The Automation

Circo del Herrero #1

by G.B. Gabbler (Editor), Anonymous, B.L.A. (Narrator )

The capital-A Automatons of Greco-Roman myth aren’t clockwork. Their design is much more divine. They’re more intricate than robots or androids or anything else mortal humans could invent. Their windup keys are their human Masters. They aren’t mindless; they have infinite storage space. And, because they have more than one form, they’re more versatile and portable than, say, your cell phone—and much more useful too. The only thing these god-forged beings share in common with those lowercase-A automatons is their pre-programmed existence. They have a function—a function Hephaestus put into place—a function that was questionable from the start…

Odys (no, not short for Odysseus, thank you) finds his hermetic lifestyle falling apart after a stranger commits suicide to free his soul-attached Automaton slave. The humanoid Automaton uses Odys’s soul to “reactivate” herself. Odys must learn to accept that the female Automaton is an extension of his body—that they are the same person—and that her creator-god is forging a new purpose for all with Automatons…

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, LGBT

363 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2014

About the author

*I put the foot in your notes. [The second half (maybe the better half, who knows?) of the penname for the author of the Blacksmith's Circus/Circo del Herrero series.]

Read volume 1 for F R E E on our website.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g.b.gabbler/

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/GBGabbler

Our website:
www.circodelherreroseries.com

Reviews

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gods are baaaaack. Or, maybe they never left us (according to this novel). This book features automatons like you've never seen them before!!!! They were made by the god Vulcan (what he is called in the book, but called in the summaries online "Hephaestus", which I found super confusing. but they're supposed to be the same god in this book so I guess I don't care that much) and have sense fulfilled their original purpose. that is where this story takes place. They have no modern purpose, and the plot represents this perfectly because…nothing happens. Which is actually glorious because so much was said about said nothingness. The human masters of Automatons, therefore, are the ones who make things happen. I guess you could say this novel is character-driven then? Even if the story mainly takes place in a small apartment, there are betrayals and schemes going on outside of reader's immediate vision, which I liked. The characters are really caricatures of people, which some might take issue with because they are “unbelievable”. But That's part of the story, I think, because the novel is being narrated by someone who claims to have been there. The narrator puts their own spin on things and the reader is supposed to take it with a grain of salt. There is even a preface inserted into the middle of the book which draws the reader back out of the story. You are reminded constantly that this is someone’s embellished account. The Automation is so aware of itself it is brilliant. This novel is just a set up for a series (and it does feel that way), but I am really excited for what happens next

[O.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publisher's Weekly called this book "self-conscious" when really I think the better word is "self-aware." Not since The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or the Discworld series has a book been so obvious of what it was meant to be. In the age of comic books, movies, streaming, etc., this makes the outdated form of "epic poetry" digestible once again. I picture the author as some unemployed gay guy sitting in his parents' basement, giggling at how much he's just gotten away with. This book is nuts.

[P. Duck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is strange but it knows it. It modernizes classic literature concepts and turns them on their heads. So, you might not want to read this unless you have a firm understanding of epic poetry and also studied a lot of classic literature in college. The footnotes make this a book worth buying in physical form because most ebooks can't seem to do them justice.

[Sage Knightly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Automation is a strange, gods-rich novel with equally strange characters and a world built with webs of deceit and secrecy. It was interesting to read, but the book also had it’s fair share of disturbing qualities.

Odys witnesses a suicide, and doing so let him be entered into a world he didn’t know existed, a world with Automations (Automata?). Not only is he dragged into a plot to take down a rogue Master who has assumed evil intentions, his sister gets involved and danger takes a whole new meaning. Secrets, plots, and strange happenings are just the beginning.

"...Had it-had the head-exploded?“ -Page 11

CHARACTERS

Odys (Otis). He is the main character, at least he is until the last 50 or so pages where Odissa takes his place. He was only a pawn on the board, another game piece to be played. The suicide he witnessed was his initiation (that’s how I like to see it, anyway) and he got his first Atomation (they’re the other half of someone’s soul. As soon as you touch their inanimate form [paperclip, compass etc] they begin to drain your soul and they become you, your soul. The same person, two bodies.), Maud. However, Odys is a special case. Why? Well, he didn’t sync with Maud right away (meaning she was draining him, but he didn’t want to face everything he hid from himself [because it all went to her, she’s the part of the soul he doesn’t want to face], so he couldn’t accept his soul [her]). That should’ve killed him, because we need our souls to live, and the energy it took out of Odys and Maude was basically draining their life-force. But it didn’t.

Anyway. Odys is bitter, angry, has OCD, and his addictions are coffee (can’t blame him for that), and cigarettes. He was raised by his father who wasn’t a good father, and his relationship with his sister stems from that. Oh, did I mention Odys and Odissa (Odessa) are twins? And that they love each other? Either way, I quite enjoyed his character. His bleak outlook on life and his tendency to reject anything he didn’t want to face made this book all the more interesting.

Odissa on the other hand, we don’t really know much about. She’s strong, has a bad past, doesn’t trust easily, and she likes to argue. She’s intelligent. A great female character. I would love to see more of her in the next book!

Dorian + Fletcher; Mother + Anslem; Bob + Cestus. All Master and Automation relations. They love each other, and their relationships are practically unbreakable since they’re the same person. Who cares if they have sex? It’s like doing yourself, only you have two bodies. Yeah. This was odd for me to read about, only because they’re the same person. It was hard to think of them as separate people, especially since most of the characters seemed to have similar voices, but it didn’t bother me once I got used to it (they’re basically soul mates because they’re two halves of the same soul, literally).

"He was like a genie to me. Just some slave and external facet bound to me, not my own soul.” -Page 154

Some Automations had inanimate forms that perfectly fit with their “human” forms however, and I thought this was pretty funny since my favourite definitely makes sense with the crazy Automation who potentially has a messed up psyche.

"On concrete as bent nail -the kind that had been hammered and struck off-aim, the head warped…” -Page 255

WRITING

The footnotes were humorous, though sometimes I only skimmed them because they began to drag the story itself. Overall though, they gave a better insight to the story. And they also had meaning. I have a theory as to why the author decided to put two names on this book and have a “Narrator”and “Editor” (one person, different label/name), and it has everything to do with the story this book contains. I won’t bother you with my thoughts though (a picture of my GR updates are below if you want to know).

