The Amateurs
3 journalers for this copy...
The time line flattens,
and all possibilities
become or go away forever.
and all possibilities
become or go away forever.
This lucky little book has become part of a mini-trade! :)
May it provide some fun and entertainment with it's new reader! ;)
May it provide some fun and entertainment with it's new reader! ;)
The box of trade books arrived today - many thanks for knocking off so many of my wishlist books at once! I first heard about this one via a post in John Scalzi's blog, and was intrigued - sounds like a mix of SF and a classic Lotus Eater Machine.
Later: I really enjoyed this book, though it is very, very... weird. In some respects it felt like a longish episode of "Twilight Zone" or "Outer Limits", enigmatic and uncomfortable.
The premise: a huge global tech company (that bears no resemblance to any current global social-media/connectivity firms at all, no really) has released a new device that they simply call "Port". The ports are reported to take users anywhere in time and/or space that they want, instantly - and while it's said that some people have returned to report on their travels, the vast majority of people who step into the ports do not come back.
Whatever the lure of the ports and the idealized past or imagined future they can offer, it seems that it's overwhelming; as the story opens, most of the world's populations have vanished into the ports, leaving much of the infrastructure in shambles and the remaining people having to form isolated communities where they scavenge the leftovers and decide whether to build new, low-tech civilizations or walk into the ports themselves.
There's also a plot-thread from the viewpoint of one of the higher-up employees of the corporation, a guy who's been staying at the corporate compound with the founder and a select group of staff who've opted to remain. It has a very cult-ish feel, and Brandon is beginning to think that there's more behind the "Port" technology and rollout than has been made public - and that he's no longer sure he wants any part of it.
We also get a glimpse of one person's visit through the Port, which is quite disturbing in its own right, though it doesn't necessarily confirm that this is what every user experiences - or whether it's an objective reality or some kind of dream-state. But it's provocative and unsettling, and makes the Ports seem even more tempting and sinister than before.
There are layers to the story, from gritty-survival to cosmic philosophy - unusual and memorable!
Later: I really enjoyed this book, though it is very, very... weird. In some respects it felt like a longish episode of "Twilight Zone" or "Outer Limits", enigmatic and uncomfortable.
The premise: a huge global tech company (that bears no resemblance to any current global social-media/connectivity firms at all, no really) has released a new device that they simply call "Port". The ports are reported to take users anywhere in time and/or space that they want, instantly - and while it's said that some people have returned to report on their travels, the vast majority of people who step into the ports do not come back.
Whatever the lure of the ports and the idealized past or imagined future they can offer, it seems that it's overwhelming; as the story opens, most of the world's populations have vanished into the ports, leaving much of the infrastructure in shambles and the remaining people having to form isolated communities where they scavenge the leftovers and decide whether to build new, low-tech civilizations or walk into the ports themselves.
There's also a plot-thread from the viewpoint of one of the higher-up employees of the corporation, a guy who's been staying at the corporate compound with the founder and a select group of staff who've opted to remain. It has a very cult-ish feel, and Brandon is beginning to think that there's more behind the "Port" technology and rollout than has been made public - and that he's no longer sure he wants any part of it.
We also get a glimpse of one person's visit through the Port, which is quite disturbing in its own right, though it doesn't necessarily confirm that this is what every user experiences - or whether it's an objective reality or some kind of dream-state. But it's provocative and unsettling, and makes the Ports seem even more tempting and sinister than before.
There are layers to the story, from gritty-survival to cosmic philosophy - unusual and memorable!
Journal Entry 4 by 
GoryDetails
at Main Street (see notes for details) in Wilton, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, April 3, 2022
GoryDetails at Main Street (see notes for details) in Wilton, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, April 3, 2022
Released 2 yrs ago (4/3/2022 UTC) at Main Street (see notes for details) in Wilton, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.I plan to leave this book, bagged against the elements, near the heron sculpture on the riverwalk; hope someone enjoys it!
[See other recent releases in NH here.]
** Released for the Keep Them Moving challenge. **
Found this book completely by chance! Stopped to make a call in Wilton NH and I looked out my window and saw this book. Like other comments have said, a sci-fi/time travel/mega corp saga. Once I started reading it on a flight to South Carolina, I couldn't put it down. I will place this book here on Isle of Palms for the next reader to enjoy!
