You articulated my problems with These Calculating Stars so well! I’ve never been able to explain why I didn’t love it on the level I felt I should have. All I’ve been able to say is that it’s too hopeful, but you helped verbalize it so much better! Also, fully back The Fifth Season being a book that deserves tons of awards! I too, didn’t love the sequels as much, but that doesn’t stop me from recommending the series because the first book blew me away
Yes too hopeful! I mean, that sounds bad but it was lol like it didn't fit the tone. And TOTALLY agree about Fifth Season, I always recommend it because even if the other two didn't live up quite as much, they are still good novels.
As a woman who worked in aerospace, in applied physics, in the 80’s/90’s, These Calculating Stars sounds ludicrous. At that time less than 2% of the field was female and we lived or died based upon how thoroughly we could make our coworkers forget we were women. At that time, if you wanted to work with the big toys, you had to be one of the boys. Push back thirty years farther to the 50’s and what you described in the book…absolutely not. You are right. It’s beyond unrealistic, it’s unbelievable.
I wouldn't say the TBP lack great characters, it is just unconventional compare to how most literatures would depict characters. By the way, the Ball Lightning is also a part of the series. You should check it out if you're a fan of the trilogy.
For me the 3-Body-Problem was a revolution. So many intersting idea's. I have just re-read, or actually re-listened. The story-writing part where Luo Ji develops a character for a story for his partner as a gift - mind-blown.
I knew your thoughts on A Memory Called Empire but still hurt to see it go in the Meh category. It was definitely one of the top books I read last year. I super agree on Fifth Season though, book one blew me away and the others did not reach those same heights. And as an Indigenous female engineer... I think I'll be taking Calculating Stars off the TBR list haha.
I almost was going to warn you and Nick to just skip the first part of this video 🤣 Don't need to cause any more damage than I already have! Yes, Tyra, I'm glad i could stop you from this book before you read it because it would've been a double whammy for you 😆 I don't think you would've hated it but I think you would've been frustrated in the same way I was.
Great video! Congrats on being done with this project. I totally share your opinion on A Memory Called Empire, you are not alone haha. I've been reading for the Hugos for a couple years now and have noticed that my personal favorite from the shortlist is rarely ever the book that wins. I think it's a side effect of ranked choice voting - the book that wins tends to be not super polarizing, which means that I rarely hate a Hugo winner, but you sometimes get "safe" books like The Calculating Stars over more divisive ones. It is interesting how different the taste is of Hugo voters than the general public. You're right that most of these authors aren't the typical bestsellers you see everywhere, but that's part of what I like about the Hugos - they introduce me to authors I wouldn't really see otherwise.
Yeah I was thinking a lot about how maybe the Hugo’s should refine the definition of their awards. Like what if the purpose was to award new voices? Because many of them are relatively new instead of old hats and I think that would be a cool mission. Also agree… several years a favorite read of the year of mine is on the shortlist but doesn’t win (I can think of Piranesi and 10,000 doors)
I felt much the same about Ancillary Justice and A Memory Called Empire, books with very interesting premises and concepts that were however let down somewhat by what almost felt like young-adult-sf follow-thru. Good reads that were perhaps likely over-praised because of timely topical elements. Redshirts, however, while I found it well-written and entertaining, felt like too much of a derivative work, one whose recursive nature was both its strength and its weakness, because it meant it worked because of its being commentary upon a larger pre-existing narrative mileu. While SF has always had a dialogue with itself, this felt too close to pastiche/fanfic to be a great work on its own deserving of being called the year's best. (Which means that the Hugo actually may have made me expect too much of what I may have otherwise satisfied me well enough as a fun fandom-pleasing romp). The works you praised that I have not read I will now look for, so thanks for the commentary!
Very interesting that your comments on books you liked were about how the story made you question things and expanded your thinking, while negative comments focused on how the story lacked authenticity. Trying to force drama or an idea at the expense of authenticity has caused so me to check out of so many stories.
In case anyone is curious about the Hugo winners as a whole, I’ve read almost every “best novel” winner and I definitely don’t recommend trying to read ALL of them. Though I did love some, it wasn’t a great experience overall because there were so many books I didn’t end up enjoying. This is especially true of some of the older works that don’t hold up well to modern standards. I feel like I would have done much better if I had just read the ones that were recommended or that sounded interesting to me. There are certainly some classics that are great reads, but most of them are still well known so there’s no need to slog through all the others to find them. I really like the idea of reading the most recent decade, though! I actually haven’t read all of the 2010s yet, so I will have to come back and comment when I finish those.
Yeah I think I probably won’t do full decades for the entire thing - I might do the 2000s but beyond that I think I’ll cherry pick! Based on the ones that really stuck around. But it’s cool you’ve read almost all of them! What were your favs?
@@Bookborn Some of my favorite Hugo winners: Ursula Le Guin - The Dispossessed and The Left Hand of Darkness Vernor Vinge - A Fire Upon the Deep Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book and American Gods I also really loved The Broken Earth, so I’m glad you liked it too! If you do read 2001-2010, I want to warn you about “Hominids” by Robert J. Sawyer, which contains a very graphic sexual assault scene. I had also heard someone call it “the worst Hugo winner” and I already wasn’t enjoying it at that point, so I DNF’d (making it one of only two DNFs so far). I would skip this one. Other brief thoughts on the 2000’s winners: Aside from the Neil Gaiman books already mentioned, my favorites from this decade were Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and The City & the City. I also liked Spin and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union. I didn’t enjoy Rainbows End (so boring!). I haven’t read The Windup Girl or Paladin of Souls, yet. (I left out Harry Potter 4 because I assume you’ve read it already!) Looking forward to more of your reviews!
I've read American Gods already and am currently doing Graveyard Book - I LOVE Neil Gaiman so it's a no brainer (American Gods was a top 5 book last year for me). I've also already read Jonathan Strange, which I also loved. Other than that, I'm most excited to get to Left Hand of Darkness by Le Guin since I love Earthsea and I've heard that book of hers is just incredible. And thank you so much for the warning on Hominids - I regularly like to pass on books with that stuff, so I will take that warning seriously and pass on that one.
@@Bookborn A year later, I’ve now finished all the 2010s Hugo winners! -My favorites are still The Broken Earth and Three Body Problem, both were fantastic. -I was bored at first by Ancillary Justice and A Memory Called Empire but ended up enjoying them both quite a bit. -Thank you for describing *exactly* why I didn’t like The Calculating Stars, there was just something so phony about it. -I DNF’d Blackout for the same reason you did (although I didn’t make it nearly as far). It was so frustrating! -Among Others and Redshirts didn’t really click for me, unfortunately. After finishing each book, it was fun to come back to the video and hear your opinions on it! With all the drama this year, I don’t think I will continue to read the Hugo winners going forward, unless it's something I would want to read anyway.
Oh wow, A Memory Called Empire was absolutely my favorite of the Hugo winners I've read with Fifth Season coming in second. Wasn't really a fan of Redshirts but I'm also only a super casual Trek watcher.
I know, people love that one! I was scared to talk about how much I disliked it 🙈 Yeah I think redshirts might be too referential if you don’t have the bg!
Excellent! I'm in agreement with most of your rankings, with the exception of Among Others, which I (shamefully) didn't finish. I decided to try applying your methodology to my ranking of all the double winners (Nebula and Hugo) in history, to see if the results chart looked any different. Indeed, in my ranking of the 25 books that won both awards, 96% were either Just Perfect, Good, Fine, or Meh. Only 1 of the 25 fell into the Why? category. Of course we're talking apples and oranges, but I'd be interested in how you'd rank all the double winners.
Completely agree about The Three-Body Problem. It's been 2 years since I finished the trilogy and I still think about it at times. It absolutely blew my mind and I was glued to the books for a week. Left me with a sense of both awe and dread, and also with a need to discuss the themes and ideas with others. Truly truly a masterpiece. It's very refreshing to hear your take on the characters being representations of ideas. I did find the characters meh, and that was especially prominent in book 2 where I felt it went on way too much about one character's love story, I was like let's get back to those ideas and world-building! however, absolutely love this trilogy as a whole and now you've made me want to reread it! Also anxiously/eagerly/fearfully awaiting Benioff &Weiss's Netflix adaptation... Yikes. Please do the books justice...! 🤞
YES! I actually rated books one and two a 5 star and book 2 only four starts because of that romance storyline. It literally made no sense and was never explained properly?? Otherwise completely agree on how amazing it is. I mean that scene with the solar system in book 3? Literally HAUNTED me. I’m excited for the adaptation but have low expectations tbh 😂
For adaptation I'm actually really looking forward to the animated series, which mainly based on book 2 and will be released on Bilibili this December 3rd. Check out the trailer here ua-cam.com/video/L9cH4JBFIHE/v-deo.html&ab_channel=%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%8A%A8%E7%94%BBAnimeMadeByBilibili-%E6%AC%A2%E8%BF%8E%E8%AE%A2%E9%98%85-
I think you described my issue with the Three Body Problem perfectly. Really cool ideas, great science fiction. But the characters are SO bad I just couldn't get into The Dark Forest. I'll have to push through it sometime.
So it's an unpopular opinion but I actually think the Dark Forest is the weakest, particularly in the beginning. The characters bothered me the most in the first half of TDF, which is why I gave it only a 4 and the other two books a 5. The ending of TDF is INCREDIBLE though, so if you're interested, I'd say try and push through.
@@Bookborn It didn't bother me as much the first time, but I think I was still riding high from the first book. Having re-read the series the first half of TDF was a bit of a slog to get though. It could be noted that the author himself said that the characters were mostly there as a vehicle for the idea, which makes sense since he's an engineer first.
Thank you for this great video. I only read the Calculating Stars which I really liked. As a man I didn’t realy get all the subtleties. I liked the optimism. I thought the ending was rushed.