"Word vomit, on the other hand, is why BLA needed an editor.” -Page 15 [footnote]

This book had humorous, dramatic, and slightly disturbing moments in it. The perfect combination for this story. The strangeness of it all did make it feel like the author was experimenting, though. It also dragged. We got history lessons (basically), and multiple info-dumps in the first half.

"Since Odys (and you) got a shit-ton of backstory from Mother just now, why not a little more?” -Page 170

I was interested enough to keep reading, and I definitely am glad that I did because I enjoyed my time learning about the characters and plots, but I will admit to skimming parts.

PLOT

You think you can predict what will happen, but you can’t. I tried and failed miserably. It was refreshing to have twists that I don’t see coming, especially since they were well done.

The plot itself is actually very slow moving, and not much happens at all, but with so much going on (getting an Automation, meeting the other Automations and their Masters, finding Odissa, meeting a god, unraveling plots) it doesn’t feel slow other than the parts with the info-dumps. It definitely builds the pace for the next book, where I expect great things!

OVERALL

The Automation is an enjoyable read despite the few issues mentioned above. The author wasn’t scared to get down and dirty, or just full out strange. I am definitely thinking about picking up the next book!

*Review originally posted here
*Thanks to SOBpublishing for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Automation was a unique, niche book.

I did not enjoy this book, but it's not a bad book. For me, this book was wildly confusing with the two narrators and the foot notes on almost every page. The plot jumped all over the place and the chapter titles and stanzas just threw me for a loop. There was so many explanations and pieces of information that I didn't need in the foot notes. It felt like the editor had actually left their notes to the author in the book.

I had to force myself to finish this book. I didn't want to leave it as a DNF because I was oddly curious about how this story would end. Unfortunately, it was a really tough read for me.

What I did like about this book was that it had a strong background in classical literature and poetry. The Odyssey is one of many books you could pull some references from. Unless you get a lot of the references, this book could go right over your head.

I also thought the plot was very intriguing. The automated souls (like Maud) were really interesting and I felt like the Mother and her gang felt very John Wick.

Overall, this book is definitely niche and did not fit well with me as a reader. It's still a really good book and I'd highly recommend reading it if you want an indie novel that's different.

One out of five stars. I hate giving books one star reviews because of the bad mojo behind them, but honestly this book was not something I enjoyed as a reader. That's just my personal opinion!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It can never be said that I do not like to step outside the box of mainstream reading. The Automation by G.B. Gabbler was more than just a step for me, it was like a trip into the Twilight Zone. Except Rod refused to give the controls back to me.

I see this becoming a cult classic as people attempt to read and understand the ebb and flow, the ups and downs and the quirky footnotes in a banter between writer and narrator, who by the way are one and the same?

From the strange set of twins to the suicidal old man, escaping his soul-sucking, god-sent Automaton. Each page is like that ball of yarn the cat got hold of, and following the loose end to the conclusion is not an easy feat.

When a reader picks up fiction, they read to be entertained, to escape and fall into another world. Falling into this world for me was like falling into the wrong rabbit hole and instead of finding Wonderland, I found Bizzaro world, although I have to admit to laughing a few times. Certainly unique, in the plot, the delivery and the characters, but for me, there was no glue to hold it together, which is NOT to say there isn’t a place in reader world for this read.

I received a review copy from G.B. Gabbler in exchange for my honest review.

[Mikee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Automation is “told” by two people: an insane “narrator” (read: author) and a controlling “editor” who redirects the story through the footnotes (read: interruptions like you would see in a Literature textbook but funnier) and editorial pressures. Really I should say the editor makes excuses for the narrator and tries to pigeon hole the story as some sort of embellished-yet-artistic memoir against the narrator’s will. However, the narrator and editor are merely characters in the “actual” story. They are the novel's frame.

The editor and narrator tell the reader how to feel before they have earned it. But I did not get offended because so many authors work too hard to impress us these days with a fancy buildup only to let us down. These characters jump right in. Also, this book is one giant statement on literature. I cannot wait to see what that final statement is. It critiques all literature and our current culture, from vampires to capitalism. The stylized nature of the book (bleeped brand names, every chapter ending in a name, the fact that all character names are alliterative, lists) all give a poetry-like feel to the prose. The style is overconstructed, but it is meant to be. It is not a spoiler if I do tell you the narrator (B.L.A., clearly initials of someone in the story) of this book is crazy. Not only do they believe that what they are telling us is true (that there are gods and Automatons), but they do not care if we view them as crazy or not. However, the editor (Gabbler), here, does his or her best to assure us that “No, no, it really is fiction. This is just the narrator trying to work through some personal trauma it is ART.” And it really is good art. Meta art. Art about art. That’s what makes the narrator and editor a part of the story.

This could potentially make the story seem silly to some readers. It is metafiction, but it is sorry for it. Unlike some authors (ie: Ernest Cline and John Scalzi and Lev Grossman, who think they are witty and original), at least this author knows how annoying metafiction can be and uses that fact as a device to tell the story. This makes the story stripped of convention….by engaging in all convention. But at its core it is a fantasy novel: this is a steampunk story without the steam, set in the modern world.

The narrator and editor seem so similar and I have read other reviews as to why. Some think they are a master and automaton pair. But that does not make sense when you get to the end of the book and the narrator tells you who they are (who they THINK they are). Perhaps I’m being too literal. Maybe the narrator is pretending to /assume/ the voice of the character, trying to experience life through that character’s eyes. Maybe it is a statement on how authors get to live so many lives. I do not know. But what I do know is the narrator and editor have a FAQ on their blog that makes it seem more like….Basically even though the narrator tells us who he (because he claims to be a he?) is, we STILL do not know for sure. If that makes sense.

For sure it does not. But that is part of why the gender of both the editor and narrator is concealed. We are not supposed to know. But the FAQ is pretty clear on why they do not use the they/their singular pronouns to describe themselves in the book (they use he/she or s/he). They do (or will) have gender. They do identify along the binary, so the fact they explicitly talk about this pleases me.

