Light

If you're into dense sci-fi, exposition, and lots of description of women's bodies, this is your jam!

I don't get it. I read this because I've seen it hyped as a sci-fi masterpiece. I even saw a few publications list it as one of the best novels of the century. But I don't think it's good.

There are four loosely connected stories and they all move at a snail's pace, all bogged down by excessive descriptions that somehow don't help you understand what's being described and excessive exposition that somehow doesn't help you understand the world. The novel seems purposely difficult, but not in a fun way like “House of Leaves.”

Also, the characters are all horrible, like the worst people imaginable. I hate all of them and care what happens to none of them.

I will say that the story is unique and Harrison certainly did a lot of world-building in his head, but he didn't do a good job of putting that world on paper.

Before the story starts, there is a forward written by someone who says he didn't like the book the first time he read it, but after reading it subsequent times, it grew on him. That's who they asked to write the forward. I think that tells you a lot about the book.