Reviews and Comments

Vincent Batts

vbatts@bookwyrm.social

Joined 1 year, 1 month ago

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Nnedi Okorafor: The Night Masquerade (Binti, #3) (2018)

The concluding part of the highly-acclaimed science fiction trilogy that began with Nnedi Okorafor's Hugo- …

This series is so delightful. Despite the specifics of the plot, it presents raw human comforts and discomforts in a most organic and natural way that. It leaves me wanting more in this universe, and to feel and smell the what the characters do.

Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon (Paperback, 2000, Harper Perennial)

E-book extras: "Stephensonia/Cryptonomica": ONE: "Cryptonomicon Cypher-FAQ" (Neal addresses "Frequently Anticipated Questions" and other fascinating facts); …

I think I'm tired of Neal Stephenson. Having been making my way through Cryptonomicon. Currently about 2/3 through the book. This book is sounding like the birth of cryptocurrency, which... I could live without. This book has lots of "this is why it's so hard being a blessed white guy" and Jew stereotypes and even some projection of how a Nazi may have seen white-men-in-black-face and not been able to tell the difference from a Caribbean native... Also, so much assumed function and expectation of literally "fucking' women. It isn't a scarce focus... I already imagine him providing a response like "you see, it's not racist because I take a balanced approach" or whatever. Almost the South Park argument.

Do not care to finish this book.

John Jennings, Milton Davis, Balogun Ojetade, Eugen Bacon, Nicole Givens Kurtz, K. Ceres Wright, Kyoko M, Minister Faust, Hannibal Tabu, Zig Zag Claybourne, Carole McDonnell, Gerald Coleman, Violette L Meier, Ronald Jones, Donovan Hall, Nathaniel Wells, Jarla Tangh, T.C. Morgan, Ashleigh Davenport: Cyberfunk! (​MVmedia, LLC) No rating

This collection of short stories really gives the cyberpunk genre the kick in the pants it needs. No more high-tech low-life white guy living a sad existence, but still somehow exalted as the protagonist. Instead, there is a breath of perseverance through the oppressive, often hyper capitalized system.