kartik narayanan > Recent Status Updates

utterly boring.

An ok book. Too much of an agenda for me.

Its ok, I guess. Some portions of the story were inventive. But, at the end, it felt meh - I doubt I will remember this book after a month.

Chapter 49 - team politics and dynamic feel real and interesting. Woohoo.

Chapter 41 - this is verging on being grimdark. I am getting a lot of kaiju battle surgeon vibes here. Can’t stop reading.

The world now reminds me of doom eternal.

Chapter 31 - no updates because I have been riveted to the book. But, I am not a fan of the interlude that suddenly interjected itself, breaking my immersion. Also, the interludes are a bit trope-y. Back to the main storyline line though.

Chapter 18 - Seriously, this concerted effort by the government to figure out levelling and progressions makes this seems grounded (given its an RPG). I am digging it.

Chapter 12 - the military involvement is intriguing. Another unique feature of this sort. Phil Tucker excels at world building and this book is no exception.

Not really a fan of the gung Ho gun culture in the US in real life but thus situation is ideal for those paranoid fucks.

Chapter 1 - The first chapter is bonkers. Got my attention. I am officially hooked. I dig the phased introduction to the system as well as the fact that it is happening in a metropolis.

Chapter 10 - love how social media is woven into the survival story. The fact that one can share information on levelling up with others is a game changer as far litrpgs is concerned.

Chapters 20 -24 - The post conclusion conclusion.

Chapter 20 - All action. Billy gets revenge.

Chapter 19 - Billy reveals how he entered the hitman trade. They reach Vegas. While Billy feels like a father to Alice, Alice definitely does not reciprocate with a platonic love. What is some Stephen King with an Oedipus/Electra complex, right?

Chapter 18 - The chapters starts with the Fun House in Fallujah. Brutal, as expected. Alice seems to be getting better. Bucky is taking the role of father figure with here. They start planning to hit Nick in Vegas

Chapter 17 - We can see the relief in Alice on seeing her rapists get punished. That is some palliative at least Billy decides to go to Colorado to meet up with Bucky and most of the chapter is devoted to the road trip. Alice's reaction to the mountains reminds me of Ellie's in The Last of Us.

Chapter 16 - Billy gets spooked and decides to leave but not before ensuring that the rapist gets punished.

Chapter 15. The sub-plot is predictable now. The girl understand Billy. They are getting comfortable with each other. And yup, time to take revenge on her rapists.

Chapters 14 and 15 - things get shaken up with the introduction of a new character. More fallujah. The story is getting even better.

Chapter 12 - Billy is stuck in his safe house. He finally decides to give up his dumb persona and his autobiography becomes true to life. He uses his real name and his writing improves. There is a lot of emphasis on his past life - which is quite interesting. The investigation is in the early stages and the first layer of the conspiracy has been uncovered by the investigators.

I find his life as a marine engrossing

Chapter 11 - yup. The story is in high gear now. Billy is in the safe house and finally has time to think. He figures out that there is a bigger conspiracy and that he too is a patsy. Regret and paranoia abounds.

Chapter 10 - A pure action oriented chapter. Finally, the shot is taken. What I loved in this chapter is Billy's single minded focus (but he makes a couple of mistake again) and his state of mind as he tries to reach the safe house. You can feel the distractions intruding on Billy's mind as he is trying to take the shot. And the frenetic and slight panicky feeling when he is trying to escape and avoid Nick's gang.