koberreads's reviews
99 reviews

Ransom Riggs gave a proper finale. The most epic and mind bending finale

Read it all quickly

“In the end, our real home had always been one another. And a real home was all I'd ever wanted. “- Jacob

SPOILER WARNING..

Although….. The author made Noor end up with Jacob, I think he has his reasons that we cant know entirely. If you want Emma to end up with Jacob choose to end reading the book at book 3 but if prefer Noor, end up with book 6. I am glad also riggs did not forget to write about Jacob parents and giving Jacob a final farewell

 

I read this book twice. This is my secone time. My First read felt calm and reflective and might even annoyed the mysteries or magical realism of Murakami’s stories are yet again, surprise surprise, unanswered or simply stayed a mystery. A calm moderately dark novel that you can finish reading in 3 hr flight and after reading it, you would mostly like satisfied you read it rather than just buying on flight wifi and browisng social media again as if you cant do that on the ground or played your nitendo switch.

I read it again the 2nd time because I want something that would make me feel reflective about life especially regarding our dark side and how we all have such dark side but our darksidw is mixed with our more kinder tendicies so no one in real life is purely/mostly good or purely/most evil. We are in the middle, the gray area. We should just know how to manage it

Also read it because it is one of Murakamis writing that I can tolerate compared to his other books that are too sexual or has incest in it. Damn I know Murakmi and the writer of game of thrones like too much Sigmund Freud writings but come on.. no need to expound or put that in every book or explained in so much gross detail. Glad this one is not like that. No graphic sex here even if the setting is partly in a love hotel hahhahahah compared to other Murkamis books where the characters are not even near such a hotel but act like they are filming for “p*rnhub” hahahaha. I am okay with sex. Just dont like it if Murakami either makes it too graphic (rather watch porn than read porn if that happens) or makes it about incest again or both.  Be glad that “After Dark” short novel is nothing like that

Read it if you want to know about the darkside of Human Nature and just be prepared to indulge in mysterious magical realism of Murakami that he will never explain to you. He always leaves it to you to interpret such things

Best read when you have practised some meditation techniques or read another meditation book before this one.  (If you are new to meditation and want to practice it but have no idea what it is, go read “Headspace” By Andy Pudicombi.  A memoir-like book that guides you and inspires you to meditate)

One of the most eloquent and accurate books to describe what meditation really is and how meditation, an Eastern tradition, is actually quite the same as the heart of prayer and other Western traditions. (Rupert  has another book in this 3-book-series, "The Heart of Prayer") Rupert Spira is oddly and inappropriately labelled as a spiritual leader. Still, he is not selling religion and rarely uses the words spirit or God but only when making quotations or references. He is just basically directly mentioning what religion all around the world are trying to tell you where your peace and happiness lies and it is not found in your thoughts, feelings, perceptions and all the external objects that stimulate you through your five senses but rather it lies in which knows or as aware of all your internal and external experiences

The review: 

 

Ken Liu writes not only Sci-Fi but often melds it with either historical settings or Asian/non-american culture or both. Other authors have done this but I truly felt that Ken Liu is the best when it comes to mixing sci-fi/fiction and history/nonfiction because his sci-fi/fiction helps you provoke thoughts about issues regarding the historical/nonfiction, some stories it feels like it doesn't work but most of them does especially the last story in the collection. Do advise to read the book from the first page to the last since that would really maximize your reading experience rather than going to the table of contents and reading the story with the title best peaks your interest. 

 

He likes to expose the untold suffering the Chinese experience during the past, hence he writes not only fiction but historical fiction with a bit mix of Fantasy to explain events that are often unexplainable but gives light on the suffering human beings can experience and the crimes we commit against each other. We all truly have Darkness within us. 

 

This last story (The Man who ended history) is the best story of all the stories in the collection even if I do not consider it my favorite (My favorite is "The Waves" oddly don't know why it is only because finalist, it deserved an award. ) maybe because it is the most profound and most challenging to write and often difficult to read because how dark it could get (It is so controversial and complex just Holocaust) because he is tackling a historical (you might even consider it political) issue through a fictional setting plus in the format of a documentary so that the could eloquently voice out both sides of the issues. 

