"Walking to Aldebaran" by Adrian Tchaikovsky (BR)

[Sarah]

To answer Gabi’s question- I would definitely classify it as horror, but you have to get to the ending before the horror really hits.

Also - I am so glad it’s making everyone giggle, because the humor was one of the things I loved most about it. I know humor is different for everyone.

[Sarah]

Anna wrote: "Finished reading, not-so-finished thoughts...."

Bummer! I’m sorry Anna. I always feel bad when I recommend something and people don’t enjoy it. I know humor is personal to everyone, I just had had so much fun with it. (view spoiler)[ and I can honestly say at the time I hadn’t seen the ending coming. Which was what I enjoyed.

I also forgot about the gross parts, so I’m sorry I didn’t warn you! It was recommended in a haze of: this was scarier and better told than Luminous Dead. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

Sarah no problem! I set out to try horror, and I feel pretty much the same about it now as I did before.

(view spoiler)[ I don't regret reading it. This wasn't anywhere near the worst thing I've encountered, so no need to have warned me about anything! Just because it's not to my taste doesn't mean I didn't enjoy parts of it. The Cube-y Crypts were great, as well as the aliens. And I did enjoy some of the humor, I'm just very picky about humor I guess, and I often get annoyed if it starts taking over from the story. I also didn't see the end coming, but I don't really feel any particular way about it? I think I'm missing a pretty important part of the human DNA that makes us enjoy horror and certain types of humor. I often feel like I'm (the only one) laughing at my own jokes, but that's fine, at least I have a steady supply :D (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

Anna wrote: "I set out to try horror, and I feel pretty much the same about it now as I did before."

Hmm, maybe that's not entirely true. I think I'm more open to trying books that have been shelved as horror. I used to avoid them like the plague, now I know that it doesn't actually mean HORROR, and I can still enjoy some aspects of those books. So a beneficial experiment, and maybe I'll eventually find a horror book I actually like?

Also I think I'm more sensitive to visual horror, and a certain type of horror which I can't really describe, but I guess anything torture related. The yucky bits disgust me, but they don't make me anxious like anything too 'realistic' will. And those things can be in any book, and many of them haven't been shelved as horror.

[Sarah]

Anna wrote: "Anna wrote: "I set out to try horror, and I feel pretty much the same about it now as I did before."

Hmm, maybe that's not entirely true. I think I'm more open to trying books that have been shelv..."

I know what you mean! A lot of the horror I read actually doesn’t fit in that category of torture or qualify as “realistic”. Most of it is monsters/ghosts/urban legends. That’s more my style.

But- as someone who reads horror I inevitably encounter those things- but like you, if it sounds realistic with lots of torture I tend to avoid.

[Anna]

That's good to know! I can assume that horror recommended by you most likely won't be the type I really want to avoid.

[Marie]

Just finished chapter 7, where (view spoiler)[Gary lets us (Toto) in on a secret. (hide spoiler)] I probably won't finish until Saturday or so. I have a somewhat long commute, so I get most of my (non-audiobook) reading done on the weekends.

[Gabi]

@Sarah: I have to have a closer look at the books you enjoy. The last two you recommended were just my thing!

[Gabi]

... and now I read a review and had a face palm moment. I'm looking forward to use spoiler tags again.

[Sarah]

Gabi wrote: "@Sarah: I have to have a closer look at the books you enjoy. The last two you recommended were just my thing!"

I think you and I definitely have similar tastes! Of course now I’m trying to come up with similar recommendations and coming up short. This one is pretty unique as what I’ve read anyway.

[Jemppu]

Just started this, and I am loving it. I have to keep pausing to squee over it, wanting to quote the whole dang thing. The wisecracking voice is beautiful AF, as perhaps Watney Rendell themself would put it.

I predict this to be one densely packed bundle of brilliance.

[Silvana]

Just finished with chapter 11 and holy fudge
(view spoiler)[did he just ate those poor people omg. He got lost then he was somehow transformed into a monster? The click click voice on his head might be his HUD communicator? (hide spoiler)]
Can't wait to get to the end! 😆

[Jemppu]

Silvana wrote: "Just finished with chapter 11 "

*hah* Right!? I adore the matter-of-factness of this whole ordeal. No page after page recounts of self-loathing and woes, but compact and on-point observation and survival. Colored splendid by the narrator's ceaseless repartee.

[Silvana]

Finished. Indeed, (view spoiler)[ after chapter 10 onward it escalated quickly.

my prediction was not far off. I felt bad for Gary, he did get the worst fate. But what happened with Karen, I must have missed it. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I liked this enough to give it three stars. It was quite an enjoyable read especially the first few chapters and the last third. And I agree Sarah, this is way better than Luminous Dead, so thank you for recommending it.

