Author: MSH

BSFG Goes to Sleep

Hi everybody,

Thank you for an amazing meeting (Pratchett <3) and a wonderful Secret Santa meeting. This is the official end of BSFG as of now. My contract at Bonn will end in March and as of now I haven’t found somebody who would be willing to take over BSFG.

If I find nobody, BSFG might move to another wee Discord where it’ll continue as a reading group with only a few reads per year. If you’re associated with Bonn and would like to take over officially though, please email me!

It has been my immense pleasure to talk books with you in the past few years. We read over 65 books together, danced at many ceilidhs and dressed up most spectacularly for various balls. We zoomed with authors from across the world and shared our passion for speculative fiction. How wonderful!

The Discord server is not offline yet, so check it out if you want to share pictures of your Secret Santa gift, join a D&D campaign or recommend a great book you’ve recently read!

May 2025 be a great year for all of us!

Cheers

Pratchett Summary

What we enjoyed about “Going Postal”:

  • Funny, elaborate set-ups for jokes
  • Watch cameos nice, Vimes attitude + conman
  • Moist’s character cool, fun, liked reading about him, twists and turns, always has a plan B
  • If you like “Going Postal”, “Making Money” and “Raising Steam” might be to your liking
  • Ankh-Morpork a character in itself
  • Pratchett looking at things “we know” in a peculiar way, seeing it differently
  • Post Office distributing the old mail, entire book could’ve also been about it
  • Moist becomes the echo chamber of the past, he is being haunted
  • Moist is a man of action, very inventive, his tongue has a will of its own
  • Set-up hilarious: forced to fix the post office; “illusion of choice”
  • Vetinari absolutely amazing, he plays everyone; “he’s a tyrant but he makes sense”
  • Way Vetinari speaks is great; “Don’t let me detain you”; super scary without doing anything; suggests stuff, treats you like a puppet but lets you pull your own strings; Machiavelli
  • Political commentary, late stage capitalism, bureaucracy
  • Cool that the post office burned
  • Stanley nice
  • Stamp collecting nice
  • Moist def. has ADHD #headcannon
  • Golems fascinating
  • Moist coming back to himself after living a life of lies (as a conman), he knows what he’s good at
  • World very alive, nice to find connections between Discworld books
  • World is bigger than the book, something to explore
  • GNU idea terrible
  • Post Office supernatural
  • Audiobooks really good (various versions available)
  • Pratchett footnotes amazing
  • Moist using his skills to come up with stamps, fighting his past “forgery” Moist self (in “Making Money” he employs a forger to come up with unforgeable money)
  • Bloody Stupid Johnson great
  • Pratchett names are something
  • Moist’s outfit is “stupid but I like it”
  • “It comes with the hat”
  • Getting a job as a punishment (Vetinari)
  • Writing style whimsical, nice to read / nice to listen to (Briggs)
  • Different fonts used cool too
  • Cat at the post office, Moist had to go back and save it
  • Post office setting really nice, magical vs. mundane post office work
  • Cool marketing plots, Moist can sell things
  • Moist has to prove himself to the post office
  • Book has aged well
  • Modern bathroom debate: Gladys

What we discussed:

  • Clacks a bit underdeveloped, we do not really see the working class people
  • Terry Pratchett writing style not for everyone
  • Pacing in the beginning a bit off, Moist running off right away
  • Weird that this Pratchett has chapters with the summaries (others liked it)
  • Asking Adora out in public not cool (also bad in the movies)
  • Relationship with Moist & Adora not that well done also pacing-wise
  • Set-up of the race big but then execution bit underdeveloped; not spectacular
  • Ending meh
  • Moist name (have to harden yourself when reading it), Shakespeare vibes though (Bottom the Weaver)
  • Reading Pratchett can be exhausting (“I feel like I have to microdose Pratchett”)

Weird Ratings:

  • 4.5/5 points sealed with a kiss
  • Pump 4 1/2
  • 4/5 slippery moustache men
  • 4/5 jobs that come with a hat
  • 5/5 golden suits
  • 2/5 unread messages
  • 4/5 “alternative” choices
  • 4/5 postmen hating dogs
  • 5/5 spoons behind the wall
  • 5 is now equal to 4 1/2

GNU BSFG

Turton Summary (Spoiler-Free!)

