A clever little sci-fi thought piece that I quite enjoyed.
Humans have fairly recently discovered spots in the near space-neighborhood where “jump” traA clever little sci-fi thought piece that I quite enjoyed.
Humans have fairly recently discovered spots in the near space-neighborhood where “jump” travel is possible, and have built Star Rings around them to facilitate the process. Interestingly, despite study, observation and exploration, they cannot map where - in the universe – the exit points of these jump gates sit. There are competing theories as to why, but no one knows for sure. It certainly hasn't stopped mankind from making the jumps and expanding beyond them...except at the Nowhere Star Ring. Beyond the Nowhere Star Ring is nothing. No stars, no planets, no Matter at all.
Kerin is a lone philosopher on a station full of scientists who are experimenting at the Nowhere Gate to see if they can spin up enough energy to make the Star Rings self-sustaining. While everyone else is focused on the Ring, Kerin cannot look away from the nothingness beyond the gate...
This short ends with a stylish ambiguity that makes the whole thing satisfying, but suffers drag from both the “hard” science included, and all of Kerin's introspection.
I'm a bit sad that my little Skype group didn't get around to this one, as my mind is made up on a specific interpretation of the ending, and I would have enjoyed some outside perspective.
This is not a part of George's 1000 World Universe, and gets less attention because of that, I think. This and “The Second Kind of Loneliness” seem to be the only Star Ring stories......more
Remarkably chewy for such a tiny bite, this is a maybe pleasant, maybe disturbing read. It may not chThanks to Nataliya, I’ve read my first Andy Weir!
Remarkably chewy for such a tiny bite, this is a maybe pleasant, maybe disturbing read. It may not change your life, but it’ll probably occupy your thoughts for longer than it takes to consume it! A fun offering about the meaning of life, this is worth a nibble. There’s a link up in the book description!...more
(view spoiler)[ I can burn off the fable-laden 'deepness' and chaff to save anyone else this ridiculous read:
-Figure out what you wa
I didn't like this.
(view spoiler)[ I can burn off the fable-laden 'deepness' and chaff to save anyone else this ridiculous read:
-Figure out what you want and, like, kinda commit, yo. -But if you can't, don't worry, the Universe has got your back, Boo! It will totally conspire to make you achieve your goal even if that screws over everyone else. Annnnd -If you really want it bad enough: spout metaphysical nonsense and god will make you rich
There is some very pretty parable language in the telling of this tale. I'd like to believe that Coelho was aiming to warm people's spiritual fuzzy-wuzzies and inspire achievement, and I really hope it worked for the readers who appreciate this sort of thing.
I don't.
I found the whole thing trite, laughably materialistic, philosophically shallow, boring, and I hate sheep. Oh...and sexist? Jeepers. Don't even get me going on Fatima and her 'treasure' and her “...but above all, I'm a woman” bullshit. (hide spoiler)]
I really didn't like this.
(With many apologies to my fellow book clubbers - and anyone else - who did!)
This quote was alright, though: “Better still to be alone with one's books. They tell their incredible stories when you want to hear them.”...more
Wraithworld is a place of heavy fog and swirling mystery; Martin nails the imagery in this philosophical short.
I liked this better than the two other Wraithworld is a place of heavy fog and swirling mystery; Martin nails the imagery in this philosophical short.
I liked this better than the two other members of my little short-story-reading threesome. There are some sophisticated layers in the presentation of the question it asks, but there isn't much actually happening on any sort of exciting level.
Related from the perspective of a mostly impartial journalist, the two highly symbolic main characters represent opposing sides of a debate: the value of truth and certainty versus the value of mystery and wonder. There is an actual plot attached, but the aim is primarily advanced through conversation and setting exploration. In truth, I might be putting too much emphasis on words like 'question' and 'debate'; good ol' George's stance is fairly clear throughout. I myself just happen to be a Dubowski...a Dubowski who yearns to be a Sanders, but can't quite unbend enough to get consumed by the fantastic.
My original notes from this reading say that I can't tout this as one of my favourites. The movements are slow and reflective, some of the conflict is debatable, and I could have happily heard a great deal more of the Wraith legends. But as I type the review months later, I find that the eerie atmosphere, and the feel of the discussion lingers in my memory, though the plot points have fallen away.
The evocations edge out the indifferences, I think. I know that it sparked a brief bit of interesting conversation in the book club, which is always fun. Ultimately, I put this on the high end of my middle estimation, if that makes any kind of sense…...more
Heartwarming, heartbreaking and humorously quirky. I quite enjoyed this book.
Trying to describe the story as it happens would, I think, rub some of thHeartwarming, heartbreaking and humorously quirky. I quite enjoyed this book.
