Dan H. > Recent Status Updates

So I didn’t really finish this book. It’s not bad. The writing is great. The world building is fantastic, but the story just doesn’t catch me. I’m not big on murder mysteries, and that’s what this is. Just not my cup of tea, but if that’s your thing, along with some real great fantasy elements, this is a great book for you.

This book just will not fucking end.

I’ve read 3 of the stories so far. This book is fun as hell.

I don't normally comment on a book before I'm finished with it, but this one...I just can't make up my mind about it. I like it well enough to keep reading it, but it's SO weird that, at times, it's taking me out of the story. Sometimes it feels like it's weird for the sake of being weird and it's disorienting and sometimes frustrating.

But I will keep reading because there is a lot of good in the story too.

HAY GUYS NEAL STEPHENSON WROTE A TECH MANUAL ON HOW HUMANITY CAN SURVIVE (MAYBE) IF THE MOON EXPLODES If you're interested in reading that, you should probably read this. I compare it to The Martian, where the hard science and tech was heavy, but never got in the way of the story, but boy does it get in the way of the story here. I might be done. Or I might just take a break and come back.

What a slog. It's over 400 pages before you find out what's going on. I've heard this is Straub's best work. I probably won't read any more.

That's how you do it! You get the Macguffin on page 16! Get to it!

In case you're wondering, it takes about 130 pages before the story gets going. That's over half the book.