Utopia for Realists: And How We Can Get There

Despite ending by stating that “to change the world, we need to be unrealistic, unreasonable, and impossible”, this book's title is particularly fitting, as it depicts a far too realistic “utopia”. It tackles major problems like poverty, inequality, too much focus on work, especially of the wrong kind, or the systems that stifle progress, but a good part is dedicated to advocating for a universal, unconditional basic income that’s enough to live on, which concept has been proven to work long ago only to be scuppered by lobbying and politics. And UBI logically leads to a much shorter work week, freeing time not only for leisure and relationships, but also for volunteering, education or art, focusing on beneficial and necessary jobs, like garbage collectors, nurses and teachers, embracing automatization, and eliminating “bullshit jobs”. Also perfectly logical, but somewhat bolder, is pointing out that the jobs that currently bring the most benefits, like lobbyists, bankers, advertisers and many lawyers, tend to actually harm, and asking for penalties for them. Advocating for open borders, which the part about using science and studies to direct development aid can be said to follow from, may currently appear bolder still, but it’s also pointed out that restricting migration is actually a very recent phenomenon.
It starts and ends well enough, stressing how terrible things have been throughout human history, asking to bring back an idea of utopia now that the developed world has mostly become a Land of Plenty, and calling the left to wake up and fight for it, with courage, determination and a clear vision, aiming to make the impossible, inevitable. In between, however, it only briefly touches upon what could and should become the utopian goals of tomorrow, like aiming for what would now be seen as full unemployment, conforming to environmental limits or eliminating the financial system, and doesn’t tackle something like overhauling the concept of the nation state at all. So, again, the concepts advocated here, while necessary, depict what could and should have been the present, the push towards a daring vision of utopia being left for others.

Rating: 3/5

The Dead and the Rotten

Compared to the first two books, the way the writing style improved and how Marigold developed as a character continue to be impressive, but the epic story from the third book, while not forgotten, is pretty much set aside, this one once again depicting a heroic fantasy adventure. It's not the one that Marigold initially signs up for, however, and while he rather accidentally happens to be there at the conclusion of the "main event", his primary goal once it begins is simply to survive the night, preferably along with a few of those who happened to be around him at the time, the other battles and the push towards the source of the problem being left to others and "off camera" until the end. The high point comes halfway through, in chapters eight and ten, when the thrill and the desperation of the battle reach their peak while somehow still leaving room for a few moments of grim humor.
The main problem is that the chapters alternate between Marigold and Helman, and I could have really done without the latter. Sure, they present how and why things are happening and will probably have some relevance in future books, but that could have been achieved without constantly breaking up the action for that despicable, infuriating, nauseating depiction of "chaotic evil", an utter moron incapable of seeing anything other than his most basic and selfish desires, bringing about a localized apocalypse without realizing much of anything even when it's quite literally staring him right in the face, and constantly behaving in a manner that will trigger the entire gamut of negative reactions from anyone on this side, or in fact on either side, of unrequited love, or of abuse, or who simply has any shred of morality, ethics, empathy, or even simply sanity. Otherwise, I'd still mention Marigold's unbelievable strength and fortitude, all of the hero's luck and the fact that, after the end of the actual adventure, too much is spent on presenting the aftermath and most probably setting up the next book or books, but those are lesser problems.

Rating: 3/5

Hurry up! There aren't many hours left to finish your books in 2023!

I've familiarized myself with every significant page in the Alien Role-Playing Extended Rulebook. I dare you to ask about the locations, creatures, and scenarios I've concocted with such inspiration.

Was looking for something to read. Found an english translation of the Bookwalker, The Door to Door Bookstore.
Thanks for the recommendations:)

New thread is up.