Space Opera by Catherynne Valente

SPOILERS ARE EVERYWHERE! – BEWARE!

The Thumbs

  • 5 3/4 up

    • Fun Story. Could feel the author. Decibel Jones.
    • Tim Robbins + Douglass Adams + Michael Chabon
    • A could choice for the club based on what we’ve read so far

  • 1 down –

    • The whole book was that episode of Rick & Morty with “Show Me What You Got!”
    • unnecessary book. the eagles could have just carried the ring over Morder

Good Moments

  • Grief endures.
  • Cool plot!
  • Worm hole as sleepy weird space monster.
  • Music contest. “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture”
    • Bougesie massacred as part of their song
  • Capo (the cat) fails the first step of sentience test
  • 1/3 of book is for massachistic cat lovers …
  • Fun and funny book. Eurovision Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.
  • Good Philosophical nuggets
    • “nobody weeps for meat.”
    • “Is your society kind enough to let people be weird?”
  • The scene where we learn how/why Mira died was the most evocative bit.
  • Complexity with Oort and Decibel made a lot of sense.
  • Writing comedy is really hard. Kudos to Catherynne M Valente for her courage.
  • Walk into the human suit machine… Awesome display of humanity.
    • Oort is English Blokeman.
    • Decibel is crazy David Bowie/Freddie Mercury mashup. Big colors. Loud noises
  • Inarguable facts. Cool idea. (Greugar Gorecannon’s Unkillable Facts)
    • Everybody wants to get laid.
    • If you eat it, it used to be alive or something alive made it.
  • Feelings crystal .. you keep your feelings inside (?). Ew… gross!
  • Good restraint – we didn’t know about England’s political and economical turmoil

Things We Thought Could Be Improved

  • Too many races.
  • Story is needlessly complex.
    • Skimmed the history. Couldn’t keep up with all the various races.
  • Ends too fast. Build for nothing.
  • Style got old.
  • Knew what would happen within 20 minutes…
    • Wrong medium… Should be Monster Manual or Graphic Novel
      • Felt like Scott Pilgrim Saves The World
  • Needed one more edit.

The Questions

  • How was the ending?

    • no issues
    • check it out; women matter… Refrigerator Monologues
      • Without Mira, the two men fall apart.
      • With her, they’re enough to save the human race.. superheroes.

  • Favorite Species?

    • The esca.. crazy ostrich that translates all language.
    • Universal Archive… cataloguing the shit. Pitch black. Apathy.
    • Time-travelling red pandas.
    • Plants on seratonin/cocaine planet where they just don’t quite get it, because like “cool… man… come on through”
    • Hive Mind.. The Flus.
    • Chainsaw/Crocodile mix with soft feelings. Either split your head open or cry.

  • Human were terrible and good to each other…

    • Esca fixed society in 20 years, but only after genocide. Everyone was messy.

  • What would your outfit be?

    • cowboy boots (thigh high); leather bracelet; jean shorts that are classy
    • face and hair: high pony tail (x10 current hair); classic cat eye/red-lip (Frida/Merrilyn– classic French rouge)
    • well tailored suit. just body hair with SF hat; assless; nipple holes
    • black sweats; forest green hoodie.. but the vibe is :100: a well tailored suit

  • Everyone heard a deeply comforting voice from the Esca… what voice would you hear?

    • 2 cats (whatever voice they would have); + Jim Dale
    • Morgan Freeman
    • Kindergarten Teacher
    • BFs
    • Rusch Limbaugh
    • SF Giants broadcaster // Uncle
    • Mom

  • How was the sex stuff for you guys?

    • Selfish top energy.. got it!
    • Love is love!

Other Notes

  • Full Kafka would be a great cocktail name.
  • Sooo much of art is not in the hands of the creator.
    • The beauty of creation is that it means something different for everybody.
      • If you can create a thing that makes us feel you get to live on.