Andrew Benesh > Recent Status Updates

A really strong into to the multifaceted world of pigeons, emphasizing our linguistic biases (dove vs pigeon) and complicated relationship over time (friend? messenger? pet? dinner?).

Done! The last two chapters are ridiculously heavy, but really make Bank on what Cole builds in the first part of the book. I'm still upset about Clodio, Basina, and Twitch, but I really want to see where this story goes in book 2.

Bursina could have handled that better, but then so could Heloise. I was so happy about Clodio, but I see Myke Cole despises happiness.... and Twitch! Why Myke Why?

The pacing has really picked up, especially after the knitting. I like how Cole is using language that's easily understood but retains an element of foreignness or fantasy. I'm concerned things are going to get worse before they get better.

I like the continued world building and how the initial relational notes are being laid out. The incremental approach, ground in showing rather than telling, makes this very approachable fantasy.

The opening wastes no time in setting up the injustice of the world and the broad conflict. I look forward to seeing where this goes!

Finished! I really enjoyed Leia's speech about parenting and Lando's synthesis of himself. L3 his AMAZING, and I really look forward to seeing her on screen. I appreciated Taka's dedication to making sure Gor was dead.

I wish we got more of the Gor story earlier; he's an interesting villain. I also wish we saw more of Taka et al. while they were captured. The reveals on the device and the missing wookiee bits felt well paced. I forgot to mention it earlier, but I love the ewokese nude joke.

Getting to see Han and Lando have a conversation about the whole ESB situation (and find forgiveness and acceptance) makes this whole thing worthwhile. The steps to address all the tensions between them have been well handled.

Leia's writing reminds me a lot of how Claudia Gray writes her, but with more overt recognition of her metacommunication. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Peekpa continues to be the best.

I see Gor has taken an interesting turn. The Lando / Kaasha relationship is really developing; the Lekku really was really solid. The exploration of droid sentience it's intriguing; I worry for L3 even more now.

The Gungan Aro should be voiced by Kumail Nanjiani. Also I need a glossary of ewok phrases.

I'm really loving this ewok. The Han - Sana dynamic is growing on me. I still want more Chewie. The references to Life Debt are really nice, and it's good to see some restoration on Kashyyyk; however I still want to see more wookiee daily life. The Gungan rant about generalization is great!

I'm really enjoying all of the little prequel nods. Lando and Han's banter is great. The Fyzen Gor introduction felt a little rushed, but was a fun ride. The Wookiee and Droid rights pieces have been a nice touch.

Peekpa is the best. Han's parenting challenges are well written, but I wish we saw more interactions between him and Ben. The Lando flashback was... lascivious.

I figure if I'm going to read this before the film I should definitely get started. So far I'm enjoying how Han and Lando are written; they feel true to ESB. Han's father's experience so far is relatable - the fears, the frustrations, and space LEGOs - and I'm curious to see how it develops.

Finished! The final chapters on dining with whales and the author's personal connections are really well written, but feel out of sync with the book. I really appreciate the photography and extensive index at the end.

The discussion of the transition from whale hinting to whale watching feels hopeful, though it doesn't feel like it's necessarily sustainable. I'm curious as to the relationship between the remnant modern whaling industry and the ambergris market...

The politics of modern whaling bans - and their defiance by Japan and Norway - feels really well written. The attention to the effects of the Cold War and US withdrawal from the industry as drivers are depressing but important observations.

Apparently some whales can spontaneously combust after death, if their death was particularly violent. The section on breaching was depressing; I never realized how many whales entered the Thames. The advent of modern commercial whaling is frightening with its efficiency.

The broader philosophical and political landscape of whaling is fascinating. Seeing the feeling science and commercial delusions feels familiar. Still some weird sexual fixations in this book.

The chapter on Thoreau, Sea Monsters, and Ancient Wishes was cool, but I wish there was more fronting in fact rather than reliance on old sailing notes. While they are fascinating, that aren't necessarily informative.

The chapter on Melville and Hawthorne's relationship was long and a bit hard to get into. I really want more whale content and less historical personality.

The chapter on whaling methods and whale processing at sea is fascinating, even if it does revisit some material from the Melville chapter.

This frustrates me. A great section about whales and historical whaling, followed by a long dreary chapter about Nantucket. Also, the author is really focused on penises, and sailors sex lives.

The chapter on the Sperm whale was informative, though the author gets a little carried away with the majesty of the whale at times. The historical underpinnings if whaling and connections with slavery were well addressed. Whale museums are weird.

Chapter 2 seems to be more about Hermann Melville than whales. Though I did learn about a brand whale whose bowels exploded, fatally infecting onlookers. So there's that.

The prologue and first chapter make it hard to know what this is going; the blend of personal history, natural history, and social history is a bit jumbled. The information in good, but I wish it were more organized. I'm very curious about the deep sea whales that have never been seen alive....

Finished. I really liked the way Hero, Adelia, and Archie's relationships intertwined in the end; it really helped highlight the emotional core or the book. In really looking forward to book 3 in this series. I assume we'll see more Acadia...

This one is moving along quickly, with some good callbacks to the first book. Archie and Acadia are great. The attention to maternal health for Adelia is something more books should do.