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The Municipalists
The Municipalists: A Novel | Seth Fried
31 posts | 27 read | 24 to read
A novel about an unlikely pair of lonely outsiders--one human, one AI--on an adventure to save the great American city of Metropolis written by "one of the most exciting new voices in fiction" (Charles Yu) In Metropolis, the gleaming city of tomorrow, the dream of the great American city has been achieved. But all that is about to change, unless a neurotic, rule-following bureaucrat and an irreverent, freewheeling artificial intelligence can save the city from a mysterious terrorist plot that threatens its very existence. Henry Thompson has dedicated his life to improving America's infrastructure as a proud employee of the United States Municipal Survey. So when the agency comes under attack, he dutifully accepts his unexpected mission to visit Metropolis looking for answers. But his plans to investigate quietly, quickly, and carefully are interrupted by his new partner: a day-drinking know-it-all named OWEN, who also turns out to be the projected embodiment of the agency's supercomputer. Soon, Henry and OWEN are fighting to save not only their own lives and those of the city's millions of inhabitants, but also the soul of Metropolis. The Municipalists is a thrilling, funny, and touching adventure story, a tour-de-force of imagination that trenchantly explores our relationships to the cities around us and the technologies guiding us into the future.
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review
Kempfme
Municipalists | Seth Fried
Mehso-so

This read was really slow getting to the point at first. What kept me going was the humor. #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 2y
7 likes1 comment
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Mtroiano
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Pickpick

This was a fun, quick read with a little bit of social commentary to get you thinking. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Maya.McClan
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Mehso-so

It‘s true what they say about this book. I almost bailed but if you get past the first 100 pages it‘s actually really good, original, funny and full of action. I think it would be great made into a movie. #Botm I give it 3 1/2 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

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Romancegirl
Mehso-so

The first half of this short book was so slow and boring that I almost didn't finish it. After the action started it got interesting. What saved this book for me was OWEN. I loved his witt and charm.

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TheLibrarian
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#kindledeal alert on this entertaining read and previous #BOTM selection

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Sensitivemuse
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Pickpick

Quick read, the plot is pretty much straight to the point. What you want to look out for is good character development and also a blossoming funny “odd-couple“ friendship between Henry and OWEN. OWEN pretty much steals it.

3 likes1 stack add
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wellreadredhead
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Pickpick

First book down for the #24b4Monday #readathon! This was a good one. It was a detective story with two interesting lead characters with an underlying social commentary. Some of my favorite things! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Andrew65 Fantastic, already finished a book. 👏 5y
jb72 Great job! I‘m just about finished with Moby Dick. 5y
69 likes2 comments
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McGonagall
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JuliaReadsSometimes
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Pickpick

Did not expect to fall in love with a buddy cop style of book about a train-loving man and a flamboyant AI but here I am absolutely in love with it.
Expected hilarity to ensue and was not disappointed. Was pleasantly surprised to find a meaning that I will ponder for a while.

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JuliaReadsSometimes

"Just my luck. The first colleague I'd befriended at the agency and it was an alcoholic supercomputer."

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paramegan
Municipalists | Seth Fried
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Pickpick

Such a fun book!! Easy to read, a page turner, likable characters, and important topics of class and ethics. #botm I should be moving on to my last April book soon, miracle creek :)

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dgingo
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3.5-4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

It was enjoyable and a quick read, but the story arc and ending needed a little work. Some of the story was a tad aimless and there are some unanswered questions and oddities (why Esperanto?), but it was decent overall for a first novel.

#BOTM #AccidentalBookClub #BookClubOfTwo #SciFi #HumanAIFriendship

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dgingo
Municipalists | Seth Fried
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8little_paws How's this book? I'm curious 6y
dgingo @8little_paws So far so good. I just started it today, but I‘m a 1/3 through it. I‘m engaged and it‘s a quick read/page-turner. I‘m sure I‘ll finish it this weekend and I‘ll post a review. 6y
20 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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lauriedslack
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Pickpick

I can‘t get over how fun, weird, and just unexpectedly delightful this book was. OWEN FOREVER. #scifi #adventure #urbanplanning

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DannyOlda
Municipalists | Seth Fried
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Finally getting to last month's #botm. A fairly fun, easy read.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Stiff, by-the-book Henry is a government worker tasked with traveling to Metropolis to try to learn about and stop a recent disturbance. When he‘s paired with irreverent AI OWEN, hilarity ensues with this odd couple. The first chapter is really rough, but after that the book is terrific and I laughed my way through it. A great #botm pick!

