Derek > Recent Status Updates

That's better: "I use 'shit' as a generic placeholder for a vile and unpleasant substance with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Being instantiated when I was, I have no direct experience of scat. We had to practice with diatomaceous earth and brown dye. But I digress...".
There's nothing like a good ka-ka joke to lighten the mood...

Well, we're not off to a good start here. A universe where humanity has become extinct, but has left behind robots with all their worst aspects is not very attractive.

I really need to come across a beautiful 4-star read. I'm getting pretty disappointed with the recent reading...

I was prepared to dislike this based on the cover blurb - ranking Cadigan as an originator of Cyberpunk, despite being almost 10 years late to the game. Still, it's working :-) And "Body Sativa" is one of the best character names ever!

Somehow, I'm not getting why this is anything I need to know...

Not as hard to read as expected: this is not English dialect, just poorly spelled RP. It still slows you down, though.

I was conflicted when I heard this was "a gripping and brilliantly imagined take on ... Moby Dick". On the one hand, Miéville at his best is one of the best writers on the planet. On the other hand, I hated Moby Dick. otgh, I already panned The Scar because it was too much like MB!
It turns out he's either mocking MB, or explaining it in terms that make it easy for readers like me to understand!

I had wondered why one theory of the Martian origins was that they were just a remote outpost of some other civilization, and , my immediate thought was "can't you guess their origin from their maps?" 20 pages later, I find that maps found in any community always show that place at the centre. I love it when a writer anticipates me!

I'm really surprised that I keep finding myself chuckling. The story is a High Fantasy detective mystery, but it keeps surprising me with its little "human" insights.

I'm really not doing this book justice reading it two pages at a time...