What we enjoyed about “The 7 1/2 Lives of Evelyn Hardcastle”:

  • Classic Whodunnit with a modern thriller sensibility
  • Atmospheric
  • Intriguing read
  • Good vibe
  • “Whole book today felt like today’s weather”
  • Fun
  • Fast-paced
  • Agatha Christie vibes
  • Simplistic set-up but works
  • How can we evolve the plot?
  • Map in the book nice
  • Creepy big estate, surrounded by castles, “Rebecca” vibes
  • Cluedo vibes? But not too playful when the story progresses
  • Plays with narrative convention
  • Scheduled iterations interesting, exciting but exasperating
  • Matrix-style “mind f*ck”
  • “Doctor Who” & “River Song”: Where are you in your timeline?
  • Groundhog Day
  • What is happening in which order? Frustrating but also worthwhile
  • You are always on your toes
  • “I enjoyed being confused with the characters?”
  • Not too much mystery
  • A book that might be rewarding to read again!
  • “Really excited to go back into the story to see all the things that I miss”
  • Title: “7 1/2” deaths? Intriguing! Also called “7 Deaths” to avoid confusion with “Evelyn Hugo”
  • Writing style flows, reflecting the era very well
  • Same day and same place over and over again: detailed knowledge
  • Different reading experience
  • Multiperspectivity also tragic in parts
  • Intense
  • Time period / setting nice
  • Character portrayal interesting: most people are not nice but unique (still so many names!)
  • Feel for the characters
  • Role of Evelyn interesting
  • Plottwists tragic with multiple perspectives
  • Male gaze?
  • Explore the rules while the game has already been afoot for a while
  • Demands your full attention all the time to stay on top of the plot: who’s who, big cast of characters, complicated timelines
  • Explanation for why things the way they are: interesting
  • Hosts fighting back interesting
  • Be more than one appears to be
  • English gentry in decline: no romanticisation
  • Cool and unique murder mystery
  • How each host affects Aiden’s personality and skills
  • First part of book confusing and disorienting but in a good way

What we discussed (not everybody has finished reading yet!):

  • Wanted to know more about Evelyn’s past
  • Female characters lack depth in the beginning
  • No female host but Anna has a special role
  • Narration obsessed with men? Beautiful men? Queer reading?
  • Explanation for why things the way they are: not sure if “I like this”, “not sure yet if it matches my expectations”, “interesting concept”, did not see it coming
  • Concept good, execution bland: many gaps
  • Explore conceptual gaps more
  • Riddle of the story does not fit the pace and vibe of the novel’s beginning; does it need all that emotional drama?
  • Pacing in the beginning: annoyed by Aiden in the beginning by wasting time
  • Beginning might be hard to get into for some
  • Character construction / concept bit by the book: average turn of the century decadent men, “I did not like any of the characters”
  • Ableist / fatphobic perception, uncomfortable even though it makes sense to a certain extent from Aiden’s POV
  • Aiden judgemental but “I also liked disliking the characters” for being ‘bad’
  • Parts of the ending “I did not like, where I had expected more”
  • “I had high expectations but those were not met with the ending”
  • How can it be resolved? Author meddling? Coma? Dream? Time travel? But many BSFG members were disappointed by the ending
  • English gentry in decline vibe: upstairs, downstairs. Could have been explored more? But also cool.
  • Too many plot twists
  • Not enough world building
  • “Meh Ending”
  • The Footman!
  • “Oh the reasoning behind Aiden behing there was also meh”

Weird ratings:

  • So far 4/5 OH NO THE FOOTMAN IS COMING
  • 5/10 Plague Doctors
  • 4/5 Murder Mystery Mentions
  • 4/5 Chess pieces
  • So far 3/5 creepy notes left in weird places
  • 1 out of 60 chapters read haha
  • 4/5 terrible marriages
  • 3/5 hosts

The book had been recommended by a BSFG reader and we all liked it! Time loop + murder mystery were a great fit for November! 🙂 Thank you, Julia!!!

THE MEETING THEN CONTINUED WITH THOSE WHO HAD FINISHED THE BOOK! Updatres will follow!

Cho Summary

What we enjoyed about “Ocean’s Godori”:

  • Korean space opera interesting, culture interesting
  • Reading beyond the western scope amazing
  • Set in the future, Korea reunited and leading power
  • Traditions alive but futuristic, connection to Earth
  • Learned a lot by reading
  • Found family vibe of the crew lovely
  • Character dynamics more interesting than the ‘plot’
  • Captain odd one out also realistic
  • Haven Sasani likeable; unapologetic for who he is
  • Complexity of characters great: complex backgrounds
  • Needed to warm up to Ocean and Haven, but that was great as well
  • Side-characters endearing traits, not interchangable
  • Played with your expectations
  • Atmospheric, jump in into a place
  • Haven as a focaliser helpful and relatable
  • Eco-terrorism interesting
  • Rich people framing for murder interesting
  • Ocean and Teo good chemistry
  • Wonderful queer rep normalised
  • Teo’s grief was handled well, very moving
  • Characterisation very well done
  • Deep fake identity theft scary
  • Technology fascinating (but underused)
  • Death fascinating
  • Want to know more about Haven

