Too Like the Lightning
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆
Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota, Book 1) by Ada Palmer
Too philosophical for its own good.
Beautifully written, with a rich and complex world. It features some of the most unique fourth-wall breaks in recent years, and a story concept that challenges the morality and ethics of progress.
The problem is that it’s often too philosophical for its own good.
When I say “beautifully written,” I mean it. Early on, I found myself drawn in by the writing style alone. At times, I didn’t even care what was happening in the plot, I was fascinated by the shear linguistics.
But as I settled into the style, I had to step back and focus on the story itself. That’s when I realized how small the story actually felt. It seemed to unfold in the spaces between the words, as if the real narrative was hidden beneath the surface in subtext.
As fascinating and idealistic as it is, Too Like the Lightning feels more like a work of philosophy than traditional science fiction.
