What do you think?
Advent
"We were in no way insane. We told ourselves we would adjust and only those of weak mind would question the real. We thought this would be better. We were wrong." When the aliens came, everything we thought we knew was wrong. This is the motif that runs through Michael Kamakana’s refreshingly different take on alien invasion. It’s not War of the Worlds or even Childhood’s End. It’s a far more subtle and quiet takeover, which unfolds in the periphery of everyday lives. The rolling language repeats like waves on a shore, carrying the reader deeper and deeper, until we too, feel like we have been colonized. If Stanislaw Lem and James Joyce had a love child that was more brilliant and yet more readable than either, Michael Kamakana would be that child. This amazing debut novel is destined to become a science fiction classic.What readers are saying ...“ahead of its time”“amazing, glorious writing”“brilliant and intriguing storytelling”“best Science Fiction book I’ve read this year”“Great storytelling, couldn’t put Advent down.”“Michael Kamakana is a writer to watch.”"I’m a big fan of first contact stories, which typically speculate on the details of human/alien interaction. Michael Kamakana’s novel is a totally different take, and is one the better treatments of alien visitation effect on the human condition I’ve read. This subtle book hides its clever, self-referential structure in plain sight. I only appreciated the subversive nature of what was going on until too late, until that “Wait, what?” moment when I realized I had become totally engaged. And like all good novels, it continues to resonate long after the last word." - KB Nelson
- GenresScience FictionAliens
160 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 3, 2023
For me this is THE BEST DYSTOPIAN TALE OF 2023!
But is this Really only that? Not really. It is a Modern Day Parable that centres around one simple, undeniable fact: we are in the process of Losing All Our Human Values.
You may call it an alien invasion, but it isn't really. It is the undeniable fact that we are burning our bridges behind us. Soon, we won't ever rediscover our lost innocence, lost as it is in the corruption of technological Easy Street.
We have already conceded the battle de facto. Total surrender is next!
I have given this novel Five Stars because it also succeeds as an important work of literary art. He writes like an angel.
***
Kamakana makes us, through this subterfuge of beautiful writing, see the full extent of our guilt. The deep guilt that follows hard upon our cheap entertainment. Our cheap laughs and diversions.
He does this through the device of a bow shot to Postmodern Angst -
Through the example of one brave couple - (oh, how I loved them!) who manage to stay clear of the postmodern storm through a very real, simple love for one another.
And for each other's cherished ideals.
(Just askin', but does Anyone cherish ideals any more?)
And by a renewed openness to life, Love can achieve such things.
***
We realise to ourselves as we read that this is now the rare exception to the rule. We ourselves have been Banished from that Garden. Kamakana puts us on notice.
The writing is lyrical in the best postmodern sense. This is a work of genius!
But all, still, Kamakana assures us, is not lost. We CAN go home again.
We do that by using tunnel vision, shutting out the noise of the world. We have to begin again - finding at the root of ourselves, our inner sanctuary, that the world will never know such peace.
We must be strong!
God, however you understand Him, is in control. If you discard the technological tinsel long enough, you will find Him.
And you will find The Way - the way out of this moral disaster.
Thank you, Mr. Kamakana, for giving me one of my Finest Reads of 2023.
But is this Really only that? Not really. It is a Modern Day Parable that centres around one simple, undeniable fact: we are in the process of Losing All Our Human Values.
You may call it an alien invasion, but it isn't really. It is the undeniable fact that we are burning our bridges behind us. Soon, we won't ever rediscover our lost innocence, lost as it is in the corruption of technological Easy Street.
We have already conceded the battle de facto. Total surrender is next!
I have given this novel Five Stars because it also succeeds as an important work of literary art. He writes like an angel.
***
Kamakana makes us, through this subterfuge of beautiful writing, see the full extent of our guilt. The deep guilt that follows hard upon our cheap entertainment. Our cheap laughs and diversions.
He does this through the device of a bow shot to Postmodern Angst -
Through the example of one brave couple - (oh, how I loved them!) who manage to stay clear of the postmodern storm through a very real, simple love for one another.
