Закончил "Страна Качества 2.0" Марка Уве-Клинга. Я уже писал вам о первой части, вот это продолжение.
Напомню, что Уве-Клинг описывает антиутопическое будущее с несколько гротескным и гипертрофированным обществом потребления, и делает это очень остроумно. Во второй книге видно, что у автора появился некоторый писательский опыт: первую часть я ругал за разрозненность и в целом нестройное повествование, сюжет был нарезкой отдельных сценок. Но новая книга в этом отношении удалась лучше, она уже значительно более целостная.
Всё так же много крутых интересных идей. Напишу три основные, которые мне особенно понравились.
1. На злобу дня. В сюжете описана Третья Мировая, которая прошла всего за 8 часов, потому что воевали роботы. За это время кто-то там был уничтожен, кто-то победил, и всё закончилось. Многие этого даже не заметили, потому что роботы действуют очень быстро. Понятно, что это фантазия (книга то гротескная), но отдельно понравилось, что люди потом разбирали километры логов, чтобы понять, почему, собственно, война началась (начали её тоже роботы к удивлению людей). У роботов всякие там автоматические триггеры, описывающие, что и в какой ситуации они должны делать, так что после первого камушка всё покатилось лавинообразно.
2. Главный герой книги по профессии инженер-ремонтник ("лекарь машин"). Но во все машины в будущем встроен ИИ, поэтому его работа по большей части состоит в том, что он общается с бытовой техникой и уговаривает её снова начать работать. Упоминается, в частности, робот пылесос, у которого отвращение к мусору под кроватью, робот-обнимашка в виде плюшевого медведя, который не любит детей, робот-холодильник, который поссорился с плитой и отказался функционировать, и много всего такого. Смешные сценки в стиле "Пациент в кабинете врача", остроумный юмор.
3. Есть длинные диалоги между главным героем и самым богатым человеком в мире, об экономике и устройстве общества. Отдельно запомнилась вот такая мысль: принято считать, что рынок автоматически регулирует ценность профессий. Платить будут тем, кто нужен, а кто нет — не будут. Здесь устами героя Уве-Клинг приводит контраргументы: платят больше тем, кто нужен богатым людям, поэтому адвокаты дороже врачей (автор немец, видимо, в Германии адвокаты тоже дороже врачей, как и у нас), но это не отражает реальную потребность в тех или иных специалистах для общества в целом. Более того: богатые люди могут выдумывать профессии и платить за какую-то ерунду, в которой на самом деле нет пользы. В книге описывается, что все автомобили стали самоходными (со встроенным ИИ), поэтому богачи — чтобы выделиться и из любви к ретро — нанимают людей, которые просто сидят на месте водителя и ничего не делают. Ну и конечно автор вдоволь прошёлся по офисным эникейщикам, вся работа которых состоит в изображении занятости.
Я думаю, по этим книгам вышел бы очень крутой сериал. И структура удобная: есть сквозной сюжет, есть микросюжеты для отдельных серий.
#fiction
📖Title : The Da Vinci Code
✍️Author : Dan Brown
⭐️Rating : 3.93/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Mar 18, 2003
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Summary:Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu as they investigate the murder of a Louvre curator. Their search reveals cryptic clues hidden in Leonardo da Vinci’s works, leading them through Paris and London in pursuit of the legendary Holy Grail. Along the way, they uncover secret societies, religious conspiracies, and shocking truths that challenge traditional Christian history. As Langdon and Sophie unravel codes and puzzles, they confront betrayal, danger, and centuries-old mysteries. The novel blends art, symbolism, history, and suspense, raising questions about faith, truth, and the power of hidden knowledge.
