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paulphicles's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
lookingforvheissu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
For my taste, this is a 90’s cliche rule of cool Showtime like romp in the style of Rob Liefield. Sex. Big guns. Neural nanotics. Explosions! Sex. Nothing but the best breasts. Chauvinism. Sex. Eurocentric. Sex. God. Demons. Hell. Sex. Torture. Mysterious undead. Sex. Aliens who know more than us. Sex. It is as campy as it is long.
The significant pro is that despite how massive and complicated the plot can be, it is a masterclass on creating a living universe. It comes across as full, fleshed out, and lived in.
The technobabble comes across as dated, yet oddly prescient at the same time.
That being said, as a novel, much of this works against it. Not to be missed is the editing. Spelling errors. Typos. Missing line breaks. It almost feels like a copy paste from a gratuitously long story posted a scene at a time on LiveJournal.
I recommend this is you don’t mine your shallow Sci Fi’s only question is, “How cool would this be on a PPV show?”
Last note: I added a list of trigger warnings. This book has the potential to be upsetting for a variety of reasons. I would expect that if you’re reading this, and interested, the triggers are likely minor enough that they shouldn’t be too stressful.
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism
gepetto's review against another edition
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
jamison_dance's review against another edition
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child death
mad_mady's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Ugh I wanted to love this book so bad. Peter F.H is meant to be the best sci-fi writer around but frankly this book was not written for me as a woman. This is a man’s book for a man’s world. I couldn’t get past the rampant misogyny, casual racism and shockingly frequent use of rape in the narrative. Also Peter, my dude, it’s cool if you have an impregnating fetish but leave the rest of us out of it Jesus f*cking Christ.
The problem is not that this stuff exists in the world of the book, it’s that it’s never addressed or deconstructed like it is in a book like GOT where the sexism and violence is analyzed through a lease of war. Hamilton uses theese very abrasive things for shock value or as things to make his world grittier which I’d argue is pathetic because a sci-fi future with sentient biotech should be more progressive than George R.R Martins Middle Ages fantasy but oop P.H just tripped and fell onto gross and unfair stereotypes. Whoopsie.
Also the only gay guy was a satanic rapist psychopath that kills his underage rape victim lover. Ugh gross.
Yeah nah, not for me. And that sucks because the book was very inventive and creative and the plot was genuinely enthralling. But after the fourth female character was raped I had to peace out.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
You need a strong stomach and a penis to enjoy this book.vittorioseg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, and Xenophobia
equleart's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Religious bigotry