And for each other's cherished ideals.
(Just askin', but does Anyone cherish ideals any more?)
And by a renewed openness to life, Love can achieve such things.
***
We realise to ourselves as we read that this is now the rare exception to the rule. We ourselves have been Banished from that Garden. Kamakana puts us on notice.
The writing is lyrical in the best postmodern sense. This is a work of genius!
But all, still, Kamakana assures us, is not lost. We CAN go home again.
We do that by using tunnel vision, shutting out the noise of the world. We have to begin again - finding at the root of ourselves, our inner sanctuary, that the world will never know such peace.
We must be strong!
God, however you understand Him, is in control. If you discard the technological tinsel long enough, you will find Him.
And you will find The Way - the way out of this moral disaster.
Thank you, Mr. Kamakana, for giving me one of my Finest Reads of 2023.
May 26, 2019
Sorry, but I won't finish this book. I'm drowning into boredom.
The multipage-paragraphed chapters and the sentences beginning all by he, she, we, they or, eventually and for a short period, I, don't work for me.
Sentences like the one below doesn't mean sh*t or if it does, I'm not bright enough to understand.
"He is the man who does not exist and a man who not does exist, he is the man who does exist and does exist, he is the man who neither exists nor not exists, he is the man who both exists and does not exist."
I suppose the author tried to disorient us as an alien form of intelligence would. I'm very disoriented, so much that I can't convince myself to read more of this book that I can't enjoy.
I read last year
Foe by Iain Reid, which had a certain dose of strangeness and was a slow-starter, and I loved it. And I read a great deal of science fiction in the past. I'm even reading
The Man in the High Castle by the great Philip K. Dick at the moment, and I love it too. But The Advent... Sorry.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ecopy of this book
The multipage-paragraphed chapters and the sentences beginning all by he, she, we, they or, eventually and for a short period, I, don't work for me.
Sentences like the one below doesn't mean sh*t or if it does, I'm not bright enough to understand.
"He is the man who does not exist and a man who not does exist, he is the man who does exist and does exist, he is the man who neither exists nor not exists, he is the man who both exists and does not exist."
I suppose the author tried to disorient us as an alien form of intelligence would. I'm very disoriented, so much that I can't convince myself to read more of this book that I can't enjoy.
I read last year
Foe by Iain Reid, which had a certain dose of strangeness and was a slow-starter, and I loved it. And I read a great deal of science fiction in the past. I'm even reading
The Man in the High Castle by the great Philip K. Dick at the moment, and I love it too. But The Advent... Sorry.Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ecopy of this book
January 30, 2019
Advent isn’t your typical alien invasion story. Rather, Kamakana uses this trope in order to frame a more complicated discourse on culture, history, colonialism, race, prejudice, socioeconomic status and more.
Single-paragraph vignettes, written in hypnotic, prosaic language, cycle between character studies, discussion of the effect of alien invasion and conflict on a reserve following the invasion. Through these, Kamakana builds an unforgettably haunting world of surprising density in such few pages. I found it quite bleak at times, but packed with layers of meaning and filled with profound insights nonetheless.
One to look out for!
Single-paragraph vignettes, written in hypnotic, prosaic language, cycle between character studies, discussion of the effect of alien invasion and conflict on a reserve following the invasion. Through these, Kamakana builds an unforgettably haunting world of surprising density in such few pages. I found it quite bleak at times, but packed with layers of meaning and filled with profound insights nonetheless.
One to look out for!
February 5, 2019
This is the kind of book that made me want to be a writer.
I love everything about this book. It's only 150 pages or so, but it feels full and complete, and I walked away with a feeling of fulfillment and wonder. It shirks literary and science fiction conventions left and right, and yet finds ways to subvert your expectations and give you something far better.
I fell in love with the characters and the unique style immediately, and though the beginning was a bit jarring due to this unique style, I got used to it quickly and found that the style drove the book as much as the strange plot structure and the deep character studies that compose the majority of this book. It may be sci-fi, but it dives far deeper into the psyches of its characters than most sci-fi on the market today. It feels much more like literary fiction in that respect, so if character-driven fiction is your thing, you'll love Advent.