I just finished "Redshirts" and really loved it. However, I was seriously vested in the theme as I can fondly remember sitting on the couch with my father in the 1960's, laughing hilariously during the prologue of every episode of the original Star Trek. Every time I see William Shatner on TV, all I can think of is what a pompous twit he was on that show. The movie "Galaxy Quest" was a wonderful send-up of Star Trek and also joked about the Redshirt issue. I agree with you - the Codas were interesting but awkward, but the author felt compelled to tie up loose ends. I love your content! Thank you!
Ah, yes. "By Grabthar's hammer, by the suns of Worvan, you shall be avenged!" Alan Rickman looked so funny with his head prosthetic askew. He found the script funny and wanted to do it. I recall Sigourney Weaver saying that she wanted to play "the bimbo" for fun and in an interview said that she could feel her IQ drop when she put on the blonde wig. Such a great movie in so many ways. As a chilld of the 1950's, I was inspired by Disney and Spock to become a scientist. I have been immersed in reading and writing "Game of Thrones" fan fiction, specifically Arya Stark-centered tales, since 2016. However, since discovering your excellent videos about a month ago, I have been drawn back to reading real books, having always been a fan of fantasy and science fiction. I am presently reading the "Earthsea" series, always one of my favorites from back in the 1970's. Le Guin's prose is elegant and her concepts are very thoughtful. Thanks for rebooting my reading habits! BTW, I know you have avoided "ASoIaF" because of the violence and misogyny, but Arya Stark is one of the most powerful female protagonists I have ever read. Until it stagnates toward the end, her character arc is absolutely gripping.
So right about Calculating Stars! I couldn’t stand how there were so many token characters to represent a specific identity. And after such an exciting opening it just got so boring!!!
This was a fun video! I liked A Memory Called Empire more than you did, and The Fifth Season didn't work as well for me, but I also loved The Three-Body Problem and I liked the sequels even more. Connie Willis is another that I really want to get to soon!
We talked a few years back about _Faction Paradox_ on your _This is How You Lose the Time War_ video. (That weird spinoff of Doctor Who novels.) I'd just recommend it again if you enjoyed _Death's End. The Book of the War_ is out of print but the publisher doesn't care if you sail the seven seas. I felt _Remembrance of Earth's Past_ was just a very _Chinese_ trilogy in a lot of ways. Fantastic sci fi. But it was so informed by the author's views on foreign policy that it felt more interesting to me as an analysis of that mindset than as an actual book. It'll be interesting to see how they adapt that, or if they adapt that.
"sail the seven seas" is such a good line I'm using it from now on lol Yeah that aspect is super interesting. I recently read "Broken Stars" which is a Chinese sci-fi short-story anthology. It was fascinating to see the themes that show up again and again in Chinese sci-fi - often very different themes then show up consistently in western sci-fi. It's made me want to read sci-fi anthologies from other countries. I think it's a good window into different cultural ideals.
@@Bookborn There was a recent yt video on Chinese soft power that was fantastic. "China has a soft power deficiency" by aini. She doesn't touch much on sci fi, but one interesting thing is that Genshin Impact is Chinese but it was super inspired by anime and Japanese culture, so they used a Japanese sounding name in order to make it more palatable to other countries.
Reading a bunch of award winning literary “masterpieces” is my version of hell. I appreciate the fair review of a lot of these near the bottom of the list and I think the best word I’ve found for these types of stories are pretentious. I admire the discipline it must have taken to get through all of these. I’ll take pulpy “bad” books all day long if it means I get some fun characters, some clever twists and some memorable scenes. I’ll certainly check out some of your top picks though!
Yeah I meant to talk about this but it totally stopped my mind - I think a lot of award winners in sff, especially more recently, are focused on very different things than I usually enjoy in my fiction. I think awards can be good to highlight new or interesting ideas, but I do find it interesting that many of these win an award and then fade completely into obscurity. Whereas many famous sff that continue to be extremely popular and sell a lot are never acknowledged officially. What defines “good” you know?
Really interesting to hear your thoughts on the lack of nuance in Calculating Stars. I haven’t read it but have heard a lot of reviews and none of them pointed this out. I fully agree with you though that so many moments of sexism occur in a grey questionable area, where your gut knows that’s what’s going on but you can’t necessarily point to something super blatant to prove it.
Yeah I think it’s just a book that’s really surface level and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with liking a book like that but with ALL the awards it won it feels like it means it’s…~doing something and imo it just isn’t
Oh man. You are literally the only booktuber that I've ever heard talk about Blackout/All clear and you didn't like it! I guess I loved the whole premise of it so much that I was able to overlook the frustrating parts. I did like the very end too. And she wrote a couple other books in that world. The Doomsday book was pretty good.
Your description of Blackout is very similar to my experience of reading Doomsday Book this last summer. There were several instances where I had to put the book down because I was so frustrated. I powered through but wow does she string the reader along. Won’t read anything else by her.
I always recommend that people start with To Say Nothing About the Dog. It's the only book in the series that does not do that, and they aren't interdependent (just within the same universe). It should have been the one that won the Hugo.
If someone hasn't said it already in the comments, you were correct to classify a decade as you did here: 2011-2020. For instance, the millennium started Jan. 1, 2001, not 2000 as commonly thought. There was no year zero. It's why Clarke titled his book "2001: A Space Odyssey" -- in honor of the beginning of the then-upcoming new millennium.
One of my historian friends says that the research on Blackout/All Clear is not very good; there's a lot of very specific research into the bombing, but she didn't do enough work on the general cultural milieu of Britain in the 1940s, so it kept throwing her out of the story when characters (not the timetravellers) had modern attitudes, or when there were anachronisms or whatever. Also, there were lots of mistakes that were instantly obvious to a British person (but probably not so to an American) - for instance a character riding the Jubilee Line (which was named after and built for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977 - I believe it was changed in more recent editions), or British trains having open platforms at the back, or Brits putting return addresses on envelopes. Incredibly frustrating as a Brit reading the book, and made it instantly obvious that it was an American writer writing about Britain. These are just the ones that still grate on me 10 years since reading it. When people praise the research in those books, I always think "well, yes, there was a lot of specific research, but there were also dozens of gaping holes because she only did the narrow research into the Blitz and where the bombs fell, and not broader research into 1940s Britain".
I can't remember what year it was.. maybe 2013, but I went and read the Hugo nomination and the Nebula nomination, and I was blow away by how lackluster they all were. I stopped caring about awards after that and only go via recommendation from people who's taste I trust.
I've found that recommendations from people I trust are ALWAYS better than awards. Always. I might look into a book if I see it has won an award, but I want to read a review from someone I know before dipping in again. Too many of them just aren't that great. Ironically the ones I Loved the most here were ones already on my radar that I had heard good things about.
Great reviews! I am leery of award winners and this, THIS is why... Have you tried; The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke? It might be your thing.
Oh, I had completely different takeaways from The Calculating Stars. I personally felt like Kowal captured a lot of nuance in interactions that I appreciated. The novel also had moments grappling with race and gender that I really appreciated. The scene where Elma was forced to shake Werner Von Braun's hand during a work meeting says with me cause it felts so honest to the time. I also liked the ways Kowal depicted the ways different women in STEM navigated getting the careers and life they wanted. Some were great a playing the media and knew how to leverage that in a way Elma never could. And the tension that came from their cohort because of that. Another great bit of subtlety in Kowal's writing was the ways the newspaper clippings she put at the top of each chapter talk about women in ways that reflected the time. Plus it didn't feel like everyone including Elma was perfectly politically correct either. Elma had massive blindspots about race and her journey in letting go of her saviour complex when it came to the women of colour around her was refreshing to see a protagonist do. They're so much else I loved about the book. From Kowal's really well-done alternate history to her incredibly relatable depiction of severe anxiety to the way she writes about loving and supportive married couples. I won't deny that some aspects of her writing are fantastical (imagine world governments having a unified and rapid response to climate change) but in that way, the series sits in my chest the same way Becky Chamber's books do. It imagines a world still full of bigotry but also actualizes people there to fight it.
But see, I would’ve liked the hand shaking scene better if every other character didn’t recognize it as being miserable for her. Like it’s such a good small scene but then the narrative has to tell the reader about it instead of letting us feel things about it! Or determine for ourselves. I just felt there is way too much telling and solving, without the depiction of loneliness that comes with combatting some of that stuff. But I’ll agree on the married couple thing - so refreshing to get a competent and healthy relationship in sff for once!
I really don't get your opinion of the fifth season, I have only read the first book but it's also the only book I've read that I thought should never have been published. Maybe it's because you mention the three story lines coming together in the end for you being amazing, but for me it was obvious from pretty early on how they were connected. I've also seen a lot of worlds that are similar to the world in the first book, the magic system was a bit different but that was about it. I also found the characters to be cardboard cut outs in the first book until after the three plots converged and it moves on with the "main" plot, which is only at the very end of the book. Also the 2 other plots feel like they are just spinning wheels and could have been shortened to one maybe one and a half chapters each. I'd love to hear more about why the first book really connected with you because to me all the praise the book gets just makes no sense as it seems like a terribly written book. I had a similar experience with it that you had with some of the other books on this list in that it could have been a good book if it was drastically shortened but as a standalone book it just doesn't work for me. The entire series as a whole might be great but book one to me is a dumpster fire.
