| 2006 Reading List |
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If a book needs to be 100 pages,
it should be 100 pages. This a good book, but there isn't enough
substance to support its length. The key insight, and it is an important one, is that "sprawl" occurs as a result of millions, billions of people deciding that their quality of life will be better if they move from high density urban areas, to lower density sub-urban areas. The notion that the quality of life in urban areas is somehow richer, or better, is mostly the product of urban-dwellers. Good point. But beyond demonstrating that this is a phenomenon that has prevailed over centuries, this book comes up short. 20 August 2006
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First off - there is no way this deserves to win the Hugo or the Nebula awards...never mind both. And it is the most self-consciously Canadian book I've read. And the writing style is very straightforward. First he did this, then she did that, and he though this and she said that, and so on. But it is an intersting idea, and it did keep me engaged to the rather ridiculous climax on the far side of the moon. Is it just me, or could the whole legal aspect of the book have been avoided if the "real" Karen had set up a beneficiary trust, and charged the trustee with providing for the ongoing maintenance of the Mindscan-Karen in perpetuity. 20 July 2006
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