This second book is quite different, though just as enjoyable as the first. As it's now a self-published series it has the distinction of being the onThis second book is quite different, though just as enjoyable as the first. As it's now a self-published series it has the distinction of being the only self-published fantasy book that I've given five stars. Depending on how I'm feeling on a given day, I could state that it's the best self-published work I've ever read. That may not say much, so I'll also state that it's one of the more enjoyable books I've read. Even better, the third book is set to release later this year, only a few months after the second. Molle's website says that Season 1 concludes this year, which makes me hopeful that there's much more to come. At the rate this series is going, it may become one of my all-time favorites. That astounds me and really demonstrates how much an author's writing can improve over the years. I find it difficult not to overhype, because as I'm far as I'm concerned it's the most underread fantasy series relative to its quality that I've read. It does and has almost everything I could want. It has a brisk pace and a suitable length. You should be reading this if you enjoy epic and/or military fantasy.
So, how does it differ? As compared to the first book, there's much less military campaigning. In its place intrigue comes to the fore. Various factions are developed and represented, each with their own overlapping and competing interests. There are few friends, but many allies of convenience, and often desperation. Ideals give way to the necessity of circumstance. Today's allies may be tomorrow's enemies, but one has to survive until tomorrow for that to pass. Each character has to decide with which faction to align, as to be on their own is certain death. Often it may not be much of a choice, but still its their own decision.
There are four main viewpoints. The two from the first book and the orphan and the Queen. The questions they must each answer are: How much of what I'm doing is to survive and how much of it is to improve the lives of my chosen group? Is this the righteous path or am I falling into an ever deeper darkness and killing all my companions? Will the future we seek be worth the ruination wrought?
Those are the questions asked on a personal level. Many factional and societal questions are posed as well. Who ought to shoulder the burden of a society's progress? Is there a better way, and if so, does that matter? How much suffering of others is permissible for our own comfort and convenience? Given that the resources fueling our progress are known to be limited, should any thought be given to management?
That's not to say this is an introspective and discussion oriented book, because it isn't. Most of the above questions are asked and answered through their actions. They're all too busy trying to stay alive, so it's mostly for the reader to consider what relevance they have for the story and their own lives. I appreciate that. ...more
Navola is from beginning to end, Davico's retelling of his origin story. He was born as the son of a banker who led the most powerful family in the ciNavola is from beginning to end, Davico's retelling of his origin story. He was born as the son of a banker who led the most powerful family in the city. He's at least somewhat of an unreliable narrator because he lies, tells you he lied, and also says he'd never lie to you. Davico is among the least agentic protagonists I've read. As often accompanies a lack of agency, his life is filled with angst and suffering. All the other characters are better and compensate for him, though I think Bacigalupi went too far with his characterization of him as a son unworthy of the greatness of his forebears. None of it goes unused by the narrative, but I wonder whether it was worth the cost to have such an uninspiring and anguished protagonist. This may be the sort of book that is meant to be contrasted with later ones.
The vast majority takes place in the city of Navola, which is readily comparable to Florence in the time of the Medici. The map is similar and there's often words that are more or less Italian, the meaning of which are usually made evident by their context. I remain ambivalent about this practice because it both adds and detracts from the reading experience. Everywhere else can easily be related to a historical analogue as well.
A singular fantastical element, a dragon's eye seeking a bond, is arguably all that separates this from clearly being secondary world historical fiction. In terms of a plot, there isn't really much of one. There's familicide, political maneuvering, in-depth discussions about trade and geopolitics, slaughtering traitors, and much else. What Davico really wants you to know though is how his day to day life was. Which is him trying to improve himself to be worthy, indulging his actual interest of communing with nature, being a pawn, and having tense situations with his adopted sister. There are a few sex scenes and one in particular is of considerable duration and graphically described in explicit detail.
There's no clear sense of purpose or meaning to anything that happens. I don't believe that in of itself is the message, but it could be. Maybe the following books will clarify matters. Perhaps related to this is how Navola is being called literary fantasy, which is questionable, though the writing is nice and flowed well. However, it does have a lot of exposition both early and late in the story.
