Reviews and Comments

it's not a bad book: first, it has interested me because i was ready, i was searching for confirmation of my negative thoughts about social media, post-truth, lack of control over one's life etc.

despite what the author thinks and wants the reader to think, the book dors not have a solution. the «digital minimalism», while an interesting exercise, is not one. it can not save the humanity — it can only serve as a support to those who are already undergoing the transition under the stress of the modern informational assault.

to those who are ready though, the book does propose some points of support in search of the answers, however local, personal and subjective.

well, finished it yesterday.

pompous, slobbery, read with excessive tearful emotionality (i listened to an audio book read by e.w. zeller). i hasitated between 2 and 3 stars, decided to be generous for no reason; wish there was a way to detect similar writing and avoid it.

shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/06/book-review-the-martian-contingency-by-mary-robinette-kowal/

mentioned in carl newport's «digital minimalism»: «…Kethledge and Erwin decided to co-write a book on the topic of solitude. It took them seven years, but their efforts culminated in the 2017 release of Lead Yourself First».

neilzone.co.uk/2022/01/book-review-the-warehouse/

:-/

at first, i was intrigued and liked the build-up. after around 30% the storytelling deteriorated and i got bored. won't read the rest of tge series, can't recommend.

somehow, every scifi or fantasy i try reading lately, even if starts interesting, eventually turns into boring drivel :-( yep, maybe it's just me.

cigarillos. invention of the 16th century, initially a beggar's smoke improvised from cigar butts and shreads of paper.

so, the setting is ever sliding towards later 16 th century, technologically.

rich boys killing each other with rapiers. a thrusting weapon accompanying a well-dressed courtisan, nobleman or a rich merchant, all but useless on a battlefield. this world must be more like late 15th or 16th century europe, technologically.

a «volkov family»? omfg. you did not need any fscking russian motives in a fantasy published in 2024, you've got a shitload of other clichés to pick from and still you insist?

i will never understand this fascination wirh the deeply derivative, inhumane, soaked in blood russian «culture» that most westerners can't help exhibiting again and again.

seriously, «stealing information» as a crime in a fantasy world comparable to 14-15 century? idk.

though paper is an ancient invention (approx. 2nd century bce), it was not known in europe until approx. 11th century, and did not become somewhat ubiquitous until approx. 14th century.

when reading a fantasy story, i always try to place it somewhere on the technological timeline

in the world of «the silverblood promise» paper seems to be ubiquitous and the only writing medium, it is mentioned without reverence, as smth usual and abundant. so, technologically it's not earlier than 14th or 15th century.

basically: dorothy goes to meet the wonderful wizard of oz who turns out to be a god, everyone gets revived and dorothy gets all her wishes granted, the end.

a space adventure that somehow fails to create any real atmosphere of space, or a feeling of adventure :-/

maybe it's just me getting too old and expecting too much? idk.