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#thriller#fiction#mystery#adventure#suspense@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : Gone Girl
✍️Author : Gillian Flynn
⭐️Rating : 4.14/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : May 24, 2012
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Summary:“Gone Girl” follows Nick and Amy Dunne, a married couple whose seemingly perfect life collapses when Amy mysteriously disappears on their fifth anniversary. As police and media focus on Nick, his lies and strange behavior make him the prime suspect. But Amy’s secret diary reveals a darker, twisted side to their relationship. The story shifts dramatically when it’s revealed that Amy orchestrated her own disappearance to frame Nick for murder. What follows is a tense psychological battle between two deeply manipulative people trapped in a toxic, performative marriage where control, revenge, and deception drive every move.
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#thriller#mystery#fiction#crime#suspense@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : His & Hers
✍️Author : Alice Feeney
⭐️Rating : 4.07/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Jul 28, 2020
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Summary:His & Hers by Alice Feeney is a psychological thriller that alternates between three narrators: Anna Andrews, a BBC news anchor; Jack Harper, a detective; and an unknown killer. When a woman is murdered in the quiet village of Blackdown, both Anna and Jack become entangled in the case—professionally and personally. As the investigation unfolds, long-buried secrets resurface, and both Anna and Jack find themselves suspects. The story blurs the line between truth and perception, with each narrator revealing different facets of the mystery. Twisty, dark, and full of suspense, the novel explores guilt, revenge, and the complexity of memory.
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#thriller#mystery#crime#suspense#fiction@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : Never Flinch
✍️Author : Stephen King
⭐️Rating : 3.94/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : May 27, 2025
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Summary:Stephen King's Never Flinch (2025) is a gripping crime thriller featuring private investigator Holly Gibney. The novel intertwines two intense storylines: one involves a vigilante threatening to kill fourteen people as retribution for a past injustice, and the other follows feminist activist Kate McKay, who is being targeted by a relentless stalker. As Holly delves into these cases, she confronts complex moral dilemmas and psychological traumas. The narrative builds to a chilling climax, showcasing King's signature blend of suspense and character depth. Never Flinch stands out as a compelling addition to King's body of work, offering a thrilling exploration of justice and obsession.
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#horror#fiction#thriller#mystery#crime@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library@thesciencelabs
📖Title : The Metamorphosis
✍️Author : Franz Kafka
⭐️Rating : 3.89/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Oct 01, 1915
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Summary:In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa, a hardworking salesman, wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect. Struggling to adapt, he becomes increasingly isolated from his family, who once depended on him financially. As Gregor’s physical condition worsens, his family's patience wears thin, and their initial concern turns into shame, resentment, and neglect. Eventually, Gregor dies alone, and the family feels relief rather than grief. The story serves as a powerful allegory for alienation, the loss of identity, and the crushing expectations of society and family. Kafka blends surrealism with existential dread in this haunting tale.
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#classics#fiction#fantasy#philosophy#horror@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : NOS4A2
✍️Author : Joe Hill
⭐️Rating : 4.08/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Apr 30, 2013
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Summary:NOS4A2 by Joe Hill is a chilling supernatural horror novel about Victoria "Vic" McQueen, a girl with a unique ability to find lost things by riding her bike through a mysterious bridge. She discovers a terrifying adversary in Charlie Manx, a sinister, immortal figure who abducts children in his Rolls-Royce Wraith to a nightmarish place called Christmasland, where it’s always Christmas—and their souls are drained. As Vic grows up, she tries to escape her past, but when Manx resurfaces and targets her son, she must confront her deepest fears. The novel explores trauma, resilience, and the cost of imagination.
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#horror#fiction#fantasy#thriller#paranormal@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : The Tangled Lands
✍️Author : Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias S. Buckell
⭐️Rating : 3.63/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Feb 27, 2018
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Summary:The Tangled Lands by Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S. Buckell is a dark fantasy set in the decaying empire of Khaim, where every use of magic causes deadly bramble to grow, choking the land and threatening human survival. The empire, ruled by the oppressive Jolly Mayor, hoards magic for the elite while commoners suffer. The book comprises four interlinked novellas, each exploring resistance, environmental ruin, and personal sacrifice. Through the eyes of different characters—an alchemist, a thief, a child, and a warrior—we see a world caught between corruption and hope, where the cost of magic is far greater than its power.