Navola is Bacigalupi's first fantasy novel. He usually writes science fiction. It doesn't read like anything else I've read from him, which is most of what he's written. That has its benefits and disappointments. Despite my concerns I'll read the next book whenever it releases, if only because so much of my overall assessment depends on them. If there isn't another one, then that's unfortunate because I don't think this stands alone. As has been the case with all of his novels, I wanted to like it far more than I did, which continues to be troubling.
City is a series of related stories connected by a frame story. Before each story is an in-universe commentary. I couldn't help but read each one metaCity is a series of related stories connected by a frame story. Before each story is an in-universe commentary. I couldn't help but read each one metafictional apologia. The stories need to be read in order and I don't believe any stand alone. Together they're greater than the sum of their parts.
City (1944) Although this was published 80 years ago it contains many relevant concerns. The story opens with a man wary of an automated lawnmower, which relates to automation and whether what's been created will eventually turn against us. There are complaints of being unable to smell burning gasoline, which reminds me of those who complain that ebooks lack smell. Hydroponics can be substituted with GMOs. New modes of transportation have drained all of the romance out of travelling. That's what it all is. Stubborn romanticized notions.
The opposition romanticizes just as much, if not more. Their central point is that cities are obsolete, however in the 80 years since then there has only been increasing urbanization. Apparently most people don't find cities to be inherently bad.
As with many stories of the time, it was believed that atomic energy would solve many of the world's problems. If anything, that should be a cautionary message that fads in technology may not achieve anywhere as much as hoped. Perhaps Simak knew this and it's meant as a satirical comedy. Meh
Huddling Place (1944) Man has thrown off the shackles of the cities, the huddling places of the body meant for cavemen. More insidious though is the huddling place of the mind. Credit is due for Simak writing about virtual reality internet. Though saying entertainment would be a downfall wasn't anything new. That which we created to save us would entrap us is still the cautionary tale of the day. Meh
Census (1944) This story has uplift, spaceship drives, appreciation for neurodivergence, and various social theories. Simak probably would've been interested in the role autism has played in technological development. Much else is fanciful at best. Meh
Desertion (1944) Man cannot abide being unable to conqueror. If the body fails, it must be changed. Jupiter resists mankind's attempts, so they must become like the Jovians. There's a lot of transhumanism in this what it'd mean for humanity. The transcended have their own ideas. Meh
Paradise (1946) There hasn't been a single killing in 125 years. The transhuman has returned, but there's resistance to his message. Man remains shackled by his humanity, but a path now exists to remove all restraints. Meh
Hobbies (1946) Social structure has collapsed. There's no crime, violence, economy, tradition, religion, family, government, property, or relationships. Meh
Aesop (1947) Another species now rules. Robots and animals are in harmony. Meh
Epilog (1973) Almost all are united in harmony. Unconditional pacifism reigns. A different species takes control. Meh
Courtship Rite is very much inspired by Dune. Kingsbury does especially well with that not being an issue by having so much else that's distinct to diCourtship Rite is very much inspired by Dune. Kingsbury does especially well with that not being an issue by having so much else that's distinct to distract from it. If you're looking for a society with an entirely different system of morality and ethics, then you've found it. Its politics are decidedly libertarian, anarchic, and pragmatic. What's normal for them is transgressive to the norms and mores of almost any reader. Everything almost anyone does in this world is because of a singular concept: Kalothi. In a word it roughly means "survivability". Why polyamory? Because a small group has a better chance to survive. Why cannibalism? Because the survival of the individual is less important than the survival of all others. There's much else that's transgressive that's presented without defense. The transgression isn't really the focus, because it's normal. There's a lot of sex, which is often short and not explicit. Although cannibalism permeates everything and is constantly mentioned, there's surprisingly little of it on page. Mostly it's in the opening and one intentionally shocking scene.
Geta is a fascinating world, though not that much is shown of it. Their technology is extraordinarily uneven, which is understandable considering almost all of it comes from oral tradition and ancient remnants. Most resources seem scarce. There aren't any animals aside from what they call insects, which aren't viable, so their only food sources are plants and each other. If you want meat, leather, bone, or much else organic, it has to be human. A character claims there are around 200 million people, but it feels like there's maybe a million. Almost all of them see cannibalism as only being permissible during a funeral or starvation, except the two societies the book focuses on, which practice it at all times.
