Red Sword
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Book Information
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No Name, No Memory, Just War
At first, I had a hard time getting into the story. Just like the unnamed protagonist, you’re thrown straight into a strange and brutal world: out of the spaceship and into war. Alongside other fighters, she’s dropped onto a planet again and again to battle a “white army” (aliens). Her only weapon is her red sword. The book feels quite strange at first. There are barely any names, just color-based labels like Red Sword, Indigo Skirt, or Light Green Skirt. The characters have no memories, and their identities seem to exist only through warfare. It takes time for the backstory to unfold, told through interwoven chapters called “Double Helix,” which explain why they’re fighting, who the Greys (her own side) really are, and what the planet is all about. Red Sword is thematically strong, exploring colonialism, power, identity, and the question of what freedom really means. The white planet, the white blood, the structural violence — all of it invites political and historical interpretation. According to the blurb, the story is inspired by real events: Korean soldiers who fought and died for the Qing Dynasty in a war against Russia. The first half felt confusing to me, almost too abstract, but the second half really pulled me in. That’s where the emotional weight and narrative depth started to come through. I hadn’t really read military sci-fi before, so this was something new for me. Once again, Bora Chung brings her own dark and unsettling voice to the genre. Not an easy read, but I think it’s a solid recommendation for fans of dark and political science fiction.
Interessant und einnehmend erzählt, aber etwas wirr
Habe mich nach den Kurzgeschichten trotz des nicht ganz so tollen Eindrucks dafür entschieden diese Geschichte dennoch zu lesen. Ist etwas schwierig zu erklären was genau passiert... Wir begleiten die Protagonistin, als sie auf einem weissen Planeten landet und dann gegen weisse Aliens kämpfen muss. Sie weiss nicht genau wieso, wird aber dazu gezwungen. Nach und nach entdecken wir mit der Protagonistin die Gründe. Trotz der etwas wirren Geschichte ist sie sehr einnehmend und spannend. Habe es nicht bereut es gelesen zu haben. Empfehlung für alle, die etwas alternative Erzählweisen mögen und etwas spezielles suchen
Book Information
Posts
No Name, No Memory, Just War
At first, I had a hard time getting into the story. Just like the unnamed protagonist, you’re thrown straight into a strange and brutal world: out of the spaceship and into war. Alongside other fighters, she’s dropped onto a planet again and again to battle a “white army” (aliens). Her only weapon is her red sword. The book feels quite strange at first. There are barely any names, just color-based labels like Red Sword, Indigo Skirt, or Light Green Skirt. The characters have no memories, and their identities seem to exist only through warfare. It takes time for the backstory to unfold, told through interwoven chapters called “Double Helix,” which explain why they’re fighting, who the Greys (her own side) really are, and what the planet is all about. Red Sword is thematically strong, exploring colonialism, power, identity, and the question of what freedom really means. The white planet, the white blood, the structural violence — all of it invites political and historical interpretation. According to the blurb, the story is inspired by real events: Korean soldiers who fought and died for the Qing Dynasty in a war against Russia. The first half felt confusing to me, almost too abstract, but the second half really pulled me in. That’s where the emotional weight and narrative depth started to come through. I hadn’t really read military sci-fi before, so this was something new for me. Once again, Bora Chung brings her own dark and unsettling voice to the genre. Not an easy read, but I think it’s a solid recommendation for fans of dark and political science fiction.
Interessant und einnehmend erzählt, aber etwas wirr
Habe mich nach den Kurzgeschichten trotz des nicht ganz so tollen Eindrucks dafür entschieden diese Geschichte dennoch zu lesen. Ist etwas schwierig zu erklären was genau passiert... Wir begleiten die Protagonistin, als sie auf einem weissen Planeten landet und dann gegen weisse Aliens kämpfen muss. Sie weiss nicht genau wieso, wird aber dazu gezwungen. Nach und nach entdecken wir mit der Protagonistin die Gründe. Trotz der etwas wirren Geschichte ist sie sehr einnehmend und spannend. Habe es nicht bereut es gelesen zu haben. Empfehlung für alle, die etwas alternative Erzählweisen mögen und etwas spezielles suchen