Justin's Notes

Apr. 2, 2024

I have continued to think about this book since I finished reading it. It was incredible. Don't be worried because it is a Stephen King book. Don't be worried that it's a tome. I am confident that if you like historical or science fiction, it will pull you in effortlessly. I look forward to reading it again. I wrote more about it here if you need more convincing.

This was a super interesting read. It was my first experience with Eastern science fiction writing. I have only read one other Eastern fiction writing, but it was very different than this. The story tells of a secret military project from the past that attempted to make contact with extraterrestrial life and begins to show the repercussions and fallout in the current day. This book honestly felt like an intro. I hit about the 25% mark, then texted a friend if I should understand more of what was happening. It was probably about the halfway point of the book that I started to get hooked. I think this was due to both how Liu wanted to set up the story and the differences in writing styles between Eastern and Western writing. Again, I am pretty new to Eastern writing, but it feels different to read for me.

Either way, I did enjoy this book. If you love science fiction, you should read this. It may be a bit tougher of a read for a more casual or beginner sci-fi reader, but I think you should see that as a challenge and not a deterrent. It is an intriguing story so far and I had a good time. I am excited to see the rest of the story unfold.

This was a solid read. There wasn't anything super new or mind-blowing for me. But it was practical. Full of reminders and encouragement to become a better disciple of Christ. I thought Comer laid out the process of becoming a disciple well. Especially acknowledging that the first step is always to just spend time with Jesus. There is no way to become more like Christ without spending time with him. I also really liked that Comer consistently reminds the reader that you have to start small. I remember as a 20-year-old, meeting with a mentor once a week to go over one chapter of the Bible. I just didn't have the practice built up. But one chapter a week was so much better than none. Comer reminds us that spiritual habits have to start small, just like any other kind of habit. This book is full of other logical reminders and encouragement, both from the Bible and the reality of life, to apply to your spiritual walk. Check it out if you are looking for practical ways to grow.