The characters are mostly there to have the story told through them and since this is written in third person omniscient it can jump from one character to another in consecutive paragraphs, sometimes back and forth. That may make it considerably more difficult for those whom characters are what matter most. I was indifferent to all of the characters, though there's a considerable amount to dislike about any one of them, so you may find yourself bothered by one or more of them.
The first half of the book is what the title says, courtship, which in this case means repeatedly trying to kill the wife candidate so that she can prove her Kalothi. That isn't the usual process, though I wouldn't call any of the courtship practices in this romantic, let alone kind. The latter half is intergroup conflict resolution and the troubles of knowledge. That's one one way to describe it anyway. This is something to read for its society and not much else other than that, but it's such a different experience that nothing else is needed....more
In this novella set in what has become an alternate present (~2025) Juan Orozco is an eighth grader in San Diego, California. The times are different In this novella set in what has become an alternate present (~2025) Juan Orozco is an eighth grader in San Diego, California. The times are different than they were in the ancient history of the 20th century. They're fast now. What their parents had years to learn, their children now have only days. Everything so moves so fast that what was an employable skill a year ago is now completely obsolete. You've got to be as adaptable as possible and willing to do whatever it takes. Not only are you expected to make full use of your own talents, you also need to use AI and networks, both human and digital. What you personally know doesn't matter anywhere as much as knowing how to find out who knows, whether that's AI or some arbitrary person anywhere in the world. That's what the ambient Internet of Things is for. If you aren't enough on your own, then you'll have to use drugs and implants. It's your own fault if you can't keep it up. You'll just have to join the mass of unemployables. No one may be able to differentiate between what's real or not any longer, but that doesn't matter. Common sense and non-marketable knowledge are irrelevant. All that matters is that you don't become obsolete. If you aren't employable, then you're dead weight on everyone. Don't be a loser. Dedicate all that you are to becoming the best contributor that you can be.
Juan thinks he had it made with his nootropics and Bertie Todd, a remote classmate, both in the sense of not being physically present and being emotionally distant. Sure, he's being manipulated, but that comes with its benefits. Then there's Miriam, Miri, Gu. She's a top student whose parents were sent to Chinese American detainment camps during the war, though her mother was and remains part of the US military. For them it's time for their final exams. The students are graded on how much they contribute, whether financially or scientifically. The minimum for a passing grade is three times the cost of their tuition. If you aren't able to make a lot of money, then you don't deserve to graduate. One of the exams is an unaided skills test, which is clearly unfair and barbarous. How can anyone bear to be away from their smart devices, let alone do anything without them? Surely the rule is meant to be broken and then not to be found out.
This is mildly interesting and amusing, but nothing more than that. It doesn't go anywhere other than presenting its world and the characters are merely adequate. That suffices for me and it was enough to win a Hugo Award. I haven't read the book, Rainbows End, that takes place in this setting or the one its title comes from, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, so I can't say how they're related. Reading this hasn't made me want to read the novel, so I may not, though I'll read more from Vinge at some later time, as I've yet to read anything novel length from him. This was suggested for me to read....more
Carl Butler has retired to an undeveloped farming planet at the edge of civilization and wants to live out his days in peace. It's been a couple yearsCarl Butler has retired to an undeveloped farming planet at the edge of civilization and wants to live out his days in peace. It's been a couple years since the last book and he thinks that part of his life is over. The arrival of his former commander, the retired General Serata puts an end to such notions. The third wealthiest man in the galaxy has personally requested Butler through the President to go to a frontier jungle planet that his corporation is developing to find his missing daughter. This has happened before and Butler is somewhat more self-aware now, so he knows he's being manipulated, but agrees anyway, with conditions. He also knows that once he starts he literally won't be able to stop because he pathologically has to always follow through regardless of the consequences. Everyone knows that and that's exactly what they're counting on, though they continually seem to underestimate exactly what that means in practice.
Fortunately most of what bothered me about the previous book has been changed. The previous plotline and themes have been dropped. There's a far greater focus on the supporting cast who are used as supporting characters ought to be. All of the characters are better in general. Butler has regained his agency. There's much discussion that specifically talks through the relevant mysteries. The military science fiction aspect that was in the first book is even more played down, to where it doesn't matter much. Each book is increasingly more focused on investigation and discussion rather than action. It's all steps in the right direction for me even though I don't know what I even want from the series at this point. If I hadn't read Generation Ship first I don't know that I'd be reading this. So goes the importance of what you first read from an author.