The fact that the editor and narrator have different reasons for supporting this book is fascinating. They love each other, but one really does seem crazy. Yet the other cannot deny the interesting statements on literature the book is making. I wish someone would love me the way Gabbler loves and encourages B.L.A. to make art and get it all out. Hashtag, struggling creative.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review is here, on my blog

Alright, so I’ll admit that I was actually putting this book off a little bit, which is part of why it took me so long to get to it, because while I really love mythology (especially Greco-Roman mythology) in general, this book is presented in a rather unique way compared to most modern literature and I wasn’t sure if it was going to be too… I dunno… too weird for me? Too meta? It’s told by a Narrator, who is the author, and then annotated (you can read this as peppered with footnotes that are sometimes informative, sometimes related quotes, and sometimes entirely poking fun at the Narrator) by the Editor. I have no idea who either of these people are aside from these pen names, though I do think they are probably actually two people (if not, the illusion of two people is on fucking point)… but either way, it’s an interestingly classic presentation of a modern day story all the same.

This is (sometimes) the story of Odys, which is not short for Odysseus, whose car won’t start one day, so he walks towards where he wants to go. On that walk, he is followed and subsequently somewhat harassed by a strange man in a top hat with an abnormally large umbrella… who proceeds to give him an old coin… then the umbrella… and then commits suicide right in front of him. Very messily. Good thing he had that umbrella!

Yeah, that’s just the beginning… It seems that this coin was in fact, an Automaton, and when the man gave it to him and offed himself, he transferred that Automaton to Odys. Oh, and the Automaton is more or less fueled by Odys’ soul. Yeah. If they get too far from each other, he’ll die, at least, he will in the beginning, until they sync up with each other. But the Automaton, whose name is Maud, is basically his soul incarnate in a vessel shaped like a voluptuous woman. Automatons are built by Vulcan, as in Hephaestus, as in the Greco-Roman god of blacksmithing (and fire, et cetera)… or the titular blacksmith in ‘The Blacksmith’s Circus’ that is the Circo del Herrero series. He actually exists in this world, and he isn’t the one one who does. At least one or two others make an appearance, or are at least mentioned. Back to Automatons though. Automatons are sort of tightly regulated by a group of Masters and their Automatons, of which there are only nine, who are now watching Odys and Maud very carefully…

Anyways, Automaton shenanigans!

I thought that this was going to be a really tough book to read, because it’s written somewhat like a prose epic (in that it is framed and structured similarly). But it’s actually written using a lot of modern vernacular, pop-culture references (everything from LotR to Full Metal Alchemist), modern language, including many f-bombs (I love you, f-bomb!). It’s a… maybe not a typical Urban Fantasy, but it’s somewhat like American Gods in that it takes place in our world, in our time, but with mythological characters making up parts of the plot. But, despite my trepidation in getting started, I ended up actually liking this one quite a bit. It’s often witty. It made me laugh. It never takes itself too seriously (and the banter between the Narrator and the Editor in the footnotes helps this along quite a lot), and was quite engaging! It also doesn’t help that most books that reference things I like in an unobtrusive way make me smile. I rooted for Odys and Maud and wanted things to work out for them. I really loved Dorian, Fletcher, and Odissa as well. I really enjoyed my time with this book, even when the story got really… really quite bizarre at times. But that’s kind of what’s fun about it. It’s a very unique idea that’s told in a way that makes this one hard to put down.

So, basically I should learn my lesson about just trying new things or things that seem iffy to me, because this was great. In my defense, the last 3 ‘iffy’ things were not great, so… I mean… I was cautiously putting my toes in the pool. I eventually jumped in, but I had to gear myself up for it. >.>; But here I am at the end of this book, very much wanting the next book because I need to know what happens. :D

Final point, which is kind of neither here nor there in terms of the content of the novel, but in the grand scheme of things, footnotes are not always 100% great in ebooks, so if you find you have problems with them sometimes and would still like to give this story a go, I’d recommend a print version. Footnotes always seem easier for some people to read in print. These weren’t bad for me, because they are linked properly, but all the same, you have to kind of scroll through them if they’re long, and sometimes that’s a little distracting when one is used to turning a page a different way to get to more text. Just a bit of a heads up. I wouldn’t skip the footnotes in this one if you think they’re annoying. They’re often hilarious and quite informative as to the motivations and backgrounds of some characters.

I was given a free copy of this book, and in exchange, this is my honest review of it. Thanks to the Narrator and/or Editor for the review copy. :)

[Sara Lucinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard to explain this book really. It’s a smart-ass and it knows it?

Odys meets a stranger behaving oddly on a busy city street one day. The man hands him a coin and then proceeds to commit suicide right in front of him. Turns out the coin is actually an automaton created by the god Vulcan, and just by receiving it Odys’s life is changed in an instant.

This is an extremely character driven novel. The characters are very developed, as the author is quite meticulous when writing about things like Odys smoking a cigarette, which one time took almost 6 pages. If you like reading about all of the little details in almost a lyrical way, this book is for you.

A good part of what happens, just happens right there in the apartment, and it’s a whole bunch of talking. But it’s what they are talking about that makes the book so interesting, therein lies the twists and turns. The style is just not for me, I found that it is written like you are sitting around a campfire with two people that you don’t even know telling you a story for hours, rather then you actually living the story yourself.

It was an interesting topic for me to read, but I love reading about Greek Gods and I am also a literary junkie, so I don’t think that this would be a book for your average reader. There was a little bit of a mystery to solve, but instead of being the main event of the book it was barely there in the background while we are encouraged to focus on the history and lives of the characters. There were many little info-dumps along the way about how the automations work to keep you distracted from the little bit of the plot that there was that it would be easy to get lost.

The novel has so many footnotes! This is my first one that I have read with this many, and it definitely brought additional perspective to the story. The footnotes are supposed to be the words of the editor of the book, giving us his own spin on the story, since they (both the editor and the narrator) were supposedly there. Even though I am about to make fun of them, the footnotes really did help this book come alive and sorta develop a mind of it’s own.

For me the footnotes were like eating Saturday dinner with my Grandparents and listening to the argue about the exact date that they bought their first house back in the 50’s or the brand of the first color television they owned. Entertaining at first, but then you kinda wish someone would suddenly start choking so that all that stuff was forgotten. It never stopped.

The book is an experiment by the writer, that is clear to see. They are experimenting with styles and world building but in many places there was a lot of telling instead of showing. This came in the info dumps where there was a lot of talking and explaining about the automatons. It started out strong but for me it went on just a little too long: I struggled to finish towards the end. It could had some cut out here and there and been about half as long and been just a good story.