This book is a thing of beauty, the kind of science fiction that leaves me breathless, that makes me rethink the genre itself, that feels boundary-breaking, that makes me want to race to the computer and write something strange and new and inspired. If your tastes in sci-fi or speculative fiction run a bit odd, if you find yourself more drawn to Dhalgren or Ubik than Dune or Foundation, then this is the book for you.
I love everything about this book. It's only 150 pages or so, but it feels full and complete, and I walked away with a feeling of fulfillment and wonder. It shirks literary and science fiction conventions left and right, and yet finds ways to subvert your expectations and give you something far better.
I fell in love with the characters and the unique style immediately, and though the beginning was a bit jarring due to this unique style, I got used to it quickly and found that the style drove the book as much as the strange plot structure and the deep character studies that compose the majority of this book. It may be sci-fi, but it dives far deeper into the psyches of its characters than most sci-fi on the market today. It feels much more like literary fiction in that respect, so if character-driven fiction is your thing, you'll love Advent.
This book is a thing of beauty, the kind of science fiction that leaves me breathless, that makes me rethink the genre itself, that feels boundary-breaking, that makes me want to race to the computer and write something strange and new and inspired. If your tastes in sci-fi or speculative fiction run a bit odd, if you find yourself more drawn to Dhalgren or Ubik than Dune or Foundation, then this is the book for you.
April 26, 2019
After reading the other reviews, it appears that there is a harsh divide for Advent. Either it's a wonderful work of sci-fi or a redundant rant of social commentary. I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle of those two.
I'll be honest, those first twenty pages can be a trial. Walls and walls of texts. Made me wonder if there was a mistake in my copy at first. My challenge to keep me invested was to learn the purpose of this format. Run on sentences. No names at all. Multiple hops through time. So many sentences starting with a single word about an entire chapter. If you aren't paying attention from the first line, it's easy to lose your place. And I'm a person who often moves while reading and uses visual keys to regain my spot; I think I ended up rereading one line three times. Tremendous frustration at the front gate.
So, when my preferred way of reading in silence led to limited success and immersion in the story, I chose to experiment. Since this is a science fiction novel, I pondered on a sentiment that is often repeated in Advent: that the alien invasion wasn't like the movies. Call me weird, but that idea alone translated to listening to sci-fi-cyberpunk-like music with no vocals. Close to techno or trance even. Snap! the writing had a heartbeat to it. Kamakana's novel turned into a long song or spoken word presentation, and let's get real: even the best ones tend to repeat themselves. There was my rhythm. Zoom! 100 pages absorbed in a single day.
By then, a story revelation occurred that kept me invested in the world, unraveling why the story is written in this particular fashion. I finally got it, and it is a welcome entry to the genre. It's a real alien infiltration too, the sort that I prefer: the near incomprehensible and creepy kind. It's bonus shades of The Host and Memento Audere Semper!: too. Unlike YA alien narratives, Advent shines by robbing you the casual reassurance of an action comeuppance. Or any inkling of passionate propaganda speeches. You know the kind.
Then it hit me why I struggled at the beginning so much. Silence would have encouraged me to focus too much on the physical, the present, the linear. Advent is more about the sensations, the psychology, the speculation. It delves into the existentialism in a way that, like most of the plot, worms into relevance without having to quote those philosophers, those politicians, those intellectuals, etc. And Hawaii's colonization being used to act as a parallel to the aliens' invasion was wonderfully done. My electronic music choices loosened up that barrier of what is "real and acceptable" in a depressing if healthy colonized world.
I was on board for most of the story until the last third or so. I won't spoil what happens, but I will say that it felt too meta for my tastes. Somewhat egotistical but not in a charming or comedic way like Breakfast of Champions . I'm not sure if it was a tactful move to include the shift in that way.
