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Tak!

Tak@reading.taks.garden

Joined 2 years, 6 months ago

I like to read

Non-bookposting: @Tak@gush.taks.garden

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Anton Hur, Djuna: Counterweight (Hardcover, 2023, Pantheon)

Counterweight

Counterweight is a nearish-future scifi thriller set on the island of Patusan, which I have just learned today has a long literary legacy.

The plot follows an unnamed employee of the LK Corporation as he attempts to unravel a series of events revolving around the world's first space elevator, erected by LK on Patusan. I enjoyed the originality of the setting, but I found the whole thing fairly convoluted and somewhat difficult to follow.

The dystopian corporation-state future where having a literal worm implanted in your brain is a condition of employment is becoming all too plausible at this point.

#SFFBookClub

L. M. Sagas: Cascade Failure (2024, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

There are only three real powers in the Spiral: the corporate power of the Trust …

Cascade Failure

Cascade Failure is an action-packed scifi novel about a ragtag spaceship crew of misfits that gets involved in Significant Events. It's snappy and engaging, but it's not heavy on horizon-expanding content - it feels a bit like a space-opera version of a Tales of the Ketty Jay novel

Suzette Mayr: The Sleeping Car Porter (Paperback, 2022, Coach House Books)

When a mudslide strands a train, Baxter, a queer Black sleeping car porter, must contend …

The Sleeping Car Porter

The Sleeping Car Porter is kind of an ensemble farce with subtle paranormal elements, experienced through a porter for a sleeping car on a transcontinental voyage across Canada.

The porter is a gay (or bi?) black man in Canada in the 1920s, and there's a strong focus on the various aggressions and disadvantages he's exposed to in light of that.

Weird and enjoyable.

Adrian Tchaikovsky: Service Model (Hardcover, 2024, Tor Books)

Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service. When a domesticated …

Service Model

This is one of the ones you can tell he had fun writing.

The tone is all across the spectrum, from farcical to bleak to heartwarming, and the writing is characteristically delightful, with lots of flippant throwaway lines.

I love that @janellecshane@wandering.shop got a well-deserved mention in the acknowledgements.

Adrian Tchaikovsky: Service Model (Hardcover, 2024, Tor Books)

Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service. When a domesticated …

I have encountered the word "yeeted" in a sophisticated literary novel, and now I can die happy

Vajra Chandrasekera: The Saint of Bright Doors (Hardcover, 2023, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

Fetter was raised to kill, honed as a knife to cut down his sainted father. …

THE SAINT OF BRIGHT DOORS has been out in the world just over a year. As of today, it's collected NINE award nominations (today's news: the Dragon Award shortlist is out) The Ignytes and Dragons are now open for public voting! See the post for how to vote. vajra.me/2024/08/05/ten-toes-in/

wandering.shop/@vajra/112912787089558217

Seth Dickinson: Exordia (2023, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

Anna Sinjari―refugee, survivor of genocide, disaffected office worker―has a close encounter that reveals universe-threatening stakes. …

Exordia

Exordia is a wild, weird scifi novel with snappy writing and a surprising level of commentary on genocide, imperialism, and american exceptionalism.

cw: so much violence

Seth Dickinson: Exordia (2023, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

Anna Sinjari―refugee, survivor of genocide, disaffected office worker―has a close encounter that reveals universe-threatening stakes. …

I'm not sure how many more Anna puns I can withstand