the book, I was still waiting for something to happen, until suddenly it was done. It feels like this is the first third of a book, and then the author hit a deadline and turned it in.
I won't be continuing the series to learn whether there is an actual story here.
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Outland by Dennis E. Taylor
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
If I never read another book about coffee it will be too soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Minor: Death and Sexual assault