tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post9024076732403007241..comments2024-02-27T03:15:13.798-08:00Comments on Silver Goggles: Jay Lake's MainspringJhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16985629384463009968noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post-73195909867830626502013-11-02T21:52:40.666-07:002013-11-02T21:52:40.666-07:00The only thing after the "plush toys" (w...The only thing after the "plush toys" (what a great descriptor!) are these tall obsidian giants which I'm not sure what the purpose is at all beyond filler. You didn't miss much, and further rants about Mainspring are welcome anytime! Jhahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16985629384463009968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post-22186001224415868212013-10-02T00:38:54.976-07:002013-10-02T00:38:54.976-07:00I came searching for this blog entry (or ANY blog ...I came searching for this blog entry (or ANY blog entry or review) hoping to learn if I was just being delusional and over-sensitive to the point of getting a nose-bleed while deciding to stop reading Mainspring. I'm a black, non-heterosexual guy, and by the time I reached the 200 page mark of the paperback edition of <i>Mainspring</i>, I felt as if I'd just been punched in the face a few times. That, and I got tired of asking myself: "Did I really just read that? Am I missing something here? Is there a satirical commentary that I'm too dumb to pick up? Should I keep reading, or is the author going to reach out and try to deliver another mean right-hook?" Reading a book should not be a painful experience, as I read Mainspring, I got the distinct impression that what the book was really saying was that Jay Lake probably prefers a world in which I don’t exist: which really sucks since I just paid for his book. I mean, the book felt as if it was CONSCIOUSLY AVOIDING the presence of black characters, and when the protagonist “descended” onto the African continent, he was met by a bunch of ticking, ambulatory sex toys with a quaint “cute” cosmology. OK…I only made it to page 222, but the first time Arellya was introduced, her plush love-toy status was *clearly* telegraphed. There is so much more to say, but you’ve already said a lot, quite succinctly and clearly, and thank you for that, and thank you for allowing me this little space for a rant. Chipacabrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11000766119933821451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post-55615455751709755592010-12-29T16:33:02.831-08:002010-12-29T16:33:02.831-08:00The book actually takes place in 1900, which seems...The book actually takes place in 1900, which seems an excuse to cover up the sexism (and not a very good one). To me, it felt like Jay Lake had the first half of his novel figured out, and then just vomited out the rest until he eventually said "screw it" and wrote "THE END". I'm very weary about that sequel, since this book began degenerating from the first page. When southern Africa was populated by actual intelligent Apes, I started wondering whether Lake even considered any of the implications of what he wrote.Michalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02198881279554204600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post-25410353459472003472010-04-03T20:26:17.588-07:002010-04-03T20:26:17.588-07:00It was in 2007, so before RaceFail, I suppose. The...It was in 2007, so before RaceFail, I suppose. There's a sequel, which has more action in the South and female leads, so we'll see.Jhahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16985629384463009968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post-89975098239851815842010-04-03T18:56:23.487-07:002010-04-03T18:56:23.487-07:00I didn't even know that this story even existe...I didn't even know that this story even existed before. I don't think I'm thankful for that now after reading this epic amount of fail. How the hell did this even get published?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3235431266233602422.post-53676186657871308652010-04-03T18:00:25.817-07:002010-04-03T18:00:25.817-07:00So I was reading this and you said the women in th...So I was reading this and you said the women in this world were breeding machines and I thought:<br /><br />"OH SHIT HE GONE DONE A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axlotl_tank#Axlotl_tank" rel="nofollow">TLEILAXU</a>. FRANK HERBERT NO!"<br /><br />But sadly is not. O WELL.T-Boyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05846000376281629712noreply@blogger.com