Advent has plenty to like, if you are open to the writing. Kamakana uses simple words to convey heavy ideas in the short span of 151 pages; it's the formatting and repetition that might cause it to drag. I think people who are into character driven narratives might be appalled by this one too. I'd say try to read up until page 50 before deciding you want to drop it or not. Or maybe try my method of listening to music if you're curious. An awesome standalone to me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'll be honest, those first twenty pages can be a trial. Walls and walls of texts. Made me wonder if there was a mistake in my copy at first. My challenge to keep me invested was to learn the purpose of this format. Run on sentences. No names at all. Multiple hops through time. So many sentences starting with a single word about an entire chapter. If you aren't paying attention from the first line, it's easy to lose your place. And I'm a person who often moves while reading and uses visual keys to regain my spot; I think I ended up rereading one line three times. Tremendous frustration at the front gate.
So, when my preferred way of reading in silence led to limited success and immersion in the story, I chose to experiment. Since this is a science fiction novel, I pondered on a sentiment that is often repeated in Advent: that the alien invasion wasn't like the movies. Call me weird, but that idea alone translated to listening to sci-fi-cyberpunk-like music with no vocals. Close to techno or trance even. Snap! the writing had a heartbeat to it. Kamakana's novel turned into a long song or spoken word presentation, and let's get real: even the best ones tend to repeat themselves. There was my rhythm. Zoom! 100 pages absorbed in a single day.
By then, a story revelation occurred that kept me invested in the world, unraveling why the story is written in this particular fashion. I finally got it, and it is a welcome entry to the genre. It's a real alien infiltration too, the sort that I prefer: the near incomprehensible and creepy kind. It's bonus shades of The Host and Memento Audere Semper!: too. Unlike YA alien narratives, Advent shines by robbing you the casual reassurance of an action comeuppance. Or any inkling of passionate propaganda speeches. You know the kind.
Then it hit me why I struggled at the beginning so much. Silence would have encouraged me to focus too much on the physical, the present, the linear. Advent is more about the sensations, the psychology, the speculation. It delves into the existentialism in a way that, like most of the plot, worms into relevance without having to quote those philosophers, those politicians, those intellectuals, etc. And Hawaii's colonization being used to act as a parallel to the aliens' invasion was wonderfully done. My electronic music choices loosened up that barrier of what is "real and acceptable" in a depressing if healthy colonized world.
I was on board for most of the story until the last third or so. I won't spoil what happens, but I will say that it felt too meta for my tastes. Somewhat egotistical but not in a charming or comedic way like Breakfast of Champions . I'm not sure if it was a tactful move to include the shift in that way.
Advent has plenty to like, if you are open to the writing. Kamakana uses simple words to convey heavy ideas in the short span of 151 pages; it's the formatting and repetition that might cause it to drag. I think people who are into character driven narratives might be appalled by this one too. I'd say try to read up until page 50 before deciding you want to drop it or not. Or maybe try my method of listening to music if you're curious. An awesome standalone to me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 5, 2019
This is a novel that requires two readings. On my first go through I would have given it a three or four, just because it is not an easy text to get into. However, once the circular prose settles into your brain it reveals it's subtle and clever nature. It is an astounding novel, more akin to poetry than prose, that uses alien invasion to explore deeper questions on human nature, colonialism, and societal norms. Bravo!
February 7, 2019
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thoughtful and pensive, this short novel is fascinating and alluring, detailing the arrival of an alien species on Earth. I think this book deserves 2 or 3 readings to be truly appreciated.
Thoughtful and pensive, this short novel is fascinating and alluring, detailing the arrival of an alien species on Earth. I think this book deserves 2 or 3 readings to be truly appreciated.
February 5, 2019
A powerful transrealist/slipstream narrative. It is dense, but reads quickly and benefits from a second read.
April 8, 2019
This review is based on a free ARC copy that I received through BookSirens. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The alien invasion is an unusual idea that, unfortunately, was not very well developed. Mr. Kamakana did a good job with the slowly revealed clues about what happened, which made me want to keep reading, but the actual events were very muddied and confusing. I kept waiting for clarification, but the hints remained vague. Very frustrating. Perhaps he could write a sequel which presents clearer details. He's got a lot of room for further elaboration.
