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lezreadalot's review
4.0
Consider mortality. Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live, and awareness of this crucial brevity tends to concentrate his mind. Immortals are under no such constraint.
4.5 stars. I don't often like books that I feel are just being clever for cleverness' sake, but this, I have to admit, was very good. After a couple of middling to okay reads, it was very nice to feel mentally locked in for the entire journey of this book, even though it was a pretty short one. Basically: a philosopher sells his soul to a devil, and then he starts getting Up To Something. That's all I want to say about the plot, because discovering where we were going with these two amoral, intelligent characters was extremely interesting. They both suck so bad, and that made them even more fascinating. I didn't realise reading about theories and moralities and such would be so interesting to me, but it really was, especially in this high fantasy world that had so many similarities to our own. And I loved the subtle humour; Parker writes with insight and wit that's hard to resist.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Will Damron, who's definitely one of my favourites. I do kinda wish that there had been two narrators, because I would sometimes get confused when the POV switched from the demon to the philosopher, but otherwise, great performance. I know this works as a standalone, but now I'm curious to read the other books in the series.
I give you the superman; man is something to be overcome.
jmross10's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A quick story with (obviously) philosophical undertones. It was interesting to see how a great mind got by and what they were willing to do to secure their legacy in the end. Also how certain events and situations can change a person. Even if they are not inherently human.
My one grievance is that the story is told in an alternating first person perspective. I'm not sure how its formatted in the physical version but the audiobook does not note when switching from Saloninus to the demon. As a result, it can get very confusing when they shift from one person to the other.
My one grievance is that the story is told in an alternating first person perspective. I'm not sure how its formatted in the physical version but the audiobook does not note when switching from Saloninus to the demon. As a result, it can get very confusing when they shift from one person to the other.
zivan's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mozartbenedict's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
neuroqueer's review
dark
funny
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
pandatheist's review
1.0
This didnt work for me to a remarkable level. The only named woman in the book was an unpleasant wife, true story not mattering, and the rest were a mass of sex workers brought to please and inspire artists and criminals. This described as a perfect society. Beyond this the plot hinged on undermining the premise in ways that felt childish at best and underminingly meaningless at worst.
steveatwaywords's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was my first Saloninus book, but it doesn't seem important to understanding this stand-alone story: the relevant backstory from Part 1 is offered here as needed.
A quick read, it was nonetheless a clever telling of a Faustian tale, replete with the requisite twists on the immortal contract (all of which were completely satisfying) along with some fun reflections and philosophical arguments upon economics, morality, corruption, and human behavior.
My only quibble with the work is that, since it does not aspire to more than clever tale, it does not rise to the storytelling level that the theme allows. So read it quickly and for pleasure, setting aside any expectations that we must dwell overlong on its implications.
A quick read, it was nonetheless a clever telling of a Faustian tale, replete with the requisite twists on the immortal contract (all of which were completely satisfying) along with some fun reflections and philosophical arguments upon economics, morality, corruption, and human behavior.
My only quibble with the work is that, since it does not aspire to more than clever tale, it does not rise to the storytelling level that the theme allows. So read it quickly and for pleasure, setting aside any expectations that we must dwell overlong on its implications.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence