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silentbutcuddly's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
An interesting idea marred by uneven pacing and flat passive characters.
In “Sycamore” Kurt Jacobs invents the Seed, a microchip implanted in people’s hand that allows them to connect to the Sycamore Corporation’s system via their UltraLenses. Soon the Sycamore Corporation, in collusion with the US government, forces everyone to be chipped and wear their VirtualLenses all the time.
There were several issues I had with this book and the others in the series. First, Kurt and the other character were flat and lacked any personality. He showed no concern for the increasingly fascist things Sycamore did until it affected him and his family.
Second, this book lacked proper editing. It’s supposed to be set in the US but used Britishisms like queue/queue up, meters instead of yards/feet, and jerry can instead of gas can. Moreover, the story dragged on to more than 60-plus chapters.
This wouldn’t have been an issue, if not for the pacing problems. Multiple chapters would go by with little to no plot progression, then event after event would happen, leading to whiplash. And as Kurt failed to react to most of these events, he came off as highly passively and little more than a plot device to experience the story.
But the biggest issue I had was we’re supposed to believe Kurt is a genius and hacker, yet he failed to foresee how his Seed could be misused and abused. This is especially glaring given later in the series we learn he frequented a conspiracy theory website. So, you mean to tell me he didn’t stop once to consider the privacy issues his Seed could cause?
I also took points off because it ended on a cliffhanger.
But the premise itself was interesting and seeing how society changed as Sycamore gained more power, becoming increasingly Orwellian, was like watching an extended episode of “Black Mirror.”
Because of the above, I give “Sycamore” 3.8 stars. If you can look past its faults, this is a decent story.
In “Sycamore” Kurt Jacobs invents the Seed, a microchip implanted in people’s hand that allows them to connect to the Sycamore Corporation’s system via their UltraLenses. Soon the Sycamore Corporation, in collusion with the US government, forces everyone to be chipped and wear their VirtualLenses all the time.
There were several issues I had with this book and the others in the series. First, Kurt and the other character were flat and lacked any personality. He showed no concern for the increasingly fascist things Sycamore did until it affected him and his family.
Second, this book lacked proper editing. It’s supposed to be set in the US but used Britishisms like queue/queue up, meters instead of yards/feet, and jerry can instead of gas can. Moreover, the story dragged on to more than 60-plus chapters.
This wouldn’t have been an issue, if not for the pacing problems. Multiple chapters would go by with little to no plot progression, then event after event would happen, leading to whiplash. And as Kurt failed to react to most of these events, he came off as highly passively and little more than a plot device to experience the story.
But the biggest issue I had was we’re supposed to believe Kurt is a genius and hacker, yet he failed to foresee how his Seed could be misused and abused. This is especially glaring given later in the series we learn he frequented a conspiracy theory website. So, you mean to tell me he didn’t stop once to consider the privacy issues his Seed could cause?
I also took points off because it ended on a cliffhanger.
But the premise itself was interesting and seeing how society changed as Sycamore gained more power, becoming increasingly Orwellian, was like watching an extended episode of “Black Mirror.”
Because of the above, I give “Sycamore” 3.8 stars. If you can look past its faults, this is a decent story.
thelauramay's review
5.0
A brilliant and relevant sci-fi from a debut author. It's so realistic, he could be talking about things happening tomorrow, or next week. An interesting and matrix-like insight into what the future could hold, and what pitfalls could accompany it.
nateorrow's review
2.0
The plot, whilst not completely original, treads a fine line between borrowing from other books of a similar ilk (ie, 1984) and breaking some new ground.
There is something inherently worrying, yet familiar about the story of Kurt Jacobs, the protagonist and hotshot of Sycamore. Unfortunately there's something undeniably dislikeable about him too.
Portrayed as whiny and neurotic, the character flip flops between moral outrage, the lure of technological progress and his desire to do something good in the world.
The series has promise, for sure. There is ample room for growth and even a relatable character arc for Jacobs.
Sycamore 2? Hopeful yet unconvinced.
I'll let you know.
There is something inherently worrying, yet familiar about the story of Kurt Jacobs, the protagonist and hotshot of Sycamore. Unfortunately there's something undeniably dislikeable about him too.
Portrayed as whiny and neurotic, the character flip flops between moral outrage, the lure of technological progress and his desire to do something good in the world.
The series has promise, for sure. There is ample room for growth and even a relatable character arc for Jacobs.
Sycamore 2? Hopeful yet unconvinced.
I'll let you know.
feimineach's review
4.0
(Enjoyed but a little frustrated that it was the first of a series. Want the closure but don't necessarily want to invest more time.)
sheldonqueens's review
4.0
A very present-day near-future novel in the form of 1984, but more in tune within an environment and way of life that we are more familiar with.
Told cleverly as a fictional story, the author manages to bring awareness to all the dangers and horrors that new technology is likely to achieve, taking over our way of life as a means of progress and convenience, when in fact, it is pure mass enslavement in disguise - half of which is already at our doorstep or currently in the works.
So needless to say, this makes for quite a page-turning read. Especially if one is already up to date with technology and activities that are already in operation and having sound predictions of what is very likely to follow over the next few decades.
I only had a couple of gripes with the overall story, but they are minor in the grand scheme of things.
One is that the technological progress within the story occurs in the space of just a few months, with groundbreaking advances taking merely weeks. But as unrealistic as that may be, it thankfully does not harm the story. (After all, I could always just imagine the weeks being months, or a couple of months being several, if I wanted to ground it a more satisfactory level in my head).
The other issue I had was with the protagonist's character. For someone in his early 20's, I couldn't help but see him as a naive (and very irritating) teenager - albeit in his late teens, or at most, a college freshman.
Still, this was very likely intentional so as to play off against his adversary in regular dialogue-heavy confrontations - this being his boss, the founder of Sycamore and the villain in this tale.
All in all, this was a surprisingly fast read with a pace that never got bogged down by unnecessary details and descriptions that would otherwise slow the flow; and it certainly makes you think of what's to come in terms of mass media technology.
Told cleverly as a fictional story, the author manages to bring awareness to all the dangers and horrors that new technology is likely to achieve, taking over our way of life as a means of progress and convenience, when in fact, it is pure mass enslavement in disguise - half of which is already at our doorstep or currently in the works.
So needless to say, this makes for quite a page-turning read. Especially if one is already up to date with technology and activities that are already in operation and having sound predictions of what is very likely to follow over the next few decades.
I only had a couple of gripes with the overall story, but they are minor in the grand scheme of things.
One is that the technological progress within the story occurs in the space of just a few months, with groundbreaking advances taking merely weeks. But as unrealistic as that may be, it thankfully does not harm the story. (After all, I could always just imagine the weeks being months, or a couple of months being several, if I wanted to ground it a more satisfactory level in my head).
The other issue I had was with the protagonist's character. For someone in his early 20's, I couldn't help but see him as a naive (and very irritating) teenager - albeit in his late teens, or at most, a college freshman.
Still, this was very likely intentional so as to play off against his adversary in regular dialogue-heavy confrontations - this being his boss, the founder of Sycamore and the villain in this tale.
All in all, this was a surprisingly fast read with a pace that never got bogged down by unnecessary details and descriptions that would otherwise slow the flow; and it certainly makes you think of what's to come in terms of mass media technology.
gladmum's review
5.0
wow just wow, This is an amazing book, fast paced and filled with twists and turns!!! You better clear a few hours before opening because you will not want to put it down!!
scpmrt's review
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
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