Added this series to my list a few months back. Read book 1 about a month ago and I’m about 70% through book 2.

I’m struggling to understand why this book is so recommended here and on Amazon. Perhaps the English translation version is just bad?

The pacing is terrible and the plot is meandering (to put it nicely). And overall the character arcs and storyline is confusing. It has a ton of filler content that doesn’t add much and feels like it needs an editor to chop it down / tighten it up.

Every once in a while there are some novelties, like droplets (book 2). But last night while reading I was just skipping pages hoping to get it over with.

Was hoping for Alastair Reynolds but this is more Ayn Rand.

I hate quitting a book but I’m just about there. Throwing out a lifeline in case I’m missing something…

  • HumOfEvil@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    Personally it was very enjoyable for me because I love really crazy high-concept sci-fi. Apart from some obviously thin female characters I had no issue with the writing and I read an English translation.

    • Soft-Protection-3303@alien.topB
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      1 year ago

      Do you mean thin as in not a lot of depth to their character? If so, I’d have to disagree on the premise of Ye Wenjie, I think she has a lot of depth

      • HumOfEvil@alien.topB
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        1 year ago

        Yeah as others have commented it was the “dream wife” aspect I didn’t much enjoy.

    • Bazlow@alien.topB
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      1 year ago

      Agreed - it’s a book series that left a very strong impression on me - I recommend it to anyone who likes the big concept stuff. I am blissfully able to not care about prose in the slightest (within reason), so I personally have no idea if it reads badly to those who do care.