2/ There is basically no plot for the first 60% of the book. Two agents of opposing time-travelling civilization hyper-super-powers are locked in an endless infinite war. And, across the battlefield, they notice each other and start to write letters, in violation of orders.
-
-
Show this thread
-
3/ Between the title of the book and the epistolary format, by page 5 anyone can guess exactly what happens: the two "enemies" fall in love and elope away from the forever-war. Except. None of that happens for ~100 pages. For endless pages, it's just letters, back and forth
Show this thread -
4/ The flirting only went on for 100 pages, but it was so painful to read that I felt like I was locked into a never ending war across infinite timeliness. Also, because this is the cUrReNt yEaR, OBVIOUSLY the two rivals-turned-lovers are both women.
Show this thread -
5/ Because, are you really even an artist, bro, unless you make the point over and over and over that women are good and natural and the default sex, and lesbian is wholesome and wonderful and pure?pic.twitter.com/udCylmOSqQ
Show this thread -
6/ So that's the first 100 pages: just cringy post-human lesbian flirting, between two overly self-involved characters who are both oh-so-proud of how witty they are, how in love with words and books they are. So. Much. Cringe.
Show this thread -
7/ Then the final 1/3 of the novel is the resolution. The inevitable moment where they decide that they need to escape the forever war and be lovers. And ... yawn. I literally guessed the entire plot in the first 5 pages.
Show this thread -
8/ On the bright side, the sentences are wonderful, the imagery is amazing, and you're dazzled over and over and over again by sites, smells, entire worlds that are touched on for just one sentence and then moved past.
Show this thread -
9/ I'd forgive the "this isn't REAL SF ; this isn't what a novel is supposed to be!!!" issue in other contexts. This is far from the first time someone has tried an experiment way outside the bounds of normal SF novels. I've read Michael Moorcock. I bear scars of the New Wave
Show this thread -
10/ ...but bc we're in the middle of a communist entryist insurgence that has pretty much 100% successfully taken over the science fiction field, killed it, skinned it, and is now wearing the rotting hide as it dances, ghoul-like, across the landscape, speaking power to truth
Show this thread -
11/ ...I am far less indulgent and tolerant of such "experiments" than I might have been 20 years ago. This reads like 2 parts "look what I can do / this is fresh / this is new / this is also art" (which I respect) and, in the current year, 5 parts ...
Show this thread -
12/ "GTFO Niven and Heinlein and Asimov and Hal Clement ; this is OUR space now. And all you nerds who are here for the dead white males? You GTFO out too". So, anyway, that's my review: * masterful writing * no plot * SJW infiltration Exeunt.
Show this thread -
13/ Am I saying "don't read it"? No. I am not. There's great writing there, and it's worth paying attention to. There are good reasons to buy and read this book...for some. I am saying "if you want an SF novel where anything happens...yeah, then probably don't buy it".
Show this thread -
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.