what on earth is going on with this book. there was a weird pretty pointless diversion on Weird Cannibal Island with the most extended, overwrought anti-fat writing I've ever seen. like, the absolute obsession with degrading and dehumanizing this fat guy goes beyond anything I've ever read in fiction. also this whole cult makes no sense at all and I don't know what purpose it's supposed to serve in the larger narrative. considering the fact that the tone isn't even that shocking or edgy but the main character has nearly drowned in feces twice is making me wonder if the entire sci-fi premise is just a thin veneer over the author's weird fetishes

also another thing i found baffling was horza at the damage game, bribing his way into the Horny Zone, knowing it was the Horny Zone, decided he wasn't into horniness then left and tried to get his bribe back?? (a great move for when you're trying to stay casual and unnoticed) was there literally any purpose for that? is it just supposed to establish that horza's an ineffectual idiot? bc I already got that impression very clearly from the entire rest of the book

and speaking of purposeless choices, what's with having the obligatory love interest announce her pregnancy and then get shot? again, I've read some really edgy books and this book doesn't even seem to be trying for grimdark, it's just...nonchalantly fucked up.

honestly, I don't mind the concept of it being from the perspective of an enemy of the culture. or at least, I wouldn't if horza were even remotely interesting as a character and had motivation for his hatred beyond "grrr robots bad".

if this is one of britain's greatest authors y'all have to step up your game