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"Tales of Pilot Pirx" - C. Lem
I read it when I was a child, but I didn't quite understand it back then. I was glad to reread it and re-evaluate it. Each book raises some serious issue, some interesting question... And the answer turns out to be unexpected. Overall, I recommend it.
However, the ending of the last story is a bit weak; this P. acted too foolishly!

"The Hereditary" - R. Heinlein
A short story, but quite entertaining. Although he tried to convey social problems to the reader in many ways, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was a bit naive. The characters don't behave selfishly enough! But overall, it's good.

"Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality" - E. Yudkowsky
Excerpts from this fanfiction always seemed amusing to me, but not interesting enough or natural enough to make me want to read the whole book. But friends and acquaintances kept recommending it, and I gave in.
And I didn't regret my decision. Honestly, I think that this is exactly how the story of Harry Potter should have looked from the beginning. In this version, it has become not only smarter. There is more genuine intrigue here. There are more emotions. There is more logic. And yes, there is the so-called "geeky" humor, and within the book, it really looks funny and not artificial. There are all sorts of references. It was a great read.
The downside is that it is still a fanfiction (it would be great if this book were based on a unique world with unique characters, with all its other advantages. But as it is, it seems to diminish the fact that not all of the author's imagination comes from his own head). And somewhat the author's worldview made the book less logical in some places where it could have been. He is too much of a humanist. It's a bit strange to be "too much of a humanist," but if anyone has read it, or will read it to the end, they will understand. And yet, all of this is not enough to stop you from reading the book.

I always found the excerpts from this fanfiction to be amusing, but not interesting enough or compelling enough to make me want to read the whole book. But friends and acquaintances kept recommending it, and I finally gave in.
And I didn't regret it. Honestly, I think this is how the Harry Potter story should have been from the beginning. In this version, it's not only smarter; there's more genuine intrigue, more emotional depth, and more logic. And yes, there's that so-called "geeky" humor, and within the book, it really comes across as funny and not forced. There are all sorts of references. It was a great read.
The downside is that it's still a fanfiction (it would be amazing if this book were based on a unique world with unique characters, given all its other strengths. But as it is, it feels like the author's imagination isn't entirely original). And the author's worldview makes the book a little less logical in places where it could have been. He's too much of a humanist. It's a bit strange to be "too much of a humanist," but if anyone has read it, or will read it to the end, they'll understand. Still, the drawbacks are clearly not enough to stop you from reading the book.

I read it when it wasn't finished, and the last chapter I read was shortly after the death of the first unicorns. It was definitely a bit of a mess. The first chapters were amusing because they were presented as light humor, but the subsequent ones were typical "if I were the main character, I would do it this way." Harry acts like a 20-year-old; I don't even know what word to use, "intellectual" is the closest I can come up with. And he talks about the usefulness of immortality and everything else in the world.
Yes, there is intrigue and other things, but when you suddenly start to remember that all of this is built on the actions of ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, you realize how much crap you're being fed.
TO AVOID GOING OFF-TOPIC - I'm currently reading "Gone with the Wind".

[troll]Garrepotter is awful, yuck, in any form.[/troll]
AND TO AVOID OFFTOPIC - I'm currently reading the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, I'm already past the middle, my overall impressions - I'll share them after I finish reading, for now, it's a solid 10.

Yes, there is intrigue and other things, but when you suddenly start to remember that all of this is built on the foundation of actions performed by ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, you realize how well you are being fed garbage.

I won't be original if I say that this moment is explained quite well within the lore.

There's more logic here.

Actually, there are still some problems with that. For example, there's a multi-turn strategy involving a "mahovik" (likely referring to a specific game mechanic or unit), which feels like it was implemented just for the sake of having a multi-turn strategy.

Yes, I remember thinking at the time whether I had misunderstood the calculations or if it was simply impossible. Apparently, the latter is true, since you also noticed it.