Trying to describe the story as it happens would, I think, rub some of the sheen off for other readers. The joy of this book is all presentation, with it's keenly naïve and naively keen narrator Alex and his best friend Mr Peterson shining at center stage.
In truth, the core of this story (a coming-of-age journey featuring a spring-winter friendship and the eventual heartache that this must entail) has been done to death (pardon the pun), usually in ways that drama haters like myself poo-poo all over. (This is not actually a spoiler, but a rant : (view spoiler)[ I read to be enthralled. I read to laugh out loud. I read to have my ideals challenged and to learn new things. I read to adventure. I read to relax. I read to open the door for my imagination to come out to play. I read to be entertained! and to have wondrous experiences that I'm not likely to stumble across in my real life. Crying, grief, loss---those things happen! For reals! And they suck. What kind of drama-loving sadists double-down on that real life shit when they read? On purpose?? Weirdos. (hide spoiler)] )
The Universe Versus Alex Woods is deep and emotional and challenging, but the oddball quirk, innocence and thoughtful humour treat a usually dark journey wih a light, affirmative touch. It's impossible not to love Alex's thirst for knowledge and powerful young philosophizing.
There is a love for literature that is woven into the strands of this story, which always makes a book even more endearing to me. I've usually avoided Vonnegut based almost entirely on the sub-set of people that most vociferously recommend him to me (sorry, guys), but the love shown him here makes me consider reconsidering.
I like it. I'd recommend it indiscriminately. Have a few tissues handy, but expect to leave smiling. ...more
This book has existed in my periphery for almost 20 years. A theoretically deeper me was enchanted by the mysterious concept, and I had a hope for phi This book has existed in my periphery for almost 20 years. A theoretically deeper me was enchanted by the mysterious concept, and I had a hope for philosophical growth and education. My brain was always too impatient to commit, though, so it became a repeat victim of first-chapter abandonment. Couple that with recurring (and arrogant) annoyance with the extremes of the subcultures that tend to find philosophy deep, grooooovey, spiritually enlightening or best soaked in substance and depression, and, well, I just kept putting the damn book off.
I've finally read it, so...
To love, or not to love...okay honestly, that doesn't always have to BE the question (for me, anyway.) I'm perfectly ok with an unpacked smoosh of reaction. But for the purposes of the unpacking, for the purposes of a review, I guess, it kind of becomes THE question.
Gaarder is clever, and that manifests on every page. The layered meta-adventure is perfectly on point for a novel about philosophy. The more I think about it critically, the more I like it, the more I appreciate the layers and the themes and the slow burn.
Another part of me simply did not connect with the presentation.
In large part it was Sophie herself. An unsatisfied teenager who suddenly begins receiving anonymous deep questions by the post and latches onto the mystery of the lessons that follow, and the new worlds of information they contain...it sounds amazing! But Sophie seems too facile, a caricature. If an erudite middle-aged man was writing his vision of a plucky but difficult 15 year old girl for maybe a 9 year old girl to read about, it would be Sophie. She ultimately becomes too annoying to connect with.
Even in basic simplistic introduction, the history of Western Philosophy is a big topic to cover. Gaarder finds fascinating ways to to work the knowledge into not only the lessons but the stories that surround the lessons, but at times even despite this, it can feel like huge blocks of information dump. I liked it better in the early story, when Sophie was receiving her information in actual typed out lessons. Once she meets Alberto and the teaching becomes conversational, the back-and-forth between the two is frustrating. Sophie's questions are too tailored to the information that Gaarder wants to get across, as opposed to realistic. And her interjections, theoretically to break up the exposition, are grating. She vacillates between impossibly insightful and needlessly attitudinal with no depth of character in between, and the amusement of counting how many variations Gaarder can come with of “yes”, “I see”, “I understand” and “Why is that?', sours in short order.
As the layers of the story become apparent there is an almost sudden shift when Albert seems to abandon the sense of the story HE is telling, and to just use it whimsically instead. I understand why that happens, and I can hypothesize about why it gets as out of control as it does, but I was disappointed from a sense of completion. If Sophie and Alberto's story had been told outside of the layers, it could have had some satisfying conclusions. I kind of wanted to see how it was at least meant to end. I can forgive that, I suppose, in light of the bigger picture, but still be a little put out.
In the end of this muddled unpacking, I am waffling between the disconnect and the clear cleverness of the writing. It is most certainly one of those books that I need to reread – to absorb more of the lessons themselves, obviously, and also to really sink into the novel's meta-layers. And yet, I absolutely balk at the prospect of doing so anytime soon....more
Michelle F
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Books:
philosophy
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