Venomous Lumpsucker

English language

Published Nov. 18, 2022 by Soho Press, Incorporated.

ISBN:
978-1-64129-412-6
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4 stars (3 reviews)

7 editions

Didn't click with me

3 stars

Set in the near future where extinction credits are used to buy the right to wipe a species from existence, venomous lumpsucker takes a shot at the great Eton Mess that is British politics and at the global preference for uber capitalism over any other priority. I certainly appreciated the satire that was being made of that but have seen it done better elsewhere (Breakfast at Cannibal Joe's by Jay Spencer Green.)

Despite the comical experience others had while reading this, the comedy didn't gel with me. For the most part, I was kind of bored and would have preferred more interaction with the actual lumpsuckers than we got since they were the most interesting part of the novel for me. There were some genuinely interesting ideas poked at throughout but I failed to connect with the characters and while the characters were moving around the plot didn't move much.

Unterhaltsame Satire

4 stars

Ned Beauman überträgt die Situation mit den CO2-Zertifikaten auf die Ausrottung von Tieren durch Firmen. Weil die Zertifikate so billig sind (warum, wird auch erklärt) nehmen die Firmen keine große Rücksicht. Auch sonst ist alles der Profitmaximierung unterworfen. Die beiden Protagonist*innen jagen nun aus sehr unterschiedlichen Gründen den letzten Exemplaren des Gemeinen Lumpfischs hinterher, eine Station bizarrer und waghalsiger als die nächste. Dabei geht es auch viel um Nischen, die sich Tiere erobern, und Evolution. Lustig, spannend und unterhaltsam. Das Ende fand ich schwach, weil sich der Autor dann doch nicht festlegen will. Toll gelesen von Stefan Kaminski, manchmal vielleicht etwas zu dramatisch.

A fast-paced satire that's all too believable

5 stars

Content warning Review contains minor plot spoilers