Memory Called Empire- the world building was cool but when she meets the two royals completely randomly 60% through the book, I realized the author was not living up to the Hugo award lens I was viewing it through and I dropped it immediately Fifth season- absolutely amazing but I feel like the third book was rushed but I don't find other people talking about that Ancillary justice - I'm halfway through and liking it but I was hoping the book would focus more on the ancillaries and sad that that might not happen Looking back my experience with Hugo books beyond the 2010s has been very hit or miss as well. Kinda disappointing when a premise or message trumps good writing for these awards
Ok so you nailed it? That’s my exact feelings on all of these! And you will be disappointed… I wanted way more focus on the ancillary’s too and it just keeps talking about other stuff
Serious hot takes! I've read Willis' "To Say Nothing of the Dog" and while in the same universe, is definitely more comedic (comedy of errors). Sounds like it tried too hard to do too much.
I think juvenile really sums up the Calculating Stars really well. I felt pretty frustrated reading it because it was so unrelenting positive in how issues were depicted/resolved. There was no joy in overcoming a real struggle and defying the overwhelming pressures certain ethnicities, races, etc. were going through because it was nearly instantaneous. Three Body Problem was an excellent idea written very poorly. The characters were made of cardboard and the story's pacing was rough.
@@Bookborn To me the pacing almost felt... Mechanical? Like it and every other aspect of the novel was just there to serve the idea being discussed. I just found it to be very lackluster outside of the actual "3 Body Problem."
Another thing I love about O. Butler is how she writes about themes like sexism, racism, tyranny, with so much nuance and making you understand everyone’s point of view.
I hadn't realize I read most of these Hugo winners. My ranking would be greatly different from yours though. At the bottom, Redshirts (characters "out in the real world" is a trope I always hate) and The Fifth Season (I didn't continue on with the series, I didn't care enough). Then Blackout (I have read All Clear, which ends in a good-yet-predictable manner. It would make a good mini series, but To Say Nothing of the Dog is still my favourite of Connie Willis's timetravelling novels.) and Among Others (My favourite by Jo Walton is Tooth and Claw and once you read about cannibalist dragons, everything else fades away). Then A Memory Called Empire (as native-French speaker completely immersed in English culture, I got a lot from that) and The Calculating Stars (only girl of my computer programming classes more often than not). On top, Ancillary Justice (although Ancillary Mercy is probably influencing my opinion of the first book... I just loved that one with a fiery passion.) Rating-wise, they are all 3*, 3.5* and 4*. I haven't read The Three-Body Problem, I read mostly at night and complex theories don't usually work well for me when I'm trying to get to sleep.
A bit late to the party here, but your issues with Blackout really struck a chord. It felt like all of the main characters, were unleashed on the past without any training or aptitude for the job. Which made it frustrating and ruined (for me personally) what could have been a wonderful premise.
I think a cool idea would be for someone to read Peter F. Hamilton's 3000 page Night's Dawn trilogy, then do a tier ranking of all the plot threads (Joshua is #1).
I wish someone would do a Shining Girls book vs tv show. I guess I'll read it. The audiobook is only 10 hours. Actually you might be interested in the book. It has a handful of historical female characters, including a dancer who put radium on herself to glow, which was apparently a real thing someone did.
Regarding Blackout/All Clear, I guess you have to read the other books in the cycle to understand how "everything going wrong" makes sense, since it is a case of history trying to protect itself...
@@Bookborn I can understand that sentiment ;) I started the first book, read about half of it, and DNFed it... about 3 years later I decided to try it again, just because I wanted to finish the cycle, and tried it again. I don't know why the second time around it did not bother me as much and I could finish it. But if the subject interests you, I would recommend to try either Doomsday Book or even better To Say Nothing of the Dog
About the same rating I would give. Both of your low rated books I though should not have won. A Memory Called Empire was so boring I have no idea how it won. Top picks that I've read are all pretty great, I may need to read Redshirts.
I'm right there with you on Redshirts. I was riding the 5-star high until the Codas completely threw me out of my high. Not a fan of them, they should have been left out. Unnecessary, and one of them I had such a hard time getting through. The pacing was so far off of the pacing from the novel itself, it definitely lost a star for me. With Connie Willis, I was so excited to read Doomsday Book and then it was straight boring, so I wonder if perhaps it's just her style. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that you look crazy beautiful in this video. It's distracting...lol.
Our tastes sync up remarkably well. I don’t get why Robinette-Kowal is such a big deal, I find her writing very basic and mundane. And Willis…repetitive, circular, frustrating motifs (?) are kind of her thing. I stopped reading her after “Passages” because of both the main character’s neurotic internal dialogue and the labyrinthine hospital just drove me nuts. I’ve met Connie, she’s a delightful funny person, but her books…no more!
I loved Red Shirts too. I read it many years ago so I don't remember the codes. I'll have to reread at some point. And I have been a ST fan my entire life too. Mine started with the classic series, though. Lol
I still don't see how/why the three-body problem is so good for so many other people. I didn't finish it the first time I tried reading it and finished it earlier this year and still was just left wanting so much more. I went in really wanting to like this book. It's my favorite genre but it still was just completely meh to me. I don't think the major concepts were groundbreaking so maybe that's why. It felt like someone who had read some very interesting sci-fi concepts then wrote a fantasy story around a concept without really diving deep into it. There are aspects of this book that have been written about going back to the 50's so maybe it's just that people are just getting their first taste (I'm sure Mr. Pibb taste great if you've never had a Dr. Pepper.)
I think that if you're a big reader of the genre you probably won't like the book as much because, as you pointed out, the character building just isn't there. You can go on good reads and see similar feedback but I'm assuming this is a good read if you're just getting into the genre and haven't read anything else similar before. Asimov's foundation series touches on this concept deeper into the 15 book series if you want something similar.
Well the second book in the series literally changed real science so I do think the series has merit in the genre on its own! But I think it’s def not for everyone since the writing style is a little different, and as the first book talks about a famous scientific theory I can see it not blowing you away if you’ve read a lot of sci fi!
@@Bookborn do you have articles on this by chance? I may read the second book if this is actually true but the only thing I've seen is that they've just renamed an old theory because of the book.
Blackout/All Clear are a tough one and honestly don't deserve the Hugo because of the slog. Still, I do think they are worth the push through - I just think a good edit would have been necessary to get an award.
That said, it's also very odd to start a series at book 3 and only read book 3. Doomsday Book (which also won a Hugo) has exactly the same issue as Blackout, though they story is complete in one book. I always recommend reading To Say Nothing of the Dog first. It's the only book in the series that does not have this issue (and doesn't require reading Doomsday Book first).
The reading order for this series should be: 1. Three Men in a Boat 2. To Say Nothing of the Dog 3. Doomsday Book 4. Blackout 5. All Clear - I can't imagine trying to power through the book without knowing that it will be worth it. (It also took me a while into Doomsday book to realized that it was a comedy that just happens to have a very, very dry wit.)
Sorry to be a bit of a curmudgeon here, but there is a point that needs to be brought up: Quality is seldom the deciding factor in any award. And not just the Hugo or the Nebula. The same thing holds true for movie and music awards. Awards are really nothing more than publicity and ego stroking, and the primary deciding factor is whatever politics are dominant in the industry at the time. Go back over the past 40 years and see how many truly terrible artists won a Grammy. Have a look at past Oscar winning movies and you'll see a lot of mediocrity with even a real stinker thrown in now and then. Then go back and see how many truly amazing artists and films have never "won" an award. So ignore the awards. They don't mean much in the end.
Do you have a recommendation for finding the best books? I was using the Hugo awards list, because I thought that it must be a guide to the best scifi books. But after Neuromancer which everyone seemed to think was great, I am questioning the hugo awards. Like maybe it shouldn't be yearly, and the award should only be handed out when something great comes out. Can you recommend a better list to pick from?
If it makes you feel better, I also didn't like neuromancer. I think there are lots of politics that go into the hugos and not alot of general fans know they can vote.
Of these I've only read Redshirts which I really liked, though I'm more of a casual Trek fan, I've always been more into Doctor Who and Star Wars. Same. The Codas didn't feel necessary.
I was frustrated by Blackout as well, but from early on. The mc drove me nuts, nattering on throughout in a frantic fashion I had a hard time tolerating, and to be honest when I started All Clear *it actually got worse*. Dnf'd very quickly. I think I would have enjoyed these if not for Willis's tendency to have her mc's go on ad infinitum about the events and circumstances that complicate their journeys. I had the same experience with her Doomsday Book, which was frustrating because the medieval period was my meat and potatoes for many years. Ultimately I had to conclude that Willis is an author whose ideas and plots fascinate me, but whose style and characters just don't agree with me.
@@Bookborn Since it's been a while I just took a brief look at all 3 books in hopes of snagging an example of what I was complaining about and didn't spot anything. Memory often enhances or exxagerates our reading experiences, so I was curious if I was over-reacting, but in the end I have to acknowledge that if my feeling were that strong there has to be good reason for it. I suspect I may have conflated Blackout/AC with Doomsday Book to some extent, but given a tbr that already will take years to get through I don't think it worth my time to revisit these. I think they are good stories, just not for me.
I also couldn't get on with A Memory Called Empire (or it's sequel). The world building was kind of neat but I hated being in Mahit's head. It seemed like every other chapter there was an internal monologue about her being filled with anxiety about her situation but it would read like a plot summary every 20 pages. This book is not that deep. Or confusing. I don't need a recap. At all. I do not need several recaps.
The Calculating Stars' problem reminds me of a problem I was talking about with my wife today. We are watching Mythic Quest which is about a fictional online gaming company, and every time there's anything "toxic" happening, it's INSANELY over the top. Like 100,000 people just instantly being the worst of all time. And to me that's not making a good point, like yeah the internet is toxic, but you're caricaturing it so much that the caricature becomes the representation of what people think the actual problem is like and then over time it kills actual discussion about the problem (Note: Mythic Quest is a comedy and meant to be humorous- but this happens with gaming stuff all the time) so while I haven't read TCS or know what it's like to be a woman in STEM, I completely understand why this would take you out of it and make you roll your eyes. The Three Body Problem is mid but The Dark Forest is so good 🤣I'll read Red Shirts and let you know how it lands for a non Star Trek fan.
