Well now, I think I might be reaching the end of my patience (or rather, current patience,) with "novels filled to the brim with unlikable people whomWell now, I think I might be reaching the end of my patience (or rather, current patience,) with "novels filled to the brim with unlikable people whom I want to see die horribly".
Before starting this novel, and admittedly not reading any blurb or review, I kinda hoped I'd see something like: "Oh! Let's PoV this from local tourist trade workers encountering and subsequently killing them!"
As I read the novel, I wanted to see this get the full Stephen King treatment, where we read from the PoV OF the bad summer people and watch them all pop off later in glorious ways.
As I finished the novel, I just wished anything glorious had happened. Unfortunately, at the end, it's a pretty average setup. Rich assholes in their summer homes behaving badly. Most of it was just banal. Later on, when chaos reigns, the chaos is still rather mild.
Spicy-level 1.5 out of 10. Too mild for my palate. Alas....more
Consistency is a great thing. Where this book is great--progression lit, action, and very interesting Tao's, skills, soul-crafting, and massive Truth Consistency is a great thing. Where this book is great--progression lit, action, and very interesting Tao's, skills, soul-crafting, and massive Truth skills--it's great. Where it's merely okay, in the characters besides Zack, it's just meh.
Fortunately, I enjoy all the skills, power-ups, OP vistas and battles, and the fact that we've got so much more adventure ahead of us.
Yes, thirteen long books, and I've got the impression we're only half done. :)
It's a pretty awesome thing when you're still having fun, no?...more
I have to say I'm long-past hooked on this series. Each one is huge, progressive from the last, and addictive as all hell. But then, that's true of moI have to say I'm long-past hooked on this series. Each one is huge, progressive from the last, and addictive as all hell. But then, that's true of most LitRPGs. Some, more than others. And some have great strengths, like this one: it's endlessly evolving Tao cores, skill upgrades, bloodlines, inheritances, and all the different combos of each that can evolve into entirely new OP classes.
Do I love this kind of thing? Absolutely. Just shake in some character development, new, interesting realms, alternate universes, heavenly or hellish cores, and godlike spaces, and we've got an endlessly creative environment to build upon.
Throughout my read, I was simultaneously on the cusp of thinking this was brilliant and too annoying to continue. That's just me, however.
Let me explaThroughout my read, I was simultaneously on the cusp of thinking this was brilliant and too annoying to continue. That's just me, however.
Let me explain: While I DID like the whole color thing as a mirror to our horrid society, it was also laborious. The core story with its characters was fine--school stuff with a good comedy of manners thing going on--and while I've read much better, this was solid.
The whole idea of a future society that runs a gene-like thing based on all different colors, was a bit hard for me to follow. I mean, sure, we have doctors that use extremely specific palates to heal others, and mold is an issue, and we get that whole feel that their world-s are paintings, or something like. But that part of the worldbuilding was just too thin for me. I kept butting my head up against it to flesh it out and couldn't.
So. While I LIKE the idea of it and the core story was just okay, it just never quite got under my skin. At all. Sorry, Jasper. I just couldn't do more....more
This is the book that the classic SF film was based on, written way back in '67, the counterculture just revvHere's a little kick in the pants for ya.
This is the book that the classic SF film was based on, written way back in '67, the counterculture just revving up.
Here's the skinny: It holds up fantastically well to today's SF. Fast-paced and sharp. And even if the characterizations are a bit obviously '60s, the tale is so short that I'm surprised we got any depth at all. It's just that fast and furious.
As a side note, it lets me settle in to the idea that no matter how old you are or what your setting, people are stupid. The new norm of killing anyone off the moment they turn 30 seems pretty on-target for the same kinds of social norms we have now. It's modular stupidity. Pop out one, add another, it's all stupid.
Even if we've got a little commentary here, it's still a great action film....more
The Music Must Always Play -- (3.75 stars) A short, interesting, first contact story that just managed to stick to the wistful. I kinda wish Fiction:
The Music Must Always Play -- (3.75 stars) A short, interesting, first contact story that just managed to stick to the wistful. I kinda wish I knew what the groove sounded like.
Fish Fear Me, You Need ME -- (3.5 stars) Also short, this one barely has a tie to SF, just a hint of flooding. Otherwise, it's a fish story, a longing story, a willpower story, and eventually, just a story of acceptance. I guess I used to read a lot of these a while ago, so it's somewhat interesting to see it again.
Broken -- (4 stars) I tend to like these little claustrophobic, small scale perception SFs. A pilot and her obsession with her helmet. It feels very much like anything we are, staring at our phones. Oh, the helplessness if it gets broken!
How to Remember Perfectly -- (5 stars) This is the first in this month's stories that I think is beyond excellent. Gamifying memories in old people--it's beautiful, eerie, and more than subtly disturbing. The implications beyond this one good use is frankly terrifying. I totally recommend it.
The Children I gave you, Oxalaia -- (5 stars) Beautiful and ugly at the same time, this story of the home life of Venusians, or geckos, living in a slum-shelter after losing a battle with humans, is rather haunting. Yes, it's absolutely about poverty, racism, and colonialism, and it's gloriously alien, too.
