Vincent > Recent Status Updates

That conversation between Leto and Hwi... either I don't understand (quite possible with this series), or they're rather mistaken. Growing the psyche by surviving, learning that something works on one planet so it can work on another... but people forget so quickly, which is why history repeats itself. How will this be different? Also that stream metaphor was like determinism, but that won't end with the Golden Path.

I wonder if Leto's revelation to Hwi will redeem him. His character is so provocative!

This may well be a challenge to listen to on my bike, the way I usually consume audio books, as the language is too dated and the turns of phrase too intricate for the mind (at least mine) not to get distracted by the slightest traffic mishap or random thought. I managed to get through the introduction alright, but once I got to the book proper I had to restart several times. Well, maybe it's more of a shower book.

This story is fascinating and beautifully painful.

It is so cool.

This man could really write.

Finally got to new content. And I'm excited again to continue! Hopefully I can make quicker progress this time and maintain that enthusiasm.

70/78
Glad GMOs were addressed, and addressed positively.

60/78

54/78

48/78

Restarted, because I had forgotten too much. Hopefully can finish it this time without such long breaks.

If Tuon does not get what's coming to her by the end of this book, I shall have to deduct at least one full point. Perhaps another if the Seanchan as a whole don't. At least it was satisfying (if, again, infuriating) to witness Egwene's confrontation with her.

Read Chapter 13, 'The Flood and the Forest'. Honestly was rather repetitive; I guess near the end of the book it's trying to bring it all together a bit, but I could have done without it, especially given that there's another (admittedly small) concluding chapter still to come.

FFS.

Read Chapter 15. Are we supposed to forget that Tuon is evil?

Read Chapter 12 about education and profession, advancement versus attachment. My opinion is a balance between liking change and broad orientation on the one hand, and disliking distance, careerism and indifference. I don't want to spend my whole life on one thing, but nor do I want to feel like it doesn't matter how I perform because I'm just going to change course, anyway. Thankfully, that balance seems doable.

Finished Chapter 11, about honor and the willingness to espouse a sense of morality rather than being neutral about things to avoid disagreements or limiting one another's freedom of choice.

Read Chapter 10 about financialization, liquefaction, commodification, commoditization. This book is more politically engaged than Range, and I find myself agreeing with part of this at least. It's complicated, because I don't necessarily like the focus on tradition and the indictment on people changing things in their lives (simplification for space), but I agree with the importance of solid local connections.

Well, I have just finished reading the conclusion, and according to my e-reader I'm at 69% through the book. Peculiar. Acknowledgments next.