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Launch Something!
Earth is experiencing a sweltering heatwave caused by a second “sun” – a shining object in the sky that either looks like Pac-Man or a pizza missing a slice, depending on who you ask. As this object increases in size and risks making Earth uninhabitable, the Korean government decides it has to do its part and help the US-led Allied Space Force. Launch Something! is a sci-fi novel about a Korean Space Force that contains his quirky brand of political satire.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2020
43 people are currently reading
1082 people want to read
About the author
Bae Myung-hoon
22 books36 followersBae Myung-hoon (배명훈) is an acclaimed South Korean writer of science fiction known for his inventive world-building and biting political humor. His debut story collection, Tower (타워, 2009; English edition: Honford Star, 2021), is the first Korean science fiction book by a single author to be translated into English. Bae has written more than a dozen novels and short-story collections, an essay collection, and a sci-fi children’s book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 27, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this. I'll start saying that I really liked the author's previous book, Tower, for its worldbuilding and the total absurdity of the societal interactions within a 600+ floors skyscraper-state. Now, the total absurdity is still here, but the core of the story is a power struggle that, to be fully enjoyable, I'm afraid requires a deeper understanding of Korean culture than the one I have. That said, it's well written and a nice reading I'd recommend to anyone into modern East-Asian fiction.
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Ho sentimenti contrastanti al riguardo. Comincerò dicendo che mi è piaciuto molto il libro precedente dell'autore, La torre, per la sua costruzione del mondo e per la totale assurdità delle interazioni sociali all'interno di un grattacielo-stato di oltre 600 piani. Ora, la totale assurdità è ancora qui, ma il nocciolo della storia è una lotta di potere che, per essere pienamente godibile, temo richieda una comprensione più profonda della cultura coreana di quella che ho io. Detto questo, è ben scritto ed è una lettura che consiglierei a chiunque ami la narrativa moderna dell'Asia orientale.
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Ho sentimenti contrastanti al riguardo. Comincerò dicendo che mi è piaciuto molto il libro precedente dell'autore, La torre, per la sua costruzione del mondo e per la totale assurdità delle interazioni sociali all'interno di un grattacielo-stato di oltre 600 piani. Ora, la totale assurdità è ancora qui, ma il nocciolo della storia è una lotta di potere che, per essere pienamente godibile, temo richieda una comprensione più profonda della cultura coreana di quella che ho io. Detto questo, è ben scritto ed è una lettura che consiglierei a chiunque ami la narrativa moderna dell'Asia orientale.
September 15, 2024
엄청 똑똑한 사람들과 멍청한 시스템. 그래서 매일매일이 시트콤인 군대.
Brilliant people in a stupid system, so every day's like an episode of a sitcom.
Launch Something is the debut full-length translation by Stella Kim of 빙글빙글 우주군 by 배명훈 (Bae Myung-hoon).
This is the second translation from the author published by small indy Honford Star, the first Tower translated by Sang Ryu from the original 타워. My review of that concluded:
This novel is of a similar nature but for me was not so successful.
The story is based around the Korean Space Force is a near-future world where there is an established base on Mars, home to around 20,000 people. But the action of the novel takes place on Earth. The Korean Space Force is something of the poor relation versus the other three arms of the military, not least as it is answerable not just to the Korean authorities, but organisationally to the Allied Space Force, a treaty-based multinational organisation that controls near space.
The novel begins with quirky character sketches introducing the 9 main characters. One example:
Captain Um Jonghyun, Intelligence Department
Um Jonghyun is a special appointee and officer in charge of origami interpretation (analysis) with a degree from a prominent uni-versity abroad. He salutes air conditioners on hot days. His duties involve reverse engineering the shape of satellites in the orbits of Earth and Mars. Putting his academic major to practical use, he makes a significant contribution to resolving the case of who transmitted firearm data to the interplanetary shuttle.
His oragami skills are in fact used for the way in which satellites are often unfolded in space after launch, but when he is introduced to a government official his senior officer explains instead, in a dig at the lack of funding:
"He is our origami expert," added the chief of staff. At her words, the secretary of security widened his eyes. "Origami?" The chief of staff smiled and answered, "Due to the lack of budget, we fold spaceships out of paper. In the past, the Air Force also used to fold planes and fly them, but now that they have a lot of money, they can make the planes out of metal. Isn't that true?"
The plot of the book is equally quirky. It begins with two suns in the sky, one a satellite approaching the earth which has been unfolded to make a massive reflector, shaped like a Pac-man with one piece missing. There is some discussion about whether to destroy the object or not, the issue being that to do so potentially violates the treaties within which space is governed.
Although this turns out to be something of a side story (indeed unless I missed it, which I likely did, I'm not sure we discover who or what is behind the Pac-man).
The main intrigue relates to an asteroid sucked into earth's orbit which the Allied Space Force attempts to control; to the return from Mars of a military commander who brutally supressed a rebellion there and now seems to have sinister terrestrial ambitions; and the attempt of politicians to make the Korean Space Force more nationalistic. Side stories include a K-pop singer enlisted for military service, and an administrator who has visions of a giant teddy bear given to her by a former boyfriend who she has not seen since he travelled to Mars.
As the opening quote suggests it does all rather have a rather farcical sitcom flavour.
Where I felt it was less successful versus Tower is the rather wordy prose, something that I first noticed in a scene where some intelligence is passed-on during a basketball game, but the novel describes the basketball match itself in tortuous detail remiscent of Ian McEwan writing about squash in Saturday. Similarly the description of a dance routine by the K-pop singer (which seemed completely incidental to the plot), and indeed the battles between robots that form the novel's climax. And the consistent attempt to sound an offbeat note - e.g. one of the characters gives everyone near-homophonic nicknames so Han Summin becomes Handsome Man, Soojin Soojeans etc - becomes a little wearing. Which has the effect that any 'well-thought through messages' the book wants to bring to our attention get a little lost.
2.5 stars.
Brilliant people in a stupid system, so every day's like an episode of a sitcom.
Launch Something is the debut full-length translation by Stella Kim of 빙글빙글 우주군 by 배명훈 (Bae Myung-hoon).
This is the second translation from the author published by small indy Honford Star, the first Tower translated by Sang Ryu from the original 타워. My review of that concluded:
A lot of fun to read, yet containing some important and well-thought through messages about power dynamics in modern states and communities. In SF terms this tends much more to the allegorical than the 'wholly coherent world-building' end, which to me is a positive.
This novel is of a similar nature but for me was not so successful.