Those Who Remember the World -- (5 stars) Woooo... I love me the weird of the New Weird. Or rather, is all fiction that has mycelium automatically weird? Or must it also have tentacles? Anyway, this was a great, strange mystery with a satisfying ending.
A Theory of Missing Affections -- (4 stars) This turned out to be a pretty cozy, even-headed SF archeology tale. Sometimes these really hit the spot. I really think we ought to have a lot more of these in general.
A world of Milk and Promises -- (4 stars) A short, strange little story about family. Really, really close family. :)
Non-Fiction:
A Genetic Recipe for Future Baby-Making -- A decent super-quick primer for genetics leading to -- you guessed it -- babies. With good SF biblios.
Disaster Queers and Romance: A Conversation with Aliette de Bodard -- A quick interview with the author.
Mashing Tropes: A Conversation with A.C. Wise -- Interesting short interview for a short fiction artist. :)
Editor's Desk: On Being Weightless -- A big Yay! for Neal. :)...more
Obviously, by book 11, I've found something good in this series. I am anxious to pick up the next.
Why? Because it gives me all the fan service I'd eveObviously, by book 11, I've found something good in this series. I am anxious to pick up the next.
Why? Because it gives me all the fan service I'd ever want with progression novels. Always working hard to that next level up. Sure, we're still on the high E-grade path, with D, C, B, and A still ahead of us, but damn. The promise is there and so is all the incremental additions to his power.
I gave this a fair shot, but it just came across as thoroughly average cozy murder mystery. I suppose I could have gotten into rooting for the murdereI gave this a fair shot, but it just came across as thoroughly average cozy murder mystery. I suppose I could have gotten into rooting for the murderers of these unlikable people, but the actual murdering took a long time to get to and then we were given too many explanations why we should have liked the victims and I just wasn't feeling it.
It was OKAY. Unfortunately, I feel like I've read a million just like it. I'm a bit sad. But alas, at least it wasn't actually BAD.
This one had a pretty nice balance between cultivating and action, as most of them do. Story is sometimes interesting, however, or at least a good enoThis one had a pretty nice balance between cultivating and action, as most of them do. Story is sometimes interesting, however, or at least a good enough hook that I just don't care. I love the LitRPG elements more than just about anything else, so it just doesn't matter.
But I should say one thing: I love how he keeps the so much larger OP stakes interesting.
Basically god levels here, but it doesn't matter because there are so many gods. :)...more
I'm still having fun with these LitRPGs. I'll never say they're great literature, but for my video-gaJonah and the Whale? How about a prison breakout!
I'm still having fun with these LitRPGs. I'll never say they're great literature, but for my video-game loving heart, it's a balm. Let's level up some more among monarchs!...more
Wowsers. So. I'd been joining my buddy reader on a musical journey with Greenberg's wonderful lecture series and I'd been accustomed to 4-5 hours per Wowsers. So. I'd been joining my buddy reader on a musical journey with Greenberg's wonderful lecture series and I'd been accustomed to 4-5 hours per lecture. A nice bite-sized immersion in musical history.
And then we get to Bach and the High Baroque, assuming we'd get a quick little masterwork on some masterworks.
I immediately had to change my tune -- indeed, all my tunes -- when I realized that this one was a true honker of a lecture cycle. It was only 4-5 times longer than all the rest. And then it slowly dawned on me that Greenberg must have started out with this particular period, even sharpening all his musical keys on Bach's whetstone.
And, indeed, I've never been so steeped in notation as when he showed me Bach's brilliance.
Ok. Back up. I admit I've always been a huge fan of Bach. Give me those concertos any day, or maybe the fugue, or, hell, any piano. It always spoke to me, even sharpened my mind, and I used to muse on how many future artists, even rock-n-roll artists, roll with him. It's just one of those constant idle musings, you know? I and I always enjoyed going back to Bach for the pure pleasure of it.
Fast forward to now. I've never been filled this high to the brim in musical theory, enthusiasm for the Baroque, or amazement at Bach's tonal masterpieces.
And for the future, if any ya'll pick up Greenberg's lectures, just know that this one is a definite outlier. It's great, but wow, it's overflowing, almost too much so, with composition and nitty-gritty. :)...more
Damn it. So. I went into THIS one expecting a big blow-out scene against a vampire dragon, and did getOnce bitten, twice shy, third needs a safe word.
Damn it. So. I went into THIS one expecting a big blow-out scene against a vampire dragon, and did get one, but it was far too short. And even then, I was annoyed by the whole end of book 29's setup being utterly squashed like a baby were-kitten beneath the dragon's claw.
Where's my setup-payoff, damn it! Hints, teases only. In the meantime, I actually enjoyed all the action and suspense and character-cameos that used to spend so much time on the pages, while complaining about how SHORT they all were.
