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First book of the year and I started it off right. Sweet with a tinge of bitterness at some turns, haunting, thrilling. Will have you running through the city of Chicago.
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I'm not a big fan of his prose. He writes like a stereotypical scientist (no shade to the scientists, you have many redeeming and necessary qualities). Meaning it's very straightforward, to the point, and action oriented, but it's also the sort of writing where you're just begging them to say something beautiful or profound (but they never do).
That being said, the main character is a scientist, so it kind of works. Also, as someone who struggles with concision in my own writing, I admire the way he can hone in and drive a plot with his writing style.
Speaking of which, the plot is great. It's like the majority of classical science fiction, meaning the ideas are what really drive the novel, and the characters are simply vehicles for said ideas. Personally, I like idea-driven literature, so this redeems it for me. The plot is addicting and it will keep you coming back for more. There's also an enjoyable twist. Oh, and apparently a show based upon the novel is coming out soon, so now is the perfect time to preemptively read it.
Feb 19, 2024
An enthralling space opera that had me ravenously going back til the very end. Immaculate setpieces that I couldn't help but envision seeing in the theater. Memorable characters, absolutely meaty amounts of worldbuilding, and an incredible twist that caught me completely off guard.
The multiple perspectives and time jumps were a bit confusing for the first few chapters (Christopher Nolan's Momento comes to mind), but once I understood the flow of the novel it was easy enough to keep up with. Overall such a pleasant surprise of a debut that Iβm still thinking about months later!!
Jan 24, 2024
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Iβm starting with Exhalation by Ted Chiang which I THOROUGHLY recommend. A bunch of short stories about humanity.
Itβs sort of like black mirror if black mirror was hopeful and about the best in people coming out in bad situation.
Jan 6, 2025
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More excited about Michael Keaton reprising his role.
Feb 1, 2024