Theo's Updates en-US Fri, 02 May 2025 08:49:48 -0700 60 Theo's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7536910498 Fri, 02 May 2025 08:49:48 -0700 <![CDATA[Theo added 'Lucifer's Hammer']]> /review/show/7536910498 Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven Theo gave 3 stars to Lucifer's Hammer (Mass Market Paperback) by Larry Niven
This was a DNF for me. I read about halfway through but became too simultaneously bored with the slow pace and annoyed by the characters. I enjoy many stories with flawed characters but found the concentration of cheaters and creepy dudes slightly too high for my liking here. Compared to other 20th century sci-fi novels I've read that move at a crawl but have good characters, e.g. C.j. Cherryh's "Cyteen" series, Lucifer's Hammer is not drawing me into any one subplot-- not making me care about any one character enough to balance out the parts I personally dislike. I admit the worldbuilding and dialogue are strong, as is Niven + Pournelle's ability to weave a multitude of small plots together, and I love an apocalypse story, but this one is just not my thing. ]]> Review7481425740 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 18:01:50 -0700 <![CDATA[Theo added 'A Sunny Place for Shady People']]> /review/show/7481425740 A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana EnrĂ­quez Theo gave 4 stars to A Sunny Place for Shady People (Hardcover) by Mariana EnrĂ­quez
I'm a huge Mariana Enriquez fan after reading Our Share Of Night and I think her style works well in short form as well. I felt the same way reading A Sunny Place for Shady People as I do when reading Junji Ito. Not every story is a masterpiece but they all have that cutting grossness and freakiness that Enriquez is so good at. These are not stories for the squeamish. Attempting to spoil very little, but I like the stories where she writes about ghosts. There are some of these that I will definitely be discussing with my SO who read it first. Enriquez's stories end abruptly and leave room for thought. Sometimes they leave you wanting more, but it's better than overstaying one's welcome. ]]> Review7481094990 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:59:33 -0700 <![CDATA[Theo added 'Wolf Hall']]> /review/show/7481094990 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Theo gave 4 stars to Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell, #1) by Hilary Mantel
This book, read on a random recommendation, has single-handedly had me hurdling down the rabbit hole of the history of King Henry the VIII, his wives, and his followers. What an interesting time in history! The dramatic power struggle between the Church of Rome and the Kingdom of England is not something I can relate to with my own life, yet I was so drawn into the conflicts shown in this novel that I could hardly put it down. That can be largely owed to the prose, which reads like people from the 16th century are actually speaking. This was actually confusing to read, yet perplexingly compelling and immersive simultaneously. I've been telling people, I've never read something where I so often didn't know what was happening yet wanted so badly to know what would happen next. I think the density of this read will put some people off, but I'd recommend the TV adaptation to them in turn which I've also been watching and goes at a breakneck pace in comparison. In both mediums the characters, all based on real people, shine. In the novel format you get more time to breathe in their lifestyles, relationships, and thoughts. One thing that struck me was how short the average lifespan was in these days, when any disease could suddenly kill anyone no matter their resources. I would not like to live in the era of Thomas Cromwell, but now I am certainly fascinated with it thanks to Hilary Mantel's expert delivery. ]]> Rating800427621 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:30:24 -0800 <![CDATA[Theo S liked a review]]> /
Theo S liked Linseedling's review of Wuthering Heights:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
"I finally understand that Kate Bush song now"
]]> Rating800427537 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:30:14 -0800 <![CDATA[Theo S liked a review]]> /
Theo S liked Linseedling's review of Authority (Southern Reach, #2):
Authority by Jeff VanderMeer
"I feel sorry that it took so long for me to read this book, partially due to the mixed reviews of it, but I absolutely loved it. Yes, the book takes place in an office setting which sounds dull on the surface, but the offices of the Southern Reach have just as much unsettling mystery as Area X itself, if not more so. I think because there is a disconnect from Area X and we are receiving information through interviews and video viewings, it makes it much more disturbing. The subtlety of the horror is the most effective; VanderMeer knows exactly what to reveal and when to do so (and what not to reveal at all). Plus, this book contains my favorite character so far: Whitby. I'd really encourage anyone who, like me, was initially put off by some middling reviews to give it a chance.

