Book Review: Geometry for Ocelots, by exurb1a
blogging day 14
Never buy cheap socks. Dance when you can. You’ll know when you’re in love. If you have to check, you’re not.
– Geometry for Ocelots, by exurb1a
Tl;dr This book is amazing. Couldn’t put it down. Just read it.
Disclaimer: I'm too lazy to do research and am not well-read, so some BS is present here. Finished is better than perfect.
Many memorable stories have sparked my imagination over the last few years. They include The Martian (Weir), The Florentine Deception (Nachenberg), A Deepness in the Sky (Vinge), The Diamond Age (Stephenson), The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect, as well as works by Isaac Asimov, Liu Cixin, Ken Liu, Ted Chiang, Greg Egan, etc.
Geometry for Ocelots is an epic tale that brings up fond memories of my previous reading journeys. Not knowing what to expect initially, I found an epic which gradually and captivatingly touch on science vs religion, transhumanism, resource depletion, existential risk, and more. This with one of the most satisfying endings of any sci-fi novel I've read to date.
The author takes the strange name of exurb1a, referencing his Youtube channel.
I've heard of exurb1a oft described as "a drunk British version of Kurzgesagt". In contrast to Kurzgesagt's take of "optimistic nihilism", exurb1a's videos are darker and more nihilistic, sparkled with expletives and hard-hitting in a way that reminds me of Mark Manson's works.
I've read some of exurb1a’s short stories and they're splendid. Finishing this book solidifies him in my mind as a nihilistic, sharp-witted writer and content creator whose style begets works that hit dark and sharp. With extremely engaging prose, he weaves familiar ideas into a breathtakingly original and fast-paced mix that leaves me thinking.
Unlike my experience with Neal Stephenson's works, I found the world-building here thorough but easy to comprehend. Each chapter is short and approachable, leaving me excited to find out what's next for the characters and the world.
The space opera is a familiar recipe that I have not read very much. Not sure how more prolific readers would think, but this book was incredibly refreshing and potent for me. It reminds me somewhat of psychedelics and beams of light.
One criticism I've read in one review is that the characters are not sufficiently supplied with backstories and motives. But the characters don't need motives – they are personalities that repeat historical patterns, the world speaks for itself. Power and fervor are motives we are familiar with, burning desire and obedience both seen time and time again. I feel like I understand the motives of each character as the story plays out, without need for explicit exposition. I love how the story is not based on characters, but on theme — ever present is the fabric of the arc of time.
Each of the chapters are super bite-sized. I feel like this was one of the captivating reading experiences I've ever had. Highly, highly recommend!
Someone else’s cool review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4853607768
SPOILER WARNINGS
Familiar, but well put themes
Self-moderation or extinction, the fate of all intelligent civilizations
Compassion and love must be enough
Internal power struggles — how do we resolve them?
searched this book up to see if anyone had done a review on it!!! one of my favs