UGGHH. Yes, I keep coming back to this because I'm simply having fun. That's IT. I guess I need a safe word, too....more
What plot is here is just spat out and glared at, while the marriage preparations, which have been going on for, what, Muahahahahahaha
Ok. So. The bad:
What plot is here is just spat out and glared at, while the marriage preparations, which have been going on for, what, 8 books, are still running at us readers like Lancelot running to the wedding ceremony in Monty Python's Holy Grail. We have had 29 books, minus, what, 4-5 books leading up to the FIRST almost-four-marks between Richard, Jean-Claude, and Anita, only to be sprung on us after SO MUCH FREAKING DRAMA and THIS late in the game, and we STILL don't get a resolution of any kind in THIS book.
I'll just gloss over Anita's 1000 other polyglutonous sexcapades for a moment because it didn't go overboard this time. There WAS some magical action and a big bad that reminds me of that one earthquake guy, only this one is a freaky undead dragon that spits greek fire, because, why not?
THE GOOD:
I'm laughing my ass off because I actually had a good time.
And it's NOT just because of the FINAL fourth mark on the original triumvirate, although I was actually pretty glued to my seat for that. I just see this book as the prologue to a big blow out and the character interactions are all pretty great. I may not like all the additions to the mystical pack, mainly because this reads like a GoT menagerie that has even MORE sex than GoT, but many of my all time favorites are here and we're actually getting somewhere with the OP buildup.
So here we are. I'm on board despite massive amounts of bitching, and I'm actually rearing to go.
While I wasn't truly sold on the realm introduced in the previous book, it found a rather cool conclusion here.
In the end, I loved the shorter title-While I wasn't truly sold on the realm introduced in the previous book, it found a rather cool conclusion here.
In the end, I loved the shorter title-hunting stories a lot more.
While these LitRPGs are pretty average, there are some really cool aspects in the cultivation areas. Improving one's soul, for example, is pretty primo here. Actually beautiful. :)...more
Well, I wanted to like this more than I did. I love Maugham for many reasons and he has a wide scope for all his novels, but this one in particular juWell, I wanted to like this more than I did. I love Maugham for many reasons and he has a wide scope for all his novels, but this one in particular just reminded me of a 19th century soap opera with super-headstrong idiots making idiotic choices.
Sure, Maugham referred to London, itself, as the Merry-Go-Round, but I think it's more proper to call the PEOPLE within it the Merry-Go-Round. They hop on each other and hop off each other with such random glee, picking another griffin or dolphin or dragon whenever it pleases them, spilling all their drinks and cotton candy all over the ride -- and these are ADULTS, mind you, behaving so abominably, and they don't seem to care if they step on anyone. Not even kids! *gasp*
Honestly, it's like a poor-man's Edith Wharton. It's decent for what it is and it reminds me of a ton of other Manners fiction, but to me, some of the characters sucked all the enjoyment out of it....more
My first impression of this book was that it was going to be slightly gimmicky, by focusing on twelve cherry-picked events and spreading out from therMy first impression of this book was that it was going to be slightly gimmicky, by focusing on twelve cherry-picked events and spreading out from there, and I was right.
That is not to say that it wasn't entertaining, because it was. I suppose I might have gotten more out of it if the writing had been more engaging, even more narrative. We did get some of the circumstances of some of the crews, of course, where we actually have history for them, and in general, I was happy to see context spiral out further and further from the core wrecks.
As it is, we got ancient boats all the way up to subs, and it had much more depth to it, more details, than I might have expected.
Interestingly, though, as I was reading it, I was struck by the idea that all of this would have been much more engaging as if it had been written as though from the ghosts of true sea men. Alas, however, it wasn't to be.
I will say this: the first third of the novel is fantastic. Engaging, weird, sharp. All the periphery hints were spectacular and I was totally down foI will say this: the first third of the novel is fantastic. Engaging, weird, sharp. All the periphery hints were spectacular and I was totally down for any/all reveals.
When it did develop, I was kinda shocked that it all turned into an exploration of grief, hidden or not, and then the plot got further submerged. I decided at that point to just enjoy the ride instead of trying to figure out what is happening.
And then, by the end, already long-aware of the spoilerish nature of the story, I can't say I really remained drawn into the emotions of it. I wanted to, but it lost me. If I sound super vague, it's because I can't talk about the seriously WEIRD (nicely so) nature of the novel.
I mean, sure, I can talk about the utter immersion in an old, bad, 80's sitcom, or the job that was utterly f***ed up, or the swirling-down-the-drain nature of the plot, but without details, all I can say is: go read it for yourself!
It IS pretty damn interesting and creative and when you consider just how few novels go off the deep end, we need to treasure those who do. :) ...more
While there is just minimal character development, I really don't care that much. The progression part of the fiction, new cores, leveling-up, new powWhile there is just minimal character development, I really don't care that much. The progression part of the fiction, new cores, leveling-up, new powers, skills, and incidental action is enough to keep me pumped up.
I was really quite interested in the system vs heaven levels of the multiverse. The deeper delve into the technological division is getting pretty interesting, too.
Sometimes, wild gaming imagination is all a guy needs. :)...more
This is hope-fiction, people, and I'm all down for it. I like my dystopias fine, but it's THIS kind of stuff that balances it all out. So freaking necessary. :)
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