 

Even if he is Chinese, he is not biased or even hateful towards Japan (He did write this short story in this collection with the MC as Japanese). I know other writers wrote like this before but he did it so well and made the technobabble about the sci-fi of experiencing the past that it feels like time travel (you are aware of the presence of the past but they are unaware of your presence because you didn't even exist in their time) 

 

This is the perfect last story for the reader to read because it really proves the intellect and empathy of the author are immense and do not contradict each other but make each other sharper and better. 

 

Mon Dieu! 
Merde! 
Mien Gott!

This is how I reacted when I finished reading the book. And yes, it took me a long time to realize the author might have a fondness towards the letter "a," especially the capitalized version of it. It is in his name title of the book, and each chapter, haha Alliteration is so damn consistent; I love it

Even when the world you are so accustomed which is a world that gave you comfort and a sense of Purpose, starts falling apart, you have the power to create a new world that will give you the comfort and Purpose that you seek, no matter how powerless you seem to be to other people, no matter how powerless you think you are. You will always have power because you will always have the choice; no revolution or anything else, or anyone can take that from you. 

This above is the insight I derived from the quote, "A man master his circumstance, or his circumstance will master him."

You "must" because you always "can" master your circumstance because you always have a choice. 

I was unexpectedly not bored with the book and loved it. Poignantly beautiful, and everything is eloquently and perfectly described, whether it is the setting being described or the current mod/thoughts/insights of the MC (Count Rostov). Another author with a master with words (Of course, you have to google some words, especially the towns and French words, but that is expected because of the setting of the store, but nonetheless everything is described as beautiful that even at my age (Born 1997) and in raised in a techy meme infested internet world can still comprehend the images the authors want to convey 

"A man master his circumstance or his circumstance will master him."

My (and others, I assume, have the same claim) most favorite sentence/theme in the book. Especially when the MC is experiencing house arrest since all of us are in a pandemic or post-pandemic times. The feeling of house arrest is not yet even alien to us and is quite still palpable and familiar. 

I honestly would have never guessed years ago, me a scifi/philsophy/self-help book readers would want and much less enjoy this kind of novel. I am from Asia and never really familiar with the concept of Nobleman/count and not really that attracted to literature about Russia and historical Russia (it is only later on that I realized that they are, in the past, where the monarchy is still the way to govern a country/state, is that a nobleman/count is higher of social status compared to a commoner but below a King/Queen/Princess/Prince Monarch) 

But I did want to suddenly read it, and I did enjoy it

Never thought being stuck in a hotel for years on end would be suffocating; then again if you are forced to stay there AND not able to go anywhere else, you would feel suffocated and feel like it is a prison.

Amor Towels. You son of a merde. Damn your writing is good. Too good, felt like I was truly trapped in a hotel and have no option to go away.

Mon Dieu! All I can say is Mon Dieu, is such a lovely novel, beautiful.

Maybe because one of my favorite self-help author Mark Manson reads it, I discovered it as well after reading "All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr"(Mark Manson also suggested this to me), all though it is not right or not fair too compared both books to each other because they are two entirely different stories, different plot, and setting, Goddman I have to say both of them have a same wavelength... Wavelength of Poignancy

Zut! I loved the characters already on the earlier pages, but 78% progress sealed the deal for me. Sofia loves his adopted father so much. and the family members of the hotel are colorful and lovely

I like Katerina's words, "Does it matter?" That hint of nihilism reminds you that death is a part of life rather than the opposite of it. And it is not only present at the end of one's life but daily since not only a number of people die every day, but everything in our daily life changes, and change is the brother, if not the complete equal of death.

I love that the Stoic themes are melded between the cracks of the novel, but the characters themselves are not bland. Or colorless or so stoic that you are hindered in emphasizing with them if not loving them.

Maybe it is because the setting is both in times of suffering and war and injustice or losing something, his Purpose as a nobleman who serves the royal family and that produces. Sadness and sadness is the reason why the sense of poignancy is always present

This tackles as well apparently a man's search for meaning/Purpose because he has lost his sense of duty or Purpose as a nobleman man serving royalty. Maybe this is why Mark Manson reads this: He is a self-help author who answers quite well our desire for Purpose. Mark Manson says (a paraphrase of his words): 

"Purpose is not found. It is created. Finding our purpose is essentially finding an important use of our time. The purpose is not static; it is ever-changing because you are changing constantly. If your sense of purpose changes throughout your life it might be good sign that you are growing as person since that means your changing."