I did not enjoy this book for a few reasons:
Each chapter is one gigantic paragraph, with no breaks for topic changes, time changes or perspective shifts. It is written in a stream of conscious style and almost EVERY SENTENCE begins with the same word. In one chapter it is always "He." Another chapter begins every sentence with "We." Now I can understand that maybe this was done for artistic effect, but I found it tedious. Additionally, there is an underlying sense of "English as a second language" to the writing style. Some wonkily phrased sentences make me wonder what kind of editor worked on this book. If it was done intentionally, it wasn't strong enough to give the reader a sense of the culture or time period. Lastly, everything is just told. "He did this. He went here. He thought this..." It is quite existentially philosophical. This is not the action-oriented story that one would expect from a sci-fi book involving an alien takeover of earth. It is more a braided series of essays about a handful of people, with periodic references to an alien invasion that changed peoples behavior in various ways. It sort of came together in the end, but still left me wondering.
Just because I was annoyed doesn't mean it is a bad book.
Read this book if you like artistic writing and philosophical ramblings. There are some deep and potentially profound insights for people who enjoy pondering big issues that are hidden within the small details of life. This might be a good book-club pick for very cerebral types or an interesting part of a graduate course in literature and/or philosophy.
If I remember right, there is no swearing, graphic violence or sex. So, that is a plus for people who want to avoid such things.
The alien invasion is an unusual idea that, unfortunately, was not very well developed. Mr. Kamakana did a good job with the slowly revealed clues about what happened, which made me want to keep reading, but the actual events were very muddied and confusing. I kept waiting for clarification, but the hints remained vague. Very frustrating. Perhaps he could write a sequel which presents clearer details. He's got a lot of room for further elaboration.
I did not enjoy this book for a few reasons:
Each chapter is one gigantic paragraph, with no breaks for topic changes, time changes or perspective shifts. It is written in a stream of conscious style and almost EVERY SENTENCE begins with the same word. In one chapter it is always "He." Another chapter begins every sentence with "We." Now I can understand that maybe this was done for artistic effect, but I found it tedious. Additionally, there is an underlying sense of "English as a second language" to the writing style. Some wonkily phrased sentences make me wonder what kind of editor worked on this book. If it was done intentionally, it wasn't strong enough to give the reader a sense of the culture or time period. Lastly, everything is just told. "He did this. He went here. He thought this..." It is quite existentially philosophical. This is not the action-oriented story that one would expect from a sci-fi book involving an alien takeover of earth. It is more a braided series of essays about a handful of people, with periodic references to an alien invasion that changed peoples behavior in various ways. It sort of came together in the end, but still left me wondering.
Just because I was annoyed doesn't mean it is a bad book.
Read this book if you like artistic writing and philosophical ramblings. There are some deep and potentially profound insights for people who enjoy pondering big issues that are hidden within the small details of life. This might be a good book-club pick for very cerebral types or an interesting part of a graduate course in literature and/or philosophy.
If I remember right, there is no swearing, graphic violence or sex. So, that is a plus for people who want to avoid such things.
February 5, 2019
I’m a big fan of first contact stories, which typically speculate on the details of human/alien interaction. Michael Kamakana’s novel is a totally different take, and is one the better treatments of alien visitation effect on the human condition I’ve read. This subtle book hides its clever, self-referential structure in plain sight. I only appreciated the subversive nature of what was going on until too late, until that “Wait, what?” moment when I realized I had become totally engaged. And like all good novels, it continues to resonate long after the last word.
February 7, 2019
Michael Kamakana has written an intertwined web of stories that explores what it means to be human. His voice and style will draw you into the minds of the characters, keep you wondering. This is not a typical alien invasion story, but it's good till the last page!
February 6, 2019
Unusual, brain-stretching, creates an atmosphere you won't forget. Chilling, yet moving. Not an easy read, but worth finishing. Full disclosure: I know the author, and it makes the story a lot deeper for me.
