This Year's Reading
#49 The Broken World by Tim Etchells
I had hoped to review this but in the end I didn't have much to say. The idea is that the novel is structured as a walkthrough for computer game called Broken World. However, in order to achieve what Etchells wants, he has to make his game utterly unbelieveable (ie totally non-linear and randomised) and his walkthrough similarly so. Instead it is more ruminations on the narrator's life and the imaginary game. Which is of course the point but knowing so doesn't make it any more compelling. Considering his background this was a bit of a disappointment.
#50 The Night Sessions by Ken MacLeod
This, on the other hand, I din't expect to like. And I didn't.
After The Execution Channel MacLeod stays with the war on terror but this time filters it through religion rather than politics. It is just as problematic as his previous novel and it is just as irritatingly glib as pretty much the whole of his body of work. Like Charles Stross, he really needs to learn when in jokes are appropriate. More on this - and some comments from MacLeod - on my blog with this.
I had hoped to review this but in the end I didn't have much to say. The idea is that the novel is structured as a walkthrough for computer game called Broken World. However, in order to achieve what Etchells wants, he has to make his game utterly unbelieveable (ie totally non-linear and randomised) and his walkthrough similarly so. Instead it is more ruminations on the narrator's life and the imaginary game. Which is of course the point but knowing so doesn't make it any more compelling. Considering his background this was a bit of a disappointment.
#50 The Night Sessions by Ken MacLeod
This, on the other hand, I din't expect to like. And I didn't.
After The Execution Channel MacLeod stays with the war on terror but this time filters it through religion rather than politics. It is just as problematic as his previous novel and it is just as irritatingly glib as pretty much the whole of his body of work. Like Charles Stross, he really needs to learn when in jokes are appropriate. More on this - and some comments from MacLeod - on my blog with this.