Fullmetal Alchemist

I finished reading it.
10/10.
Well, what can I say... It's a good story. Basically, the anime adapts everything quite accurately, so there weren't any major surprises – it just refreshed my memory and brought back some moments. Almost all the positives I wrote about the anime also apply to the manga. The beginning was reworked quite noticeably, and as I read, it seemed to me that some things might have been shuffled around (although I might have already forgotten some details from the anime). But, to be honest, I liked the anime more. It has the advantage of being in color and having dynamic visuals, along with the voices of the characters, and there's still plenty to read, since I watched it with subtitles. By the way, because of the lack of voice acting, Alphonse seemed harsher and more brutal in the manga; I had to remind myself what he was really like. The voice acting has a much greater impact on this character than on others.
And yes, the ending... It's still a bit... Hmm. Heh, yeah. I guess I've gotten used to "Doctor" and other endless series, so this definitive ending doesn't quite appeal to me. It's all logical, beautiful, and great, deserving a ten out of ten, but I want more adventures with the Steel Alchemist. :D
As for the downsides, I laughed a few times at the anatomy and faces, but I can't even draw like that, so it's forgivable, especially with such a great story.
Now I want to watch the first adaptation. I've spoiled it for myself quite a bit, so I can now confidently say "the book is better," but I'm curious to see how different it is

Clean, clean, clean! Spam, fork, clean!

Started promoting an online store.

He doesn't even hide it, what a shameless person.

As for me, I'm reading "Roadside Picnic," and I'm almost finished. It's an interesting piece from a social point of view, but what I found most intriguing were the descriptions of their various alien wonders. It really feels like something completely new and incomprehensible from the perspective of technology and even the development of physics, rather than just a change of scenery to something futuristic. In a way, this is the kind of bewilderment a person from the Middle Ages would experience if they found themselves at an abandoned nuclear power plant.

I'm sitting here, you see, in my deep leather armchair, listening to baroque music and reading about Illidan, while someone else is working on a garbage truck.

Are you the one in the excavator's cabin?

I finished reading "Gone with the Wind." In total, including all the breaks (some lasting a month), it took me about 8 months to read it. Almost a year. I initially thought a big book would require a big review, but now I'm not so sure. We'll see how it goes. Overall, the themes of the work can be divided into two main parts. The first is the personal worldview of a woman, the main character, regarding those around her in general and men in particular. The second is the social life of the South, a bit before, but mostly during and after the Civil War. The first theme seemed quite banal to me personally, although looking back, in retrospect, I think that perhaps I didn't notice a certain depth in it, which becomes more apparent when you finish the book. Or maybe I'm just imagining it. Oh well. Towards the end of the book – right at the very end – all the socio-personal themes really become much deeper and more developed, and if previously they mainly revolved around men, then closer to the finale, questions of growing up, motherhood, old friends/acquaintances, and questions of reputation emerge (not for nothing was there a preface in the Russian edition: "guard your honor from a young age"). Perhaps the problem is that the author only remembered this at the very end, but I don't rule out that they were subtly present all along, I just didn't notice them until attention was drawn to them. The second theme is the theme of the South, and in many ways, it is a question of contrasting the South with the North, as well as the question of the freedom of Negroes. Well, what can I say? If this book came out now, it would definitely be labeled as racist and would certainly never receive any awards or adaptations, and in general, they would try to ostracize it. In short, the South was so great, but then the vile Yankees came and ruined everything. Giving Negroes freedom was a mistake, because they are too stupid to use it. The way Negroes speak is a separate story:

Young misses whut frowns an pushes out dey chins an' says 'Ah will' and 'Ah woan' mos' gener'ly doan ketch husbands," prophesied Mammy gloomily. "Young misses should cas' down dey eyes an' say, Well, suh, Ah mout' an' 'Jes' as you say, suh.' "

