lyfaster's review against another edition
5.0
What else can I say? Any other rating would be a drug-induced hallucination of your beloved Synth...
*EDIT*: I owe this author a better review. Not just because he had commented on my rating, but because Song of Synth is...without a doubt one of the best novels I have ever read. It honestly did have a profound effect on me, but we will get to that later, shall we?
Slight spoilers to follow
Characters: (5/5)
The side characters aren't of great importance when compared to the back and forth, incredibly scintillating dialogue between both Synth and our main man Markus (or should I say Mathias? or should I say Sekander...lol, you'll get it eventually). Our main's character development follows a hero's journey, however, breaking several already over-established and cliche tropes along the way. The end result is a spiritual development, deeply meaningful and richly fleshed out. I wish I could say more, but you'll literally have to read to find out.
Plot (5/5)
Heavily character influenced. Brilliantly done. Think a hybrid between The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo and The Crying of Lot 49 all dressed up in an Inferno Suit with matching Purgaratio tie, wearing the latest Fight Club scent. Yes, I understand that is a very odd image. Like I said previously, Song of Synth is about a spiritual journey through levels of consciousness, both physical and immaterial. The plot explains the importance of the characters, the characters drive the plot forward.
Pacing (5/5)
Surreal. When reading song of synth, time either seems still or passes away in the blink of an eye. The plot moves quick at times, but knows just when to slow down.
Prose (6/5)
Yeah, I know I just gave the prose a rating higher than five stars. Which is really unlike me. The truth of the matter is, I had no gripes at all with the way Song of Synth was written. In fact I loved it. In fact, in fact, I envy Seb Doubinsky, because his vivid and surreal imagery is seemingly transmuted into finely crafted words that hold many layered meanings and interpretations. It's because of the richly constructed descriptions and carefully selected vocabulary that I have already began rereading Song of Synth. Sometimes it reads like a poem. Sometimes is reads like a song. The words evoke a deep resonance within my soul, as such, Prose gets 6/5 stars.
World (5/5)
Take our world, as it is: its people, its culture, its social and political issues, and its layered meanings, best expressed by the seemingly infinite digital realms we have created. Then toss in Ray Bradbury's vision with Fahrenheit 451, specifically the concept of forbidden information. Mix it together and paint it over the vast-expanse of the sky. What you have is the world of Synth. The world building changes scale continuously, whether you are reading through Markus' internal dreams and Synth-fueled hallucinations or exploring the middle-eastern streets of Samarkand. I find myself both wishing and terrified by this world, because it is a mirror to our own.
Total: 26/25 *5 = 5.2 - Yes, this book is better than five stars. Shame GR only gives you up to 5. I have recommended this book already to most of my friends. It is a fantastic work of literary genius.
Personal Note:
Thank you Mr. Doubinsky for the finely crafted masterpiece. Your words struck a chord with me and for this I am very much thankful to have read your work. You can be assured that this isn't the last time I will do such.
*EDIT*: I owe this author a better review. Not just because he had commented on my rating, but because Song of Synth is...without a doubt one of the best novels I have ever read. It honestly did have a profound effect on me, but we will get to that later, shall we?
Slight spoilers to follow
Characters: (5/5)
The side characters aren't of great importance when compared to the back and forth, incredibly scintillating dialogue between both Synth and our main man Markus (or should I say Mathias? or should I say Sekander...lol, you'll get it eventually). Our main's character development follows a hero's journey, however, breaking several already over-established and cliche tropes along the way. The end result is a spiritual development, deeply meaningful and richly fleshed out. I wish I could say more, but you'll literally have to read to find out.
Plot (5/5)
Heavily character influenced. Brilliantly done. Think a hybrid between The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo and The Crying of Lot 49 all dressed up in an Inferno Suit with matching Purgaratio tie, wearing the latest Fight Club scent. Yes, I understand that is a very odd image. Like I said previously, Song of Synth is about a spiritual journey through levels of consciousness, both physical and immaterial. The plot explains the importance of the characters, the characters drive the plot forward.
Pacing (5/5)
Surreal. When reading song of synth, time either seems still or passes away in the blink of an eye. The plot moves quick at times, but knows just when to slow down.
Prose (6/5)
Yeah, I know I just gave the prose a rating higher than five stars. Which is really unlike me. The truth of the matter is, I had no gripes at all with the way Song of Synth was written. In fact I loved it. In fact, in fact, I envy Seb Doubinsky, because his vivid and surreal imagery is seemingly transmuted into finely crafted words that hold many layered meanings and interpretations. It's because of the richly constructed descriptions and carefully selected vocabulary that I have already began rereading Song of Synth. Sometimes it reads like a poem. Sometimes is reads like a song. The words evoke a deep resonance within my soul, as such, Prose gets 6/5 stars.
World (5/5)
Take our world, as it is: its people, its culture, its social and political issues, and its layered meanings, best expressed by the seemingly infinite digital realms we have created. Then toss in Ray Bradbury's vision with Fahrenheit 451, specifically the concept of forbidden information. Mix it together and paint it over the vast-expanse of the sky. What you have is the world of Synth. The world building changes scale continuously, whether you are reading through Markus' internal dreams and Synth-fueled hallucinations or exploring the middle-eastern streets of Samarkand. I find myself both wishing and terrified by this world, because it is a mirror to our own.
Total: 26/25 *5 = 5.2 - Yes, this book is better than five stars. Shame GR only gives you up to 5. I have recommended this book already to most of my friends. It is a fantastic work of literary genius.
Personal Note:
Thank you Mr. Doubinsky for the finely crafted masterpiece. Your words struck a chord with me and for this I am very much thankful to have read your work. You can be assured that this isn't the last time I will do such.
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