I don't know how many who've read this thought it was going be a trilogy. I never did because it seems like it's an open-ended series where he'll write as many books in it that can he get published. I could be wrong about that, though a fourth book will be published later this year. The main reason why I believe it's a open-ended series is because there's literally no overarching story so far and each one doesn't have much continuity between them. I think it'd be entirely fine reading only this one or any other. It'd probably be fine to read them out of order, I don't know why you would intentionally do so, but I don't think it'd matter that much. I wonder how much of structure for this series is intended versus what happened for whatever reason. In this book's acknowledgements Mammay says that the second book never really came to together until the end and that he had to rewrite 60% of this book due to its issues. That seems to have worked because I'd say I like this the most thus far of the series, though I'm wary of giving it 4 stars because of the preceding books.
Thirty nine women and a child are imprisoned. The guards never interact with them other than to warn, punish, or feed. None know how they got here, whThirty nine women and a child are imprisoned. The guards never interact with them other than to warn, punish, or feed. None know how they got here, why they're here, or how long it's been. The thirty nine women remember what life was like before they arrived, but the child doesn't. How does a person develop bereft of society, culture, family, and almost all other signifiers of what it means to be human? What sort of person will they become? How will this person function if they're freed? This is science fiction in the sense that it explores a singular idea to exclusion of all else. The speculative elements give the story an absurd and surreal feeling. I have experienced other works that have similarities and I can say without qualification that this explores it the best and most thoroughly of anything I know.
This is a profoundly sad story about alienation, or at least that's closest word I know for what it's about. The title is a bit misleading, as there are men in the story, though they are unknowable. However, it's a vast improvement over the original English title, The Mistress of Silence. If it were to be more emotionally accurate to the contents, it'd be I Who Have Never Known Humanity, which would work in multiple ways and be ironic. This is a philosophical and psychological novel and nothing else. There's essentially zero plot, most of the characters are irrelevant, there's literally minimal worldbuilding, and almost no action. There's mystery, though it's existential and unresolvable.
I may have cried more reading this short novel than I have with any other work of fiction. That's rare unless I'm experiencing something that's especially emotionally resonant, in which case it's not uncommon. What sense is there in reading fiction if you don't emotionally engage with it? Intellectual engagement is important, but I think it leaves a lot to be desired if that's how you solely interact with entertainment. When it's both, that's even better, as it was with this for me. I found it be extremely meaningful and due to its relatively short length it's likely that I'll read this again in the future, which is unusual for me.
I read this because it was the monthly book selected for me to read. If it hadn't been recommended to me, then I don't know if I would have ever came across it, let alone read it. So, thanks J, I greatly appreciate what you chose. I may have enjoyed this book more than any other personal recommendation that I've been given. It's also the best translated book, from French in this case, that I've ever read. That's wonderful, but it also makes me wonder how many other great books there are that I may never find without the help of others.
This novella's cover says, "A surreal fusion of African politics, climate fiction, and mythology in the tongue of poetry and philosophy" - Tlotlo TsamThis novella's cover says, "A surreal fusion of African politics, climate fiction, and mythology in the tongue of poetry and philosophy" - Tlotlo Tsamaase. As can also be seen on the cover, there are five towers, called fingers, that were built off the coast of Nigeria in the shape of a hand. Only one of them is still habitable, the middle finger, called the Pinnacle. How metaphorical. For its political allegory it uses the standard economic model. The upper floors rule everything, live in luxury, and do nothing productive. The middle floors are the professional class and the undersea floors are the underclass. Everyone outside the tower must be the enemy. The climate fiction is that the sea levels rose and now an unknown amount of the world is underwater. Although lip service is given to world mythologies, the mythology of the Yoruba people takes precedence. This was by far the weakest part for me. There wasn't anything that I found to be strong.
