Antolius reviewed The Outside by Ada Hoffmann (The Outside)
Not bad, short of good
3 stars
Content warning Discussing some plot and world building details
Unfortunately this book failed to resonate with me. Its themes all sound interesting: AI gods, mad scientists, cosmic horrors. But its delivery made it all too unbelievable for me.
For example, AI gods depicted here are obviously sadistic, bordering on comic book villainy. Yet the general populous regards them as loving and worships them with honest devotion. Now, this by itself would not be a problem: I'd gladly read a book that explored this dichotomy. However, this book kinda glosses over it at first, and then it makes revealing gods' true nature to people a key part of the plan to resolve the plot. At no point does it explore or reflect on why everyone kept ignoring the obvious signs before. It is content to ignore this aspect of human condition. Which again would be fine, had it not been critical for the plot itself.
Science receives a similar treatment. Both the main protagonist and the main antagonist are supposed to be brilliant scientists. However whenever it comes to them doing anything scientific the depiction of it devolves into mysticism and stereotypical "the energy did it" wordage. Which would not be a problem in a more soft sci-fi story, but this book in particular keeps insisting on the scientific angle. Without delivering it.
In the end the story is interesting, and some of the concepts it plays around are worth exploring. But it fails to deliver on its full potential.
