I enjoyed this novella, didn't love it, but really liked the whole advanced being tries to talk to less advanced being, and has no idea how to make hiI enjoyed this novella, didn't love it, but really liked the whole advanced being tries to talk to less advanced being, and has no idea how to make himself understood theme....more
Iron Widow has a fantastic premise that drew me right in. The world-building is inspired by Chinese history, set in a futuristic world where giant mecIron Widow has a fantastic premise that drew me right in. The world-building is inspired by Chinese history, set in a futuristic world where giant mecha piloted by humans fight robotic alien invaders.
This novel offers queer characters, polyamorous relationships, and a lot of (properly raging) feminism set within a patriarchal society.
The pacing is swift and the plot gripping.
Sounds great, doesn't it?
Unfortunately the world-building is inconsistent, and neither the conflict at the heart of the story nor the society Wu Zetian grew up in is explored.
The writing is...maybe appropriate for a YA book but I found it juvenile at times.
The feminism lacks depth, and consists mostly of a screeching woman who kills everyone and then cackles...now let me be clear, I'm all for unhinged female characters and I'm all for a good villain or even morally grey or ambiguous character, but this here just felt too...simple.
Why is Wu Zetian not like other women? Why is she the only one aware of the inequality?
Why were there no other important female characters in this book?
A solid popcorn read, but not one that I found memorable....more
Oh no! I fell in love with my first read of 2022 and now worry that nothing will compare to it.
Light From Uncommon Stars stole my heart. It blends sciOh no! I fell in love with my first read of 2022 and now worry that nothing will compare to it.
Light From Uncommon Stars stole my heart. It blends science fiction elements with the fantastical, features LGBT characters, and is simply the most beautiful story I've read in a long time.
Despite some of the tougher themes - anti-trans views, child abuse, sexual assault - it's a soothing and tender read, a sweet story filled with nurturing and generous characters. Reading this book feels a bit like wrapping yourself in a warm hug.
The writing is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous, and Aoki will either make you weep into a fluffy doughnut (that tastes of home), or will make you want to repair a violin.
At the very least, it'll make you want to listen to a classical concert.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful book. I finally found a series where I will be re-reading the previously released books every time a new book releasesWonderful, wonderful, wonderful book. I finally found a series where I will be re-reading the previously released books every time a new book releases!
Tom Toner may be the Steven Erikson of Science Fiction, because he drops the reader straight into an unfamiliar world without any explanation.
I'm a fast reader and sometimes tempted to skim more than I should, which works with books set on our world where not every third word is strange and unfamiliar. After reading a third of the first novel, about two years ago, I almost put it away for good, because I had no idea what was going on. I decided to re-start from the beginning and take my time.
I admit, I had to take notes, and while reading the second book I frequently had to use the glossary and look up names, races and places.
Throughout the third book, however, I finally felt like I belonged in this world and was able to navigate without feeling lost.
I've hardly ever been this immersed in a world. Tom Toner presents a world so rich and so fleshed out, I was blown away by every page. It's a creative mix between sci-fi and fantasy presenting an innovative future filled with diverse, unique cultures and breathtaking ideas. The scope alone is immense and the level of complexity, frankly, insane.
More than once I thought: how did he come up with all of this?
At one point, during the second book, I looked up at my partner and said: this is absolutely brilliant.
The books are very complex. While I personally don't mind not knowing what's going on for a good portion of a book, I think Toner expects a lot from the reader. There's a vast cast of characters to keep track of, next to a dozen species and planets.
The prose is wonderful, very descriptive, filled with lush details and striking visuals.
I love all the characters, but I've got a soft spot for Percy and Aaron in particular. The entire cast is fleshed out, well-developed and I find them all incredibly intriguing. I wasn't entirely sold on Lycaste at first, but Toner develops him in fascinating ways, and I grew quite fond of him.
The third book is almost non-stop action, the chapters move with a sense of urgency as an epic conflict unfolds. While this is not the last book in the series it does end on a hopeful note with a few touching chapters at the end that made me smile.
Toner has definitely created something ambitious and memorable, and I am eagerly awaiting new books by him.
I recommend The Amaranthine Spectrum series (for the love of everything, please start with the first book) to everyone who likes a complex and epic plot spanning centuries, and beautiful prose. I think both fans of Gene Wolfe as well as Steven Erikson will appreciate this one.
I got this book from Netgalley, because I loved the other two (which I bought) and bought a copy of this one as soon as it came out....more
Set in the 147th century, humans have conquered space, and have evolved into multiple different species...
The Weight of the World is a wonderful sequeSet in the 147th century, humans have conquered space, and have evolved into multiple different species...
The Weight of the World is a wonderful sequel to The Promise of the Child, and it picks up directly where the first book left off. The world building, the history, the lore, everything really, is beautiful. Keep the glossary close; don't even think about picking this one up without having read the first one.
Tom Toner's imagination is extraordinary. He demands a lot of the reader, and I must admit I kept a notebook throughout the first and the second book, and me and the glossary became best friends.
But damn, if I'm not a little bit in love with this world.
Fans of Gene Wolfe, Steven Erikson, and science fiction fans who love intricate, complex, epic plots spanning centuries with a vast cast of characters, will appreciate this series....more
After my re-read I'm upping this to five stars in July 2018. (First read was in 2016.)
Tom Toner may be the new Steven Erikson of Science Fiction, becaAfter my re-read I'm upping this to five stars in July 2018. (First read was in 2016.)
Tom Toner may be the new Steven Erikson of Science Fiction, because he drops the reader straight into an unfamiliar world without any explanation. I'm a fast reader and sometimes tempted to skim more than I should, which works with books set on our world where not every third word is strange and unfamiliar. After reading a third of this novel, almost putting it away for good because I had no idea what was going on, I decided to start from the beginning and take my time.
Whew, what a ride. I've hardly ever been this immersed in another world. Tom Toner presents a world so rich and so fleshed out, I was blown away. It's a creative mix between Science Fiction and Fantasy presenting an innovative future filled with diverse, unique cultures and breathtaking ideas.
Now, let me mention two negative things, because I think they're important. The first thing that bothered me is that this the first book in a series, and it does not stand on its own. It's more a chess board, and now all the pieces have been set, ready to attack.
The second thing is the complexity of the book. While I personally do not mind not knowing what's going on for a good portion of a book, I think Toner expects a lot of attention from the reader, introducing many characters and a dozen different species and places. I was actually taking notes in the beginning. It's not a fast read either, the prose is beautiful but dense. However, the fact there's so much world building, lore, and attention to detail in this book, made it absolutely worth devoting so much time to.
The characters are well developed. Lycaste was a tough one to emphasise with at first, because his mind is so very childlike, but I am very intrigued to see where Toner takes him.
Everything else is fantastic. Toner has definitely created something ambitious and memorable.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but I loved this so much, I have purchased a paperback copy of this one and the sequel, The Weight of the World....more
Cloud Atlas is one of those rare instances where I'd watched the film before I read the book and what makes it even more rare is that I'm not sure wheCloud Atlas is one of those rare instances where I'd watched the film before I read the book and what makes it even more rare is that I'm not sure whether the film or the book is better. The structure of this novel is a bit nested and maybe a tad confusing at first. It consists of six short stories. The first half of the first five stories appear consecutively, then the sixth story is told in full before the second halves of the remaining five stories appear in reverse chronological order bringing each to a conclusion. One of the stories plays in the far future and I had trouble understanding the language (some form of English) while watching the film and while reading the book. I'd expect a native speaker to have less trouble. It's not an easy book and it requires some effort from the reader but I thought it was beautiful and the experience was worth it....more
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