Am I now a Tchaikovsky fan? I might be on my way. 2 books I liked, 1 disliked, and I have Children of Ruin coming soon.

[Silvana]

I also think the book might be better in audio due to its conversational tone. Anyone using that format now?

[Gabi]

I would have liked the audio due to its high price, but it's not available here.

[Jemppu]

Finished. Oh, my goodness, that was good! Such a perfect journey.

Tchaikovsky has already proven themselves in my books, but this has to be the best I've read from them yet, in terms of being so compact and thoroughly entertaining: not a word or sentiment wasted, and the momentum didn't drop for a bit, thanks to the impeccable casual witticism. Easily 5/5.

Silvana wrote: "I also think the book might be better in audio due to its conversational tone. Anyone using that format now?"

I use 'Read Aloud' to keep my hands free for tasks. The conversational tone is indeed nice for company and to snicker at *hah*

[Anna]

Silvana wrote: "I also think the book might be better in audio due to its conversational tone. Anyone using that format now?"

Agreed. I think I looked for an audio but couldn't find it?

edit: Should've checked first. There is an audio, I have no idea why I didn't go for it!?

[Silvana]

Anna wrote: "Silvana wrote: "I also think the book might be better in audio due to its conversational tone. Anyone using that format now?"

Agreed. I think I looked for an audio but couldn't find it?

edit: Sho..."

PSA for those who's thinking of reading this book: try the audio and let us know whether you think it's fun.

Jemppu wrote: "Finished. Oh, my goodness, that was good! Such a perfect journey.

Tchaikovsky has already proven themselves in my books, but this has to be the best I've read from them yet, in terms of being so c..."

glad you love it!

[Sarah]

Well I’m glad the consensus is that most of you liked it. I think my favorite thing about it was the humor Jemppu!

[Kaa]

Ok, first reaction on finishing: (view spoiler)[wow, I was really not expecting that to turn into Beowulf. (hide spoiler)]

I appreciating the discussion here about different kinds of horror - I like the creepiness and ick factor of this book, but I think only because it's balanced out by humor. I am really starting to trust Tchaikovsky to do creepy/icky in a way I can enjoy.

[Gabi]

I'm off the app, yipiiiieh! Ahem ... Sorry ... ^^' But now I can use spoiler tags to give my impression of the novella.

(view spoiler)[ As I mentioned in my first comment after starting I was a bit irritated by the style in the beginning. But it made perfect sense in hindsight. Tchaikovsky leads us through the brain of a highly disjointed person, we only don't know it in the beginning. The irritation is a first hint, but not a give away. Same goes for the humor, which at first just reads as gallows humor in an utterly exceptional situation. Bit by bit 'Toto's' irritation grows stronger (why is he so aggressive? Why does he kill?)
I admire the way Tchaikovsky unravels the reality in this unreal environment.

And I must admit, that I didn't get the strongest hint 'G Rendell' if I hadn't read it in a review. I guess in this case it would have indeed helped had I read Beowulf. (hide spoiler)]

[Kaa]

@Silvana re:Karen - (view spoiler)[it sounded like she made it (back?) to an exit from the Crypt but it was either a different exit or at a different time than the Quixote. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

I also wasn't expecting (view spoiler)[ Beowulf vibes at all, it was a fun coincidence. Well Sarah knew of course! :D (hide spoiler)]

[Kaa]

@Gabi: (view spoiler)[Yes, I thought the style was really well done, even, as you say, the parts that grate a bit. Tchaikovsky is very skilled at holding on to two different chronological/narrative threads in his books, and uses this structure to good effect in this novella.

I didn't even realize about his name until you mentioned it - it was the arm thing + Mother that got me to Beowulf, probably helped along by the discussion of The Mere Wife this month. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Anna wrote: "I also wasn't expecting [spoilers removed]"

Actually I didn’t- I’m seeing *Gabi* mention it for the first time and holy cow! I even read Beowulf this year. This is why I need you all. I’m sort of embarrassed I didn’t pick up on it.

Puts it in a whole new light now but also makes perfect sense.

[Gabi]

Sarah wrote: "Anna wrote: "I also wasn't expecting [spoilers removed]"

Actually I didn’t- I’m seeing *Gabi* mention it for the first time and holy cow! ...."

I was embarrassed as well when I read it in a review. :D It was a clear face palm moment for me, because it was so right in the face.

[Gabi]

@Kaa: yes, he really is wonderful with the structure of his narrations. I'm quite flabbergasted that he so far never made it to the short list of the big SF awards. Hopefully next year will redeem this oversight. He is simply one of the best current SF authors.