The story is based around the Korean Space Force is a near-future world where there is an established base on Mars, home to around 20,000 people. But the action of the novel takes place on Earth. The Korean Space Force is something of the poor relation versus the other three arms of the military, not least as it is answerable not just to the Korean authorities, but organisationally to the Allied Space Force, a treaty-based multinational organisation that controls near space.
The novel begins with quirky character sketches introducing the 9 main characters. One example:
Captain Um Jonghyun, Intelligence Department
Um Jonghyun is a special appointee and officer in charge of origami interpretation (analysis) with a degree from a prominent uni-versity abroad. He salutes air conditioners on hot days. His duties involve reverse engineering the shape of satellites in the orbits of Earth and Mars. Putting his academic major to practical use, he makes a significant contribution to resolving the case of who transmitted firearm data to the interplanetary shuttle.
His oragami skills are in fact used for the way in which satellites are often unfolded in space after launch, but when he is introduced to a government official his senior officer explains instead, in a dig at the lack of funding:
"He is our origami expert," added the chief of staff. At her words, the secretary of security widened his eyes. "Origami?" The chief of staff smiled and answered, "Due to the lack of budget, we fold spaceships out of paper. In the past, the Air Force also used to fold planes and fly them, but now that they have a lot of money, they can make the planes out of metal. Isn't that true?"
The plot of the book is equally quirky. It begins with two suns in the sky, one a satellite approaching the earth which has been unfolded to make a massive reflector, shaped like a Pac-man with one piece missing. There is some discussion about whether to destroy the object or not, the issue being that to do so potentially violates the treaties within which space is governed.
Although this turns out to be something of a side story (indeed unless I missed it, which I likely did, I'm not sure we discover who or what is behind the Pac-man).
The main intrigue relates to an asteroid sucked into earth's orbit which the Allied Space Force attempts to control; to the return from Mars of a military commander who brutally supressed a rebellion there and now seems to have sinister terrestrial ambitions; and the attempt of politicians to make the Korean Space Force more nationalistic. Side stories include a K-pop singer enlisted for military service, and an administrator who has visions of a giant teddy bear given to her by a former boyfriend who she has not seen since he travelled to Mars.
As the opening quote suggests it does all rather have a rather farcical sitcom flavour.
Where I felt it was less successful versus Tower is the rather wordy prose, something that I first noticed in a scene where some intelligence is passed-on during a basketball game, but the novel describes the basketball match itself in tortuous detail remiscent of Ian McEwan writing about squash in Saturday. Similarly the description of a dance routine by the K-pop singer (which seemed completely incidental to the plot), and indeed the battles between robots that form the novel's climax. And the consistent attempt to sound an offbeat note - e.g. one of the characters gives everyone near-homophonic nicknames so Han Summin becomes Handsome Man, Soojin Soojeans etc - becomes a little wearing. Which has the effect that any 'well-thought through messages' the book wants to bring to our attention get a little lost.
2.5 stars.
February 27, 2023
I picked up "Launch Something!" from a shelf in an enormous book shop in Edinburgh for three reasons:
1. It's Sci-Fi, and I love Sci-Fi
2. The front cover is beautiful
3. The author is a celebrated Korean writer, and I've been watching a lot of Korean TV lately
About 1/3 of the way through the book, I felt like I'd made a mistake. It was hard to read, there were lots of interlinked characters introduced very early, and there wasn't actually much 'sci-fi' in it. No, it's more of a political drama.
But the light-hearted moments of comedy kept me going. For example:
"This is our origami expert. As I've said before, we can only fold spaceships with paper, so we can't get that kind of money. But we can however, purchase as much paper as we want."
You see, Launch Something! is a political satire of a dysfunctional Korean Space Force agency located in the middle of nowhere. There's one pilot with no ships to fly, a PR department, a weather specialist who mostly makes it up, an inspector with no accidents to investigate, a chief of intelligence who builds whatever he can from origami, a Mars relationship manager who is haunted by the phantom of an enormous stuffed teddy bear, and a K-pop star who runs the local radio... And so on. This peculiar cast of characters are faced with some of the greatest crises Earth has ever faced, and with a looming threat from Mars. All excellent people, in ridiculous jobs with no resources. Will they save the world? Won't they?
Over the course of the book as I slowly learned more about the characters, it grew on me a lot. It's not quite like anything I'd normally read, but I was thoroughly entertained.
In fact, an hour before I had to leave for a holiday I found myself desperately trying to finish the book. Rather than leave it on a cliff hanger, I simply had to know what happened. I couldn't pack it in my hand luggage, and I didn't want to bring it and have to leave the book at the airport. I didn't manage to finish it - with 10 pages left, I wandered around my airport looking for a bookshop that would sell it so I could cheekily read those last few pages.
I think a book that does that to me, is a good one in my mind. I've heard Bae Myung-Hoon's first novel, The Tower, is much better, and now that I know the style of this book, I'll eagerly be looking out for it in the future.
1. It's Sci-Fi, and I love Sci-Fi
2. The front cover is beautiful
3. The author is a celebrated Korean writer, and I've been watching a lot of Korean TV lately
About 1/3 of the way through the book, I felt like I'd made a mistake. It was hard to read, there were lots of interlinked characters introduced very early, and there wasn't actually much 'sci-fi' in it. No, it's more of a political drama.
But the light-hearted moments of comedy kept me going. For example:
"This is our origami expert. As I've said before, we can only fold spaceships with paper, so we can't get that kind of money. But we can however, purchase as much paper as we want."
You see, Launch Something! is a political satire of a dysfunctional Korean Space Force agency located in the middle of nowhere. There's one pilot with no ships to fly, a PR department, a weather specialist who mostly makes it up, an inspector with no accidents to investigate, a chief of intelligence who builds whatever he can from origami, a Mars relationship manager who is haunted by the phantom of an enormous stuffed teddy bear, and a K-pop star who runs the local radio... And so on. This peculiar cast of characters are faced with some of the greatest crises Earth has ever faced, and with a looming threat from Mars. All excellent people, in ridiculous jobs with no resources. Will they save the world? Won't they?
Over the course of the book as I slowly learned more about the characters, it grew on me a lot. It's not quite like anything I'd normally read, but I was thoroughly entertained.
In fact, an hour before I had to leave for a holiday I found myself desperately trying to finish the book. Rather than leave it on a cliff hanger, I simply had to know what happened. I couldn't pack it in my hand luggage, and I didn't want to bring it and have to leave the book at the airport. I didn't manage to finish it - with 10 pages left, I wandered around my airport looking for a bookshop that would sell it so I could cheekily read those last few pages.