The Three Body Problem series is incredible, though the last book is the weakest. The reveal of the Dark Forest was mind blowing. I wish there was more modern sci-fi like these books. I did like A Memory Called Empire though. I got Star Trek DS9 vibes. Just enjoyed the cultural exchange-esque elements of the book and thought the world building was cool. The sequel wasn't nearly as good. Currently reading The Fifth Season. It's like a four star for me currently, but I can see why it won. It's very innovative and find the themes to be provocative.
My unpopular opinion is that I thought the second was the weakest 👀 gave it a four and the other two fives. The ending of the dark forest was mind blowingly good but the beginning struggled imo
@@Bookborn I have the same opinion! 1>3>2. The 2nd wasn't as completely packed with ideas while the third I didn't resonate with the commentary on gender roles.
The "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy was kind of a slog for me. It had some interesting parts but overall it was a kind of "let's keep going to see if gets better" read. The main thing that I took away from the books is that women must never be in a position where their actions can affect the future of humankind because they will cause the destruction of everything.
I DNFed The 3 Body Problem. I just couldn't get past the prose and what seemed to be just throwing out scientific buzzwords without actually saying anything.
I DNF Blackout despite looking forward to it since it set in my favorite slice of history. Why? Because of deja vu -- I had read the actual accounts that she used in her story, plus her England of the Blitz just didn't match my "feel" for the period. Also, it was too dated; the future without smart phones and still using signup sheets on the door to reserve a time in a lab. Really?
I was interested in the lack of tech actually - but she never explored it, so it did end up just being confusing. Like can you explain how we got there? Also interesting that you almost knew TOO much about history and so it was boring 😂
I started the Fifth Season because it is so widely loved, but I put it down because I struggled so hard with the issues around children. I know I should pick it back up, but it was difficult for me.
That was my absolutely biggest issue with it. There’s the scene that’s about three pages in and another very difficult scene. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with walking away. Since I’ve had my second child, any sort of intense child harm like that is just a no go in books for me.
Ok, it's looking like you are Team Rocket...come to think of it, I think I've seen an IG post where you were wearing a Team Rocket costume. I usually enjoy MRK's books, but I find them to be entirely too preachy at times. Modern norms and mores being transported back into the 50s or Jane Austen's era just hit wrong...maybe one or two characters with those views, but it seems to be presented more like they are living in woke America, not the times they live in...and only the bad guys have the true norms of the times. Maybe they are too based on the lessons she's trying to preach in the Writing Excuses podcast.
I enjoyed Blackout and its sequel, but I was listening to them while working on tedious, mundane tasks, so it was an escape for me....and I can't differentiate the books because I listened to them back to back.
Shhh don't tell anyone but yes I work for TR! Prep for trouble! That's interesting, I wonder if listening to All Clear would make it a lot easier for me. Not a bad idea...
Yes! It's a skill I think its becoming a little rarer - sometimes when I read a book I feel like the author was scared that people wouldn't "get it" so they over-explain. Overall I think that hurts a novel. Make me think for myself!
The calculating stars is one of those books that won purely because it's supposedly about strong or smart women. Even if terribly written. You can see the same in hollywood and no this isn't some sexist rant it's literally a fact. Like Oscar bait movies that are always about some social issue or whatever. Like Crash winning the Oscars lol. It's a fact like having a female protagonist for your first books makes you 20 times likely to be published esp in fantasy nowadays. P.s. Cixin is an avid supporter of the Uyghur genocide. Moreover his books SUCK. The sci fi concepts are great that is for sure. But everything around it is crap. In the second book his self insert genius writer, play boy professor, genius planner etc character at one point remembers his first love. Turns out it's an imaginary girl. And then we read about her for 40 fkn pages and they go on a road trip etc. Meanwhile he's constantly stroking his own ego having everyone remark that the character must have a brilliant literary mind. "You are in love with an imaginary gf? Well that's completely normal my friend, you're probably just a genius writer!" - Therapist in the Dark Forest to protagonist. By his second book he probably really thought he was a genius writer. Quickly changed. Now he says in interviews he doesn't care the least about plot, characters, story etc. Those are all just vehicles for him to write his sci fi theories. He also lies for no reason. Claiming that he read tons of western sci fi in his youth. That he thought himself to read and write English. The mfkr can't speak or understand a word of English. Maybe the Trisolaran sophon scrambled his brain Don't get me wrong. The sci fi concepts are really cool. But the book is also boring as watching paint dry. Horribly lifeless and cold characters except for the sleazy cop. Characters will take 30 pages to explain a simple concept and sometimes it reads like a bad science journal. Anyway Netflix is adapting it to a show... nice adapting the works of a man supporting a modern day genocide. Claiming China is civilizing them
I mean why should Liu need to read or write English? He’s Chinese. His works have been translated. We don’t expect American authors to write in other languages… I have heard of his controversies but not until after reading. I still love the trilogy even if I don’t support his personal beliefs.
@@Bookborn What I meant is that he made this myth for himself, claiming to have thought himself English so he could read classic sci fi. But it's just a lie, he does not speak or understand English. I wasn't saying he has to, of course he doesn't. But it's weird that he lies about it. It's more than a controversy. Millions are being put in concentration camps, forcefully sterilized, gng rpd, Ughur children are taken from their parents and sent to brainwashing camps, young Uyghur girls are forcefully married to chinese officials and are being rpd daily with sanction of the state. Millions of single, young Chinese men have been relocated to East Turkestan to "live in" with Uyghur families. Imagine if the US gov sends someone to "live with you" and spy on you? Often the Uyghur families they stay with already have had the men sent to the camps. So the women are vulnerable. You can find countless videos that these men proudly share themselves, in which they abuse the women and their children. Force them to be their slaves. Imagine what they do behind the cameras. And if anyone in these families dares to speak up or won't do as these men ask then the whole family is separated and sent to camps. But according to Cixin "they are being civilized" It's kinda revolting that people will just pretend like this is a small thing. You wouldn't praise an author no matter how good if he was praising the holocaust as something that "civilized" jews. I read till the first half of his second book until it got so bad I couldn't continue. (When the main protagonist is on his way to the UN for the wallbreaker program and has the flashback to his imaginary gf on the plane). Even as a hardcore sci fi guy I couldn't. But I still thought the sci fi concepts were cool so I was googling the rest of the story. And that's when I found out about his support for the Uyghur genocide. Again, I get that it's far from home. But it's literally a modern day holocaust of unimaginable horror. Maybe look into it before dismissing it as this tiny thing.
Cixin Liu who wrote your favorite The Three Body Problem supports Uighur concentration camps where over a million of them are now in reëducation camps in the northwestern province of Xinjiang. He's preaching govt propaganda, you said he has expanded your mind about the universe but you should also know who he is as a person.
I actually didn't finish the fifth season. The point of view that I believe was in second person, just really threw me in so many ways (first because it was in second person voice). I also am okay with dark / sad stories like Kaladin whose hole story is just depressing, but it felt like the sadness was hitting me over the head. Also the mother was just so out of it that I couldn't relate to her and then she went ahead and killed people even though some were nice to her and at that point I just didn't like reading this pov such that I just gave up. I totally understand and can see other people enjoying this book, but it just didn't work for me.
Yeah the second person POV is actually a complaint I see a LOT! I think I'm weird in that I didn't even notice when I read it LOL but yeah 2nd pov is tough for a lot of people
You articulated my problems with These Calculating Stars so well! I’ve never been able to explain why I didn’t love it on the level I felt I should have. All I’ve been able to say is that it’s too hopeful, but you helped verbalize it so much better!
Also, fully back The Fifth Season being a book that deserves tons of awards! I too, didn’t love the sequels as much, but that doesn’t stop me from recommending the series because the first book blew me away
Yes too hopeful! I mean, that sounds bad but it was lol like it didn't fit the tone. And TOTALLY agree about Fifth Season, I always recommend it because even if the other two didn't live up quite as much, they are still good novels.
As a woman who worked in aerospace, in applied physics, in the 80’s/90’s, These Calculating Stars sounds ludicrous. At that time less than 2% of the field was female and we lived or died based upon how thoroughly we could make our coworkers forget we were women. At that time, if you wanted to work with the big toys, you had to be one of the boys. Push back thirty years farther to the 50’s and what you described in the book…absolutely not. You are right. It’s beyond unrealistic, it’s unbelievable.
The three body problem series was a hands down life changing series to read! Thank you so much for this video!
Yes! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who found it life changing!
@@Bookborn yes!
I wouldn't say the TBP lack great characters, it is just unconventional compare to how most literatures would depict characters.
By the way, the Ball Lightning is also a part of the series. You should check it out if you're a fan of the trilogy.
For me the 3-Body-Problem was a revolution. So many intersting idea's. I have just re-read, or actually re-listened. The story-writing part where Luo Ji develops a character for a story for his partner as a gift - mind-blown.
I knew your thoughts on A Memory Called Empire but still hurt to see it go in the Meh category. It was definitely one of the top books I read last year. I super agree on Fifth Season though, book one blew me away and the others did not reach those same heights.
And as an Indigenous female engineer... I think I'll be taking Calculating Stars off the TBR list haha.
I almost was going to warn you and Nick to just skip the first part of this video 🤣 Don't need to cause any more damage than I already have!
Yes, Tyra, I'm glad i could stop you from this book before you read it because it would've been a double whammy for you 😆 I don't think you would've hated it but I think you would've been frustrated in the same way I was.
Great video! Congrats on being done with this project. I totally share your opinion on A Memory Called Empire, you are not alone haha.
