Dent Earl > Recent Status Updates

Chapter 1 has an interesting discourse around how increases in productivity never yield more leisure but instead reduce the number of workers in a field. The example of a factory that makes pins is employed. However, Russell never once writes “capitalism”. His ongoing surprise over what seems like an obvious consequence of our economic system is surprising to me!

Russell seems like an unhappy pessimist, despite declarations to the contrary. Ever since reading Logiccomix I’ve liked Russell so I’m going to stick with this to the end.

Kilian and I are reading this and really enjoying it. The stand at Khazad-Dûm is incredible.

Halfway through and the story is a somewhat confusing mystery, a circuitous path through fairytale logic and half remembered and ever shifting dreams. It’s fun though.

There are horror elements in here that are really fun

There are horror elements in here that are really fun

“After all, like the old films say, we came thirty-one light years from Earth to terraform planets and chew gum, and we're all out of gum.”

This rules.

This has turned into a fun story that is mishmashing far future sci-fi with ancient Indian trappings to give a different take on things like reincarnation and godhood.
I’m enjoying the story, but it was a bit of work to get to this point. Also along the way the author took a swerve to mock a character who today we would consider trans and misgenders him. A product of its time but leaves a foul taste.

Just started this, it was one of the last books my dad read (he read it multiple times through his life, I believe). My copy is from his apartment.

The book has entered a new phase and is interesting again, having left behind a lot of the “tell not show” of the first 1/3 and much of the “let’s recap what you read in the original series but project these other characters into that space.”

It’s fun but largely concerns itself with trying to steel man some of the confusing things in the original trilogy and ramble song of the mysteries. The characters aren’t very believable and AA is a paper thin depiction of a woman who is completely devoted to the male protagonist.

Sad