February 13, 2019
This short literary scifi novel held me from start to finish. I'm always looking for new scifi authors who are excellent writers and storytellers, both. I think Kamakana is an amazing new voice in the genre.
Read
February 14, 2019NOTE: This is a review of ADVENT by Michael Kamakana, not to be confused with James Treadwell’s novel by the same name.
Mr. Kamakana’s novel, ADVENT, was very disappointing. The writing is confusing and way overdone. He could’ve and should’ve cut his first chapter and began with his second, but that one sounded too much like the opening of THE 5TH WAVE.
Mr. Kamakana seems to be under the impression that run-on sentences convey confusion, but they were just boring. By the time I was five pages in I was already beginning to lose interest. There was too little forward momentum, story-wise, and far too much unnecessary detail.
Mr. Kamakana also moves from one POV to another, midsentence, when he encounters a student on the steps of the physics building on page nine. And then he turned his protagonist’s trip to a secretary’s office to change his major into WAR AND PEACE. If you’re going to devote that much time to something, there must be a REASON for it.
But far and away, my biggest issue with Mr. Kamakana’s writing is that he tells us what’s going on instead of showing us—a classic literary mistake. I would encourage Mr. Kamakana to hire a good editor.
By page 23 I just couldn’t read anymore, and therefore ADVENT gets a DNF from me.
I received a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review, and the opinions expressed are mine alone.
Mr. Kamakana’s novel, ADVENT, was very disappointing. The writing is confusing and way overdone. He could’ve and should’ve cut his first chapter and began with his second, but that one sounded too much like the opening of THE 5TH WAVE.
Mr. Kamakana seems to be under the impression that run-on sentences convey confusion, but they were just boring. By the time I was five pages in I was already beginning to lose interest. There was too little forward momentum, story-wise, and far too much unnecessary detail.
Mr. Kamakana also moves from one POV to another, midsentence, when he encounters a student on the steps of the physics building on page nine. And then he turned his protagonist’s trip to a secretary’s office to change his major into WAR AND PEACE. If you’re going to devote that much time to something, there must be a REASON for it.
But far and away, my biggest issue with Mr. Kamakana’s writing is that he tells us what’s going on instead of showing us—a classic literary mistake. I would encourage Mr. Kamakana to hire a good editor.
By page 23 I just couldn’t read anymore, and therefore ADVENT gets a DNF from me.
I received a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review, and the opinions expressed are mine alone.
March 17, 2019
This was an interesting book and definitely unlike most novels about first contact with aliens. However, I don't think the novel was as effective as it could have been. Several reviewers have noted that the book has an unusual style. While some found it compelling, I was not particularly impressed by it. There are times when the author seems to be aiming for a simple and direct style reminiscent of Hemingway. However, his sentences lack the concision and eye for concrete details needed to make that style actually work. There are other times when the author seems to be aiming for a postmodern philosophical novel reminiscent of Calvino. However, the book lacks the richness of literary allusion needed to succeed using that approach. The result is a sort of in-between novel that does not work either as realist narrative or philosophical meditation.
The strongest parts of the book are the evocations of the main character's father and mother. I believe the author did an excellent job suggesting how a theoretical physicist views the world in the section on Boyle's law. There were also interesting glimpses into the culture of native Hawaiians. The author suggests an analogy between the fate of the Hawaiians after contact with Europeans and the fate of humans after contact with the aliens. However, I felt he could have done more with this idea, and the book might have worked better if he had used Hawaii's culture and landscape as a unifying element.
