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boabyb25's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
rahn's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent world building. Leaves a lot to be fleshed out by the reader which is usually the best approach, but leans a bit too far in that direction and doesn't quite hit the sweet spot.
I also have a sweet spot for prose and detail and this book under did it. Which is preferable to overdoing it and making the narrative too long for the action contained therein (China Mieville's Perdido Street Station being a recent example of this from my reading history). But this book was actually too punchy and quick which had the effect of over emphasising the action portions and underplaying the mystery aspects of the novel. I wanted to see the equally, if not more, interesting mystery aspects fleshed out in greater detail. I felt like I was along for the ride with action sequences but not fully on board for the ride in the mystery section. I didn't want the answers explained more or earlier, I wanted more of the background so I could feel like I was working on the same mystery as the characters. To be fair the characters only had small pieces of the mystery at times and were often as lost as the reader. But they did have a little more than the reader that wasn't given to the reader. Structurally the reader is unable to see the bigger picture until the end because of the way the information is buried. It's still possible to see the big picture early and still not know how to solve the mystery which is my preferred style.
If these things above had been more in line with my preferences it would have been 5/5. Everything else was great. Evocative, imaginative, rich, and unusual.
I also have a sweet spot for prose and detail and this book under did it. Which is preferable to overdoing it and making the narrative too long for the action contained therein (China Mieville's Perdido Street Station being a recent example of this from my reading history). But this book was actually too punchy and quick which had the effect of over emphasising the action portions and underplaying the mystery aspects of the novel. I wanted to see the equally, if not more, interesting mystery aspects fleshed out in greater detail. I felt like I was along for the ride with action sequences but not fully on board for the ride in the mystery section. I didn't want the answers explained more or earlier, I wanted more of the background so I could feel like I was working on the same mystery as the characters. To be fair the characters only had small pieces of the mystery at times and were often as lost as the reader. But they did have a little more than the reader that wasn't given to the reader. Structurally the reader is unable to see the bigger picture until the end because of the way the information is buried. It's still possible to see the big picture early and still not know how to solve the mystery which is my preferred style.
If these things above had been more in line with my preferences it would have been 5/5. Everything else was great. Evocative, imaginative, rich, and unusual.
obenn's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rickwren's review against another edition
5.0
If you want a book of ideas - this is it. Haanu Rajaniemi is obviously smarter than the rest of us - considerably so and yet he populates page after page with crazy, unique, future society concepts that made my head swim and sent me to eagerly research the ideas.
It's a heist. It's also a breakout. It's a crazy escape thriller and it's a wild ride through time.
Time is currency and memories are shared instantaneously, but because of that privacy is such a valued, treasured commodity that it costs you to keep your experiences from others.
I can't wait for the next book.
It's a heist. It's also a breakout. It's a crazy escape thriller and it's a wild ride through time.
Time is currency and memories are shared instantaneously, but because of that privacy is such a valued, treasured commodity that it costs you to keep your experiences from others.
I can't wait for the next book.
friedchickensuicide's review against another edition
2.0
Sometimes in the matter of a sentence or two, a book can achieve a moment of pure beauty, which can elevate it to something beyond just a heist novel, Hard SF or any other conservative branding. Example:
I take her hand. She embraces me. She beats her wings and we rise up, through the glass sky, away from guns, memories and kings.
Similar sentences and passages of great beauty and wonder pepper this the narrative of this debut novel-which would be a great debut novel, if the people the sentences are about were half as interesting.
Yes, I give the author this: this is one hell of a world you have made up. The concepts, in accordance to Hard SF tradition, are all singularly brilliant. But if I am to actually sit down and really get into a story in which a thief escapes from a Dilemma prison to do a heist job breaking into the Oubliette for a Sobornost lady which involves endless entanglements with the Tzaddikim, the phoboi and the Cryptarchs, then you better open your damn gevulot a little bit more, that is, give the reader a little bit more information. For enormous stretches of the text, I'm just witness to action that I cannot understand, which is understandable when it happens on page 25 or page 50, but when you're having a problem figuring out what on earth is going on page 300, then you have a problem. I'm impressed by Rajaniemi's imagination and his undeniable intellect, but his storytelling skills need a bit of polish, I'd say. There are ideas here that I can ponder about for months, but getting through this book-which has the most elementary of pulp thriller plots, mind you-was a bit of a chore. It's not fun, even though there is always somebody shooting at somebody else.
Now that the world-building is done, hopefully the sequel will be an improvement.
I take her hand. She embraces me. She beats her wings and we rise up, through the glass sky, away from guns, memories and kings.
Similar sentences and passages of great beauty and wonder pepper this the narrative of this debut novel-which would be a great debut novel, if the people the sentences are about were half as interesting.
Yes, I give the author this: this is one hell of a world you have made up. The concepts, in accordance to Hard SF tradition, are all singularly brilliant. But if I am to actually sit down and really get into a story in which a thief escapes from a Dilemma prison to do a heist job breaking into the Oubliette for a Sobornost lady which involves endless entanglements with the Tzaddikim, the phoboi and the Cryptarchs, then you better open your damn gevulot a little bit more, that is, give the reader a little bit more information. For enormous stretches of the text, I'm just witness to action that I cannot understand, which is understandable when it happens on page 25 or page 50, but when you're having a problem figuring out what on earth is going on page 300, then you have a problem. I'm impressed by Rajaniemi's imagination and his undeniable intellect, but his storytelling skills need a bit of polish, I'd say. There are ideas here that I can ponder about for months, but getting through this book-which has the most elementary of pulp thriller plots, mind you-was a bit of a chore. It's not fun, even though there is always somebody shooting at somebody else.
Now that the world-building is done, hopefully the sequel will be an improvement.
finnersreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
malcolm_eckel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Certainly unique! I'm not entirely sure that the story itself shines so brightly, but the worldbuilding and imagination that the story slowly reveals is captivating all on its own. I've read a lot of sci-fi and it is a wonderful feeling to read something new.
vip8888's review against another edition
4.0
Occasionally felt slightly cheesy and with some Deus Ex Machina moments, but on the whole a good book that I really enjoyed. Recommended, will definitely check Rajaniemi's other output. A word of warning though, do not read the description here on Goodreads, gives far too much away for my liking.
savarova's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Definitely for people who like puzzles. The author throws you right into the thick of it. At first, nothing is explained, and it’s your job to piece together what’s going on. But don’t worry, most of the things will be explained at some point if you have the patience to read further. I personally kept a list of terms and major plot points mentioned by the character in my notes app, and updated it as I read along. If you like theorizing, this is definitely a book for you.
In terms of a plot, it’s a VERY exciting read. I could not put the book down; read the whole thing in three days.
In terms of a plot, it’s a VERY exciting read. I could not put the book down; read the whole thing in three days.