In general, it is interesting that all the characters in this book have speech problems – the most pronounced in Negroes, a little less in the half-breed of a Negro and an Indian, then come the Yankees, and finally, the poor Southerners speak almost normally. And you know who speaks clearly and without problems? The aristocrats of the South. Quite ironic, considering that now everyone laughs at the accent of rednecks. In general, if the theme of promoting racism is unpleasant to you, then I do not recommend reading this book in any case – because at times it almost turns into propaganda in this regard. There is such a film "The Birth of a Nation" (which was filmed at the beginning of the 20th century) – it is very similar to this book. I haven't watched it, though, I've only heard a summary. Is it worth reading this book? Well, if you are a girl and want to read something about girlish tears, fantasize, and think about how much the heroine resembles you, OR if you are interested in the theme of the American South and believe that it is a pity that it lost in the Civil War, then yes, definitely, this work is as if created specifically for you. Otherwise, the narrative sometimes captivated me, and sometimes became very boring, and I swung on these swings several times. Closer to the finale, however, the book suddenly picked up speed, and the ending really surprised me and seemed quite strong and even INSTRUCTIVE, although the ideas expressed through it are not new, but still important. In general, I definitely don't regret reading this book, but I can't recommend it to anyone except the categories of people mentioned above. That's the deal. I reread what I wrote – it seems that I said everything I wanted to say.

I finished reading Lem's "Eden". I liked it a lot, although I expected something a bit different, but that's okay. I need to find something similar to read next.

SPOILERS INCOMING! William Golding, "The Inheritors" Common sense dictates that I should first write a review of "Pyramid," which I read right before this book, especially since Golding's works are strongly linked by his unified philosophical understanding of human society, illuminating the central idea from different angles, but for some reason, I can't bring myself to do that right now. Perhaps because "Pyramid" left a deeper and more powerful impression, which I wouldn't want to spoil with a superficial review. Since the novel was read in a less-than-ideal state of mind and in utterly appalling living conditions, I apologize in advance for everything written below. "The Inheritors" tells the story of a tribe of Neanderthals and their encounter with their distant relatives – Cro-Magnons. From a material point of view, it is, of course, completely fantastical – it is impossible to assume that the meeting of these two species occurred at a time when the former had not even mastered the most primitive tools, while the latter were already practicing sailing. But historical accuracy is not what we read novels for, is it? As great as Golding's disregard for the achievements of anthropology is, so too is the care with which he depicts the way of life and customs of this branch of evolution. 90% of the narrative is told from the perspective of the Neanderthals, and in the language that, according to the author, the Neanderthals should have used to think. Only in the landscape descriptions does the author give free rein to his own linguistic skill. The idea is original, the execution is conscientious, and the result is sad. Sad, because firstly, the language, distorted by artificial primitivism, quickly becomes monotonous, and secondly, sometimes the "translation from Neanderthal" turns into a riddle, the solution of which sometimes makes you lose even the thread of the narrative, trying to understand what "tail-grass" is, as a result of which I could not create a clear picture of the setting in my mind, and thirdly, the landscape descriptions, although good, are sometimes too tiring due to the heaviness of the descriptions. For example, Gorky is also a master of descriptive style, but his elaborate, trope-laden landscapes never bothered me; on the contrary, I read them with pleasure, striving to see the picture exactly as the author sees it. When I come across a Golding landscape, I skim over it superficially; if I don't understand it, I just move on. If Gorky is like the elegant artistry of Gothic, then Golding is like the perverse, overwhelming opulence of Baroque. The image of the Neanderthals can be called, at best, utopian. Instead of an epigraph, there is a description by some modern scientist of their intimidating appearance and wild habits, and this is the only part of the novel where they are shown from this side. In Golding's view, the Neanderthals are deeply religious, communal, childishly naive, and innocent. Obviously, in them, he tries to revive the concept of the golden age, depriving them not only of the vices of civilized man but even of such integral components of life as competition for females and direct predation – throughout the novel, the Neanderthals do not kill a single living creature larger than a larva. I have never sympathized with either the idea