I believe in you BLA and Gabbler! I will be waiting for a follow-up and I expect it to be formidable!

[Katrina Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find this review at LenaMayBooks

“Odys (no, not short for Odysseus, thank you) finds his hermetic lifestyle falling apart after a stranger commits suicide to free his soul-attached Automaton slave. The humanoid Automaton uses Odys’s soul to “reactivate” herself. Odys must learn to accept that the female Automaton is an extension of his body—that they are the same person—and that her creator-god is forging a new purpose for all with Automatons…”

I chose to take an excerpt from the author’s description of the book simply because this book is near impossible to describe. This work of fiction is filled with peculiar characters of the human, automation and God variety. The main character isn’t necessarily the main character, the narrator isn’t just the narrator and as the reader, you’ll be involved in this story whether you like it or not.

“The Automation” is written in the most unorthodox style I have ever seen. At first I absolutely hated it, please don’t talk to me as I’m reading; I want to be lost in the story, not involved in it. Why is the narrator talking to and about the author? What the hell is going on here?
As I dived farther into the story, I found myself totally engrossed in the plot, invested in the bizarre characters and then in fact, wishing there was more when I turned the final page. I particularly enjoyed the air of mystery that surrounded the narrator and his unusual way of telling this story. Like I said…unorthodox.

I only really had two issues with this book and the first can’t be helped. There are a crazy number of footnotes from the “editor” and reading The Automation on a kindle, I was unaware of them until the end. I felt that I missed out on some of the humor that was set in place. The other issue is with a certain character that I felt missed the mark a bit. Dorian starts out in the story with certain personality traits and by the end of the book he was a totally different person with no explanation as to why. I felt that he was forced into being something that wasn’t natural to his character.

If you’re up for a bit of an adventure and okay with not knowing the whole truth until then end….and maybe not even then….well…you know the drill.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my other reviews at Never Enough Books

The Automatons of Greco-Roman myth are not clockwork creations; they are so much more. They are intricate and divine in a way that no human mind could ever create. They are not mindless creations, but they do have a purpose; they have a function – a pre-programmed existence their creator installed in each one. A function that some would call questionable.

Odys finds his rather staid lifestyle disturbed when he witnesses a stranger commit suicide right in front of him. Only later does he realize the stranger did such a thing to free the Automaton attached to himself when she uses Odys’ soul to resurrect herself. Odys must come to accept this new development; this Automaton is part of him and they are now two halves of a whole. He must also accept that while his life doesn’t have much direction, hers does and it now includes him whether he likes it or not.

This is yet another book I was provided with for the purpose of review.

The Automation touts itself as a “prose epic”, a conglomeration of different writing styles and literary cliches. Told by an enigmatic Narrator and an Editor named Gabbler, they are the frame for the story. While the Narrator maintains the story is true, Gabbler’s doubt of the tale’s veracity shows up in the numerous snide comments made via footnote. It is this back and forth that helps keep the story grounded and from running too far amok.

Dear reader, I want to say that I enjoyed reading The Automation. Truly I do. However, I had a hard time with this one. The frenetic writing style made it difficult at times to follow along with the story and to understand what was going on. Add to that the fact that there were a few sensitive subjects touched upon (suicide, mentions of incest, etc.). There were a few instances where I felt somewhat uncomfortable reading it.

That is not to say that others won’t enjoy this book. Over on Goodreads, I have seen quite a few glowing reviews for The Automation. Sadly, I cannot add my own to the list. While I am certainly curious as to what will happen in the following books, I won’t be actively seeking them out either.

[Adam Oster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

G.B. Gabbler's The Automation is a hard book to categorize. It's a little experimental, a little goofy, and a little science-fiction-y, while also hosting a bit of Greek myth and hard boiled detective novel-style narration. And on the whole, I think it does a fair job of combining this hefty grouping of categorizations well.

It was suggested to me due to my enjoyment of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. And while the use of footnotes and the rather odd conversational tone between the narrator and the editor definitely give it an experimental vibe, I'm not sure I could put these two on the shelf next to each other. That's not a statement against The Automation, but rather a statement about how different these two books are.

And while I did enjoy the concept of the editor and narrator working together (or more often than not, against each other) throughout the text, I feel as though it was more of a detraction from the greater story than something which adds to it.

Yet, by the end of the book, there is a reveal regarding the two of these which leads me to believe this interaction may play a greater role in future books in the Circo del Herrero series. So, I'll hold off on being completely against the concept, considering that knowledge.

But the meat of the story really revolves around Odys Odelyn and his introduction into this odd world of Automatons which serve as a separate body for a person's soul. To give an incredibly brief summation, Odys, one day, is given a penny by some odd dude who kills himself shortly after. The penny ends up being Maud, a creation by the god Vulcan, who, upon being touched by Odys, is inextricably linked to Odys for life. This connection brings about tons of benefits, mostly health and length of life. But it also brings about a ton of negatives, mostly a rather Highlander-esque situation involving a secret society and a guy who wants to collect all the Automatons for reasons I'm not entirely clear on, but mostly involve power.

So, Odys gets into this world and is led around by a series of odd individuals who all have their own Automatons which are basically another version of themselves. So, these other versions take on a lot of the attributes of the person they are linked to, but are still separate in a lot of ways.

And as I'm sure you're aware by this point, the entire concept is incredibly dense and filled with necessary exposition to explain everything in a way which makes sense to the reader.

Which is where my main issue with this book takes place. It doesn't really feel like much happens throughout this incredibly long book.

That's not to say things don't happen. People are kidnapped, deaths are faked, buildings burned down, and there are more than enough M. Night Shyamalan-style twists to keep you turning the pages, but between those moments are extensive series of explanations regarding this world Odys found himself in, which cause the moments of activity to feel a side note to the world building.

So, as you can probably already tell, I have a difficult time reviewing this book. It's certainly interesting. There are some incredibly fun concepts being brought forth and a whole world of intrigue that I feel is worth exploring. But the result of this complexity is intense expositional moments which cause the book to read quite slowly.

In the end, I have the feeling that future books in this series could have the possibility of being much more action-packed, now that the heavy lifting of exposition should be out of the way, but I also have my concerns that without a solid editor, there could still be issues with pacing.

