"The Iron Garden Sutra" Discuss Everything *Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

A few questions to get us started:


1. What did you think of the world?
2. What did you think of the characters?
3. What worked or didn't for you?
4. Overall thoughts?

[CJ]

I thought the setting of this was really intriguing. I often find stories about generational ships a bit lacking in imagination but this struck me as pretty creative, with the religious aspects and also the mystery around the deaths.

The MC was pretty well drawn, with an appropriately monk-ish demeanor. The idea of him being a tragic orphan was a bit trope-ish but I didn't mind it. I did struggle a little with the romance with the engineer Yan. It felt a little forced.

As much as I enjoyed the religious and philosophical aspects of the story, I felt the resolution of the ship's mystery to be a little predictable. I had hoped for something a little more creative. It felt like the author tied that up a little too neatly so to focus on the romance part of the story, which I thought was a weird shift in the narrative focus. I was far less interested in the romance than in the mystery of the ship, but the story ended up giving me a lot more of the romance than I wanted.

I didn't fully understand the epilogue, with Iris waiting for Yan where he left him. I felt that should have connected to something explored earlier in the story but I couldn't remember any such thing, unless I missed or forgotten it.

I listened to the audiobook and it took me a while to get used to the narrator's whispery voice and the way he pronounces VIFAI. I felt he was an odd choice of a narrator for this.

Overall, I enjoyed it, finding it well-written and creative, despite some minor disappointments with how the novel wrapped up its two main plots.

[Nicol]

I could have liked the romance between Iris and Yan, I usually like a good grumpy/sunshine but Iris wasn’t sunshine really and Yan was more toxic/abusive at times than grumpy. I have real issues with having a love interest physically assault the other and then they end up together. NOPE. Relationship violence should never be romanticized or not addressed/swept under the rug like it won’t happen again. I really wish this had been omitted or reworked or the romance dropped. Besides that, it was one of my favorite book club reads.
I didn’t realize it would end on a cliffhangerish - for some reason going in I assumed it was a stand alone.
I agree that I was confused that he was where Yan left him? And just confused in general why if Iris wanted to go there was no communication? I look forward to the next one.

[Ellen]

I really enjoyed this one. I enjoy a spooky spaceship with crew members getting picked off one by one.
I eye read this one and struggled with the pronunciation of VIFAI. I was disappointed when those that read the audio book says it didn't really clear it up.
My favorite BOTM so far this year.

[Silvana]

1. What did you think of the world?
I think the AI discourse was the most interesting part, considering in the real world AI has been more accepted and we probably are nearing/entering a singularity event but in this world it took a massive tragedy for banning most AI constructs.

the pulsar blade is obviously a Jedi reference, isn't it? jedi, monk...

2. What did you think of the characters?
I like the slow reveal of Iris. The others, very forgettable. Yan is basically just another tsundere character for me, and I knew from the start what the dynamic between them would be like.

3. What worked or didn't for you?
The whole philosophy stuff I skimmed and skipped, it was not interesting.
Also, for a murder mystery I believe all of us can already guess about the ship being the killer and that it interfaced with organic stuff ever since the vines started to move. Also reminded me of the ship in Leviathan Wakes though it's more on the spores side.

4. Overall thoughts?
It was an okay read, yet due to the predictability and slow pace it could have worked better for me as a novella. But at least it did not annoy/bore me as much as other space murder mysteries I read.

[Roberta]

I loved this book, I thought the character development was really well done. The world of the ship is a plant geek fantasy with the mycelium. But WTF with the ending? Why so abrupt? I’m already looking forward to more Iris/Yan moments, hopefully Jessi returns & some outrageous Bacai moments as well. And of course the AI alliance. But really, what’s in the letter & how complicated is this romance/healing going to be? I can’t wait to find out.