The Sword and Laser discussion

So I originally read this book only in December, and I just re-read and loved it even more the second time around. It's short but densely packed with details, so I find it yields more on a re-read. It's not going to be to everyone's taste (I mean, I could say the same of any book, but this one feels like a proper Marmite book), but here are the reasons why I love it:

1) the language is really poetic and beautiful. It deserves to be read slowly, and savoured, like a delicious cup of tea. I could quote almost any page here, but here's one line I highlighted: "I dream myself a seed between your teeth, or a tree tapped by your reed. I dream of thorns and gardens, and I dream of tea."
[side note: I am always here for SF books with an obsession with tea]

2) As I may have mentioned when we were discussing Gideon the Ninth, I am totally always a sucker for a good (spoiler warning just in case but I don't think this will be a surprise to anyone) (view spoiler)[ queer enemies-to-lovers romance. Especially one as star-crossed and epic as this one. Their love spans aeons and galaxies! And yet has all the yearning, unfulfilled, etiquette-bound quality of a good historical romance. Sign me the f up. (hide spoiler)]

3) It's easy to miss at first, but there's also a lot of humour here - lots of buried puns and sly references. The great god Hack. Blue-da-ba-dee. And my personal favourite, the teasing between the players: "PS The keyboard’s coated with slow-acting contact poison. You’ll be dead in an hour. PPS. Just kidding! Or . . . am I?"

4) The world-building is done kind of elliptically, but I love it nonetheless - the references to the "viney-hivey elfworld" and the "techy-mechy dystopia", the glancing references to the bio-implants, all the stuff about the braid and upthread and downthread - from a sciencey point of view it's all a bit handwavey and I'm sure if you're looking for some hard SF this isn't going to satisfy you, but as a setting it's intriguing.

5) The historical and cultural references, and the images the authors conjure up. The idea of a London that's the London other Londons dream about, watching Romeo and Juliet countless times and never being sure how it's going to end, gazing at the clouds with Genghis Khan... there are so many references packed in here you could write a book equally as long unpicking them all. I'm sure some of them went right over my head (I definitely spotted more on the re-read than I had the first time).


Ok that's enough gushing from me about this book for now. What do y'all make of it??

I am not a poetry guy more of a heathen philistine to steal a phrase from Gary used in another thread. but I voted for Time war to see how poetic prose works in the Sci-fi genre. and I am pleased to say that it work really well for me. not sure I would have said that 50 pages in or if it would have been twice as long but I am immensely satisfied with the blending of style and genre.

I am trying to compose my thought to write a review. but I look forward to reading your review Ruth which I will do after posting this.

I to noticed the humor and cultural references. the puns were great. As a huge history buff who reads about 40% historical fiction I also liked the historical references albeit not very accurate. found them charming at least. I took a while to get into the poetic prose but that seemed to yield to the more technical Sci-fi plot as the story progressed. i would describe it as a sort of
(view spoiler)[ Juliette and Juliette involved in a time traveling espionage war. Has to be a better way to say that. (hide spoiler)]

Lee wrote: ".. I am trying to compose my thought to write a review. but I look forward to reading your review Ruth which I will do after posting this.

"

Now I feel bad because my actual review is much less in-depth than what I wrote here so I’m afraid that I’ve disappointed you!

not at all. everyone writes reviews different. mine are probably to rambling.

Ruth wrote: "So I originally read this book only in December, and I just re-read and loved it even more the second time around. It's short but densely packed with details, so I find it yields more on a re-read...."

Can I just say that this is awesome post and I totally agree with all your points.

Also, I love tea and Marmite.

William wrote: Can I just say that this is awesome post

I agree. I didn't love the book as much as you guys, but it's really fun to read someone's glowing review about a book they love. It made me smile.

A really beautiful book in my opinion, the language is exquisite. I didn’t really understand anything about an underlying story, or the war between the two primary colours, but that seems to have only passing relevance. Alternatively, I have missed most of what this book was talking about, and that may well be the case.
Thanks for the pick, I certainly would not have looked at this if it had not been the month’s selection.

jj wrote: "A really beautiful book in my opinion, the language is exquisite. "

“Exquisite” is an excellent descriptor for it.

The language was mellifluous. But this book wasn't my jam. I figured out the game about halfway through, and I prefer my books have...I guess more plot? More direct plot?

I can appreciate, though, that the language was beautiful for sure and the book probably works way better for others than me.

Most of my friends who read it loved it, but I should've realized it wasn't for me when they didn't mention anything other than the prose, which simply isn't enough for me as a reader. Oh well.

Ruth wrote: "So I originally read this book only in December, and I just re-read and loved it even more the second time around. It's short but densely packed with details, so I find it yields more on a re-read...."

I really liked the language in this book, not that surprising on my part being a fan of Max Gladstone's Three Parts Dead Craft Sequence.

But reading the comments I'm starting to ponder how many of the puns/ references I got (kind of wish I didn't get Blue-da-ba-dee) maybe a reread would be in order sometime in the future.

"Need" to buy more tea =)

there are a ton of puns. and cultural references. one of my favorite is the "as the prophet say" being a modern song, running gag!

Lee wrote: "there are a ton of puns. and cultural references. one of my favorite is the "as the prophet say" being a modern song, running gag!"

Yeah I loved that too. Da-ba-dee. As the prophets say.