I've been reading for the Hugos for a couple years now and have noticed that my personal favorite from the shortlist is rarely ever the book that wins. I think it's a side effect of ranked choice voting - the book that wins tends to be not super polarizing, which means that I rarely hate a Hugo winner, but you sometimes get "safe" books like The Calculating Stars over more divisive ones.
It is interesting how different the taste is of Hugo voters than the general public. You're right that most of these authors aren't the typical bestsellers you see everywhere, but that's part of what I like about the Hugos - they introduce me to authors I wouldn't really see otherwise.
Yeah I was thinking a lot about how maybe the Hugo’s should refine the definition of their awards. Like what if the purpose was to award new voices? Because many of them are relatively new instead of old hats and I think that would be a cool mission.
Also agree… several years a favorite read of the year of mine is on the shortlist but doesn’t win (I can think of Piranesi and 10,000 doors)
I felt much the same about Ancillary Justice and A Memory Called Empire, books with very interesting premises and concepts that were however let down somewhat by what almost felt like young-adult-sf follow-thru. Good reads that were perhaps likely over-praised because of timely topical elements. Redshirts, however, while I found it well-written and entertaining, felt like too much of a derivative work, one whose recursive nature was both its strength and its weakness, because it meant it worked because of its being commentary upon a larger pre-existing narrative mileu. While SF has always had a dialogue with itself, this felt too close to pastiche/fanfic to be a great work on its own deserving of being called the year's best. (Which means that the Hugo actually may have made me expect too much of what I may have otherwise satisfied me well enough as a fun fandom-pleasing romp). The works you praised that I have not read I will now look for, so thanks for the commentary!
Very interesting that your comments on books you liked were about how the story made you question things and expanded your thinking, while negative comments focused on how the story lacked authenticity. Trying to force drama or an idea at the expense of authenticity has caused so me to check out of so many stories.
The second book in The Remembrance of Earth's Past series is one of my all time favorite books. Love the reviews!
In case anyone is curious about the Hugo winners as a whole, I’ve read almost every “best novel” winner and I definitely don’t recommend trying to read ALL of them. Though I did love some, it wasn’t a great experience overall because there were so many books I didn’t end up enjoying. This is especially true of some of the older works that don’t hold up well to modern standards. I feel like I would have done much better if I had just read the ones that were recommended or that sounded interesting to me. There are certainly some classics that are great reads, but most of them are still well known so there’s no need to slog through all the others to find them. I really like the idea of reading the most recent decade, though! I actually haven’t read all of the 2010s yet, so I will have to come back and comment when I finish those.
Yeah I think I probably won’t do full decades for the entire thing - I might do the 2000s but beyond that I think I’ll cherry pick! Based on the ones that really stuck around. But it’s cool you’ve read almost all of them! What were your favs?
@@Bookborn Some of my favorite Hugo winners:
Ursula Le Guin - The Dispossessed and The Left Hand of Darkness
Vernor Vinge - A Fire Upon the Deep
Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book and American Gods
I also really loved The Broken Earth, so I’m glad you liked it too!
If you do read 2001-2010, I want to warn you about “Hominids” by Robert J. Sawyer, which contains a very graphic sexual assault scene. I had also heard someone call it “the worst Hugo winner” and I already wasn’t enjoying it at that point, so I DNF’d (making it one of only two DNFs so far). I would skip this one.
Other brief thoughts on the 2000’s winners: Aside from the Neil Gaiman books already mentioned, my favorites from this decade were Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and The City & the City. I also liked Spin and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union. I didn’t enjoy Rainbows End (so boring!). I haven’t read The Windup Girl or Paladin of Souls, yet. (I left out Harry Potter 4 because I assume you’ve read it already!)
Looking forward to more of your reviews!
I've read American Gods already and am currently doing Graveyard Book - I LOVE Neil Gaiman so it's a no brainer (American Gods was a top 5 book last year for me). I've also already read Jonathan Strange, which I also loved. Other than that, I'm most excited to get to Left Hand of Darkness by Le Guin since I love Earthsea and I've heard that book of hers is just incredible. And thank you so much for the warning on Hominids - I regularly like to pass on books with that stuff, so I will take that warning seriously and pass on that one.
@@Bookborn A year later, I’ve now finished all the 2010s Hugo winners!
-My favorites are still The Broken Earth and Three Body Problem, both were fantastic.
-I was bored at first by Ancillary Justice and A Memory Called Empire but ended up enjoying them both quite a bit.
-Thank you for describing *exactly* why I didn’t like The Calculating Stars, there was just something so phony about it.
-I DNF’d Blackout for the same reason you did (although I didn’t make it nearly as far). It was so frustrating!
-Among Others and Redshirts didn’t really click for me, unfortunately.
After finishing each book, it was fun to come back to the video and hear your opinions on it! With all the drama this year, I don’t think I will continue to read the Hugo winners going forward, unless it's something I would want to read anyway.
Oh wow, A Memory Called Empire was absolutely my favorite of the Hugo winners I've read with Fifth Season coming in second. Wasn't really a fan of Redshirts but I'm also only a super casual Trek watcher.
I know, people love that one! I was scared to talk about how much I disliked it 🙈
Yeah I think redshirts might be too referential if you don’t have the bg!
Excellent! I'm in agreement with most of your rankings, with the exception of Among Others, which I (shamefully) didn't finish. I decided to try applying your methodology to my ranking of all the double winners (Nebula and Hugo) in history, to see if the results chart looked any different. Indeed, in my ranking of the 25 books that won both awards, 96% were either Just Perfect, Good, Fine, or Meh. Only 1 of the 25 fell into the Why? category. Of course we're talking apples and oranges, but I'd be interested in how you'd rank all the double winners.
Completely agree about The Three-Body Problem. It's been 2 years since I finished the trilogy and I still think about it at times. It absolutely blew my mind and I was glued to the books for a week. Left me with a sense of both awe and dread, and also with a need to discuss the themes and ideas with others. Truly truly a masterpiece. It's very refreshing to hear your take on the characters being representations of ideas. I did find the characters meh, and that was especially prominent in book 2 where I felt it went on way too much about one character's love story, I was like let's get back to those ideas and world-building! however, absolutely love this trilogy as a whole and now you've made me want to reread it! Also anxiously/eagerly/fearfully awaiting Benioff &Weiss's Netflix adaptation... Yikes. Please do the books justice...! 🤞
YES! I actually rated books one and two a 5 star and book 2 only four starts because of that romance storyline. It literally made no sense and was never explained properly??
Otherwise completely agree on how amazing it is. I mean that scene with the solar system in book 3? Literally HAUNTED me. I’m excited for the adaptation but have low expectations tbh 😂
For adaptation I'm actually really looking forward to the animated series, which mainly based on book 2 and will be released on Bilibili this December 3rd.
Check out the trailer here
ua-cam.com/video/L9cH4JBFIHE/v-deo.html&ab_channel=%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%8A%A8%E7%94%BBAnimeMadeByBilibili-%E6%AC%A2%E8%BF%8E%E8%AE%A2%E9%98%85-
I think you described my issue with the Three Body Problem perfectly. Really cool ideas, great science fiction. But the characters are SO bad I just couldn't get into The Dark Forest. I'll have to push through it sometime.
So it's an unpopular opinion but I actually think the Dark Forest is the weakest, particularly in the beginning. The characters bothered me the most in the first half of TDF, which is why I gave it only a 4 and the other two books a 5. The ending of TDF is INCREDIBLE though, so if you're interested, I'd say try and push through.
@@Bookborn It didn't bother me as much the first time, but I think I was still riding high from the first book. Having re-read the series the first half of TDF was a bit of a slog to get though. It could be noted that the author himself said that the characters were mostly there as a vehicle for the idea, which makes sense since he's an engineer first.
Thank you for this great video. I only read the Calculating Stars which I really liked. As a man I didn’t realy get all the subtleties. I liked the optimism. I thought the ending was rushed.
I just finished "Redshirts" and really loved it. However, I was seriously vested in the theme as I can fondly remember sitting on the couch with my father in the 1960's, laughing hilariously during the prologue of every episode of the original Star Trek. Every time I see William Shatner on TV, all I can think of is what a pompous twit he was on that show. The movie "Galaxy Quest" was a wonderful send-up of Star Trek and also joked about the Redshirt issue. I agree with you - the Codas were interesting but awkward, but the author felt compelled to tie up loose ends. I love your content! Thank you!
Galaxy Quest was my CHILDHOOD. My family still regularly quotes that movie lol. I'm very due for a rewatch.
Ah, yes. "By Grabthar's hammer, by the suns of Worvan, you shall be avenged!" Alan Rickman looked so funny with his head prosthetic askew. He found the script funny and wanted to do it. I recall Sigourney Weaver saying that she wanted to play "the bimbo" for fun and in an interview said that she could feel her IQ drop when she put on the blonde wig. Such a great movie in so many ways. As a chilld of the 1950's, I was inspired by Disney and Spock to become a scientist.
I have been immersed in reading and writing "Game of Thrones" fan fiction, specifically Arya Stark-centered tales, since 2016. However, since discovering your excellent videos about a month ago, I have been drawn back to reading real books, having always been a fan of fantasy and science fiction. I am presently reading the "Earthsea" series, always one of my favorites from back in the 1970's. Le Guin's prose is elegant and her concepts are very thoughtful. Thanks for rebooting my reading habits!
BTW, I know you have avoided "ASoIaF" because of the violence and misogyny, but Arya Stark is one of the most powerful female protagonists I have ever read. Until it stagnates toward the end, her character arc is absolutely gripping.
So right about Calculating Stars! I couldn’t stand how there were so many token characters to represent a specific identity. And after such an exciting opening it just got so boring!!!