I can't wait to read Acceptance immediately.

EDIT: Upon rereading, I feel exactly the same way, still my favorite book in the series. "
]]> Rating800427403 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:29:54 -0800 <![CDATA[Theo S liked a readstatus]]> /
Theo S liked Linseedling’s status update
Linseedling Linseedling wants to read The Grizzly Maze: Timothy Treadwell's Fatal Obsession with Alaskan Bears
]]> Review7058084717 Wed, 04 Dec 2024 19:18:56 -0800 <![CDATA[Theo added 'I, Robot']]> /review/show/7058084717 I, Robot by Isaac Asimov Theo gave 4 stars to I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) by Isaac Asimov
This series of chronologically-ordered, interconnected short stories has held up since I last read it back in high school. Each puts robots, humans, and their relationships in new lights. The stories are concise and easy for readers of any age to find layers of meaning. Some stories are simplistic, like one that's basically just the Allegory of the Cave played straight. Others present deep, nuanced takes on how artificial intelligence could affect humanity's future. It's a relevant topic to the age I've currently reread this in. I find Asimov to actually be very optimistic - he envisioned a future where AI was built to be inherently good, proved to be of a consistently higher moral standard than humans, and then controlled enough of humanity's future to make it easier for humans to live more comfortable and fulfilling lives. Despite aged ideas of what robots might look and sound like, the heart and soul of I, Robot shine strong, maybe more now than ever. I wouldn't mind living in Asimov's world. ]]> Review7003047291 Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:51:25 -0800 <![CDATA[Theo added 'The Haunting of Hill House']]> /review/show/7003047291 The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson Theo gave 5 stars to The Haunting of Hill House (Paperback) by Shirley Jackson
I found this novel delightful, playful, and only slightly creepy. I didn't need to be scared though, only satisfied, and experiencing this early inversion of horror delivered to me what I was looking for. The way the story plays out, even knowing the main character was unreliable, still surprised me and I suspect a reread will be rewarding. The story is thought-provoking and rich, inspiring me to read more from Shirley Jackson. ]]> Review6938294095 Sat, 19 Oct 2024 08:27:56 -0700 <![CDATA[Theo added 'Between Two Fires']]> /review/show/6938294095 Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman Theo gave 5 stars to Between Two Fires (Hardcover) by Christopher Buehlman
This story of medieval horror has many attributes that I enjoy: fast-paced, grimdark but not pretentious, dreamlike, intricate, and packed with freaky imagery. I would reread it simply for the horror alone as it does so many things right in that regard. More strange and terrifying monstrosities are packed into this novel in 100 of its pages than are found in other entire novels - and they are depicted to the reader in just enough tantalizing detail to make the experience exciting. The closest comparison I can make is Kentaro Miura's Berserk; I found similar themes here of warped, hellish evil completely taking over the world and the last bastions of humanity being ruled by cruel impostors of religious leaders. Though I don't have much of a stake in this, Between Two Fires does not denigrate religion (only Christianity and Judaism are mentioned) but rather use it as its central thematic backbone. Critical characters are priests, cardinals, popes. Angels and demons are treated literally and with extravagance. This is still first and foremost a fantasy setting, though.

I can't say much of the plot nor my singular disappointment with the eventual treatment of one of the characters without spoiling it, but I did find the journey of the three MCs to be satisfying as a whole. It's structured almost like a fairy tale and consists of a multitude of surreal subplots and ventures into different lands, towns, and castles. The writing style is expertly descriptive yet tight (nice editing!), poetic yet also down-to-earth, and consistently clever. My favorite little moments included those of intrusive thoughts being inserted into the characters' heads and some genuinely surprising bait-and-switches. The last third of the book could be considered a bit confusing but because I was so endeared to my experience reading it, I took pleasure in stopping to think about what I just read and come to an interpretation that made sense to me. I'd like to discuss Between Two Fires soon with my friends who read it, for I had a devilishly good time! ]]> Review6880367754 Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:13:38 -0700 <![CDATA[Theo added 'More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop']]> /review/show/6880367754 More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa Theo gave 4 stars to More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, #2) by Satoshi Yagisawa
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