59 likes2 stack adds
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BookBelle84
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Pickpick

I LOVED this book. It was so unique and I found myself laughing out loud at some of their plans. It is about an awkward office worker and an opinionated AI working together to stop the bad guys. They are a comedy of errors and are both so socially awkward in their own ways that i was greatly entertained. Clever writing, if I was to read this again there would be more of the authors ideas that I missed the first time. Plus love the cover!

28 likes2 stack adds
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erank58
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Bailedbailed

Ugh I HATE when I DNF a #botm pick, but I just couldn't focus on the story. I think the premise is interesting, but I couldn't connect to the writing style in any way. Maybe I'll give it another try later this year, but for now I need to move on to something else!

Purrfectpages Ugh. I just added this one to my pile bc it seemed interesting... 6y
erank58 @Purrfectpages everyone else I know loved it--they said you need to give it some time for the story to get going. My main problem was the writing style, so I would still give it a try! 6y
Purrfectpages @erank58 I just might...although my TBR pile definitely isn‘t hurting 😉 6y
73 likes1 stack add3 comments
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The.Intentional.Reader
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Finished this last night. Pretty good story about a rebellion within a government agency that controls aspects of each city. The rebellion rocks the very foundation of society in the quintessential American city, Metropolis. The main character is sent to squash it along with his sarcastic, alcoholic artificial intelligence co-agent. Don‘t worry, it‘s much better than the description I just gave 😎

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StellarDoc
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JPeterson I love that mug! 6y
StellarDoc @JPeterson I have a thing for cephalopods! :) 6y
26 likes2 comments
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TheLibrarian
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Pickpick

A fun read about a stick-to-the-rules guy and an unpredictable AI that team up to try and stop a terrorist attack.

Once you get past the first 60-80 pages, this book turns into one wild ride!

This is my 2nd #BOTM that I finished in the same month I got it (March). That‘s a record for me 😂

70 likes1 stack add
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JanuarieTimewalker13
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Pickpick

At first, I was like “this book is a so-so at best” then, about 60-70 pages in, I was hooked. Fun read...lonely guy and wise cracking AI team up to crack a terrorist organization.

54 likes1 stack add3 comments
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StellarDoc
Municipalists | Seth Fried
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#Maddy knows it's bedtime. #CatsOfLitsy

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Mtroiano
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Book mail! #botm
Who else got this one?

JanuarieTimewalker13 I did. It‘s slow going at first...now I like it. I‘m on p178. Henry and the AI make a funny team. It took a good 60 or so pages for me to get into it 6y
26 likes2 comments
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JanuarieTimewalker13
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⭐️Tagged book, slow at first but now pretty darn good!
⭐️ Get Me Back Home
⭐️ Gardenia, Peony
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

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StellarDoc
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She's going to be really ticked when I leave for the airport in 30 minutes. #Loki #CatsOfLitsy

JanuarieTimewalker13 How are you liking this book so far? I ordered it from BOTM and am excited. Also, your cat is so cute! 6y
dgingo Yes! How is it? It‘s my next BOTM, too. 6y
StellarDoc @JanuarieTimewalker13 @dgingo I was too restless to get very far. I'll try again after I finish my current book, maybe. 6y
See All 7 Comments
JanuarieTimewalker13 It takes off after about 60 or 70 pages, can‘t remember exactly when I started enjoying it 6y
dgingo @StellarDoc I have a few before I get to it, but LMK when you finish it! 6y
15 likes1 stack add7 comments
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erank58
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Plot twist...I went from skipping #botm to one #botm selection PLUS some Barnes & Noble #bookhaul picks...oops 🙀

Texreader Yay!!! I want that Setterfield book! But I‘ll wait for paperback. 6y
erank58 I can't wait to start it!! Hopefully the paperback edition is released soon! 6y
85 likes2 comments
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HillsAndHamletsBookshop
Municipalists | Seth Fried
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Pickpick

A playful, hilarious romp! Seth Fried‘s The Municipalists is what might have happened if Jane Jacobs had collaborated with Christopher Moore to write fiction for the urban planning nerd. More please!

underground_bks Love the idea of Jane Jacobs and Christopher Moore teaming up! What a pair! 6y
2 likes1 comment