I think a book that does that to me, is a good one in my mind. I've heard Bae Myung-Hoon's first novel, The Tower, is much better, and now that I know the style of this book, I'll eagerly be looking out for it in the future.
June 10, 2024
Recensione per Leggere Distopico e Fantascienza Oggi ! 😊
Ancora una volta grazie alla lungimiranza di ADD Editore e su traduzione direttamente dal coreano a cura di Lia Iovenitti, Bae Myung-hoon – una delle voci distintive del panorama letterario sudcoreano – delizia nuovamente il pubblico italiano con la sua ultima opera. Dopo averci sorpreso con effetti speciali con la sua antologia “La torre”, dove racconti slegati tra loro condividevano lo stesso wordlbuinding, con ‘In orbita’ ci offre un romanzo a tutti gli effetti.
Continua qui: https://www.leggeredistopico.com/2024...
Ancora una volta grazie alla lungimiranza di ADD Editore e su traduzione direttamente dal coreano a cura di Lia Iovenitti, Bae Myung-hoon – una delle voci distintive del panorama letterario sudcoreano – delizia nuovamente il pubblico italiano con la sua ultima opera. Dopo averci sorpreso con effetti speciali con la sua antologia “La torre”, dove racconti slegati tra loro condividevano lo stesso wordlbuinding, con ‘In orbita’ ci offre un romanzo a tutti gli effetti.
Continua qui: https://www.leggeredistopico.com/2024...
June 27, 2024
Diciamo tre stelle e mezza
Avvio difficoltoso, i nomi dei personaggi sono stati un tormento finchè le relative storie non hanno preso un minimo di quota: sia lode alla legenda iniziale.
A parte aver piazzato il pacman in cielo, non ha proprio l'aria di uno scifi inizialmente, dispone gli strambi personaggi, la cui caratteristica principale sembra essere quella di avere funzioni che non hanno possibilità di svolgere, quindi più satira della società contemporanea che altro.
Ad una certa, si presenta la crisi, ciascuno trova il suo spazio e boom, in senso lato.
Avvio difficoltoso, i nomi dei personaggi sono stati un tormento finchè le relative storie non hanno preso un minimo di quota: sia lode alla legenda iniziale.
A parte aver piazzato il pacman in cielo, non ha proprio l'aria di uno scifi inizialmente, dispone gli strambi personaggi, la cui caratteristica principale sembra essere quella di avere funzioni che non hanno possibilità di svolgere, quindi più satira della società contemporanea che altro.
Ad una certa, si presenta la crisi, ciascuno trova il suo spazio e boom, in senso lato.
August 23, 2025
Inizialmente molto confusa ma divertita, poi ha iniziato a mettere insieme i pezzi e niente mi ha presa negli eventi quasi thriller tra la Terra e Marte 👀
December 16, 2022
"...brilliant people in a stupid system. And so every day’s like an episode of a sitcom."
Launch Something! (written by Bae Myung-Hoon and translated from Korean by Stella Kim) is a sci-fi that sets in the near future where the presence of a "second sun" (which looks like Pac-Man or a pizza missing a slice) caused a massive heat wave on Earth. As the "second son" is growing in size and gradually causing Earth to be inhabitable, the Korean government decides to assist the US-led Allied Space Force (ASF) to destroy the "second sun". The Republic of Korea Space Force (ROKSF), which has an established base on Mars, is involved in this mission. However, the relationship between ROKSF and the other arms of the military is rather strained. With this backdrop in mind, Bae introduces 9 main characters with different backgrounds and roles that they played in this mission.
Via 9 interlinked stories, Bae managed to weave a rather peculiar sci-fi story with his trademark political satire and dark humor. The first few stories seem to be a little out of place and a slow burn but towards the end, Bae managed to pull all the strings together and amplified the events which threatened the existence of humanity. While certain stories (such as the involvement of a K-Pop singer in the Autumn Military Musical Festival) seem to read as something like side stories, I would say that they play an important role as well since they exemplified Bae's talent in blending the elements of satire and surrealism with sci-fi. That said, as a fan of Bae's previous collection of short stories i.e. Tower (translated from Korean by Sung Ryu), I feel that Bae's strength lies in writing punchy and impactful short stories rather than a full-blown novel. A clear example would be Bae's attempt to fill up certain plotlines with wordy dialogues and descriptions. A slight loss of focus would render readers drowned in the sea of lengthy conversations. However, this doesn't affect my adoration of Bae's quirky prose and trademark satire. I would still recommend readers to give this a try, before immersing themselves in Bae's brilliant short stories in Tower! Thanks to Honford Star for sending an e-ARC of Launch Something! to me in exchange for an honest opinion!
Launch Something! (written by Bae Myung-Hoon and translated from Korean by Stella Kim) is a sci-fi that sets in the near future where the presence of a "second sun" (which looks like Pac-Man or a pizza missing a slice) caused a massive heat wave on Earth. As the "second son" is growing in size and gradually causing Earth to be inhabitable, the Korean government decides to assist the US-led Allied Space Force (ASF) to destroy the "second sun". The Republic of Korea Space Force (ROKSF), which has an established base on Mars, is involved in this mission. However, the relationship between ROKSF and the other arms of the military is rather strained. With this backdrop in mind, Bae introduces 9 main characters with different backgrounds and roles that they played in this mission.
Via 9 interlinked stories, Bae managed to weave a rather peculiar sci-fi story with his trademark political satire and dark humor. The first few stories seem to be a little out of place and a slow burn but towards the end, Bae managed to pull all the strings together and amplified the events which threatened the existence of humanity. While certain stories (such as the involvement of a K-Pop singer in the Autumn Military Musical Festival) seem to read as something like side stories, I would say that they play an important role as well since they exemplified Bae's talent in blending the elements of satire and surrealism with sci-fi. That said, as a fan of Bae's previous collection of short stories i.e. Tower (translated from Korean by Sung Ryu), I feel that Bae's strength lies in writing punchy and impactful short stories rather than a full-blown novel. A clear example would be Bae's attempt to fill up certain plotlines with wordy dialogues and descriptions. A slight loss of focus would render readers drowned in the sea of lengthy conversations. However, this doesn't affect my adoration of Bae's quirky prose and trademark satire. I would still recommend readers to give this a try, before immersing themselves in Bae's brilliant short stories in Tower! Thanks to Honford Star for sending an e-ARC of Launch Something! to me in exchange for an honest opinion!