If you like being introduced to new worlds and fun characters, this is definitely a book for you. If you are one who expects more momentum in a story, this one may leave you wanting.

But then again, everyone reads things differently. And it's definitely a fun book, even if it's a little slow.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

+This book was given for free in exchange for an honest review.

They're always honest but I had to write it down anyway. So I would say this is not the kind of book I'm used to reading on daily basis but it certainly was original.

THE WORLD: It is pretty much the real world as we know it but Gods are real. Yes, Gods in plural. Specially featuring the creations of one of the Gods, the Automatons (a.k.a Guardians), which are natural extensions of their owners' souls.

CHARACTERS: The main character is Odys Odelyn and they story begins when Pepin J. Pound kills himself in front of Odys after giving him his umbrella and a penny. But the penny is a special penny, in fact is not even a penny but an Automaton. Suddenly, Odys sees himself bound to the Automaton, Maud, and I mean literally bound because the Automatons run on their Master's souls. They are the physical manifestations of their Master's soul so to speak but Odys struggles with it because he doesn't want Maud so they don't completely sync. Meanwhile, other Masters contact Odys and Maud, wait no, more like they threat Odys and Maud to follow their rules if Odys doesn't want anything bad to happen to his sister, Odissa. They have a special brother-sister bond. They're twins.
And this is only the beginning! We get to know why this God made the Automatons, and why one of the Masters wants to kill all the other ones (there has to be someone evil right?) and a whole lot of things.

LOVE: No romance is featured in the book although there are some "adult" conversations. Hint: look for f*cks to give. (That joke is not even funny but I couldn't resist)

PLUS: Here is what I think. I think the story was interesting, really, and the concept of Automatons also. I particularly enjoyed the author-editor interactions through the footnotes. They were hilarious and added a lot of originality to the story.
Oh! and I like when I read Spanish phrases in English books. But just as a note: there were some mistakes in the Spanish phrases, not big ones but... for example when sí means "yes" then it has (needs) a tilde while if si means "if" or the musical note it doesn't have one.

PLUS-MINUS: This is a new concept because although I enjoyed the narration style at the beginning (because the author-editor have interactions between them and they also comment on the story itself) by the end of the book I was pretty much annoyed. Some interactions and pauses were not necessary.

MINUS: I'd say that the major minus was the development of the characters. The book happens really fast, barely a week or so but I did not see any character development at all and most of the Masters were annoying. They though of themselves as "Gods" because of their God-given-gift. Those pricks. I relate to Odys although I would've kill them instead of just playing along... and also the relationships between the characters were f*cked up. It was really weird to read, ew.

OVERALL: I give it a final rate of 3 stars. As the rating policy states "not really my type but I did enjoy reading it". I would say that if you have experience with this type of books it may not appear as strange to you so you can go ahead and give it a try. And if you don't have any experience, like me, but are willing to step out of your comfort zone, also give it a try! I find myself wanting to know the answers of all the questions stated at the end of this book. Second book when?

—P.S. I Love That Book!

[Mirela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to even start with my review! There is so much that happened and didn't happen at the same time! The characters were well created and the backstory that you picked up along the way was fantastic. This was so unlike my recent reads that it was an exciting break from the norm. I did not know what to expect and the beginning I could tall it was going to be interesting. There are so many taboo topics that I just found made the book more real and the perspectives more interesting. So many twists and turns just keeping you captivated. The dialogue was well written and felt really fluid. I enjoyed the humor and often found myself giggling as I was reading.

I felt like I was entering a parallel world, the realities seemed so similar to my world but there was the side effect of the Automata and the Gods being involved in mortal lives. But who is to say that they are not involved and we are just too ignorant to understand such things. I found the Narrator and the Editor a great addition to the story and often times felt like I was getting two books for the price of one. I told myself I would not rush through this book, I wanted to make sure that I caught every moment and understood the cryptic remarks, or at least was aware of them. The beginning of the book teaches the reader that you have to focus on every sentence so that you do not miss out on anything. I would feel myself trying skimming through to get to the next part and had to pull myself back.

I will admit that it does end as a cliffhanger, or not depending on your point of view. I feel like for a series it leads to a very clean ending where you can dive just into the next book with adequate background. Now don't get me wrong there are a lot that goes unresolved which is where the cliffhanger parts comes in. I for one cannot wait to find out what happens next!

I did receive a free copy in exchange for a honest review. I did also buy a kindle copy, for those that are worried that you won't get the full effect of the Narrator and the Editor your kindle will adjust and let you skip back and forth so you do not lose your spot, from my experience it was automatic but you may have to adjust your settings.

Happy reading!

[Megan Tee · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times, I was completely confused but nonetheless found the work entertaining and enjoyable. Even when I have no clue as to what is happening. 

The writing had a lot of charm, with some strange things happening all around while I have little ideas. But the book succeeded in making me care about the characters which as usual was difficult when it comes to me. 

Odissa and Odys, which were twins and I found them really relatable here. As well as all the characters whom I did grow on such as Dorian and the mystery regarding their father. The plot to me could have been clearer as the writing mostly caught my attention, since it was rather unique. 

As for the ending, I have to admit that it wasn’t what I expected. It was a lot more darker than even that of my expectations and full of reveals that I didn’t see coming. I might have very little idea as to what was happening but this was wholly enjoyable. 

Overall, this was just entertaining for me and I really enjoyed much of it. I might still be confused as to where this was heading but at the end of the day it was still something which I derived great joy from. I don’t understand why I liked it when I can barely remember the plot. 

[Jinni Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me this is a rookie novel, not good or bad, but you can tell this is an author experimenting. The book itself is not great, but it’s a great start. You can tell the series is going to be fantastic overall. I keep seeing people talking about how it compares to American Gods and Percy Jackson, which I think is the wrong thing to do. I think it is more comparable to His Dark Materials Series, because of the "soul outside the body" plot point.

[G.B. Gabbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Tumblr and Epic Poetry made a novel-baby, it might turn out something like this book.

Expect footnotes, expect many breakings of the 4th wall, expect English major cliches.

We liked this book, but, then again, we wrote the darn thing. Visit circodelherreroseries.com for more.

[Liis]

DNF @ 65%

I tried, I swear I did... This story sadly not for me, and I really don't like footnotes. I can see why other readers might love the book- it is humorous at times with a sprinkle of absurd. Just not for me.

