English language
Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Another weird and crazy Robin Sloan novel that is half fantasy, half sci-fi. set 11,000 years in the future, it skirts the tale of King Arthur while also being an ode to our civilization and the strange post-fall civilizations that followed. And also just the tale of a young boy on an adventure quest with various companions. Really enjoyable read, recommended if you have liked his previous novels.
Is this fantasy or sci-fi? It has robots, space ships, genetic modifications and more, but it also has legends, swords with names, giants and, my favourite, talking animals.
Either way, it's lots of fun and I really enjoyed spending time in the Earth of 11,000 years from now.
And talking beavers were a big part of the story. I think they're my new favourite talking animal.
Apparently, Robin Sloan wants this to be the first novel in a series. If this happens, I'm in. But if it doesn't, this was still an entirely worthwhile read.
I feel like summarizing anything might ruin the surprises along the read. It's mostly sci-fi and fantasy —there are castles, "dragons", wizards, a scholars college, talking beavers, a boy on a quest, an adventure— It has lots of weird, fun ideas and turns, with threads of technology and modern culture references that enrich the setting, making it a very interesting world.
It's been a while since I got the tingly feeling of excitment and surprise while reading an adventure, those moments of revelation that surprise you when you thought that you knew where things were going next, or push you into an even more mysterious —don't know what is happening but I'm enjoying this ride— direction.
There is a pulse in this story that pulls me to try mapmaking, to explore, and to creatively experiment. For me it was a spark that ignited some slumbering ideas and made my imagination …
I feel like summarizing anything might ruin the surprises along the read. It's mostly sci-fi and fantasy —there are castles, "dragons", wizards, a scholars college, talking beavers, a boy on a quest, an adventure— It has lots of weird, fun ideas and turns, with threads of technology and modern culture references that enrich the setting, making it a very interesting world.
It's been a while since I got the tingly feeling of excitment and surprise while reading an adventure, those moments of revelation that surprise you when you thought that you knew where things were going next, or push you into an even more mysterious —don't know what is happening but I'm enjoying this ride— direction.
There is a pulse in this story that pulls me to try mapmaking, to explore, and to creatively experiment. For me it was a spark that ignited some slumbering ideas and made my imagination crank up a few revolutions.
I had a really good time reading this!