YES the beginning was SO good and so exciting and then it did...almost nothing with it
This was a fun video! I liked A Memory Called Empire more than you did, and The Fifth Season didn't work as well for me, but I also loved The Three-Body Problem and I liked the sequels even more. Connie Willis is another that I really want to get to soon!
Are you ever gonna read Deaths End is the question
@@Bookborn Yes, it was a 5-star read for me! I think about the ideas all the time and still can’t wrap my mind around half of them but I love it haha
We talked a few years back about _Faction Paradox_ on your _This is How You Lose the Time War_ video. (That weird spinoff of Doctor Who novels.) I'd just recommend it again if you enjoyed _Death's End. The Book of the War_ is out of print but the publisher doesn't care if you sail the seven seas.
I felt _Remembrance of Earth's Past_ was just a very _Chinese_ trilogy in a lot of ways. Fantastic sci fi. But it was so informed by the author's views on foreign policy that it felt more interesting to me as an analysis of that mindset than as an actual book. It'll be interesting to see how they adapt that, or if they adapt that.
"sail the seven seas" is such a good line I'm using it from now on lol
Yeah that aspect is super interesting. I recently read "Broken Stars" which is a Chinese sci-fi short-story anthology. It was fascinating to see the themes that show up again and again in Chinese sci-fi - often very different themes then show up consistently in western sci-fi. It's made me want to read sci-fi anthologies from other countries. I think it's a good window into different cultural ideals.
@@Bookborn There was a recent yt video on Chinese soft power that was fantastic. "China has a soft power deficiency" by aini. She doesn't touch much on sci fi, but one interesting thing is that Genshin Impact is Chinese but it was super inspired by anime and Japanese culture, so they used a Japanese sounding name in order to make it more palatable to other countries.
Just finished A Memory Called Empire. 1000% completely agree with how you felt.
Reading a bunch of award winning literary “masterpieces” is my version of hell. I appreciate the fair review of a lot of these near the bottom of the list and I think the best word I’ve found for these types of stories are pretentious. I admire the discipline it must have taken to get through all of these. I’ll take pulpy “bad” books all day long if it means I get some fun characters, some clever twists and some memorable scenes. I’ll certainly check out some of your top picks though!
Ps love the costume 😂
Yeah I meant to talk about this but it totally stopped my mind - I think a lot of award winners in sff, especially more recently, are focused on very different things than I usually enjoy in my fiction. I think awards can be good to highlight new or interesting ideas, but I do find it interesting that many of these win an award and then fade completely into obscurity. Whereas many famous sff that continue to be extremely popular and sell a lot are never acknowledged officially. What defines “good” you know?
Really interesting to hear your thoughts on the lack of nuance in Calculating Stars. I haven’t read it but have heard a lot of reviews and none of them pointed this out. I fully agree with you though that so many moments of sexism occur in a grey questionable area, where your gut knows that’s what’s going on but you can’t necessarily point to something super blatant to prove it.
Yeah I think it’s just a book that’s really surface level and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with liking a book like that but with ALL the awards it won it feels like it means it’s…~doing something and imo it just isn’t
You're so right about Octavia Butler
That women knew things I swear.
Oh man. You are literally the only booktuber that I've ever heard talk about Blackout/All clear and you didn't like it! I guess I loved the whole premise of it so much that I was able to overlook the frustrating parts. I did like the very end too. And she wrote a couple other books in that world. The Doomsday book was pretty good.
Yeah, her writing/dialogue style I think just doesn't work for me, which is a bummer because I did actually like the plot quite a bit.
My wife and I read Red Shirts and she didn’t grow up a Trekkie after reading it we watched TOS and we both laughed so hard and now she’s a big fan
If you read All Clear your frustration with Blackout will be explained. What happened has a reason.
Oh, I didn't doubt that it all happened for a reason, it was just literally torture for me to read, and not in a good way haha
The two of these that I've read (Broken Earth trilogy & Three-Body trilogy) I absolutely loved, so I guess that means I have to read Redshirts
Yay for same taste! haha
Your description of Blackout is very similar to my experience of reading Doomsday Book this last summer. There were several instances where I had to put the book down because I was so frustrated. I powered through but wow does she string the reader along. Won’t read anything else by her.
I always recommend that people start with To Say Nothing About the Dog. It's the only book in the series that does not do that, and they aren't interdependent (just within the same universe). It should have been the one that won the Hugo.
A Memory Called Empire should've been a novella! Wow. You nailed it.
If someone hasn't said it already in the comments, you were correct to classify a decade as you did here: 2011-2020. For instance, the millennium started Jan. 1, 2001, not 2000 as commonly thought. There was no year zero. It's why Clarke titled his book "2001: A Space Odyssey" -- in honor of the beginning of the then-upcoming new millennium.
One of my historian friends says that the research on Blackout/All Clear is not very good; there's a lot of very specific research into the bombing, but she didn't do enough work on the general cultural milieu of Britain in the 1940s, so it kept throwing her out of the story when characters (not the timetravellers) had modern attitudes, or when there were anachronisms or whatever.
Also, there were lots of mistakes that were instantly obvious to a British person (but probably not so to an American) - for instance a character riding the Jubilee Line (which was named after and built for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977 - I believe it was changed in more recent editions), or British trains having open platforms at the back, or Brits putting return addresses on envelopes. Incredibly frustrating as a Brit reading the book, and made it instantly obvious that it was an American writer writing about Britain. These are just the ones that still grate on me 10 years since reading it.
When people praise the research in those books, I always think "well, yes, there was a lot of specific research, but there were also dozens of gaping holes because she only did the narrow research into the Blitz and where the bombs fell, and not broader research into 1940s Britain".
Interesting. Now you have me curious about a British author getting Americanism's wrong.
I can't remember what year it was.. maybe 2013, but I went and read the Hugo nomination and the Nebula nomination, and I was blow away by how lackluster they all were. I stopped caring about awards after that and only go via recommendation from people who's taste I trust.
I've found that recommendations from people I trust are ALWAYS better than awards. Always. I might look into a book if I see it has won an award, but I want to read a review from someone I know before dipping in again. Too many of them just aren't that great. Ironically the ones I Loved the most here were ones already on my radar that I had heard good things about.
Great reviews! I am leery of award winners and this, THIS is why...
Have you tried; The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke? It might be your thing.
Shopping around to find an award that matches your taste is an interesting idea.
Yeah maybe I should try reading a decade of locusts or world fantasy and seeing if one of those aligns more
Oh, I had completely different takeaways from The Calculating Stars. I personally felt like Kowal captured a lot of nuance in interactions that I appreciated. The novel also had moments grappling with race and gender that I really appreciated. The scene where Elma was forced to shake Werner Von Braun's hand during a work meeting says with me cause it felts so honest to the time. I also liked the ways Kowal depicted the ways different women in STEM navigated getting the careers and life they wanted. Some were great a playing the media and knew how to leverage that in a way Elma never could. And the tension that came from their cohort because of that. Another great bit of subtlety in Kowal's writing was the ways the newspaper clippings she put at the top of each chapter talk about women in ways that reflected the time. Plus it didn't feel like everyone including Elma was perfectly politically correct either. Elma had massive blindspots about race and her journey in letting go of her saviour complex when it came to the women of colour around her was refreshing to see a protagonist do.
They're so much else I loved about the book. From Kowal's really well-done alternate history to her incredibly relatable depiction of severe anxiety to the way she writes about loving and supportive married couples. I won't deny that some aspects of her writing are fantastical (imagine world governments having a unified and rapid response to climate change) but in that way, the series sits in my chest the same way Becky Chamber's books do. It imagines a world still full of bigotry but also actualizes people there to fight it.
But see, I would’ve liked the hand shaking scene better if every other character didn’t recognize it as being miserable for her. Like it’s such a good small scene but then the narrative has to tell the reader about it instead of letting us feel things about it! Or determine for ourselves. I just felt there is way too much telling and solving, without the depiction of loneliness that comes with combatting some of that stuff.
But I’ll agree on the married couple thing - so refreshing to get a competent and healthy relationship in sff for once!
I really don't get your opinion of the fifth season, I have only read the first book but it's also the only book I've read that I thought should never have been published. Maybe it's because you mention the three story lines coming together in the end for you being amazing, but for me it was obvious from pretty early on how they were connected. I've also seen a lot of worlds that are similar to the world in the first book, the magic system was a bit different but that was about it. I also found the characters to be cardboard cut outs in the first book until after the three plots converged and it moves on with the "main" plot, which is only at the very end of the book. Also the 2 other plots feel like they are just spinning wheels and could have been shortened to one maybe one and a half chapters each.
I'd love to hear more about why the first book really connected with you because to me all the praise the book gets just makes no sense as it seems like a terribly written book. I had a similar experience with it that you had with some of the other books on this list in that it could have been a good book if it was drastically shortened but as a standalone book it just doesn't work for me. The entire series as a whole might be great but book one to me is a dumpster fire.
Memory Called Empire- the world building was cool but when she meets the two royals completely randomly 60% through the book, I realized the author was not living up to the Hugo award lens I was viewing it through and I dropped it immediately
Fifth season- absolutely amazing but I feel like the third book was rushed but I don't find other people talking about that
Ancillary justice - I'm halfway through and liking it but I was hoping the book would focus more on the ancillaries and sad that that might not happen
Looking back my experience with Hugo books beyond the 2010s has been very hit or miss as well. Kinda disappointing when a premise or message trumps good writing for these awards
Ok so you nailed it? That’s my exact feelings on all of these! And you will be disappointed… I wanted way more focus on the ancillary’s too and it just keeps talking about other stuff
Awesome video. My 3rd favorite novel is The 3 Body Problem. My 2nd favorite novel is The Dark Forest, and my favorite novel is Death's End.
Serious hot takes! I've read Willis' "To Say Nothing of the Dog" and while in the same universe, is definitely more comedic (comedy of errors). Sounds like it tried too hard to do too much.