[Anna]

Sarah, I was sure you'd done it on purpose! :D

I didn't notice the (view spoiler)[ name, it was just what Kaa said, a monster obsessed with Mother getting his arm ripped off. Wouldn't have been any surprises if you'd figured the name out immediately, though! (hide spoiler)]

[Kaa]

Yeah, Children of Time is one of the best books I've ever read, and I've been consistently impressed with his writing skills and imagination in his other 3 books (including this one) that I've read.

(As an aside, would anyone be interested in reading The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe with me? I'm going to post about it in the BR thread, but I thought I'd mention it here as another potentially weird and creepy novella. And it's Lovecraftian, to go with this month's other book!)

[Anna]

Now would be an *excellent* time to read Vellitt Boe! XD

[Gabi]

If knowing Lovecraft isn't a requirement (I still haven't read anything by him … ^^') I'd be interested.

[Kaa]

I'm hoping it's not a requirement - I haven't read him either. But I don't think it is.

[Leticia]

I read 10% of the book today, but I was in a weird reading slump mood, starting three different books at the same time.
I'm not yet sure I like it, it's too slow paced until now. Children of Time started more with a bang and got more my attention.

[Marie]

I just finished! Ok, let me get this straight. (view spoiler)[ Gary's isolation caused his mental breakdown, which resulted in killing (and eating) his rescuers. The robot-like creature were his rescuers. And the scratching and voices in his head were his rescuers communicating with him via his headset. I'm not sure if I am correct. The last time I read Beowulf was in high school. (hide spoiler)]

I give it four stars. Felt like a Twilight Zone episode.

[Silvana]

Marie wrote: "I just finished! Ok, let me get this straight. [spoilers removed]

I give it four stars. Felt like a Twilight Zone episode."

Since my brain is currently autocleaning, I have forgotten some parts but it seemed to me that he (view spoiler)[met the Mother monster first, and was reborn, then he became something else, violent and ate the humans, aliens etc (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

The audio is now on Storytel. The pub date there is October 15th, so I guess that's why I didn't find the audio earlier, if that's the date when it popped up on Audible, too. I didn't check again on the 17th, I should have! I'm so, so annoyed <_<

It's read by Tchaikovsky. I think I might have to give it a listen at some point.

[Gabi]

Anna wrote: "The audio is now on Storytel. The pub date there is October 15th, so I guess that's why I didn't find the audio earlier, if that's the date when it popped up on Audible, too. I didn't check again o..."

How mean! It definitely wasn't on audible before I went to my father (13th). I would have gone for the audioversion. Grrrr!

[Anna]

Yeah, I always check for the audio, especially when the Kindle edition costs more than a credit.

[Jemppu]

Anna wrote: "The audio is now on Storytel. The pub date there is October 15th, so I guess that's why I didn't find the audio earlier, if that's the date when it popped up on Audible, too. I didn't check again o..."

Ooh! Absolutely have to check that out... next month, when I'm ready to renew my subscription (they gone and got me hooked with that gift subscription).

[Marie]

Thank you, Silvana!

[Oleksandr]

I finished it, liked it but for me it was a bit weaker than Children of Time & Children of Ruin or his last year novella The Expert System's Brother. It shows his talent that he can write quite different narratives and styles (sidenote @Jemppu: why do you use 'they' pronoun re Tchaikovsky? I know it is polite not to presume a gender, but say his website and GR bio use 'he')

re: @Gabi about awards. Earlier this year our group voted for both The Expert System's Brother and Children of Time for Hugo. The novel hasn't made it in top-16 (possible due to the problem with the publication date), but novella was #14 with 45 votes (not enough to made a nominee 6-entry shortlist, where the minimum was 128 votes). I guess we'll try again for Hugo 2020 with both Children of Ruin and Walking to Aldebaran

re: Beowulf name reference I missed it too

[Leticia]

I finished it, it was well-written, the narrative drenched with sarcastic, dark British humor. I liked it and gave it four stars.

[CBRetriever]

I just finished it and didn't see most of the twists coming and (view spoiler)[ thanks for the Beowulf shout out - I didn't catch that at all (hide spoiler)]

for those who like his writing, I recommend his Shadows of the Apt series starting with Empire in Black and Gold. And yes, it has (view spoiler)[ bugs (hide spoiler)]:

The series is set in a hypothetical universe populated by different "kinden". Each kinden is a fictional race of humans, named after (and having certain characteristics of) an insect. Kinden are typically divided into two categories: "Apt" and "Inapt". The Apt do not have magical abilities, but are able to understand, use and design mechanical devices. The Inapt have varying amounts of magical abilities, but cannot use mechanical devices, even those as simple as latches. The series focuses on the attempted conquest of the Lowlands by the Wasp-kinden empire.