There are some interesting suggestions about how humans would react to the arrival of aliens and how the way aliens contact us could be very different from our expectations. Unfortunately, the language that the author uses is so abstract and devoid of imagery that he often fails to engage the reader effectively. The book seems to be not so much about aliens as about the difficulties involved in coping with a traumatic and life-altering event. The author himself, along with the main character, needed to recover from a coma following a serious accident, and the book may be about the problems behind adjusting to a new and different way of living. I believe the author was trying to communicate something useful and important by writing this book, but he does not seem to have found his voice yet. I hope he does find his footing as an author, because he seems to have valuable things to teach us.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The strongest parts of the book are the evocations of the main character's father and mother. I believe the author did an excellent job suggesting how a theoretical physicist views the world in the section on Boyle's law. There were also interesting glimpses into the culture of native Hawaiians. The author suggests an analogy between the fate of the Hawaiians after contact with Europeans and the fate of humans after contact with the aliens. However, I felt he could have done more with this idea, and the book might have worked better if he had used Hawaii's culture and landscape as a unifying element.
There are some interesting suggestions about how humans would react to the arrival of aliens and how the way aliens contact us could be very different from our expectations. Unfortunately, the language that the author uses is so abstract and devoid of imagery that he often fails to engage the reader effectively. The book seems to be not so much about aliens as about the difficulties involved in coping with a traumatic and life-altering event. The author himself, along with the main character, needed to recover from a coma following a serious accident, and the book may be about the problems behind adjusting to a new and different way of living. I believe the author was trying to communicate something useful and important by writing this book, but he does not seem to have found his voice yet. I hope he does find his footing as an author, because he seems to have valuable things to teach us.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 25, 2020
Hypnotic and Repetitive
It's hypnotic and repetitive, and hypnotic and repetitive. Repetitive and hypnotic. And the aura of art, but we were wrong. This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with the world's longest streaming paragraph. Hypnotically, but also repetitively.
It's easy to make fun of this book's structure, and it's almost impossible to resist the impulse. But there are arresting lines and rewarding bits hidden away behind the writerly artifice. I guess it's worth saluting this book as a piece of performance art, or an academic exercise, or a show item. I would have appreciated it just as much as a short story, maybe moreso. As it stands it struck me as too sterile and isolated, which in a sense may have been the point. (I may be one of the few people who like narrative in the third person singular and first person plural, but that's just another example of how this book tries so hard to be distant and unapproachable.) The author has certainly nailed haunting and bleak, with a side of dismissive and vaguely condescending. It probably didn't help that I wasn't particularly impressed by the author's insights into colonialism, class distinction, cultural appropriation, cultural hubris, and the like.
So, certainly an interesting experimental, modern piece. It is just as likely that a reader will find this book tedious as it is the reader will find this book revelatory. Only one way to find out for sure.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
It's hypnotic and repetitive, and hypnotic and repetitive. Repetitive and hypnotic. And the aura of art, but we were wrong. This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with the world's longest streaming paragraph. Hypnotically, but also repetitively.
It's easy to make fun of this book's structure, and it's almost impossible to resist the impulse. But there are arresting lines and rewarding bits hidden away behind the writerly artifice. I guess it's worth saluting this book as a piece of performance art, or an academic exercise, or a show item. I would have appreciated it just as much as a short story, maybe moreso. As it stands it struck me as too sterile and isolated, which in a sense may have been the point. (I may be one of the few people who like narrative in the third person singular and first person plural, but that's just another example of how this book tries so hard to be distant and unapproachable.) The author has certainly nailed haunting and bleak, with a side of dismissive and vaguely condescending. It probably didn't help that I wasn't particularly impressed by the author's insights into colonialism, class distinction, cultural appropriation, cultural hubris, and the like.
So, certainly an interesting experimental, modern piece. It is just as likely that a reader will find this book tedious as it is the reader will find this book revelatory. Only one way to find out for sure.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
March 27, 2021
Advent
by Michael Kamakana
An interesting concept of Alien contact. Its not as expected but more philosophical in nature. The Plato theory would have a run for its money as the four main characters come to grips with the changes of the Advent. The book has many historical nuances, like the colonization of the Hawaiian Island, and reservation nature of the plains Indian tribes. It looks a the concept of love and ideology of love. A very thought provoking book. Teaching the ideal lesson that things do not always happen as we expect, and that learning to go on after disappointment is the key.
by Michael Kamakana
An interesting concept of Alien contact. Its not as expected but more philosophical in nature. The Plato theory would have a run for its money as the four main characters come to grips with the changes of the Advent. The book has many historical nuances, like the colonization of the Hawaiian Island, and reservation nature of the plains Indian tribes. It looks a the concept of love and ideology of love. A very thought provoking book. Teaching the ideal lesson that things do not always happen as we expect, and that learning to go on after disappointment is the key.