[Annalie]

I'm not giving this book an actual rating because I didn't finish it. I got just over halfway through.

The reason I didn't finish the book is partly a spoiler, though I feel like it's something worth knowing before you decide to pick up this book. If I had known the book contained this in the first place, I never would have started it.

I give my reason at the end of this review, under a spoiler warning.

That being said, when I first started reading this book I REALLY liked it. It was weird, nothing I'd been expecting, and I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times. The continual breaking of the 4th wall was really fun even though at times I found it distracting from the story (intentional?).

The fact that the book is 'written' by a fictional narrator and 'edited' by a fictional editor was a bit strange at first, but I have to admit that even just some of the quips the editor would make in the footnotes made me laugh.

I found that the actual plot moved VERY slowly. Not much happens, but the characters all talk a lot and give us background information and explanations etc. to explain the automatons and how they work. The most exciting part of the book which I read was in the first chapter (not the REAL first chapter... which won't make sense to you if you haven't read the book... but the first chapter that we read) and the rest kind of began to decline gradually from there on.

It's definitely a very different novel, but I liked the experimental style they wrote in.

As for the reason why I didn't finish it, like I said at the beginning it's partly a spoiler. Not a huge one, and not really anything to do with the plot?

Anyway, read at your own discretion (but if you're considering reading the book, I would strongly recommend reading what I have to say below):


The main character in this book, Odys, has a twin sister named Odissa. They are sexually involved with each other. I stopped reading the book as soon as this was confirmed, so I can't say whether they remain in that kind of relationship the whole time or if it ends or whatever. It just made me incredibly uncomfortable and I honestly have no desire to read further.

Aside from that just generally creeping me out, the characters in the book surrounding Odys didn't seem to care at all about his relationship with his twin. No one batted an eye and I find that troublesome too.

So, you know. Incest. And if that's a deal breaker for you like it was for me, you probably shouldn't pick up this book.

It's a shame, because I was otherwise enjoying this strange style of writing.

*I received a free copy of this book from SOBpublishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicki White · Rating 2 out of 5]

So….This one took me awhile to get through. The journey was definitely a very new one, that I’m not sure I wish to take again.

Chapter one amazed me. I became stuck in this trance-like state of wanting to explore more, but not fully comprehending what it was that I had read. And the more I read, the more I wanted out, but I still need my answer to the question which all developed in chapter one within the first 10 pages or so.

What started off as a completely new, different, unique writing style of narrator and editor seemingly fighting for the spotlight quickly became a nuisance and the worst possible distractions. As I found the editor’s footnotes to be more entertaining than the narrator’s portions. I was thrown off when I became part of the writing. That’s right, I became part of the write and so will you if you read the book. The reader is addressed many times throughout the piece, which I think is what had kept me going, honestly.

So as I’ve addressed the quirky stylization of this novel, let’s get into the actual story. What started off as captivating as bacon sizzling easily fizzled out to bacon being burnt. It just died out and there was no resurrecting it.

The characters all came off as bland one-note type, each a different note but not of the same song. Nothing seemed to fit in place. Throughout reading it, I just kept waiting for something, anything really to get me back to where I started. Halfway through the book, I hadn’t remembered what the original mission of the book. The web just kept expanding and it never caught any prey. I will say this the last ten or so pages well they win me over enough to move this up from one star to two stars. Would I pick up the second book when it’s released, eh, probably not. Will I read this again, I haven’t decided ( I’m hoping that this has been just a book funk rating ).

[Caitlin Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Automation is a gritty urban fantasy that gives a nod to classics such as Homer’s Odyssey.

The characters in this novel, both human and Automata, are believable and intriguing. There’s a delightful interplay between plot and characters as the past of this secret society as well as individual backstories and Automation history come to bear on the motives and origins of the current situation. The premise that an Automation runs on its Master’s soul, effectively stealing and embodying it, provides nuance to both parties in this bond.

Many of the Masters have a sexual relationship with their Automata and this can appear deviant since certain automata look like children. The incest wasn’t as big a deal as you might think, but it gets downright peculiar in the latter third of the book. This is when the author introduces a homosexual man attracted to a woman, except he’s always been bisexual with a preference for men and he really identifies as a girl. It comes off as a rough and hard attempt to justify the implausible scenario and is twice as odd because it’s uncharacteristic of the care and subtlety with which the rest of the book is written. The unequal power balance in this budding relationship is equally problematic as there’s no room for the woman to consent.

The plot is a little slow at first but the author raises enough questions to keep the reader intrigued. Allusions to the greater scheme of things trail through the narrative and lead in to a thrilling denouement as the pieces fall into place. The ending is purposefully incomplete to some degree as the author leaves many questions unanswered but concludes Odys’s character development satisfactorily.

[JK · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has to be the strangest little book I’ve read in a very long time, based on gods, family, power, and souls anthropomorphising.

The format initially knocked me for six. The narrator’s editor chimes in constantly with footnotes - adding, clarifying, and inserting information, whilst repeatedly slagging off the narrator for their choices of plot device, names, metaphors - anything. It’s jarring, and utterly disorienting, but it’s an interesting and unique way of driving the story along and making subtle hints at the importance of the narrator/editor relationship.

And then nothing happens. There’s barely any plot; everything is driven forward with world-building, and character explorations. This isn’t a bad thing - both the world and the characters are intricately complex, and the importance of cementing the reader’s understanding is clear. This is an introduction, the lead up to the sequel - the novels in this series cannot stand on their own.

The implications of deceit, double-crossing, and unreliable characters (or unreliable narrators and editors?) were what kept me going here. I was out of my comfort zone, confused and anxious, and yet there was something so engaging here, something I simply had to get to the bottom of.

And yet, I managed to get to the bottom of nothing at all. It’s acknowledged that the finale is fairly flat and disappointing, and yet this is justified by this novel being merely the starting point. I’m grateful I’ve been sent both The Automation and the sequel, The Pre-Programming so I can continue this weird journey.

[Glenn Conley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish this book. I just couldn't. It was that bad. I read the first few chapters, hoping for something great, because the premise of the book intrigued me. But the chapters I read were so bloody disappointing, that I had to just skip to the last chapter, and find out if any of this book was really worth reading. Turns out that it wasn't. It wasn't even worth skimming the rest of it to see if there was any nugget of goodness in it. Because I knew for certain that the author was just too goddamn stupid to write anything remotely satasfying.