Another good news from Mark is when you lose your sense of purpose (which happens to all of us at some point, just like the MC of this book), you can always create a new one. It is much easier to get/ create your Purpose when you don't ask the universe what your purpose is but instead ask yourself, what are meaningful activities for you? What do you truly care about? Especially those things that you are not forced by others to care about.

No one needs, and no one can give you the sense of Purpose you seek. Only you can give it to yourself.

This is vital story that explain our history and that future generations should be inspired not to ignite war anymore because it results into gigantic amounts of unnecessary and unbearable human suffering and death

I just stopped now because not in the mood for war torn world depressive plot and the old english words doesnt generate images in my brain.. sorry  I hope there is a like a more update version with a better translation 

The watched the movie and the book is entirely different story  and that is good and beautiful in its own right. And I like the in depth emotional needs and problems of MC being written allout in the book but I am just not in the mood for parental needs and trauma of the MC arc..

Damn of the best scifi novel I read so far! That is saying a lot because I read a whole lot of scifi and watchbmovies about it but this is the most original one. Goddamn. AndY Weir is a beast

 

Goddamn!! This is a five star story hahahahahaahahahahahahahahaha The story and plot and mystery is so immersive 

 

The story is awesome in its own way because unlike other science books the MC discovers things as the same time as the readers 

 

And we figure the mystery of the book at the same time because the MC has damn partial amensia hhaha on a very important mission he is supposed to do hahahaha 

 

I like that i am learning with the MC which is aweosme unlike other scifi books that throw you into in the middel of another world without knowledge anything happening in the world (I love those books to in a different way like murderbot ) 

 

Kinda of a spoiler WARNING! LOOK DOWN BELOW AT YOUR OWN PLOT RUINING RISK 

 
I google the title and its meaning and why the author chose it and well an american reader in reddit mentioned it (His username is: u/Nabrix726)

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I honestly just thought Hail Mary is the name of the ship is because most of the people who made the ship is religious or Stratt is secretly is a die-hard christian and I am not surprised sometimes science or scientist always gets mixed with religion or some form of God or Gods. Heck the planets of our solar system are still named by Greek/Roman Gods and we are so comfortable with that we dont even bother to change it even when virtually no one in the modern world worship anymore the Greek/Roman Gods. 

  One of the best Scifi books again.. damn loving the series so far 

One of the best finance books of all time. If not at least the most damn original and realisitc.

This guy doesnt say do this or invest this and then you will become a billionaire either overnight or over week or so. No bullshit advice here but authentic and emphatetic. This is my second read of this book and I plan to read the book next year. Or at least once a year because the financial wisdom and insights regarding our human nature especially those associated how we perceive and handle our own money and judge others financial habits and strategies is timeless, if not at least would still be relevant until the world change greatly, maybe if actual aliens do exist and invade our world or suddenly we all became buddhist monks and there is no need for capitalism or economy (I love buddhist monks by the way, they thought me how to meditate)

Quotes to note from the book: 

Financial success is not a hard science. It’s a soft skill, where how you behave is more important than what you know. I call this soft skill the psychology of money.

The aim of this book is to use short stories to convince you that soft skills are more important than the technical side of money. I’ll do this in a way that will help everyone—from Read to Fuscone and everyone in between—make better financial decisions.

BEST DESCRIPTION ON THE REALITY OF INVESTING:

Pilots jobs are hours and hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. It’s the same in investing

WHAT INVESTING REALLY IS:

Investing is not a hard science. It’s a massive group of people making imperfect decisions with limited information about things that will have a massive impact on their wellbeing, which can make even smart people nervous, greedy, and paranoid

HOW TO DO WELL WITH MONEY:

The premise of this book is that doing well with money has a little to do with how smart you are and a lot to do with how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people.

Best one regarding acquiring the respect and admiration of others:

You might think you want an expensive car, a fancy watch, and a huge gourd. But I’m telling you, you don’t. What you want is respect and admiration for other people, and you think having expensive stuff will bring it. It almost never does - especially from the people you want to respect and admire you”

I’d respect and admiration is your goal, be careful how you seek it. Humility, kindness, and empathy will bring you more respect than horsepower ever will

ONE OF THE BEST ONES REGARDING CAREER:

Doing something you love on a schedule you can’t control can feel the same as doing something you hate