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Hard to review because Doctorow doesn't really write novels, he writes thought-experiments & manifestos in novel-like forms. As an intellectual experience, Walkaway is exhilarating & deeply thought-provoking. The world of the novel is scarily prescient - the logical (and horrific) continuation our current societal path of deepening inequality & kleptocapitalism. Doctorow is the Black Mirror of writers in this regard. (continued)

#TBRPile 📚 In a world wrecked by climate change, in a society ruled by the ultra-rich, in a city hollowed out by industrial flight, Hubert, Seth, and Natalie have nowhere to be and nothing better to do. But there is another way. After all, anyone can design and print the basic necessities of life and so there‘s little reason to stay. So, the three of them turn their back on the world of rules, jobs, the morning commute and...walk away.

This is the kind of solarpunky stuff I'd want to write. At least the Walkaway side of things, acquiring and modifying capitalist tech to create communities based on a more accessible form of life. A lot of characters and concepts that move quickly within a single book, but it's not difficult or exhausting to keep up with. The transhumanism element wasn't something I was aware of on starting the novel, but it is interesting.

I‘m just gonna leave this here.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/843...

I am the target audience for this book. I have no idea who I would recommend it to. I can completely understand why the reviews are less than stellar. But they are all wrong.
Fantastic novel about everything wrong with income inequality and a very plausible look at a hard won solution. Dare I say it's utopian.

It‘s that time of month again! Up until 11:59 PM, Friday night, grab a .mobi or an .ePub! #torbookclub

https://ebookclub.tor.com

Look what is free from Tors ebook club.

https://ebookclub.tor.com/?utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=eblast&utm_term=tor...

I know there are a lot negative reviews on here about this one, but I loved it! I was pulled in by the characters and ideas. My first Cory Doctorow book, so I‘m definitely going to be checking out more of his stuff. Finished on the road trip back home CO —> NE, through the snow and hopefully no closed interstate systems. 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Took him awhile but my husband finally finished this book last night. After telling me he thought I might like to read it, he handed it to me & I immediately exclaimed, “Look at that cover—it has to be Will Staehle!” And when I checked? Yep, Staehle is the artist & designer. His work is so distinctive & his covers are THE BEST & I‘m a huge fan. I don‘t care if it‘s weird to be a fan of a book cover artist/designer—I‘m ok with my book nerdiness!!!

I listened to the audiobook and the readers were excellent! Each character had a very talented reader, and I deeply enjoyed this aspect of the book. The story on the other hand was the Atlas Shrugged for transhumanist anarchists and is filled with long monologues espousing the ideology and addressing its criticisms. The great voice acting could not overcome the evangelical tone of the text.

You're just meat following rules.

Hubert Vernon Rudolph Clayton Irving Wilson Alva Anton Jeff Harley Timothy Curtis Cleveland Cecil Ollie Edmund Eli Wiley Marvin Ellis Espinoza was too old to be at a Communist party.

This is what I felt like when I realized I was at least 20% of the way into this book and I didn‘t care about any of the characters, the world they lived in, or what happened next. The plot hadn‘t gone anywhere but one scene change, and I was in the middle of the most unnecessarily graphic and looooong sex scene (and I read romance novels on the regular!). Life is too short!

I started this audio today. I didn‘t think I liked it much but I made soup for lunches, tacos, and marinated chicken for shawarma tomorrow, then did two loads of laundry and cleaned the litter boxes, so there must be something compelling about it...#audiochores

I read Little Brother quite a while ago and I‘m a frequent reader of boingboing.com. Haven‘t read this one but it‘s been on my TBR for quite a while.#Elevengeddon2018

There are some interesting concepts here, but it's really preachy. There are long rambling sections of characters having really contrived conversations about society, and the plot just stalls. If the book were half the length, it might be better. Really, you're better off reading Doctorow's non-fiction - there you'll find the same ideas, much better explained.

I fucking hate this book. Trying really hard to finish it. The story goes nowhere for pages on end and feels disjointed. Its a shame, I enjoy Doctorow‘s non-fiction. So far, this is a swing and a miss for me.

Still getting caught up on #ReadingResolutions: #orange on #orange. In related news, I just realized how much of my bookshelf is made up of ARCs.

I‘ve heard good things and so far Doctorow hasn‘t disappointed me!

Cory Doctorow is always kind of hit or miss with me. This one is a hit.

I really like Cory doctorow for his way to extend my understanding of new technologies potentiels. Even used it in real life conversation with my banker yesterday ;)

This one is headed back to the library today. I tried, but it's just not for me. I found it inaccessible with a lot of technobabble. I'm sure someone way more into that kind of stuff would find this a great read. Just not for me.

Babies are sleeping, so sneaking in some nightlight reading. #nightreads #booklight #library

#nakedbooks

Winston-Salem, NC

Reading Envy Podcast 092: Reading Friends Sarah and Preston. http://tinyurl.com/ReadingEnvy092 with our very own @SarahK
I wish we all had reading friends like this!

2017 #102 dystopian audio this was a very weird story. I really enjoyed the YA series but this one just didn't sit well with me. I can't tell you why. The politics were interesting and the outlook heartfelt. The way the story unfolded was just odd to me. Exceptional writing and craftsmanship. Maybe the wrong mood.

These ideas might have made an interesting essay of much shorter length, but the ham fisted dialog/plot was just too much ballast.

Amazing Tor Books panel on #scifi and #resistance at #bookcon!

Tempted by the thumbs down: this book was a disappointing chore to finish. But the premise was interesting, lots of food for thought. I just did not like it as a novel, much as I wanted to.

Geeky night out for me listening to a reading plus a Q&A from Mr Doctorow

This felt like it should have been an essay collection, but instead was made into a "novel" where the characters awkwardly monologue about their ideas and ideologies. In between badly written sex scenes and confusing action sequences.

The ideas are interesting ones - exploring the notion of a future in which jobs are non-existent but anything you need can be 3D printed at will. Maybe essays just don't sell?

Mysterious Galaxy celebrates 24 years of Books of Martians, murder, magic, & mayhem today!

Since I am at U of L today, I decided to pop into the University bookstore. Treated myself to a new book and an adorable tin of mints.

Cory Doctorow came to @FountainBookstore and gave an awesome reading! He just might be the coolest nerd around. I'm still awed he came to our small, Independent bookstore! #corydoctorow #booksigning

Time for my monthly trip to Oblong. Picked these 5 gems up and 4 are signed!
Not pictured- Radium Girls (hand sold to me by a customer, but wanted eBook for that), Burn Town, and The Leavers.

Finished in three days. It's a fast, exciting novel interweaving a lot of ideas and discussion of ideas. Big ideas like what does it mean to live in a world that's on the edge of being beyond scarcity while extrapolating what the effect will be of the worst aspects of the economic structure of our society.

This book exemplifies the best parts of genre: super smart meditations on our future as a species with fun tech, huge explosions, and wonderful character building. I am very, very fond. - Jax

Cory Doctorow giving a straight up savage speech on DRM at #txla17.

Storytelling in obvious servitude to ideas, but that's not a detraction. This is an addition to the dystopian genre that's probably best for Econ and AI nerds.

I finished this book about a week ago and I'm still thinking about it. Beautifully written and thought-provoking view of the future, with engaging characters and relationships. It totally checked all of my boxes for a great read! 📚 #bookworm #bookstagram #greatread