March 1, 2023
In our final episode of 2022, we talk about hidden gems in Korean literature with Taylor Bradley, co-founder of the independent publishing house Honford Star.
Taylor co-founded Honford Star in 2016 with Anthony Bird with a mission to publish the best literature from East Asia. In this episode, we look back on highlights of translated Korean fiction over the past year for Honford Star, including the runaway success of the International Booker Prize shortlisted “Cursed Bunny” by Bora Chung (translated by Anton Hur). Taylor also filled us in on his personal process for selecting the “best” East Asian literature and some unexpected hits from 2022.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, or suggestions for other Korean books you’d like us to review or discuss. Tweet us (Beth @_paperfetishist / Naomi @ngnaomi) or leave a message on The Korea Herald’s Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram page. You can also email us at bethhong@heraldcorp.com or ngnaomi@heraldcorp.com.
Taylor co-founded Honford Star in 2016 with Anthony Bird with a mission to publish the best literature from East Asia. In this episode, we look back on highlights of translated Korean fiction over the past year for Honford Star, including the runaway success of the International Booker Prize shortlisted “Cursed Bunny” by Bora Chung (translated by Anton Hur). Taylor also filled us in on his personal process for selecting the “best” East Asian literature and some unexpected hits from 2022.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, or suggestions for other Korean books you’d like us to review or discuss. Tweet us (Beth @_paperfetishist / Naomi @ngnaomi) or leave a message on The Korea Herald’s Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram page. You can also email us at bethhong@heraldcorp.com or ngnaomi@heraldcorp.com.
February 6, 2023
I have many thoughts but I’m doing a buddy read so I’ll hold off on reviewing and rating
Read
November 1, 2024Siamo una forza armata: lo tireremo su come nei videogiochi.
Ecco, visualizzate proprio un immaginario da videogioco, con astronavi di carta e due astri solari.
Sì, perché in questo futuro iper-tecnologico con coordinate poco chiare, in cielo è comparso un secondo sole, la cui forma ricorda quella di Pac-Man. Questo corpo celeste compromette l’equilibrio dell’ecosistema, innalzando le temperature e rendendo sempre piu difficoltoso il normale svolgimento della vita terrestre.
Dunque il governo della Repubblica di Corea – servendosi dell’unità di Forza Spaziale coreana – si mobilita per far fronte al problema, ma il team è composto da individui improbabili.
Fantascienza e satira socio-politica vanno a braccetto in questo romanzo in cui il pianeta Marte è stato colonizzato e la Corea possiede un comando spaziale autonomo, che gioca un ruolo indispensabile nello scacchiere mondiale.
L’ironia è un altro ingrediente imprescindibile e si manifesta attraverso una serie di situazioni paradossali che mettono alla prova i personaggi. Questi ultimi, con le loro personalità eccentriche, interagiscono tra loro con piglio tragicomico, ricordando il mondo delle sitcom.
Ovviamente non ci è possibile cogliere tutte le sfumature critiche nei confronti della società coreana odierna, ma l’intento è palese.
Purtroppo però io questo libro l’ho dovuto abbandonare. Complice un periodo non proprio roseo a livello di salute e lo scarso tempo a disposizione, mi sono accorta di affondare inesorabilmente tra le pagine, perdendomi e annoiandomi da morire.
In questo genere di storie il world building è la parte che preferisco ma qua si capisce ben poco e si perde il focus quasi subito. Lo spunto del secondo sole era intrigante, ma viene diluito dalle numerose gag e dai dialoghi stranianti tra i personaggi e MIO DIO che nervi quei nomi tutti simili (e ve lo dico da lettrice di romanzi russi, badate bene).
Faticoso e alla fine, o perlomeno al punto in cui sono arrivata, a poco più di metà, neanche troppo soddisfacente.
Non ho valutazioni da assegnare, chiudo con discreta delusione.
Ecco, visualizzate proprio un immaginario da videogioco, con astronavi di carta e due astri solari.
Sì, perché in questo futuro iper-tecnologico con coordinate poco chiare, in cielo è comparso un secondo sole, la cui forma ricorda quella di Pac-Man. Questo corpo celeste compromette l’equilibrio dell’ecosistema, innalzando le temperature e rendendo sempre piu difficoltoso il normale svolgimento della vita terrestre.
Dunque il governo della Repubblica di Corea – servendosi dell’unità di Forza Spaziale coreana – si mobilita per far fronte al problema, ma il team è composto da individui improbabili.
Fantascienza e satira socio-politica vanno a braccetto in questo romanzo in cui il pianeta Marte è stato colonizzato e la Corea possiede un comando spaziale autonomo, che gioca un ruolo indispensabile nello scacchiere mondiale.
L’ironia è un altro ingrediente imprescindibile e si manifesta attraverso una serie di situazioni paradossali che mettono alla prova i personaggi. Questi ultimi, con le loro personalità eccentriche, interagiscono tra loro con piglio tragicomico, ricordando il mondo delle sitcom.
Ovviamente non ci è possibile cogliere tutte le sfumature critiche nei confronti della società coreana odierna, ma l’intento è palese.
Purtroppo però io questo libro l’ho dovuto abbandonare. Complice un periodo non proprio roseo a livello di salute e lo scarso tempo a disposizione, mi sono accorta di affondare inesorabilmente tra le pagine, perdendomi e annoiandomi da morire.
In questo genere di storie il world building è la parte che preferisco ma qua si capisce ben poco e si perde il focus quasi subito. Lo spunto del secondo sole era intrigante, ma viene diluito dalle numerose gag e dai dialoghi stranianti tra i personaggi e MIO DIO che nervi quei nomi tutti simili (e ve lo dico da lettrice di romanzi russi, badate bene).
Faticoso e alla fine, o perlomeno al punto in cui sono arrivata, a poco più di metà, neanche troppo soddisfacente.
Non ho valutazioni da assegnare, chiudo con discreta delusione.
February 7, 2023
While not too sci-fi-heavy, a quite entertaining book. Initially I was a bit worried that the marginal focus given to the important events and the larg-ish cast would make it drag a bit, but I was quite happy to find it nonetheless quite gripping.
The story is set in the Korean Space Force main base, in a not-that-distant future. The narration begins when, out of the blue, a second sun appears in the sky, or rather a pac-man shaped reflective surface that, depending on who you ask, looks more like a pizza missing a slice.
Anyway, the whole planet is worried by this looming figure that makes Earth’s surface unbearably hot and looks up to the various space agencies around the world to see how they will handle this crisis. The Chief of Staff, Gu Yemin, is determined to ride this wave of attention (and funds) to further her Machiavellian agenda, whatever that may be.
