M. R. Carey: Echo of Worlds

Hi everyone 

Echo of Worlds is the second book in the Pandominion duology by M. R. Carey (or Mike Carey). 
I got my book from Bol.com.

"Two mighty empires are at war - and both will lose, with thousands of planets falling to the extinction event called the Scour. At least that's what the artificial intelligence known as Rupshe believes.
But somewhere in the multiverse there exists a force - the Mother Mass - that could end the war in an instant, and Rupshe has assembled a team to find it. Essien Nkanika, a soldier trying desperately to atone for past sins; the cat-woman Moon, a conscienceless killer; the digitally recorded mind of physicist Hadiz Tambuwal; Paz, an idealistic child and the renegade robot spy Dulcimer Coronal.
Their mission will take them from the hellish prison world of Tsakom to the poisoned remains of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and finally bring them face to face with the Mother Mass itself. But can they persuade it to end eons of neutrality and help them? And is it too late to make a difference?
Because the Pandominion's doomsday machines are about to be unleashed - and not even their builders know how to control them." 

First, let’s talk about everything I loved. The characters are fantastic; every single one is distinct, fully fleshed out, and compelling. I cared about the ones I was supposed to care for, and I disliked the ones I was supposed to dislike (even though I understood their motivations). Carey has a real talent for creating characters who feel like real people, people who are layerd and can be morally gray. 
The worldbuilding and concepts are also fascinating. The idea of a multiverse at war, with an extinction-level threat looming, is gripping. The setting is vivid and it makes you think about our world. I love the idea of these stepwise worlds and the endless possibilities it could give us if this were true. 

Unfortunately, my biggest issue with Echo of Worlds is the same one I had with Infinity Gate: the writing is dense, and the pacing is all over the place. The first 200 pages were a real struggle. The writing style is so dense and technical that I found myself easily distracted by the smallest things. It didn’t feel like a relaxing read at all. The technical exposés that sometimes take up multiple pages didn’t help; they pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me in. Reading this book felt more like work than enjoyment for most of the time.  

I was really excited about the concept of the Mother Mass, but it felt underrealized. It had so much potential but it felt like a missed opportunity.
The ending didn’t feel satisfying at all. Without giving away spoilers, the resolution relied heavily on a deus ex machina; something I always absolutely hate. We’re just supposed to trust it to know what’s best for everyone? That’s not how I like my stories to wrap up.

Echo of Worlds has amazing ideas and characters, but the execution left me frustrated. The dense writing, uneven pacing, and unsatisfying ending made it a tough read for me. In the end, it just didn’t deliver the experience I was hoping for.

Have you read The Pandominion Duology? What did you think? Did you struggle with the pacing like I did or maybe it wasn't a problem for you? Let me know in the comments; I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena 

M. R. Carey: Infinity Gate

Hi everyone

Infinity Gate is the first book in the Pandominion duology by M. R. Carey.
I got my book from Bol.com and I have to say, this book really pulled me in.

"The a political and trading alliance of a million worlds. Except that they’re really just one world, Earth, in many different realities. And when an A.I. threat arises that could destroy everything the Pandominion has built, they’ll eradicate it by whatever means necessary.
Scientist Hadiz Tambuwal is looking for a solution to her own Earth’s environmental collapse when she stumbles across the secret of inter-dimensional travel, a secret that could save everyone on her dying planet. It leads her into the middle of a war on a scale she never dreamed of. And she needs to choose a side before every reality pays the price."

I really liked this book. The writing style is quite dense, and I’ll admit, the first few days I picked it up, it took me some time to get into it and I was easily distracted. But once I was a few pages in, I couldn’t put it down. It’s definitely not a light read, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. The hard work to read this made this into a four star book instead of the full five stars.

The characters are what really made this story shine. You get to know them so well that you understand their choices, even when you know they’re not the smartest. The book focuses on a handful of characters, each with their own distinct personalities and plotlines. There’s never a dull moment, and I especially loved reading from the perspective of a machine; it was different, exciting, and made me question so much about our own world and what the future might hold.

The worldbuilding is rich and immersive. I loved learning about the different peoples and worlds, especially the races that evolved from completely different ancestors. It’s all so vivid and fascinating.
I’m really hoping we’ll learn more about the Ansurrection in the next book. It’s such an intriguing plotline, and I want to know how it came to be and how it all works. And honestly, I can’t wait to find out how everything ends! This book was so promising and left me with so many questions; especially about the narrator. Who are they/he/she? I have an idea but I can't know for sure. For now.

If you love sci-fi that makes you think and keeps you on the edge of your seat, Infinity Gate is absolutely worth your time. I’m already counting down the days until I can dive into the second book!

Happy reading!
Helena