The Sword and Laser discussion

I finished the book today. I am glad I listened to it on audio as I think the darkness of it would have strangled me. This book is not for the faint of heart, but that said it was excellent. Each story was darker than the last until about halfway through.

There was one story that had a happy ending, or at least a happier ending.

The first two stories are super body horror. I can’t say that I get them or understand what she was driving at. That first tale had me 🤢.

[Repost of my review on Amazon]

At least it’s short

My suspicion is that this book’s stories are profoundly symbolic. To my engineer’s brain they are confusing, boring and/or incomprehensible.

I mean, what’s the point of the “Scars” story?

I like short declarative sentences that make sense. I like followable plots that make sense. I like a beginning, middle and end.

That being said, “Catch 22” is one of my all time favorite books, as is Heinlein’s story, “All You Zombies”, and they’re not linear stories. Part of the fin is untangling the timeline.

Maybe it’s cultural. I’m a septuagenarian straight cis white guy who worked in Tech my whole life, with almost no cultural landmarks in common with an East Asian woman with a background in Russian and Slavic literature.

This book may be a literary masterpiece. But to me it was pretty much a head scratcher.

Maybe I’ll read some Scalzi, Niven or Heinlein next to cleanse my palate.

[I’ve started “The Android’s Dream”. Much more suited to my taste. Your mileage may vary]

Intersting point Gary. I’m a quinquagenarian straight cis white guy who worked in Tech my whole life, married to a Southeast Asian woman and I studied Russian in college.

I found the stories complex and at times opaque but I was fascinated them. They didn't remind me much of anything Asian most of the time, but more like a Lovecraft or Ballard.

This book should have all the trigger warnings. By the time I got to the story of the father torturing his kids, I was done. There’s something seriously wrong with Bora Chung.

Tom wrote: "I found the stories complex and at times opaque but I was fascinated them. They didn't remind me much of anything Asian most of the time, but more like a Lovecraft or Ballard."

I was going to classify this as "weird stories." Stuff you'd find in a horror pulp magazine like "Weird Tales," only updated for modern, not necessarily Western audiences.

I didn't get most of this as well, but I was unsettled and fascinated with a lot of it and just let the weirdness wash over me.

This book belongs firmly in the genre of 'bizarro fiction'. It's nothing new but this is the first time I've encountered it in the literary mainstream.

I value my psyche and emotional well-being, and although I like exploring new writing, I will not be wasting my time on this garbage. I don't care enough even to explain. Usually recommendations are spot on.

Having been away from discussions since about midway through 2020, this pick was not entirely what I was expecting. I didn't hate it? I don't really have a lot to say about it though...

Caitlin wrote: "Having been away from discussions since about midway through 2020, this pick was not entirely what I was expecting. I didn't hate it? I don't really have a lot to say about it though..."

Glad you are back!

Funny how it sometimes happens on the odd ones. A long, long, time ago. I think the first one I read with the group with intentions to discus on here was Blindsight, and man was that not the book for me. I've since learned that while I appreciate that T & V expand our book repertoire, it is OK not to read all of them. And I chose to skip this one as well.