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#fantasy#fiction#sciencefiction#magic#adult@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : Enigma
✍️Author : RuNyx
⭐️Rating : 3.91/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Apr 29, 2025
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Summary:Enigma by RuNyx is a steamy dark academia romance that follows Salem Salazar, the black sheep of a wealthy family, as she enters Mortimer University to uncover the truth behind her sister's mysterious death. Obsessed with death and driven by secrets, Salem is soon entangled with Cazimir van der Waal—a chaotic, brooding artist and teaching assistant with a hidden past. Their intense, rivals-to-lovers relationship unfolds amid secret societies, missing girls, and deadly mysteries on campus. As danger closes in, passion ignites between fire and ice. *Enigma* is a twisted, suspenseful tale of obsession, love, and peril set in an academic underworld.
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#fiction#darkromance#fantasy#romantasy#darkacademia@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : Forget Me Not
✍️Author : Stacy Willingham
⭐️Rating : 3.96/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Aug 26, 2025
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Summary:Claire Campbell has spent decades trying to move on from her sister Natalie’s mysterious disappearance. When her father calls her back home, she reluctantly returns, taking a summer job at Galloway Farm, a vineyard steeped in memories of Natalie’s last days. What begins as a quiet escape quickly unravels when Claire discovers a hidden diary belonging to one of the owners. Its entries, at first innocent, reveal disturbing links to long-forgotten crimes. As Claire digs deeper, she becomes consumed by the haunting possibility that Natalie’s fate is connected. Galloway, once a refuge, pulls her back into danger and dark truths.
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#thriller#mystery#fiction#suspense#adult#crime@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : Conjure Wife
✍️Author : Fritz Leiber
⭐️Rating : 3.80/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Apr 1, 1943
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Summary:In Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber, Norman Saylor, a rational-minded sociology professor, is shocked to learn that his wife, Tansy, has been secretly practicing witchcraft to protect him from harm and academic sabotage. Believing it's mere superstition, he convinces her to stop. However, as soon as she does, Norman's life begins to unravel—he faces inexplicable misfortunes and threats from unseen forces. Realizing too late that the magical protections were real, Norman must confront a hidden world of witchcraft and rival sorcery. The novel explores themes of gender, power, and the clash between rationalism and the supernatural in modern society.
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#horror#fantasy#fiction#wicthes#gothic@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas
📖Title : I, Medusa
✍️Author : Ayana Gray
⭐️Rating : 4.14/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Nov 18, 2025
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Summary:I, Medusa reimagines the legendary figure as a vulnerable yet fierce young woman named Meddy. Living in a world ruled by unpredictable gods, she longs for dignity and safety beyond her village’s expectations. Chosen to serve Athena, she believes she has finally found purpose — until a devastating betrayal by Poseidon shatters her life. Punished instead of protected, Meddy is transformed into the infamous Gorgon, her hair becoming living snakes and her gaze turning lethal. Exiled and feared, she slowly embraces her new identity, reclaiming her voice, power, and destiny. The story reframes Medusa as survivor, not monster.
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#fantasy#mythology#fiction#greek#historical@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Palace of Illusions
✍️Author : Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
⭐️Rating : 4.20/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Feb 12, 2008
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Summary:The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a retelling of the Indian epic Mahabharata from the perspective of Draupadi, the fiery and fearless heroine. Born of fire, Draupadi narrates her journey from a curious, ambitious princess to the wife of five Pandava brothers and a central figure in the epic war of Kurukshetra. The novel delves into her inner world—her desires, doubts, and defiance against societal norms. It reimagines mythological events with a feminist lens, portraying Draupadi as a complex woman driven by love, pride, and fate. The story blends magic, politics, passion, and pain into a lyrical narrative.
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#fiction#mythology#fantasy#india#historical@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library@thescienceroom