In addition to the second sun a string of situations pops-up, they range from secret messages from the Mars colony to the apparition of a haunting teddy bear. Each chapter deals with one of those 'situations' trough a fun cast that I immediately grew fond of; the set-up made me think that Launch Something could really be made into a good tv adaptation.
I am sure some of the satirical elements flew right over me, given the cultural distance, but this didn't negatively affect my reading experience.
The story is set in the Korean Space Force main base, in a not-that-distant future. The narration begins when, out of the blue, a second sun appears in the sky, or rather a pac-man shaped reflective surface that, depending on who you ask, looks more like a pizza missing a slice.
Anyway, the whole planet is worried by this looming figure that makes Earth’s surface unbearably hot and looks up to the various space agencies around the world to see how they will handle this crisis. The Chief of Staff, Gu Yemin, is determined to ride this wave of attention (and funds) to further her Machiavellian agenda, whatever that may be.
In addition to the second sun a string of situations pops-up, they range from secret messages from the Mars colony to the apparition of a haunting teddy bear. Each chapter deals with one of those 'situations' trough a fun cast that I immediately grew fond of; the set-up made me think that Launch Something could really be made into a good tv adaptation.
I am sure some of the satirical elements flew right over me, given the cultural distance, but this didn't negatively affect my reading experience.
June 11, 2025
"The bigger the dream, the more broken the people eventually become and the more likely they are to end up just waiting out their days, looking forward to receiving their pension."
I really enjoyed this author's first novel, 'Tower', so I was looking forward to read his latest work. I expected a highly imaginative setting, a little absurdism, and a story that revealed itself obliquely, and I got it all. This was a satisfying and entertaining read. The author is underrated for sure, the SF-reading community should stop sleeping on him!! I also think this is in part because of the translation, which preserved the intrigue. It's so refreshing to read something like this amidst the conveyor belt same-same slop about bookstores/ laundromats/ cafes/ trains.
In a futuristic Korea, the Space Force is an underfunded branch of the government until a mysterious second sun appears in the sky, roasting the earth below. Everyone in the Space Force has their own agenda, mirroring the political tension between Space Force and other branches of the military, or even between Earth and the human colony on Mars. As if having two suns in the sky wasn't bad enough, the Space Force must also deal with an extraterrestrial threat with the limited technology that they have. It gets really exciting by the 70% mark.
I really enjoyed this author's first novel, 'Tower', so I was looking forward to read his latest work. I expected a highly imaginative setting, a little absurdism, and a story that revealed itself obliquely, and I got it all. This was a satisfying and entertaining read. The author is underrated for sure, the SF-reading community should stop sleeping on him!! I also think this is in part because of the translation, which preserved the intrigue. It's so refreshing to read something like this amidst the conveyor belt same-same slop about bookstores/ laundromats/ cafes/ trains.
In a futuristic Korea, the Space Force is an underfunded branch of the government until a mysterious second sun appears in the sky, roasting the earth below. Everyone in the Space Force has their own agenda, mirroring the political tension between Space Force and other branches of the military, or even between Earth and the human colony on Mars. As if having two suns in the sky wasn't bad enough, the Space Force must also deal with an extraterrestrial threat with the limited technology that they have. It gets really exciting by the 70% mark.
July 26, 2024
"In orbita!" è stata una piacevole lettura e interessante scoperta.
Ambientato in un futuro non ben precisato, ma che per certi aspetti non sembra troppo distante dal mondo di oggi, è un romanzo dove la parte sci-fi rimane sullo sfondo di una narrazione stile K-Drama e scandali politici internazionali.
I personaggi, introdotti tutti all'inizio, si svelano gradualmente nel corso della lettura e dialogano costanemente in una fitta rete di relazioni che ti immergono nell'atmosfera del libro.
In generale un buon libro, forse poco fantascientifico nonostante il genere, ma sicuramente intrigante.
Ambientato in un futuro non ben precisato, ma che per certi aspetti non sembra troppo distante dal mondo di oggi, è un romanzo dove la parte sci-fi rimane sullo sfondo di una narrazione stile K-Drama e scandali politici internazionali.
I personaggi, introdotti tutti all'inizio, si svelano gradualmente nel corso della lettura e dialogano costanemente in una fitta rete di relazioni che ti immergono nell'atmosfera del libro.
In generale un buon libro, forse poco fantascientifico nonostante il genere, ma sicuramente intrigante.
October 2, 2025
I liked the story, but was nog blown away. As a political satire it did its job, but it felt sometimes just as a string of incidents happening and then nog being investigated or direction being given to them. I liked the absurdity at times and the details, I liked the characters, and the flow, the whole was just a tad underwhelming. I would not recommend the book if you have plenty of other Korean books to read, if not, it is good to try this one out.
Read
February 22, 2025I don't really feel I can fairly rate this book - a satitre of Korean politics and culture - because I know nothing about Korean politics and very little about Korean culture.
The science fiction buried in among all the satire was good, but there was too much that was very obviously going over my head. No star rating on this one.
The science fiction buried in among all the satire was good, but there was too much that was very obviously going over my head. No star rating on this one.
March 6, 2023
Many things happened in this book, and I still don’t know what the Pac-Man sun was.
dnf
March 18, 2025DNF at 38%
I expected more SciFi, mystery, and intrigue. Instead I’m just getting the everyday life of the most bland office ever.
I expected more SciFi, mystery, and intrigue. Instead I’m just getting the everyday life of the most bland office ever.
September 13, 2023
3.5 stars
October 30, 2023
I was meandering around Waterstones in Glasgow when I saw this gorgeous looking book on one of the shelves, and after reading the premise I felt like giving it a shot. “Wow, a second sun shaped like Pac-Man suddenly appears in the sky, interesting concept” I thought.
The plot is not about the second sun though. Like, at all. The only ramifications are like that the people are forced to wear shorts in October. And then they blast it out of the sky with a nuke. The whole thing is literally described on half a page. Whereas, a (quite boring) basketball match is described in detail over an entire chapter, like 40 pages. Forty pages of basketball in a sci-fi novel!
But don’t get me wrong, I understand what the book is about. It’s kind of a slow burner satire of a dysfunctional space force and human relations. And at that, it is kind of good, but I can’t help to think that many of the jokes must have been lost in translation, because I think I only kind of smirked once or twice during the entire book.
It’s well written though, I’ll give it that.
