Microblog Memes

I can't get into his writing. I like his stories, but his prose is always bubbling with this unearned enthusiasm that doesn't let the reader actually feel what they want to feel about a situation ("this is so cool!" okay, I guess I should feel happy this...). Plus his characters are all essentially interchangeable with maybe one or two tacked on characteristics that desperately scream "look at me, I'm quirky!" You always have the impression that he's just using his characters as props to accelerate the plot, and once they're off the page they're essentially waiting in stasis to be called back into action.

Contrast this style of writing to Ann Leckie's SciFi writing, where characters are defined largely by their actions and spoken word is a luxury used to deliver cutting statements that give insights into the rich tapestry of culture, where you're not even aware of their physical characteristics such as gender or number of limbs, because they ultimately do not matter and they let you the reader form your own idea and own opinion of the scene taking place in front of you.

He doesn't hint at a wider world, he just outright states exactly what's happening in any given scene, and I guess I just find that somewhat lazy/insulting

I just reread that and Project Hail Mary, because I finally read Artemis and needed more Andy Weir. That man tickles exactly the right part of my brain.

Now I’m onto the Bobiverse series and loving it.