「BOOK RECOMMENDED」#1

fiction and nonfiction reviews

〈Self Reference Engine〉by Toh Enjoe

TYPE : distant future science fiction

I finally got around to reading it. I am finding it EXCELLENT.

Surprisingly. I expected something postmodern based on the description. (Postmodern is short for no metanarrative. That is, no point.) Instead, what I found was a cross between O Henry and Robert Heinlein and the Strugatsky Brothers.

It might be considered musing on technology as it affects behavior. I suspect it's the sort of thing that somebody like Marshall McLuhan or Jerry Pournelle would have highly rated.

The stories are woven together neatly, but somewhat episodic. The text is tightly written. It does a lot with a few words.

The interesting thing is that you can go against the advice of the author and read the twenty chapters out of order. I find that interesting anyway.