Critiques et Commentaires

In order that my comments not be entirely negative, I should note that at least Aladdin does not promote the inherent nobility of the ruling classes, unlike some of the earlier stories in the volume.

Started to listen to Aladdin. It is worth linking to www.criticalmuslim.io/the-dark-side-of-the-arabian-nights/ for discussion of the racism in the Arabian nights. Here "African" definitely means bad, although it's less obviously anti-black racism (to this non-expert) than some of the other stories.

OK, so here is some violence, but it at least advances the plot. Also, space pirates!

I didn't read the first book in the series, so that might explain why I had a hard time connecting with the characters.

I found the early romance between the protagonist Tea and her undead lover somewhat cringeworthy (not because of the undead thing, just the breathy internal dialog). Perhaps I'm being what @lapis@bookwyrm.social described as an "adult reader mad at kids for being kids".

The book does deal with "coming of age" issues of gender and sexual identity in a positive way.

There are a few twists that I did not see coming.

I did like the narrative structure of the two halves of the story interleaved, more or less converging (although not quite) at the end of the book.

It is definitely the middle book of a trilogy (or longer) series and some important questions are unresolved at the end.

Not much happens, but it does serve as a reasonable recap of the major themes of the Murderbot Diaries.

web.archive.org/web/20220113175332/https://www.tor.com/2021/04/19/home-habitat-range-niche-territory-martha-wells/

Banks does like to open with a torture scene, doesn't he?

Anyway the grand theme is apparently the advisability of turning things over to benign machines to run things. That does seem rather hypothetical at the moment.

Thinking I should go back to the beginning and see if my so-so impression of "Surface Detail" on re-read is related to "late Banks" or "late me".

I think Banks wanted to write something of a critique of late stage capitalism (Culture novels in general being a variant of Space Communism). Unfortunately the villain is a bit too much of a parody for my taste. I also found the first third of the book a bit of a slog, as the various in-Hell plot lines involve a fair amount of gratuitous violence and suffering, and don't obviously go anywhere.

That said, I did find the last 2/3 fairly engaging and fun.

I suspect people who are sensitive to the portrayal of sexual violence should not read this book.

Review to follow.

Review sounds interesting.

theconversation.com/holiday-reading-five-picks-from-a-great-year-for-african-writing-173160

Maybe. Would like to read some convincing reviews either way.

I found the first one a bit of a struggle, but this is supposed to be better?

So many awards. It must be good right?

There are two Robert Jackson Bennetts on OpenLibrary and (probably not coincidence) also here. But they are the same author. Can we merge somehow?