I mean, it was like this book was written by a goddamn teenager, or something. Because all the dialog in this book is about who is fucking who. Or who likes who. Or damn, The Who sure is a good band, or something. I don't fucking know. It's just teenage garbage. But it's not the usual teenage garbage, you see. No, this is garbage that is pretending to be interesting. But trust me, it's not interesting at all.

Of course, I felt the same way about the Twilight books, but at lest they had some form of substance. Not much, mind you. But at least it was something. This book... All the dialog is just so fucking pointless. And the characets all talk and act the same. It's like the author never figured out how to actually write distinct characters. He (or she) just wrote dialog of him talking to himself (or herself, or itself, or whatever). Where's the fun in that? I mean, yes in effect, all authors are writing dialog of themselves talking to themselves, because they really are every character in the book. It's called imagination. Look it up.

But no. Not this cunt (or dick). No, this jackass just said fuck it, and literally talked to themselves throughout this whole book, without ever thinking of actually making any interesting or unique characters. No imagination whatsoever.

Oh wait. That's not true. The premise of this book is actually quite interesting. Certainly more interesting than the goddamn book, that's for sure. It's about humanoid robots. And the gods who made them. And the masters of the robots. And arguments about who's going to have sex with the robots first. Because what else are humanoid robots good for, really? You can only tell them to make you a fucking sammich so many times before you want to bend them over the coffee table and fuck their brains out. I know these things. The toaster gave me a dirty look one time, and I showed that toaster who's boss. Right in its dirty little toaster asshole.

But a good premise does not make for a good book in this case. It's just false promises, and broken dreams. The premise of this book is like the trailer for that stupid fucking Fantastic 4 movie. It looks oh so polished. So much action and intrigue. I've got to see that fucking movie. Then they fuck you in the drive-through. Because you go and watch that movie, and it's total fucking horseshit.

So don't fall for the sexy robot premise. Sure, it seems like a good idea at the time, but in the end, you'll just get your dick toasted. And nobody wants that. Trust me, I know.

[Ibukun · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Automation is not my usual kind of book but since I was in the mood for a challenge, I decided to accept the author’s request. I did break a new record with this book (It took me four days to finish reading it; two of which I spent adjusting to it). My previous record was two days, and needless to say, that was a record I wasn’t eager to break.
The story begins when a stranger shoots himself in front of Odys Odelyn after handing him an umbrella and a penny. It later turns out that the penny is an Automaton, and Odys is its new Master. Odys has no idea what’s going on, but soon finds himself twisted in drama concerning gods, other Automaton masters, his sister, and the very Automaton who is- literally- bound to his soul.
Odys is the kind of person most people would call weird, but he happens to be the most normal person in this book. He has OCD, is a loner, pretends to be married to his sister, and hates it when she is out of his sight.
I must say that The Automation is a rather peculiar book, and it seems like the author did that on purpose… maybe for experiment’s sake? I do like the concept of Automatons that feed off the souls of their masters, and most of the plot is actually interesting (even though most of what happens seems to character driven). I also like the footnotes at the beginning of the book: they are somewhat entertaining, as well as enlightening. The story line is such a type that left me feeling curious enough to move on to each next chapter, no matter how smooth the reading experience.
I do not, however, like the interactions between the Masters and other beings; they mostly seem forced and unreal (and the Masters all come across as generally horrible characters who think they are all that). Some… well, most of the relationships between the characters are nothing short of upsetting, especially the apparent relationship between Odys and his sister, Odissa. Also, as entertaining as the footnotes are, towards the end of the book, they just become a tad irritating.
I gave this book three stars (2.5, actually) on Goodreads, mostly because it isn’t horrible, but it also isn’t fantastic. As a whole, The Automations is not a bad start to what I’m thinking will be an unconventional –maybe also interesting- series. I do find myself wondering about what’s going to happen next, so I hope there’s a site for spoilers…
I would recommend this book to any open minded reader who fancies a challenging read. Read it: you just might enjoy it. :)

[Rosie Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Automation is the first book in a series and is a novel written in a style paralleling an epic Greek poem. It has footnotes throughout and uses the fourth wall technique of speaking directly to the audience at points during the prose.

The story begins with Odys Odelyn meeting a strangely dressed man who engages him in conversation, gives him a strange coin and then commits suicide right in front of him. Odys and his sister Odissa are in their 20's they share an apartment and are library assistants, it is later revealed that they are twins. Their father has a financial hold over them and Odissa leaves for a meeting to keep up their end of the contract to keep their money flowing.

Shocked by the suicide of Pepin Pound, Odys becomes ill, but wakes to find a strange women in his apartment. She discloses that she is an Automaton and represents his soul, they take energy from each other and neither can survive without the other. Maud drip feeds Odys information, he is very wary of her, rightfully distrusting of her. Other are curious about the couple and Dorian and Fletcher break into the apartment, sent by "Mother" to find out how much Pepin told Odys. But Odys is in the dark, soon finds himself thrown into a world of Gods, humans and their Automatons.

When Odissa returns, the group try to keep her apart from Odys, they need to know if she too is a pawn in the bigger plans of Vulcan and who else is pulling strings. They go to extremes to erase traces of their existence. There are lots of twists and turns, sub plots, and characters to keep you on your toes, yet the slow pace of the book and the distracting side stories also made it wearisome.

The author sprinkles in great lines like; "The grey clouds had decided to shake out a little bit of snow" and amusing lines like "The muses do know how to recycle a concept". At other times I felt the author wanted to shock the reading audience with both his language and characters, pushing the reader to their limitations.

This isn't an easy read, more a niche market piece for those who don't mind their read being like an author's experiment with the written word. For me it was an exhausting read, trying to follow all the madness in the story threads, the book ends in preparation for the next in the epic series, it just didn't work for me.

[Stefani · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I actually finished this two weeks ago but my feelings weren’t in order until now. It’s being pitched as a book that fans of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods would like. I adore Neil Gaiman so I was sold on The Automation.

I can’t even describe what the plot is because it’s all over the place. There are so many things going on and I found it very confusing and difficult to follow at times. The whole Automaton idea was cool and would’ve been fine on it own if it weren’t for all these other things thrown into the mix. I was particularly upset by the sibling situation.