Ok see comedy of errors, I just can’t do it. I hate those kinds of comedy movies even though I know they are some of the most beloved!
I think juvenile really sums up the Calculating Stars really well. I felt pretty frustrated reading it because it was so unrelenting positive in how issues were depicted/resolved. There was no joy in overcoming a real struggle and defying the overwhelming pressures certain ethnicities, races, etc. were going through because it was nearly instantaneous.
Three Body Problem was an excellent idea written very poorly. The characters were made of cardboard and the story's pacing was rough.
lol I loved the pacing of 3BP like I finished it in two days 😂 BUT that is a super common complaint so maybe it's just hit and miss with people
@@Bookborn To me the pacing almost felt... Mechanical? Like it and every other aspect of the novel was just there to serve the idea being discussed. I just found it to be very lackluster outside of the actual "3 Body Problem."
Another thing I love about O. Butler is how she writes about themes like sexism, racism, tyranny, with so much nuance and making you understand everyone’s point of view.
The fact that a book like you described "These Calculating Stars" to be could win a Hugo is the reason why I ignore the Hugo Awards.
I hadn't realize I read most of these Hugo winners. My ranking would be greatly different from yours though. At the bottom, Redshirts (characters "out in the real world" is a trope I always hate) and The Fifth Season (I didn't continue on with the series, I didn't care enough). Then Blackout (I have read All Clear, which ends in a good-yet-predictable manner. It would make a good mini series, but To Say Nothing of the Dog is still my favourite of Connie Willis's timetravelling novels.) and Among Others (My favourite by Jo Walton is Tooth and Claw and once you read about cannibalist dragons, everything else fades away). Then A Memory Called Empire (as native-French speaker completely immersed in English culture, I got a lot from that) and The Calculating Stars (only girl of my computer programming classes more often than not). On top, Ancillary Justice (although Ancillary Mercy is probably influencing my opinion of the first book... I just loved that one with a fiery passion.) Rating-wise, they are all 3*, 3.5* and 4*.
I haven't read The Three-Body Problem, I read mostly at night and complex theories don't usually work well for me when I'm trying to get to sleep.
This bizarre idea that you have to have a character announce that another character's actions are socially unacceptable is a recipe for bad writing.
YES YES YES say it louder
@@Bookborn I'M TRYING
A bit late to the party here, but your issues with Blackout really struck a chord. It felt like all of the main characters, were unleashed on the past without any training or aptitude for the job. Which made it frustrating and ruined (for me personally) what could have been a wonderful premise.
Even Scalzi will tell you that Red Shirts didn't deserve a Hugo. And I'm a big Scalzi fan.
Lmao I liked it 😭😭 sometimes I think it’s nice just fun reads can win, although admittedly I guess it depends on what the awards are trying to do.
I think a cool idea would be for someone to read Peter F. Hamilton's 3000 page Night's Dawn trilogy, then do a tier ranking of all the plot threads (Joshua is #1).
Would love to hear your thoughts on Hyperion if you've read it.
I wish someone would do a Shining Girls book vs tv show. I guess I'll read it. The audiobook is only 10 hours. Actually you might be interested in the book. It has a handful of historical female characters, including a dancer who put radium on herself to glow, which was apparently a real thing someone did.
Regarding Blackout/All Clear, I guess you have to read the other books in the cycle to understand how "everything going wrong" makes sense, since it is a case of history trying to protect itself...
I understood why everything was going wrong, I’m just saying it wasn’t enjoyable to read in the way it was presented.
@@Bookborn I can understand that sentiment ;) I started the first book, read about half of it, and DNFed it... about 3 years later I decided to try it again, just because I wanted to finish the cycle, and tried it again. I don't know why the second time around it did not bother me as much and I could finish it. But if the subject interests you, I would recommend to try either Doomsday Book or even better To Say Nothing of the Dog
How about tackling other decades next?
About the same rating I would give. Both of your low rated books I though should not have won. A Memory Called Empire was so boring I have no idea how it won. Top picks that I've read are all pretty great, I may need to read Redshirts.
Were the characters bland in Cixin Liu's books but the ideas were amazing.
I'm right there with you on Redshirts. I was riding the 5-star high until the Codas completely threw me out of my high. Not a fan of them, they should have been left out. Unnecessary, and one of them I had such a hard time getting through. The pacing was so far off of the pacing from the novel itself, it definitely lost a star for me. With Connie Willis, I was so excited to read Doomsday Book and then it was straight boring, so I wonder if perhaps it's just her style. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that you look crazy beautiful in this video. It's distracting...lol.
Our tastes sync up remarkably well. I don’t get why Robinette-Kowal is such a big deal, I find her writing very basic and mundane. And Willis…repetitive, circular, frustrating motifs (?) are kind of her thing. I stopped reading her after “Passages” because of both the main character’s neurotic internal dialogue and the labyrinthine hospital just drove me nuts. I’ve met Connie, she’s a delightful funny person, but her books…no more!
I loved Red Shirts too. I read it many years ago so I don't remember the codes. I'll have to reread at some point.
And I have been a ST fan my entire life too. Mine started with the classic series, though. Lol
Yeah, I didn't read some of the classics until later - I read mostly the 90s middle grade/YA stuff for a while there, although I did do some Narnia!
I still don't see how/why the three-body problem is so good for so many other people. I didn't finish it the first time I tried reading it and finished it earlier this year and still was just left wanting so much more. I went in really wanting to like this book. It's my favorite genre but it still was just completely meh to me. I don't think the major concepts were groundbreaking so maybe that's why. It felt like someone who had read some very interesting sci-fi concepts then wrote a fantasy story around a concept without really diving deep into it. There are aspects of this book that have been written about going back to the 50's so maybe it's just that people are just getting their first taste (I'm sure Mr. Pibb taste great if you've never had a Dr. Pepper.)
I think that if you're a big reader of the genre you probably won't like the book as much because, as you pointed out, the character building just isn't there. You can go on good reads and see similar feedback but I'm assuming this is a good read if you're just getting into the genre and haven't read anything else similar before. Asimov's foundation series touches on this concept deeper into the 15 book series if you want something similar.
Well the second book in the series literally changed real science so I do think the series has merit in the genre on its own! But I think it’s def not for everyone since the writing style is a little different, and as the first book talks about a famous scientific theory I can see it not blowing you away if you’ve read a lot of sci fi!
@@Bookborn do you have articles on this by chance? I may read the second book if this is actually true but the only thing I've seen is that they've just renamed an old theory because of the book.
Blackout/All Clear are a tough one and honestly don't deserve the Hugo because of the slog. Still, I do think they are worth the push through - I just think a good edit would have been necessary to get an award.
That said, it's also very odd to start a series at book 3 and only read book 3. Doomsday Book (which also won a Hugo) has exactly the same issue as Blackout, though they story is complete in one book. I always recommend reading To Say Nothing of the Dog first. It's the only book in the series that does not have this issue (and doesn't require reading Doomsday Book first).
The reading order for this series should be: 1. Three Men in a Boat 2. To Say Nothing of the Dog 3. Doomsday Book 4. Blackout 5. All Clear - I can't imagine trying to power through the book without knowing that it will be worth it. (It also took me a while into Doomsday book to realized that it was a comedy that just happens to have a very, very dry wit.)
You describe some of the problems I see in a lot of screenwriting these days. Interesting that it's true of prose fiction too.
Sorry to be a bit of a curmudgeon here, but there is a point that needs to be brought up:
Quality is seldom the deciding factor in any award. And not just the Hugo or the Nebula. The same thing holds true for movie and music awards. Awards are really nothing more than publicity and ego stroking, and the primary deciding factor is whatever politics are dominant in the industry at the time. Go back over the past 40 years and see how many truly terrible artists won a Grammy. Have a look at past Oscar winning movies and you'll see a lot of mediocrity with even a real stinker thrown in now and then. Then go back and see how many truly amazing artists and films have never "won" an award.
So ignore the awards. They don't mean much in the end.
Is the shirt a spoiler of the combined grade these books received?
LOL wasn’t that bad (it’s an R… maybe you saw it as a D)
Do you have a recommendation for finding the best books? I was using the Hugo awards list, because I thought that it must be a guide to the best scifi books. But after Neuromancer which everyone seemed to think was great, I am questioning the hugo awards. Like maybe it shouldn't be yearly, and the award should only be handed out when something great comes out. Can you recommend a better list to pick from?
If it makes you feel better, I also didn't like neuromancer. I think there are lots of politics that go into the hugos and not alot of general fans know they can vote.
Of these I've only read Redshirts which I really liked, though I'm more of a casual Trek fan, I've always been more into Doctor Who and Star Wars.
Same. The Codas didn't feel necessary.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought the codas bogged down the ending a little bit
I was frustrated by Blackout as well, but from early on. The mc drove me nuts, nattering on throughout in a frantic fashion I had a hard time tolerating, and to be honest when I started All Clear *it actually got worse*. Dnf'd very quickly. I think I would have enjoyed these if not for Willis's tendency to have her mc's go on ad infinitum about the events and circumstances that complicate their journeys. I had the same experience with her Doomsday Book, which was frustrating because the medieval period was my meat and potatoes for many years. Ultimately I had to conclude that Willis is an author whose ideas and plots fascinate me, but whose style and characters just don't agree with me.
Oh thank you for warning me all clear gets worse. I was on the edge of if I should start it and now I def won’t
@@Bookborn Since it's been a while I just took a brief look at all 3 books in hopes of snagging an example of what I was complaining about and didn't spot anything. Memory often enhances or exxagerates our reading experiences, so I was curious if I was over-reacting, but in the end I have to acknowledge that if my feeling were that strong there has to be good reason for it. I suspect I may have conflated Blackout/AC with Doomsday Book to some extent, but given a tbr that already will take years to get through I don't think it worth my time to revisit these. I think they are good stories, just not for me.