Yekini is a mid-level analyst for the government, which she'd rather not be, but it's a living. She dreams of saving people and making the ark/tower a better place for all. Ngozi is a mid-level administrator with great ambitions who dreams of becoming an upper because it's what he deserves. Everyone else matters not. Tuoyo lost her wife at sea to outsiders and now only seeks to live in peace while overseeing her undersea level. These three viewpoints who meet up right away provide clashing views of class conflict and different perspectives of life in the Pinnacle. One other viewpoint and archived materials make up the rest of the chapters. I didn't care about any of the characters, which was at least somewhat because of they were too much caricatures of what they went meant to represent. As to the story itself, I found it to be a rather generic take on government corruption, solidarity, and outside intervention. I especially didn't like how it ended.
It was my mistake for not considering how allegorical this was going to be. For me this an another example of how impenetrable allegories can be if you don't have the relevant cultural knowledge to understand them. This has also been the case for a lot of the translated allegorical short fiction I've read, mostly Chinese. I don't know if it's the Black African authors I've come across, mostly Nigerian, or if it's something else, but their works baffle me almost every time. I'm continually unable to tell if there's some deeper meaning and/or if I simply don't like what's presented. I tried reading Son of the Storm, one of Okungbowa's novels, and didn't get far because of what a peculiarly uncomfortable experience it was and wrote as such, before removing everything I wrote about the stuff I hadn't finished. I didn't like this because the allegory is put above everything else to where questioning anything about the story is irrelevant because that's not what matters....more
Lukan Gardova is the heir of a ruined noble family of the Old Empire. Three successive generations, including him, have disgraced their name and emptiLukan Gardova is the heir of a ruined noble family of the Old Empire. Three successive generations, including him, have disgraced their name and emptied their coffers. After his expulsion from The Academy he travelled to the Grey Lands to join adventuring companies seeking fame and fortune in the Phaeron ruins. It's there that he's informed that his father has been murdered. He then swears The Silverblood Promise to avenge him. Thus his adventure begins to travel the world and endure unexpected trials, unwanted dramatic events, and bothersome people.
If the preceding paragraph seems silly, that's because it is. The narrative leans into self-aware comedy. There are a considerable number of references, some of which are from The Forgotten Realms, The Gentleman Bastards, A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law, and Dune. I could list more and I have no doubt there are many more. They seem to be for flavor rather than for narrative purposes.
Reading this reminded of games such as King's Quest and Baldur's Gate, by which I mean that there's a lot of videogame story progression logic. It's often one scene after another with little transition between them. I found this to be most noticeable in that once a location was finished, upon trying to leave it something happens that immediately derails the current goal. You thought you could leave somewhere without new story exposition that sets up what happens next? Think again!
Lukan is forced to play various roles and aside from swordsmanship, he's a bumbler. It's similar to a player who consistently picks the wrong choices in a dialogue tree but has the good luck for it to work out anyway. All he wanted to do was find out who murdered his father, but he keeps stumbling into deeper and deeper conspiracies involving increasing powerful, influential, and dangerous people. Fortunately for him, he has others who are competent to help him, including a sassy and spunky 11 year old girl, who can be seen on the cover. If that seems weird, that's because it is and the story says it is, but goes along with it anyway. That's what happens with just about everything else questionable as well.
If the rest of the series follows the same formula as the first book, then it can be expected that each book will be self-contained. It will start with an item that provides a quest to progress the main story, then there will be regional quests, which then having completed them provides an item that reveals the next location. There's a lot of needing to take items to someone, sometimes in exchange for another item to take to someone else.
I'll be reading this series because everything I've written above is amusing to me rather than annoying or bad. Others can reasonably criticize it for its lack of originality, having no literary value, being too videogamey/D&D, and much else, but that has no affect on me having fun reading it.
There's a four year gap between Dark Age and Light Bringer being published. The first five books were published in five years. Perhaps it's a victim oThere's a four year gap between Dark Age and Light Bringer being published. The first five books were published in five years. Perhaps it's a victim of the pandemic and/or other troubles, because it's not clear that the additional time helped in any way. That's unfortunate but not uncommon. As this is the book that leads up to the finale it has more setup than one may expect from the sixth book in a series. Maybe a third trilogy had been considered and then was truncated to a single book, the seventh, so much had to be done. The plot is once again back to being a matter of needing to arrange puzzle pieces (characters) in specific ways that don't feel organic, but are necessary to carry out all the required plot developments. There are several questionable narrative choices and various matters that aren't addressed. Even so, it's a fun and twisty ride that delights. I'll withhold my final judgment until after I've read the final book.