What we discussed:

  • Political dimension could have been explained more
  • Plot a bit confusing / sparse
  • More world building
  • Took a long time to get into it; novel actually gets started after 50%
  • Unresolved family politics
  • Open ending frustrating
  • Storylines unfinished meh
  • Love triangle terrible
  • Pacing off, beginning super slow sadly
  • Not all focalisers likeable from the beginning, novel does not draw it in
  • Sequel not announced right away; sad; but there is going to be a sequel
  • Blurb spoilered us: waiting for this to happen
  • Lots of unused potential

Ratings:

  • 2.5/5 hover bikes
  • 4/5 found family tropes
  • 3/5 deep fake identity theft
  • Beginning too slow
  • Story bit meh
  • Characters and vibes fab

Kurvitz Summary

What we enjoyed about the book:

  • Weird fiction vibe
  • Postmodernism
  • Vibe in general, atmosphere
  • Fragmented narration, like a spiral
  • Good crime story
  • Mystery done well
  • Interesting pitfalls
  • Clues leading to other places
  • Fascinating world-building
  • Investigation to an erratic treasure hunt
  • You understand the beginning once you finish the book
  • Vibe of book and game are similar à world development can be seen in the works of Kurvitz
  • Surreal moments
  • Moments of silliness in a very dark and gloomy world
  • Glimpse in a giant world
  • Film Noir / Nordic Noir / Nordic crime
  • Hard to describe many parts of the book
  • Political dimension fascinating (Post-Soviet? Communism? Loss of ideals? Nihilism?)
  • Reading experience interesting
  • Book might be great when reading it for a second time (or reading a summary first)
  • ZA/UM: name choice for company wow, thought extracting device
  • Nostalgia?
  • Blade Runner vibes?
  • Tries to be highbrow literature?
  • Desperation in book form
  • Book very short
  • The Pale wow
  • Ending wild
  • Life is Strange vibes?
  • Zigi story told completely (wanted to know more)
  • Multiple languages great


What we discussed:

  • Sad that there is no official translation
  • Hard to get into, immersion not possible
  • Pacing off at the beginning
  • Glossary vital, otherwise world building totally confusing
  • Tries too hard to be highbrow literature?
  • Book too short and fragmented to cover all the contents
  • Lacks playfulness
  • More moments like the robot scene on the platform
  • More artwork would have been nice
  • SO much unused potential drowned in sheer mass and lack of execution and depth
  • A lot like other weird fiction novels: VanderMeer, Miéville,…
  • Sexual abuse and male gaze problematic
  • Sexualisation of women bad, no female focalisers
  • Paedophilia
  • Stereotypes annoying, also in connection to gender
  • Game handles many things way better, including playing stereotypes
  • Book would have better in another medium?
  • Ending underwhelming, easy way out
  • Hero / antihero meh
  • Drug abuse & gender meh
  • Jesper problematic and remains too enigmatic, does not make sense
  • Treatment of the girls and the obsession of the boys (stalking etc) problematic
  • Weird that you need a summary or read it once before you can read it for real to enjoy it
  • We are disappointed because of all the unused potential, lol. “Write it again, do a second draft, you can get so much more out of that”

Ratings:

  • 4 out of 0 missing Lunde girls
  • “My rating disappeared into The Pale”
  • Enthusiasm vs. Scepticism à hard to rate
  • 3/5: too many flaws to be perfect, “but it has given me something that I needed”
  • 3/5 reality destroying Pale-ness: “because I liked the ideas more than reading the book”
  • Book better to analyse, not to read
  • Translation per se fine but an official one would be better to also support the author

Disco Elysium (Game):

  • Art has to suffer under capitalism
  • Immense game
  • Ludology aspects fascinating
  • Reader involvement vital, cannot be turned into a series
  • Visually impeccable
  • Soundtrack amazing by Sea Power (record on Spotify)
  • Art & concepts amazing
  • Game mechanics fascinating
  • Marthe ‘completed’ the game in 12 minutes (her cop quit), needs to play again now à super interesting experience
  • Could be played again and again, so many possibilities
  • One of the best games from the past few years
  • D&D vibes great
  • No fighting, brilliant
  • Just go with the vibe
  • Playthroughs do not really work with this game, try it out yourself (available for Switch, PC etc.)
  • First version vs. final cut version
  • Incredible voice actors
  • Tom recommendation when playing: “Make your way into the last corner of the haunted commercial area”, “I loved it to bits, it’s just a small thing”

Some links: