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I like Peter Watts, but I find most of Mieville's stuff to be self-absorbed wankery. Are these books more like the former or the latter?
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Nov 19, 2012 13:45
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coffeetable posted:Former. I compared him to Mieville because they have the same let-the-reader-figure-it-out approach, but Rajaniemi hasn't swallowed a dictionary like China has. Sounds good, guess I'll have to pick these up someday soon.
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Nov 19, 2012 13:52
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coffeetable posted:The opening for TQT stopped me short the first time round. I find it kind of surprising that he chose to open with the prison, as on page 1 it requires a leap of faith on behalf of the reader to continue even though they're drowning in jargon and don't have a damned clue what's happening. By half-way through the book that's fine, as you've realised that Rajaniemi will explain things eventually, but at the very start it's jarring. I'm glad I came in here and read this post because I just started TQT, and was about to return it to the store. Although I have to say that even if he does end up explaining everything, I think the over-abundance of weird future stuff is just bad form. We get it, you can make up really weird poo poo, now get on with the story please.
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May 13, 2013 07:34
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Space-Bird posted:If anything I'd say most science fiction doesn't go far enough to create 'weird future stuff'. One of the best things about this series, to me at least, is it's willing to explore some out there concepts about the potential of a post-human society. In order to do that, you can either drop new terms in and respect your readers enough to catch on, or you can put in a bunch of belabored exposition. The Quantum Thief makes the right choice in my opinion. All too often a lot of science fiction ends up being just space opera, or worse, derivative fiction based off of other established things, which is why a lot of genre fiction is completely written off. Without all the 'weird poo poo' it would have just been Arsene Lupin in space. with its follow up sequel 'arabian space nights'. Weird future stuff is good when its important for the story or for making the author's universe work, but when its just thrown around in throwaway lines it just gets on my nerves.
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May 13, 2013 22:48
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