Proof of Concept, Gwyneth Jones
Received to review via Netgalley; publication date 11th April 2017
I’m not sure if it’s my reading comprehension or the book at fault, but I did have some trouble understanding the technology and political background to this. There’s stuff which is obvious (overcrowding has forced people into hive-like cities, people want to go to nearby habitable planets) and then there’s the science and the politics of funding the venture and… whatever all that means.
However, on the personal level it worked: Kir’s connection with Margrethe, her difficult relationship with Bill, her half-a-relationship with the computer in her own head, Altair. The hothouse effect of the confined living space felt real, as did the consternation spreading through the group. The ending worked as well, though it felt a little rushed.
Overall, not the most effective of the Tor.com novellas, but that’s a pretty high bar to try and clear. It was entertaining enough to keep me reading.
My review goes up tomorrow – I found the beginning a real muddle, but I think I liked it less than you – I’ve hovered between 2 and 3 stars (so I’ll call it 2.5). This is the first novella in a while that I’ve found less than the sum of its parts – I ended up not really sure what I was meant to care about.
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I thought it was a bit shaky, too; hard to say how much I enjoyed it, but there were aspects I appreciated.