Overall, I struggled through this book. As cool as the concept first sounded, it took on a very weird direction. I wanted to love it and give it a better review but it’s not going to happen. This is my honest opinion on the book. I won’t be reading the rest of the series.

[Sarai Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot to be said about this book so I'll start with what I liked about it. The story was well written with characters that fit into the world well. I liked Odys way of looking at the world, it reminded me of my Autistic son and how everything has to be just right or the whole world ends. The Automations were interestingly portrayed and gave the story a sense of mystery.

The things that took away from the story for me were the narrator. I felt like every time he stepped in, I was taken away from the story. Interrupted, I guess. The whole setup of the book was unconventional, and I applaud the author for that, but it wasn't my style. This was more of a personal opinion than something wrong with the book.

The story moved a little slow for me and I'm not one for incest, but with all that being said, I gave The Automation three stars because I was in the middle on this one.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

[G.B. Gabbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Tumblr and Epic Poetry made a novel-baby, it might turn out something like this book.

Expect footnotes, expect many breakings of the 4th wall, expect English Major cliches.

We liked this book, but, then again, we wrote it. Visit circodelherreroseries.com for more.

[CaptainJackJackReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you haven't ever read sartor resartus or don't know what it is don't even.
if you haven't ever read an epic poem don't even.
if you haven't ever read from a norton anthology of literature don't even.

this book is like reading those things. except fun.

[BookNerdsBrainDump · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Automation, by BLA & GB Gabbler

Short Take: To quote Poe (1), “It’s a wonderful idea... but it doesn’t work.”

(*Note: I received a free copy of this book for review.*)

Do you ever look back and wish you’d learned more in school? I don’t mean all the stuff that they teach you, that nobody ever pays attention to or uses later in life, like cell mitosis or algebra or drivers ed? (2)

I wish we had learned more of the cool classic literature, like mythology from all over the world, or the King Arthur legends, but since I live in a small town in the rust belt, we got Ethan Frome (3), auto shop, and relentless bullying. I grew up in a world where “classical” was a synonym for “as boring as humanly possible”, at least according to the local board of education.

So I wish we’d learned more of the cool stuff, but fortunately, there are people like the pseudonymous BLA, who deep-dive into alllllllll the awesome stuff, and take it to crazy directions.

Odys (no, it’s not short of Odysseus, quit asking) Odelin and his twin sister Odissa have a quiet life together. They share an apartment, consume copious amounts of coffee and cigarettes, and collect generous payouts from their father’s will every so often.

But one day, when Odys is out walking, he is confronted by an old man who introduces himself as Pepin, insists that Odys take an old coin, and then blows his brains out in the middle of the street.

And that’s just the start of the weirdness.

The coin is actually an Automaton, an immortal being created by the god of fire Hestus. An Automaton bonds with its Master (now Odys), can transform between a human shape and a small metal object, and turn anything into gold.

Now, this sounds like a pretty good deal (4), but there are a few teensy drawbacks. For one, the Automaton draws its energy from its Master, meaning that Masters are often exhausted, and it slows down the aging process for its Master, meaning that Masters will have to watch everyone they know die. And then there’s the thing where there are only nine Automatons (5) in existence, and one evil-ish Master is trying to collect them all, so the other Masters have to band together to protect themselves and their demigod-ish servants.

It’s a really, really fantastic concept. The Automatons are very cool, along with the rules of their existence, the backstory, and all of it. But it’s just not told very well.

From the start, the author has inserted themselves in the story, as The Narrator, and the editor (Gabbler) does so as well through a series of footnotes in which they make sarcastic comments or explain references. When I first started reading The Automation, I thought it was a pretty clever idea, but it doesn’t take long to become grating (6).

Speaking of sarcasm… it overflows in this one. I’m obviously not opposed to snarky comments (quite a fan, actually), but it is NONSTOP. Masters, Automatons, humans, gods, everyone sounds exactly the same. It’s exhausting after a while - the author/narrator/editor feel the need to constantly reassure themselves that they are more clever than YOU, the lowly reader.

Also, it’s just too crowded. There are several Automaton/Master pairs, plus Odissa, and they are all treated as main characters. It’s difficult to keep everyone straight. The writer(s) could’ve consolidated some of these characters down, and, as it’s the first book in a series, introduced others later. And as bits of some kind of Grand Design are revealed, the relationships between everyone become more and more convoluted.

Oh yes, the relationships. There’s a lot, I mean A LOT of ick going on here. The twins are engaged in an incestuous relationship, and I don’t even want to THINK about what happened to Odissa in the past and how she’ll be used going forward. One of the Masters (Mecca) is a ten year old boy who’s a raging pervert obsessed with taking pornographic photos of his Lolita-ish Automaton. That particular character, we are told repeatedly, has only one purpose in the story: to be annoying. We’re supposed to believe that he is mentally older, due to the slowed physical aging, but he constantly acts like a screechy oversugared kid at the world’s longest Chuck E Cheese birthday party. Who also is a big ol perv.

Finally, the story just doesn’t work. There are these super powerful beings, and a whole lot of Masters over the centuries who know what the Bad Master is up to, and they haven’t just taken him out. Instead, they all go into hiding and allow him to do horrific things to them. It makes no sense, and it’s never explained. Early in the book, Odys has a serious case of OCD and can’t deal with any kind of odd number. Then it just randomly goes away and is never mentioned again. Huh?

And in this book, nothing really happens. There are pages and pages of exposition, and when bullets, flames, or explosions break out, there’s a brief moment of “that happened” followed by a multitude of characters all explaining things to each other. Sarcastically. And in the end, when we think we’re going to finally learn some of what’s been hinted at (repeatedly), well, turns out it was all just a setup for the next book in the series.

So in the end, although there are quite a few moments of genuine brilliance, I can’t get past the writer’s obvious disdain for the reader.

(1) The musician, not the author. Actually, the line is spoken by someone else, but the point stands.
(2) I’m basing that last one on the moron I got stuck behind the other day USE YOUR FREAKING BLINKER YOU IDIOT.
(3) Absolutely nobody on reading Ethan Frome: Wow, this is great! Unputdownable!
(4) BRING ON THE GOLD
(5) Automata?
(6) Getting annoyed yet?

The Nerd’s Rating: TWO HAPPY NEURONS (and some gum. Which I will not be sharing.)