Qudan packs a lot of speculation about language, meaning, and time into this novel, but from the beginning it struck me as having a particularly conservative perspective. There's a lot to like in the skepticism about AI, but the takes on prisoner welfare and UBI were decidedly off-putting. Learning later that the author admired far-right figure Mishima Yukio re-enforced my uneasiness with the book.
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Speculative fiction and comics enthusiast.
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2025 Reading Goal
76% complete! Apollo has read 40 of 52 books.
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Apollo reviewed Sympathy Tower Tokyo by Jesse Kirkwood
A Conservative, Strange Speculative Novel
2 stars
Apollo started reading Sympathy Tower Tokyo by Jesse Kirkwood
Apollo started reading Anne of Green Gables by Brenna Thummler
Anne of Green Gables by Brenna Thummler, Mariah Marsden
The spirit of Anne is alive and well in Mariah Marsden's crisp adaptation, and it's a thrill to watch as …
Apollo finished reading Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida
Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida
'If you loved Before The Coffee Gets Cold you will love this!'
'A perfect, feel-good story about finding joy in …
Apollo reviewed Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida
'If you loved Before The Coffee Gets Cold you will love this!'
'A perfect, feel-good …
Good Cozy Slice of Life
4 stars
This low-stakes slice of life novel is centred around a convenience store and the characters orbiting it are intriguing and sometimes strange. I enjoyed being immersed in this little community, basking in the feeling of being in the place.
Apollo started reading On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds beautiful and broken-down structures, painstakingly putting the past together. As new …
Apollo started reading Your lie in April. 1 by Naoshi Arakawa
Your lie in April. 1 by Naoshi Arakawa
Kosei Arima was a piano prodigy until his cruel taskmaster of a mother died suddenly, changing his life forever. Driven …
Apollo finished reading Anne of Greenville by Mariko Tamaki
Apollo reviewed Anne of Greenville by Mariko Tamaki
A Wonderful Take on Anne
4 stars
This reinterpretation of Anne of Green Gables gets so much right about Anne. The other characters in her life don't always match well with the source, but the elements of the original story are refracted and reused in a wonderful way. This makes Anne feel fresh and brought into the contemporary world so richly.
Apollo started reading Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida
Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida
'If you loved Before The Coffee Gets Cold you will love this!'
'A perfect, feel-good story about finding joy in …
Apollo started reading Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling by Tony Cliff (Delilah Dirk, #2)
Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling by Tony Cliff (Delilah Dirk, #2)
Globetrotting troublemaker Delilah Dirk and her loyal friend Selim are just minding their own business, peacefully raiding castles and traipsing …
Apollo finished reading Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff (Delilah Dirk, #1)
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff (Delilah Dirk, #1)
Apollo reviewed Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff (Delilah Dirk, #1)
A Charming Adventure
4 stars
I first read Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant as a webcomic and very much enjoyed the adventure. Reading it again as a collected volume was just as enjoyable and I was struck by just how much heart was poured into it. These characters are so charming and the pacing is perfect. Cliff packs so many beautiful and expressive panels into these pages.