The plot is not about the second sun though. Like, at all. The only ramifications are like that the people are forced to wear shorts in October. And then they blast it out of the sky with a nuke. The whole thing is literally described on half a page. Whereas, a (quite boring) basketball match is described in detail over an entire chapter, like 40 pages. Forty pages of basketball in a sci-fi novel!
But don’t get me wrong, I understand what the book is about. It’s kind of a slow burner satire of a dysfunctional space force and human relations. And at that, it is kind of good, but I can’t help to think that many of the jokes must have been lost in translation, because I think I only kind of smirked once or twice during the entire book.
It’s well written though, I’ll give it that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2022
Launch Something! by Bae Myung-Hoon Review
“Reading Launch Something! was like watching an entertaining and well-researched sci-fi movie. Just funnier.”
About The Author: Launch Something! was written by Bae Myung-Hoon
Bae Myung-Hoon (배명훈) is a South-Korean writer who is working in the genre of science fiction. According to The Science Times, he is one of the 10 best science-fiction writers in South Korea. He is most known for his composite novel: Tower which includes interconnected stories of the people who live in Beanstalk, a 674-story tall skyscraper.
He has many other significant works which are not yet been translated into English, but hopefully, Honford Star will keep bringing us closer to his witty and clever stories.
About The Translator: Launch Something! was translated by Stella Kim
Stella Kim is part of the complaint of well-known and well-respected literary translators (Anton Hur, Sophie Bowman, Soje, Sung Ryu just to name a few) who work translating Korean to English. They are known as The Smoking Tigers. I mean this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Who wants to be a part of a K-pop group when you can be a member of one of the coolest intellectual literary goat gangs? Nerd paradise. Without a doubt.
She has won multiple high prestige awards for translation: the 2014 LTI Korea Award for Aspiring Translators, the 2016 Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award, and many more. Launch Something! is her first full-length novel translation.
Launch Something! Will be published on October 17th by the one and only indie publishing house @honfordstar
I already have a book review on their previous International Booker Prize longlisted and shortlisted candidate Cursed Bunny. You are able to read the review here.
Synopsis: The novel’s location is the base of the Korean Space Force in South Korea.
Very important: Has absolutely nothing to do with the real, non-fictional American Space Force.
The story is set somewhere not too far or too near in the future. Far enough for Mars to be colonised by humans though.
Earth is in the middle of a serious heat wave not caused by rapid climate change as we know it but by a second ‘sun’ shamelessly shining and reflecting the real Sun’s light towards our planet.
Our main characters are all people working for the Korean Space Force. Although it might seem like a strict military base, in reality, they are just as cool and chilled as the guys in the Air Force. Which I didn’t know until I read the novel. We can always learn something from books.
As the title suggests the story revolves around the need of Launching Something! in order to exterminate the Pacman-looking artificial object of the sky.
And something even more sinister…
Structure: The book has 368 pages and 9 chapters.
We get to know a handful of main characters very well.
These characters are all well thought out and they all possess strong personality traits. Therefore there are no page-filling side characters thanks to the universe.
On a side note: Thank you to whoever came up with the idea of a character list. Because I would have been lost like Alice In Wonderland without it. Absolutely clueless.
The novel is very dynamic, full of clever and sarcastic dialogues which made me laugh out loud many times.
Roughly up until the third of the book I was flipping back to the character list like a maniac but with time I got to know them and was able to comfortably navigate the author’s world.
The narration happens in third place and it jumps from character to character showcasing not just their momentary feelings but their background and personality.
I don’t want to give away too much about the characters as I think they are hats down the best part of this novel but the female power in it is just on another level.
On the Translation: Smooth like butter.
I’m not a professional but I do speak a few languages and Stella Kim’s translation was for me the smoothest I have ever come across.
Like a silk scarf dancing in the wind.
Everything came through as it should and I didn’t have eyebrow frowning moments when I wasn’t sure what I was actually reading. I became a devoted fan and I hope there will be many more works from her that I could spread on my toast.
My take on it:
What I especially loved about this book was how the characters worked together and it was shown in the way the book was very cleverly narrated as well.
Teamwork is definitely the word I would use if I could describe this book with just one single word.
Loved the power of the female characters and the gentle intelligence powering through chapter by chapter.
I’m writing this review after watching Top Gun Maverick and: I get it. I absolutely get it. The teamwork, the laid-back but serious workplace, the prodigy badass pilot, and the reliable hard-working leader the way this book reads is like watching that movie. Even at the end. If you have a chance grab Launch Something! This is your sign. This is your call sign.
Bae Myung-Hoon became one of my favourite science fiction writers of all time after reading Launch Something! because I need books in my life that radiate self-love, intelligence, humor, and most importantly: hope.
It is a positive book with sarcastic and dry witty humour painting a serious yet inspiring picture of us: humans. And who said that only the negative deeply unsettling fiction books are the only ones that are tackling life as it is? I disagree. It’s your perception only. And my perception was, will, and always will be this: hope.
“Reading Launch Something! was like watching an entertaining and well-researched sci-fi movie. Just funnier.”
About The Author: Launch Something! was written by Bae Myung-Hoon
Bae Myung-Hoon (배명훈) is a South-Korean writer who is working in the genre of science fiction. According to The Science Times, he is one of the 10 best science-fiction writers in South Korea. He is most known for his composite novel: Tower which includes interconnected stories of the people who live in Beanstalk, a 674-story tall skyscraper.
He has many other significant works which are not yet been translated into English, but hopefully, Honford Star will keep bringing us closer to his witty and clever stories.
About The Translator: Launch Something! was translated by Stella Kim
Stella Kim is part of the complaint of well-known and well-respected literary translators (Anton Hur, Sophie Bowman, Soje, Sung Ryu just to name a few) who work translating Korean to English. They are known as The Smoking Tigers. I mean this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Who wants to be a part of a K-pop group when you can be a member of one of the coolest intellectual literary goat gangs? Nerd paradise. Without a doubt.
She has won multiple high prestige awards for translation: the 2014 LTI Korea Award for Aspiring Translators, the 2016 Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award, and many more. Launch Something! is her first full-length novel translation.
Launch Something! Will be published on October 17th by the one and only indie publishing house @honfordstar
I already have a book review on their previous International Booker Prize longlisted and shortlisted candidate Cursed Bunny. You are able to read the review here.
Synopsis: The novel’s location is the base of the Korean Space Force in South Korea.
Very important: Has absolutely nothing to do with the real, non-fictional American Space Force.