March 3, 2019
Different style of writing, more like a stream of consciousness instead of linear. I found it very distracting but the story did make me think.
March 10, 2019
Thanks to netgally for the chance to read an advance copy of this and sorry to the author for not enjoying it, at all!
I found this book very long and hard to read!
People have said the prose is poetic and circular but I found it to be rambling round and round.
The lack of paragraphs made each chapter seem long winded. Also non of the characters were given a name which I didn't like!
I have given up on this book at around 30% and that was a struggle to get through!
I found this book very long and hard to read!
People have said the prose is poetic and circular but I found it to be rambling round and round.
The lack of paragraphs made each chapter seem long winded. Also non of the characters were given a name which I didn't like!
I have given up on this book at around 30% and that was a struggle to get through!
July 4, 2019
Sorry, but I won't finish this book. I'm drowning into boredom.
The multipage-paragraphed chapters and the sentences beginning all by he, she, we, they or, eventually and for a short period, I don't work for me.
Sentences like the one below doesn't mean sh*t or if it does, I'm not bright enough to understand.
"He is the man who does not exist and a man who not does exist, he is the man who does exist and does exist, he is the man who neither exists nor not exists, he is the man who both exists and does not exist."
I suppose the author tried to disorient us as an alien form of intelligence would. I'm very disoriented, so much that I can't convince myself to read more of this book that I can't enjoy.
I read last year Foe by Iain Reid Foe by Iain Reid, which had a certain dose of strangeness and was a slow-starter, and I loved it. And I read a great deal of science fiction in the past. I'm even reading The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick The Man in the High Castle by the great Philip K. Dick at the moment, and I love it too. But The Advent... Sorry.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ecopy of this book
The multipage-paragraphed chapters and the sentences beginning all by he, she, we, they or, eventually and for a short period, I don't work for me.
Sentences like the one below doesn't mean sh*t or if it does, I'm not bright enough to understand.
"He is the man who does not exist and a man who not does exist, he is the man who does exist and does exist, he is the man who neither exists nor not exists, he is the man who both exists and does not exist."
I suppose the author tried to disorient us as an alien form of intelligence would. I'm very disoriented, so much that I can't convince myself to read more of this book that I can't enjoy.
I read last year Foe by Iain Reid Foe by Iain Reid, which had a certain dose of strangeness and was a slow-starter, and I loved it. And I read a great deal of science fiction in the past. I'm even reading The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick The Man in the High Castle by the great Philip K. Dick at the moment, and I love it too. But The Advent... Sorry.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ecopy of this book
October 22, 2022
I assume you've read the blurb and know what the story is about or else you wouldn't be here reading this review. It's a new author, of course, and his writing style (I struggled coming up with a descriptor) is Seussian. Let me paraphrase:
When the aliens came, it wasn't day or night, It wasn't hot, it wasn't cold, it wasn't what we expected but it wasn't a surprise. We didn't feel loved, we didn't feel hated. It was / wasn't etc etc. Pages and pages of this - this whole first chapter. Then Chapter 2 and we get introduced to a character, Oh no - she's described the same way! The whole chapter is like this, and the whole rest of the book. Read it if you can.
When the aliens came, it wasn't day or night, It wasn't hot, it wasn't cold, it wasn't what we expected but it wasn't a surprise. We didn't feel loved, we didn't feel hated. It was / wasn't etc etc. Pages and pages of this - this whole first chapter. Then Chapter 2 and we get introduced to a character, Oh no - she's described the same way! The whole chapter is like this, and the whole rest of the book. Read it if you can.
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