of the golden age or its Christian interpretation through the sin of knowledge, and for me, the Neanderthals do not appear as noble savages, no matter how hard the author tries. In their actions and thoughts, I see only primitivism mixed with falsehood, and mentions of their fur or the habit of slapping their thighs made me cringe. The original sin, all the bad against all the good, are represented in the novel by our valiant Cro-Magnon ancestors – murderers and alcoholics. The Neanderthals offer sacrifices to the gods – the Cro-Magnons perform ritual killings. The Neanderthals feed a dying comrade – the Cro-Magnon chief steals food. The Neanderthals approach the Cro-Magnons with love and curiosity – they capture and kill them. In general, as in the famous film "Cannibal Holocaust" – the "civilized" heartless people torment innocent savages. I will not dwell on this aspect. There are quite a few interesting moments there, such as the symbolism of the Neanderthals tasting the forbidden fruit – Cro-Magnon mead, a kind of friendship that arises among children of different species and is impossible for adults, but I am not doing professional criticism here, but just telling about my impressions. The ending is unclear in terms of plot, but perfectly clear ideologically. Of course, the Cro-Magnons emerge victorious from a war that never needed to happen. In the last chapters, we see the world through the eyes of the Cro-Magnon Tuami, and, frankly, after the Neanderthals, it is like a breath of fresh air. Tuami is extremely vicious; in one chapter, he can safely be accused of the sins of pride, anger, envy, lust, and despair, at the very least. And he is beautiful and noble in his viciousness. In the confrontation with me, Golding failed – a clever sinner inspires more sympathy than a foolish savage. In his mental torments and evil passions, Tuami embodies everything that is truly human, intelligent, and dozens of other epithets – in contrast to the unnatural idiocy of the pseudo-goodness of the Neanderthal. Here we also see the second main motif of the novel – the motif of loneliness. The Neanderthal is most afraid of being alone. He reaches out to the Cro-Magnons out of a desire for society. From the very first pages of the book, the Neanderthals are an ideal collective, all for one. And what about the Cro-Magnon? He is always alone. Among his fellow tribesmen, he always stands apart. He secretly hates his sexual partner, dreams of killing his chief at the first opportunity. He has already discovered the phenomenon of loneliness in a crowd. There is also much hidden between the lines – for example, the telepathic abilities of the Neanderthals, a symbol of their spiritual unity and moral superiority, which the rational man does not have. The Neanderthal will remain alone, as he feared – and will become just a red beast. What will happen to the Cro-Magnon is not said, but we all know perfectly well, don't we? It would be impossible and wrong to put a rating on a ten-point scale. Measuring art with numbers is not a good idea in general, and when applied to literature, where everything comes down to deeply personal aspects both on the part of the author and on the part of the reader, it is completely unacceptable. I will summarize as follows: I didn't like it very much, but I am glad that I read it. You can agree with Golding or not, find his style artistic and original or cumbersome and interfering, but one thing is certain: this novel is unique. Recommended for general development.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

A great book. It has an interesting and original setting, the kind you can only find in science fiction from those years, instead of the usual clichés about cyberpunk or "our world, but slightly more technologically advanced." A good plot with unexpected twists, but one that still adheres to the rules of the setting and doesn't suddenly try to say that everything was not as it was presented before. And I wanted to highlight something else, the most important merit, but I couldn't find the right words for a long time. So even the words I've chosen might be inaccurate. And this book also shows ambiguity, that famous gray morality, although some might say it's far from gray. The world shown there is not black and white, although sometimes it may seem that way. And the hero's internal struggles in this regard are truly felt. And it doesn't seem forced just to make everything feel more edgy; it's a natural result of the well-developed world and its rules, which I wrote about at the beginning. I really enjoyed it. And separately, I'll talk about the "adaptation," namely Blade Runner 1981. I never liked this movie, but now I downright hate it. I don't know if I had read the book and then gone to the cinema, I probably would have had a fit. To mutilate, vulgarize, cut out everything smart, and leave only a stupid action movie is simply disgusting. But at the same time, to keep one scene almost untouched, just to remind the readers of the book that yes, it was your book that we butchered and turned into a mess; see, here's a scene from it. I hate this movie so much...
The story is wonderful; I recommend it to everyone.