The story is set somewhere not too far or too near in the future. Far enough for Mars to be colonised by humans though.
Earth is in the middle of a serious heat wave not caused by rapid climate change as we know it but by a second ‘sun’ shamelessly shining and reflecting the real Sun’s light towards our planet.
Our main characters are all people working for the Korean Space Force. Although it might seem like a strict military base, in reality, they are just as cool and chilled as the guys in the Air Force. Which I didn’t know until I read the novel. We can always learn something from books.
As the title suggests the story revolves around the need of Launching Something! in order to exterminate the Pacman-looking artificial object of the sky.
And something even more sinister…
Structure: The book has 368 pages and 9 chapters.
We get to know a handful of main characters very well.
These characters are all well thought out and they all possess strong personality traits. Therefore there are no page-filling side characters thanks to the universe.
On a side note: Thank you to whoever came up with the idea of a character list. Because I would have been lost like Alice In Wonderland without it. Absolutely clueless.
The novel is very dynamic, full of clever and sarcastic dialogues which made me laugh out loud many times.
Roughly up until the third of the book I was flipping back to the character list like a maniac but with time I got to know them and was able to comfortably navigate the author’s world.
The narration happens in third place and it jumps from character to character showcasing not just their momentary feelings but their background and personality.
I don’t want to give away too much about the characters as I think they are hats down the best part of this novel but the female power in it is just on another level.
On the Translation: Smooth like butter.
I’m not a professional but I do speak a few languages and Stella Kim’s translation was for me the smoothest I have ever come across.
Like a silk scarf dancing in the wind.
Everything came through as it should and I didn’t have eyebrow frowning moments when I wasn’t sure what I was actually reading. I became a devoted fan and I hope there will be many more works from her that I could spread on my toast.
My take on it:
What I especially loved about this book was how the characters worked together and it was shown in the way the book was very cleverly narrated as well.
Teamwork is definitely the word I would use if I could describe this book with just one single word.
Loved the power of the female characters and the gentle intelligence powering through chapter by chapter.
I’m writing this review after watching Top Gun Maverick and: I get it. I absolutely get it. The teamwork, the laid-back but serious workplace, the prodigy badass pilot, and the reliable hard-working leader the way this book reads is like watching that movie. Even at the end. If you have a chance grab Launch Something! This is your sign. This is your call sign.
Bae Myung-Hoon became one of my favourite science fiction writers of all time after reading Launch Something! because I need books in my life that radiate self-love, intelligence, humor, and most importantly: hope.
It is a positive book with sarcastic and dry witty humour painting a serious yet inspiring picture of us: humans. And who said that only the negative deeply unsettling fiction books are the only ones that are tackling life as it is? I disagree. It’s your perception only. And my perception was, will, and always will be this: hope.
January 19, 2025
[3.25 stars rounded down]
Review:
I picked up this book from the library solely because of its beautiful cover☺️. From the English blurb, I expected the Pac-Man sun to be a main focus of this book, but instead the book centers more on the Republic of Korea Space Force and the various characters working in it. There is a big conflict in the book, but much of the action happens only at the last couple of chapters.
There are 9 main characters in this book. Although the writer tried to make each character more distinct, I found myself going back to reference the character introduction page a lot. Overall, the book is okay but I found some parts to be quite a drag, hence the 3.25⭐️. I feel like I might enjoy it more if this story was told in the form of a drama series.
Side note: I looked for the Korean version of this book out of curiosity and noted that its Korean title is 빙글빙글 우주군, which could be translated as 'Round and Round, Space Force' or 'Smiley Space Force'. The word 빙글빙글 (binggeul binggeul) itself could have dual meanings: 1. something turning round and round / revolving or 2. smiling. This word is also used for the Korean title of Yeonnam-dong's Smiley Laundromat (fun fact!).
In this book, there's some reference to the title, talking about how the Space Force likes revolving round and round. This is a reference that international readers would miss due to the use of a different English title. Just thought it's interesting to point out :)
Review:
I picked up this book from the library solely because of its beautiful cover☺️. From the English blurb, I expected the Pac-Man sun to be a main focus of this book, but instead the book centers more on the Republic of Korea Space Force and the various characters working in it. There is a big conflict in the book, but much of the action happens only at the last couple of chapters.
There are 9 main characters in this book. Although the writer tried to make each character more distinct, I found myself going back to reference the character introduction page a lot. Overall, the book is okay but I found some parts to be quite a drag, hence the 3.25⭐️. I feel like I might enjoy it more if this story was told in the form of a drama series.
Side note: I looked for the Korean version of this book out of curiosity and noted that its Korean title is 빙글빙글 우주군, which could be translated as 'Round and Round, Space Force' or 'Smiley Space Force'. The word 빙글빙글 (binggeul binggeul) itself could have dual meanings: 1. something turning round and round / revolving or 2. smiling. This word is also used for the Korean title of Yeonnam-dong's Smiley Laundromat (fun fact!).
In this book, there's some reference to the title, talking about how the Space Force likes revolving round and round. This is a reference that international readers would miss due to the use of a different English title. Just thought it's interesting to point out :)
August 17, 2025
I have to start off by saying that the physical copy of this book is absolutely fucking stunning. French press, beautiful cover, heavy pages, very very nice.
The book itself was odd. It was at times quite quietly funny, but I do think a lot of the references were particularly cultural and, as a British reader, went over my head a little. Maybe because of this, I found the beginning part of this novel a little boring, and the only thing that kept me going were the strange characters which I enjoyed quite a bit. The ending, however, picked up massively with an actual plot that had been hiding in plain sight through the beginning of the book, and some pretty high stakes action. Really, it was the ending that saved the book for me in a lot of ways.
I did find the politics involved in the Mars rebellion very interesting, and will always appreciate a male written novel with a plethora of decent and high ranking female characters. My biggest gripe is about Lee Jongro's motivations around why he wanted to destroy earth, which seemed hazy at best. But it didn't bother me too much because Gu Yemin's revelation that his plans didn't work, and her boss ass way of revealing that, was very satisfying.
Either way, a decent book, if a little dull at times.
The book itself was odd. It was at times quite quietly funny, but I do think a lot of the references were particularly cultural and, as a British reader, went over my head a little. Maybe because of this, I found the beginning part of this novel a little boring, and the only thing that kept me going were the strange characters which I enjoyed quite a bit. The ending, however, picked up massively with an actual plot that had been hiding in plain sight through the beginning of the book, and some pretty high stakes action. Really, it was the ending that saved the book for me in a lot of ways.
