Matthew > Recent Status Updates

My initial thoughts are that I guess I’m a bit surprised I batted for this series as well as I did initially. It’s just so… generic? Once the novelty of a cruel and uncaring mimic wears off and the whole subversion of expectations becomes bogstandard, you kinda see that there’s nothing else really here honestly, it’s just bland. Sex (in a non-intimate description), murder, and numbers, and that’s about it

Much more interesting in the training facility when we were still learning about the rest of the world and what Bob can do in my opinion. Now that we’re out in space and doing a bunch of different Bobs who are all doing different things, I can’t help but lose a bit of interest, my drive to read this is low

Vandermeers style is the same as before, with a ginormous focus on environmental detail. Also so much backstory. I was struggling to stay focused initially but I’m sensing a sort of turning point currently. Like the inklings of an unreliable narrator or something sinister moving in the background so my eyes are starting to open up a bit.

I am impatient for Lindon to progress. He is essentially in exactly the same position he was at the end of the first book. I know, progression needs a beginning and all but this is classic moving goal posts with gold being worthless now and I’m kinda sick of following a guy who just is worthless. The politics is also lost on me here, might be mood but I’m just not here for it. Give me my fights

One thing that really irritates me is Eli has got to start actually parenting these kids. Gentleman parenting is not the path here, Meiary has zero boundaries or restrictions and does whatever the fuck she wants, regardless of whether it’s outright dangerous or not and nobody stops or scolds her. Shit, I know Eli talks about how he gave up on a kid and was looking forward to him leaving so he’s not dad but still.

I always found it kind of absurd how militaries consistently go messing with the comically overpowered main character who’s just off on their own doing nothing, which in turn draws them into the conflict. I know it’s classic conflict and you need a way to get the characters involved but it’s just such a common trope and it’s so stupid on the military side since it’s always someone just getting butthutt

I am absolutely loving this so far. It’s outright hilarious and I am so, so excited about SCIENCE! I’m in STEM but to be so excited and enthralled by experiments on the Astrophage is just so exciting! I love it! It’s so cool and I’m just sitting here at the edge of my seat listening to how Grace learns the Astrophages life cycle, it’s just so cool

It’s not particularly well written honestly. I can see what they’re going for but it’s just a bit heavy handed for the whole enemies to lovers trope, the titular girl is comically imperceptive and the guy is honestly boring in his nice guy act. I’ve given this a decent swing but I’m not sure if I’m going to stick with it honestly

There is a ton going on in this book. Xiulan’s PTSD and overcoming her mindset. Tigu’s rise from arrogance to literal human. Washi’s ascension to Dragon. Mei Ling’s plague doctor solution. Gou Ren and his development. Big D’s adventure beyond the farm. All interspersed with the Cloudy Sword Sect looking for Jin, the Shrouded Mountain Sect, a quest for recording crystals by Gou Rens brother, and a pregnancy

We're back into it and man, I just loved the first book and returning to the series is like a warm hug. I just love it. So far, so good. I almost miss the development of the farm being a primary focus, since how it currently feels is much less like there is a tangible goal being worked towards and more like they're just living now, which I suppose is what it is. Xiulan's PTSD is interesting though, JUST TALK TO JIN

Okay cool. Time travel and an approaching crucifixion of humanity moving closer in time, Cthulhu style. Quantum particles causing double people and perception. Deep Space Navy Black Ops missions and Deep Tim’s missions and a murder mystery at the center of it. Shit, I’m sat, let’s see how this goes.

Okay, there is a percentage of this that is good, and there is a ginormous amount of this which is just Felix angst and holy shit, get over yourself. Love triangle and just constant angst of arguments and other shenanigans, realistic sure but dude, c'mon, just make up already.

I did in fact return the audiobook since if I want to read this, I'll just read it on kindle unlimited or something

Pretty rough so far I'm not gonna lie, makes me a bit embarrassed to even have gotten the audiobook since c'mon man.

Picks up right where it left off and dives straight into the action with the returning of the airship and the fight for survival against the skaven which was great and extremely well done. Makes you amped for Gotrek and Felix standing atop a lone spire as a horde charges them and gives you crazy respect for Thanquol, who despite all belief, is in fact an incredible mage.

Some serious 'because plot' stuff going on here, since Superman can speed blitz the Chained when he wasn't able to get close to him before, but is managed to be stabbed by Lex by a kryptonite knife before Superman puts a fist through his chest while being angered by Red kryptonite

I feel like things are resolved far too quickly. Things just get fixed with no real buildup or actual problem solving and the fact that Superman is fine from the microscopic parasites is completely unexplained. Also weird plot developments with no explanation really, like Jimmy Olsen being into Banshee, I dunno, it’s just not enough rising action or establishment, it feels like it’s just jumping to the next point

So far, eh, it’s not really speaking to me. Story is barely started in all fairness outside of establishment of the current status quo and the art is fine, not the best I’ve seen and not the worst

Pretty meh so far. It’s not terrible by any means but nothing particularly interesting and kinda just the epitome of a weak MC, which is the point I know but it’s just both mostly uninteresting and lacking in wish fulfillment currently (bro is literally training to try to beat a 10 year old right now).

My current guess is Purgatory. A sorta personal purgatory where the main character is reliving his life through absurdist adventures. A combination of greatest regrets, fears, and sins where his character is judged and tested.

The fact he ran off the path *again* after having been baited off the path the first time and suffering the consequences of it is nuts, but alright, burn the defensive seeds sure. Also I’m sensing some sorta metaphorical representation here, things line up too conveniently yet are seemingly random, like absurdism. Perhaps how he’s not a particularly good father (Scary Dad) or husband (cheating?). Can’t tell yet

I really hope this book isn’t one of those books/stories where the MC is as dense as a black hole because this certainly feels like it’s setting up that

You know, for the longest time I associated the MC with Ryan Gosling from Bladerunner 2049 since that was almost 1:1 how he was described early on, but it just clicked after they called him V that he literally has the same name (and nickname + job) as the main character of Cyberpunk 2077 and is more of a rip off of that than anything else. Guess I just locked onto Vincent being from Wild Wastes and not from 2077

Well, this guy is definitely a boomer and he certainly acts that way.

This guy sounds fucking miserable to be around