Sea of Tranquility, Emily St John Mandel.

My first impression was that this would be a pleasant three star pot
boiler as the writing style and content appeared simple and straight
forward and I had no idea what to expect as I had read nothing about it
prior to beginning to read. However, after about half way, the plot soon
became more complicated and a solid four stars resulted. It is a story
from the perspective of a new employee of the government agency having
the only time travel machine and their failure to follow rules resulting
in the question of whether reality is a simulation.
The structure is the same as David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas with four
layers written by the same person in the same style instead of six
written by different people in different styles so it is a lot simpler,
a lot shorter but still fascinating. Highly recommended.


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On 6/4/25 1:32 AM, Titus G wrote:

Sea of Tranquility, Emily St John Mandel.

My first impression was that this would be a pleasant three star pot
boiler as the writing style and content appeared simple and straight
forward and I had no idea what to expect as I had read nothing about it
prior to beginning to read. However, after about half way, the plot soon became more complicated and a solid four stars resulted. It is a story
from the perspective of a new employee of the government agency having
the only time travel machine and their failure to follow rules resulting
in the question of whether reality is a simulation.
The structure is the same as David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas with four
layers written by the same person in the same style instead of six
written by different people in different styles so it is a lot simpler,
a lot shorter but still fascinating. Highly recommended.

Thank you for this. Isfdb indicates this is the second entry in the
Caiette series. Have you read the first one? (The Glass Hotel)


Tony

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On 6/06/25 13:02, Tony Nance wrote:

On 6/4/25 1:32 AM, Titus G wrote:

Sea of Tranquility, Emily St John Mandel.

My first impression was that this would be a pleasant three star pot
boiler as the writing style and content appeared simple and straight
forward and I had no idea what to expect as I had read nothing about it
prior to beginning to read. However, after about half way, the plot soon
became more complicated and a solid four stars resulted. It is a story
from the perspective of a new employee of the government agency having
the only time travel machine and their failure to follow rules resulting
in the question of whether reality is a simulation.
The structure is the same as David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas with four
layers written by the same person in the same style instead of six
written by different people in different styles so it is a lot simpler,
a lot shorter but still fascinating. Highly recommended.

Thank you for this. Isfdb indicates this is the second entry in the
Caiette series. Have you read the first one? (The Glass Hotel)

Tony

No. That was the first of hers that I have read. It was recommended by
one of my favourite authors, (I can't remember who), on Fantastic
Fiction. I now want to read The Glass Hotel and Station Eleven which has
also been nominated for awards. A look at the brief outline at Fantastic Fiction doesn't suggest that The Glass Hotel is related to Sea of
Tranquillity, (now spelt correctly), which I think I would also like to
reread soon even though there will be no surprises.

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