I did find the politics involved in the Mars rebellion very interesting, and will always appreciate a male written novel with a plethora of decent and high ranking female characters. My biggest gripe is about Lee Jongro's motivations around why he wanted to destroy earth, which seemed hazy at best. But it didn't bother me too much because Gu Yemin's revelation that his plans didn't work, and her boss ass way of revealing that, was very satisfying.
Either way, a decent book, if a little dull at times.
April 5, 2025
"La Torre" mi era piaciuto molto per il suo mix tra sci-fi e denuncia sociale fatta attraverso situazioni surreali ma divertenti, quindi l'idea di leggere di un secondo sole a forma di Pac Man era per me troppo irresistibile per non acquistare anche questo libro dello scrittore coreano Bae Myung-Hoon. Pur avendolo apprezzato, c'è qualcosa che ancora non mi torna da questa lettura. E' un libro decisamente diverso, meno comico e surreale, anche se il tocco umoristico c'è ma è quasi impalpabile. I diversi racconti sono in parte autonomi, ma in realtà si strutturano in un romanzo con un preciso filo logico, con al centro le storie di alcuni dipendenti\ufficiali della forze spaziale coreani. Ripeto il libro mi è piaciuto, ma forse diversi passaggi avrebbero necessitato una qualche nota a pie di pagina per comprendere meglio situazioni ed eventi descritti nel libro.
January 1, 2023
dnf @ 51%
i really tried to persevere with this one, because the blurb sounded intriguing and i always want to support smaller, independent publishers. but my god, this one was BORING. there's a whole chapter about a basketball game that's supposed to be an intricate metaphor for the military/space force politics in general, but it just didn't work. it felt like victor hugo's giant tangent about the sewers in les mis.
the humour just also really didn't land for me at all, although this might have been a translation issue? regardless, i've read some good humour in other translated works, so i don't think that reading works in translation necessarily has to neuter the humour.
such high hopes. such a high fall.
i really tried to persevere with this one, because the blurb sounded intriguing and i always want to support smaller, independent publishers. but my god, this one was BORING. there's a whole chapter about a basketball game that's supposed to be an intricate metaphor for the military/space force politics in general, but it just didn't work. it felt like victor hugo's giant tangent about the sewers in les mis.
the humour just also really didn't land for me at all, although this might have been a translation issue? regardless, i've read some good humour in other translated works, so i don't think that reading works in translation necessarily has to neuter the humour.
such high hopes. such a high fall.
Read
April 6, 2023Unfortunately, I haven’t finished this book, and I think it’s time to remove it from ‘currently reading’ shelf. Maybe I’ll finish it some day.
I loved the setting, the premise, the satirical depiction of political games in a bureaucratic, hierarchical and sort of useless organisation. The characters are also great. But… I’m past 50% of the book and nothing seems to be happening. If you ask me what’s the storyline, I won’t be able answer. We just keep watching these characters living their lives and doing their (often ridiculous) work. I kept reading to see if anything happens next (and from the length of this review you can tell I got really invested), but I lost hope.
I loved the setting, the premise, the satirical depiction of political games in a bureaucratic, hierarchical and sort of useless organisation. The characters are also great. But… I’m past 50% of the book and nothing seems to be happening. If you ask me what’s the storyline, I won’t be able answer. We just keep watching these characters living their lives and doing their (often ridiculous) work. I kept reading to see if anything happens next (and from the length of this review you can tell I got really invested), but I lost hope.
February 6, 2023
This book definitely has the vibe of a workplace sitcom and one that I really want to exist! It does that wonderful thing where it takes futuristic sci-fi elements and places them in everyday, recognisable circumstances. It’s a bit slow to start, but I quite like that since it gives us more time with the characters. If you’re more into action then it might not be for you, but if (like me) you love a good filler episode, then this is an excellent read.
It took me a bit to get used to the writing style, but I think maybe I’m just not used to reading translated works.
It took me a bit to get used to the writing style, but I think maybe I’m just not used to reading translated works.
August 12, 2024
ho provato il mio primo libro di fantascienza; non il mio genere ma comunque non male. Ciò che ho apprezzato è stata la scrittura scorrevole e concisa (coreano obv) e la caratterizzazione dei personaggi. Questi ultimi infatti sono brillanti ma rappresentati attraverso una lente di ironia. Ho apprezzato particolarmente che i personaggi principali e con ruoli più alti (gerarchia forze spaziali) fossero donne nonostante l’autore sia uomo. Detto ciò, non sono un’amante delle descrizioni scientifiche ma non le ho trovate troppo pesanti e presenti.
September 27, 2025
Interessante e divertente, però.
Non so se perché sono io distratta in questo periodo, o se la causa fossero i vari finti tecnicismi ingegneristico-spaziali per i quali non ho nessun tipo di curiosità, ma la mia attenzione andava e veniva.
Anche la presenza di tanti nomi molto simili per i vari corpi militari e civili non ha aiutato.
Lo rileggerei un domani solo per mettermi alla prova e capire dove sia stato il bug.
Non so se perché sono io distratta in questo periodo, o se la causa fossero i vari finti tecnicismi ingegneristico-spaziali per i quali non ho nessun tipo di curiosità, ma la mia attenzione andava e veniva.
Anche la presenza di tanti nomi molto simili per i vari corpi militari e civili non ha aiutato.
Lo rileggerei un domani solo per mettermi alla prova e capire dove sia stato il bug.
May 31, 2024
RIP Teddy, you were a real one.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book. I loved the way this book was written, and felt that it contributed to the bureaucratic political drama setting. I found the characters and humour enjoyable, and I hope to return and read this in Korean once I'm at a higher proficiency to get the most out of this.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book. I loved the way this book was written, and felt that it contributed to the bureaucratic political drama setting. I found the characters and humour enjoyable, and I hope to return and read this in Korean once I'm at a higher proficiency to get the most out of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2024
3.5
La prima parte è stata più interessante e più coinvolgente, da metà in poi mentre leggevo mi ritrovavo a rileggere le stesse frasi perché perdevo concentrazione.
Ho preferito di gran lunga "La Torre" pubblicato sempre dalla stessa casa editrice nel 2022, peccato perché le prime storie erano proprio interessanti..
La prima parte è stata più interessante e più coinvolgente, da metà in poi mentre leggevo mi ritrovavo a rileggere le stesse frasi perché perdevo concentrazione.
Ho preferito di gran lunga "La Torre" pubblicato sempre dalla stessa casa editrice nel 2022, peccato perché le prime storie erano proprio interessanti..
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