You're a 10/10. Thank you.
I also couldn't get on with A Memory Called Empire (or it's sequel). The world building was kind of neat but I hated being in Mahit's head. It seemed like every other chapter there was an internal monologue about her being filled with anxiety about her situation but it would read like a plot summary every 20 pages. This book is not that deep. Or confusing. I don't need a recap. At all. I do not need several recaps.
The Calculating Stars' problem reminds me of a problem I was talking about with my wife today. We are watching Mythic Quest which is about a fictional online gaming company, and every time there's anything "toxic" happening, it's INSANELY over the top. Like 100,000 people just instantly being the worst of all time. And to me that's not making a good point, like yeah the internet is toxic, but you're caricaturing it so much that the caricature becomes the representation of what people think the actual problem is like and then over time it kills actual discussion about the problem (Note: Mythic Quest is a comedy and meant to be humorous- but this happens with gaming stuff all the time) so while I haven't read TCS or know what it's like to be a woman in STEM, I completely understand why this would take you out of it and make you roll your eyes.
The Three Body Problem is mid but The Dark Forest is so good 🤣I'll read Red Shirts and let you know how it lands for a non Star Trek fan.
The real question is when are you going to read Deaths End because some crazy stuff goes down in there
The Three Body Problem series is incredible, though the last book is the weakest. The reveal of the Dark Forest was mind blowing. I wish there was more modern sci-fi like these books. I did like A Memory Called Empire though. I got Star Trek DS9 vibes. Just enjoyed the cultural exchange-esque elements of the book and thought the world building was cool. The sequel wasn't nearly as good. Currently reading The Fifth Season. It's like a four star for me currently, but I can see why it won. It's very innovative and find the themes to be provocative.
My unpopular opinion is that I thought the second was the weakest 👀 gave it a four and the other two fives. The ending of the dark forest was mind blowingly good but the beginning struggled imo
@@Bookborn I have the same opinion! 1>3>2. The 2nd wasn't as completely packed with ideas while the third I didn't resonate with the commentary on gender roles.
The "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy was kind of a slog for me. It had some interesting parts but overall it was a kind of "let's keep going to see if gets better" read. The main thing that I took away from the books is that women must never be in a position where their actions can affect the future of humankind because they will cause the destruction of everything.
I DNFed The 3 Body Problem. I just couldn't get past the prose and what seemed to be just throwing out scientific buzzwords without actually saying anything.
how come you never talked about game of thrones and house of the dragon, not a fan?
Enjoyable video. I would highly recommend the Hugo winner "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" by Kate Wilhelm. Excellent book!
Oohhh which year was that? Haven’t heard of that one!
@@Bookborn Best Novel 1977
I DNF Blackout despite looking forward to it since it set in my favorite slice of history. Why? Because of deja vu -- I had read the actual accounts that she used in her story, plus her England of the Blitz just didn't match my "feel" for the period. Also, it was too dated; the future without smart phones and still using signup sheets on the door to reserve a time in a lab. Really?
I was interested in the lack of tech actually - but she never explored it, so it did end up just being confusing. Like can you explain how we got there? Also interesting that you almost knew TOO much about history and so it was boring 😂
I started the Fifth Season because it is so widely loved, but I put it down because I struggled so hard with the issues around children. I know I should pick it back up, but it was difficult for me.
That was my absolutely biggest issue with it. There’s the scene that’s about three pages in and another very difficult scene. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with walking away. Since I’ve had my second child, any sort of intense child harm like that is just a no go in books for me.
Hi 👋 like ur video!! Happy reading to you!! ⚔️🎥
Please review Dying Inside - 1973 winner
Ok, it's looking like you are Team Rocket...come to think of it, I think I've seen an IG post where you were wearing a Team Rocket costume. I usually enjoy MRK's books, but I find them to be entirely too preachy at times. Modern norms and mores being transported back into the 50s or Jane Austen's era just hit wrong...maybe one or two characters with those views, but it seems to be presented more like they are living in woke America, not the times they live in...and only the bad guys have the true norms of the times. Maybe they are too based on the lessons she's trying to preach in the Writing Excuses podcast.
I enjoyed Blackout and its sequel, but I was listening to them while working on tedious, mundane tasks, so it was an escape for me....and I can't differentiate the books because I listened to them back to back.
Shhh don't tell anyone but yes I work for TR! Prep for trouble!
That's interesting, I wonder if listening to All Clear would make it a lot easier for me. Not a bad idea...
Re redshirts: I can’t stand scalzi’s prose. 😢
Oh no! I didn't notice it tbh lol
@@Bookborn no problem. We all like what we like. I tried a bunch of scalzi’s books due to his popularity and just can’t take it.
Oh I totally agree with you though I never realised it that indeed Jemisin never imposes her opinions, you as the reader get to think by yourself.
Yes! It's a skill I think its becoming a little rarer - sometimes when I read a book I feel like the author was scared that people wouldn't "get it" so they over-explain. Overall I think that hurts a novel. Make me think for myself!
@@Bookborn I totally meet you on that ground. I'm grown up enough that I can do it, maybe that's why I find YA novels often tedious.
I hated hated Three Body Problem and DNF. I was so mad that people liked it so much, the characters and plot are horribly written.
👍👍👍👍
The calculating stars is one of those books that won purely because it's supposedly about strong or smart women. Even if terribly written. You can see the same in hollywood and no this isn't some sexist rant it's literally a fact. Like Oscar bait movies that are always about some social issue or whatever. Like Crash winning the Oscars lol. It's a fact like having a female protagonist for your first books makes you 20 times likely to be published esp in fantasy nowadays.
P.s. Cixin is an avid supporter of the Uyghur genocide. Moreover his books SUCK. The sci fi concepts are great that is for sure. But everything around it is crap. In the second book his self insert genius writer, play boy professor, genius planner etc character at one point remembers his first love. Turns out it's an imaginary girl. And then we read about her for 40 fkn pages and they go on a road trip etc. Meanwhile he's constantly stroking his own ego having everyone remark that the character must have a brilliant literary mind. "You are in love with an imaginary gf? Well that's completely normal my friend, you're probably just a genius writer!" - Therapist in the Dark Forest to protagonist.
By his second book he probably really thought he was a genius writer. Quickly changed. Now he says in interviews he doesn't care the least about plot, characters, story etc. Those are all just vehicles for him to write his sci fi theories. He also lies for no reason. Claiming that he read tons of western sci fi in his youth. That he thought himself to read and write English.
The mfkr can't speak or understand a word of English. Maybe the Trisolaran sophon scrambled his brain
Don't get me wrong. The sci fi concepts are really cool. But the book is also boring as watching paint dry. Horribly lifeless and cold characters except for the sleazy cop. Characters will take 30 pages to explain a simple concept and sometimes it reads like a bad science journal.
Anyway Netflix is adapting it to a show... nice adapting the works of a man supporting a modern day genocide. Claiming China is civilizing them
I mean why should Liu need to read or write English? He’s Chinese. His works have been translated. We don’t expect American authors to write in other languages…
I have heard of his controversies but not until after reading. I still love the trilogy even if I don’t support his personal beliefs.
@@Bookborn What I meant is that he made this myth for himself, claiming to have thought himself English so he could read classic sci fi. But it's just a lie, he does not speak or understand English. I wasn't saying he has to, of course he doesn't. But it's weird that he lies about it.
It's more than a controversy. Millions are being put in concentration camps, forcefully sterilized, gng rpd, Ughur children are taken from their parents and sent to brainwashing camps, young Uyghur girls are forcefully married to chinese officials and are being rpd daily with sanction of the state. Millions of single, young Chinese men have been relocated to East Turkestan to "live in" with Uyghur families. Imagine if the US gov sends someone to "live with you" and spy on you? Often the Uyghur families they stay with already have had the men sent to the camps. So the women are vulnerable. You can find countless videos that these men proudly share themselves, in which they abuse the women and their children. Force them to be their slaves. Imagine what they do behind the cameras. And if anyone in these families dares to speak up or won't do as these men ask then the whole family is separated and sent to camps.
But according to Cixin "they are being civilized"
It's kinda revolting that people will just pretend like this is a small thing. You wouldn't praise an author no matter how good if he was praising the holocaust as something that "civilized" jews.
I read till the first half of his second book until it got so bad I couldn't continue. (When the main protagonist is on his way to the UN for the wallbreaker program and has the flashback to his imaginary gf on the plane). Even as a hardcore sci fi guy I couldn't. But I still thought the sci fi concepts were cool so I was googling the rest of the story. And that's when I found out about his support for the Uyghur genocide.
Again, I get that it's far from home. But it's literally a modern day holocaust of unimaginable horror. Maybe look into it before dismissing it as this tiny thing.
🇷
Prepare for trouble!
Cixin Liu who wrote your favorite The Three Body Problem supports Uighur concentration camps where over a million of them are now in reëducation camps in the northwestern province of Xinjiang. He's preaching govt propaganda, you said he has expanded your mind about the universe but you should also know who he is as a person.
I actually didn't finish the fifth season. The point of view that I believe was in second person, just really threw me in so many ways (first because it was in second person voice). I also am okay with dark / sad stories like Kaladin whose hole story is just depressing, but it felt like the sadness was hitting me over the head. Also the mother was just so out of it that I couldn't relate to her and then she went ahead and killed people even though some were nice to her and at that point I just didn't like reading this pov such that I just gave up. I totally understand and can see other people enjoying this book, but it just didn't work for me.
Yeah the second person POV is actually a complaint I see a LOT! I think I'm weird in that I didn't even notice when I read it LOL but yeah 2nd pov is tough for a lot of people