Book Reviews

Inverting the idea of a company from being product oriented to customer / problem oriented. What that means at a tactical level which was quite useful.

American drudgery. What is there to like about this book? Characters fade into the page like forgotten gods, and serve mainly as plot devices. The plot forces detours like taking the wrong lane at a freeway interchange. The setting? The book takes place in the ugly of Americana, and without an overlay of analysis is as exciting as a road trip though South Dakota at 30 mph. All that remains is the allegory, and while the premise has promise, Gaiman fails to deliver. Where is consumerism, capitalism, and evangelicalism? What evil god represents racism? Personifying intersubjective realities is clever, but little is said about the presumed neon gods of modernity. A missed opportunity.

2.5 stars. Similar but not nearly as good as a fire upon the deep. The entire star fleet plot seemed useless. Still worked as a distraction for a few hours.

Takes on moral injury rather than themes of societal oppression, and I don’t know if the author did a worse job, or if I’m just sadly closer to the subject. Whatever the case, it didn’t resonate. Still enjoyed the world, appreciated the change in characters, and devoured the story. Going straight on to the last in the trilogy and that will round me out with Bennett’s ouvre.

a bit journalistic, but good context on the pisa test

Surprised it took me so long to get to this. Dead gods and a strong flavor of colonialism are good themes for fantasy. Good characters to explore the world, though I feel like the author assumes the population is a bit more miracle adverse than what would actually happen.

Marie Condo, dogma, and better parenting advice cribbed from other books. This one is a pass.

2.5 stars. Graeber is too interested in dismissing bureaucracy as stupid to understand why it is effective. More analysis of hollywood blockbusters than bureaucracy.

3.5 stars, great setting, solid writing. Somewhat disappointing characters and a predictable plot.

2.5 Stars. Only a few chapters of meat, the rest is generic sixth extinction type material. This reflects the reality that so little effort has been put towards understanding insects and their decline. Read Chapters 4-7, skip the rest. -1 star for skipping the methodological ambiguity that makes other question the data this book is based on.