As for the characters, there's four again, though two are clearly given more importance. I wouldn't be surprised if the final book features two alternating perspectives. Darrow reads a book on how to be a better person. Lysander becomes a rollercoaster. Lyria knows what matters most. Virginia continues to endure. Brown says he got into psychology between this book and the last and it shows, though probably not in the way he'd prefer. I assume that's mostly what explains the considerable shifts in their personalities. It's peculiar, especially with some of the emotional whiplash a few of the characters go through. At least it made for some wild moments. It may just be because there's a lot more introspection, soul searching, and pondering of what matters in life than the previous books, which Brown isn't able to do as well as the fight scenes and other high intensity action. The dramatic battles and duels carried the book for me.
Light Bringer does what it needs to do, no more or less. While it's not anywhere as enjoyable as Dark Age, it does enough to be a good time. I probably would've been relatively more disappointed if I waited four years for it rather than reading it immediately after, so it's fortunate that I didn't start reading this series until I did. Even so, I'm surprised and confused by its rating (4.75), as it seems much higher than it ought to be. There are also those who feel much more strongly about its problems than I do. I know they exist and I'm able to accept the flaws, though inertia from the previous book helps. I want to believe that some of the seemingly dropped plotlines, strange character arcs, and odd narrative choices may yet be resolved. A few things that I thought would be Chekov's guns are apparently going to be left in storage. If the final book doesn't address enough of my concerns, I'll likely drop this to a 3.5 rounded down rather than up.
Rating: 3.5/5
5>2>4>6>3>1 I hope for 7>2, but expect 4~7....more
Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its own children. - Jacques Mallet du Pan
Dark Age is nearly a literal Hobbesian "the war of all against all". TherLike Saturn, the Revolution devours its own children. - Jacques Mallet du Pan
Dark Age is nearly a literal Hobbesian "the war of all against all". There's hundreds upon hundreds of pages of all-out war, betrayal, carnage, mayhem, intrigue, and insanity. I found it to be all rather exciting and fun. This space opera is the closest I've read that I'd compare to A Song of Ice and Fire in terms of warring factions, character deaths, and length. There are several groups that have both overlapping and mutually exclusive goals. The allies of today may be the enemies of tomorrow and those you save may try to kill you afterwards. I liked reading about how all the differing motivations and plans interacted with each other. There are so many character deaths that I was able to believe that anyone could die at any time and it mostly didn't feel arbitrary in a disagreeable way. That made it considerably more suspenseful and tense. Many named characters die and it may not be who, when, or why you'd expect. The unnamed masses fare far worse. This is a long book, though it earns its length.
Powel: "Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?" Franklin: "A republic, if you can keep it." - Benjamin Franklin & Elizabeth Powel
Whether they'll be able to keep it is an unresolved question with no clear answer. France went through five republics in not much more than 150 years, so who knows how it may proceed. This time there are five viewpoints, still all first person, that detail this tumultuous era. Darrow makes me want to create a Top 5 list of the worst idiocies he's committed in his tragic life. Ephraim deals with the hand he's been dealt by playing the people rather than the game. Lyria adapts to her brutal circumstances through creative violence. Virginia is finally able to express her perspective. Lysander endures accelerated character development. I believe the hate against him to be overstated, if not unwarranted. That may be because I'm indifferent to the outcome as I believe either way is valid. Emotional engagement is important to me, but investment isn't. All that matters is that it's fun and entertaining. Everything else is a bonus.
The oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend themselves to become oppressors. - Paulo Freire
Early on in my reading I thought that if Brown has improved this much in terms of my enjoyment, then his next series certainly will be one to anticipate. By the end there was no need for any waiting, as this was impressive in how much I enjoyed it relative to my expectations. It manages to indulge in ridiculousness while maintaining depth and complexity. That's bothersome because I dislike the argument of "It gets much better later", though I can't deny that's been true. Hopefully this book isn't a fluke, but even if it is, it's enough that it tips the scale towards me recommending reading this series rather than not.
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