Status Updates From Paradigm

Why is this STILL so confusing?!

What is happening? Why is everything so confusing?

Finished. Verdict? Meh. This was a rough read to get through. I do think it had some sparks to it in the ideas, but the pacing, reveals, overarching storyline was not done well. Plus, it was really difficult to get invested in the characters here apart from Sam, Nathan, Alma, among a few others.

I think the biggest detriment to this story really was the execution. Review to come.

*exhales slowly* 40 some more pages to go. It feels like a long slog, but I'm in the homestretch. I think I already have an idea what I'm going to rate this, though.

Okay, NOW I understand what Mutha is and the purpose of the clones. Goodness, that took a while. I don't think this is all the answers yet, but at least I understand it a little more now than I did in the beginning. Still reading.

To be honest, I'm kinda bored right now. Sam's currently musing over Alma's interest in another guy. Slow going, but still reading.

Back to reading this. I stayed up late last night trying to finish "Paradigm" but didn't get there. I'm going to try to finish this up today. *crosses fingers*

Oh dear goodness no. First we've got the TRON like form and now we have...clones? I guess this story's not letting up on the tropes anytime soon.

Time to sleep; I'll pick this back up tomorrow sometime. This is actually a good stopping place considering the reveal.

I'm glad Sam and Nathan are back to being the dynamic duo. Though my mind's being silly tonight and thinking of other duos which start with "Sam". Sam and Max: Freelance Police. Sam and Dean...well you get the picture. Still reading.

Alma reminds me of the hero from Gurren Lagan who shows up when its convenient out of the blue. I can't think of his name because it's been a while since I've seen the series.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm starting to think that MUTHA's a third rate reject version of TRON. But at least you understood what TRON was in the movies (and *cough* Kingdom Hearts 2 *cough*). I have no idea what MUTHA is yet. And we're a good way into the novel. I think the vagueness doesn't make it intriguing, it makes it frustrating. Still reading.

Okay, time to start back on this one. I took too long of a break from it. Hopefully, Sam's journey proves fruitful, but I'm kinda dubious. Let's do this.

Okay, I think this is a good stopping point. This is an odd book. I keep thinking it's supposed to be darkly humored, but it comes off as awkward. I'm on Chapter 10 and basically Sam has to go get a key. If he succeeds, Nathan and him can go. If he fails, Nathan can go, but he can't.

Well, at least there's a clear cut objective there. With that, I'll pick this up tomorrow.

I think this book is trying to be funny with the drunk guy named Drake, but so far, I'm just confused.

We have two boys who get a hold of a Paradigm and are traveling in some dystopic version of the U.S. And they have absolutely no idea of where they're going or anything else defining them. Why am I supposed to be invested in this again?

*shrugs*

Still reading.

Note to the wise: if you're going to have a lot of abstract terminology, include a glossary. Or, make it obvious what the definition of that term is so that it doesn't throw the reader out of the story.

I think I've been thrown out about five times now. I still don't know what it means by referencing a hyperspatial plex here. Still reading.

Still reading. I'm very sure a little while ago, it said that Alma was dressed all in black. Why is this narrative repeating so many things, and not expounding upon new details that seem like they're pertinent to the story?

In any case, despite there being a gun battle and action sequence here, it's hard to connect to the characters when they have no respective motivations. That and the loose worldbuilding.

And guess who's reading this book now? o.O I figure I might as well. Let's do this. If it turns out bad, then I have other reads (and a good anime) to buffer the experience. We'll see.

Screw this book, really. I can't remember being so confused and frustrated over a book that wasn't meant to be a surreal psychological thriller. Shit's so random.

A few painful pages at a time. I really should just finish this for the sake of finishing it, like pulling out a band-aid, but it's such an unbearable mess.

So many fucking acronyms. MUTHA. Muthascreen. DETH.

The world building is confusing as fuck. It's like a bad spaghetti western with Tibetan monks and assassins. Why do I request these fucking ARCs?