Name: Perfect State
ISBN: 9781938570094

Brandon Sanderson

A 2016 HUGO AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST NOVELLA From the author of Legion and the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive comes an action-filled novella about privilege, culture clash, and expectations. God-Emperor Kairominas is lord of all he surveys. He has defeated all foes, has united the entire world beneath his rule, and has mastered the arcane arts. He spends his time sparring with his nemesis, who keeps trying to invade Kai's world. Except for today. Today, Kai has to go on a date. Forces have conspired to require him to meet with his equal—a woman from another world who has achieved just as much as he has. What happens when the most important man in the world is forced to have dinner with the most important woman in the world?

Perfect State

James Eaton

Fast. Fun. Imaginative. 

I’ve been in the middle of big books and series (WoT and Dune) so a quick novella was a perfect change of pace. 

Quick intro and world-building with a fun little story. I could have read 2/3x more of this story (I wish there was more!).

Rick Dobrowolski

I'm a Sanderson fan, but not of this novella. I found it to be a very strange fantasy world. Once I understood what was going on, I still found myself disliking it.

Sarah Escorsa

⚠️ Short story, long review. Don't say I didn't warn you.

✉ Dear slightly deranged members of the Sanderson Cult: see my rating up there? To think you wouldn't believe me when I repeatedly told you I wasn't completely hopeless! So ha! to you, QED, and all that. Too be honest, before I reached the 50% mark I thought I would go for a 3-star rating (← you did NOT just read this, dear slightly deranged Cult Members) but Sophie the second half of the story was pretty awesome so I went for 4 stars instead.

Since I'm thoughtful and kind (yes, yes, I really am, no need to laugh) I didn't want to spoil anyone's fun by talking about the world this story is set in (view spoiler)[you're welcome (hide spoiler)]. Then I realized that other heartless reviewers didn't have such qualms about it so I decided to flush "thoughtful and kind" down the toilet and go for "WTH, who cares?" instead. It's good to be inconsiderate.

So. This is what this story is about:



Yep, that's right, this story is about brains in vats. In this world people are nothing but grey matter floating around in little tubs. Not very sexy, I know, but it gets better. Well it certainly doesn't get better on the sexy front, but more on that later. Anyway, while their little grey cells are happily swimming around, people live in simulated words. Some people will tell you that this reminded them of The Matrix. I didn't think of dear old Neo while I was reading this but my poor synapses are not the fresh little daisies they once were, so that might have something to do with it. But I digress.

Meet our main brain, Kai. Oops! Please forgive me your majesty, what I meant to say was: meet our main character, God-Emperor Kairominas. Yeah, it sounds much grander, I agree. Anyway, Kai here is bored. I mean, the guy has been around for 300+ years so he's got the whole "been there, done that" thing pretty much covered. He's conquered the world he lives in and the only thing that's left for him to do is to master the weather. Hey, don't judge, to everyone their hobby. Some people like to crochet so if Kai here wants to play Mr Climate God to pass the time, it's his problem.



Actually, controlling the weather is not poor Kai's only problem right now. Because God-Emperor or not, he has to answer to a higher power. And said higher power has decided it was time for him to procreate. So off on a procreating date Kai goes. Granted, this is not the most fascinating premise ever. And there isn't much of a plot, either. But what is pretty fantastic here is the world building, especially when you think this story is only about 80 pages long. It's a very interesting, complex world with huge potential and I would love to see it developed in a full-length novel or a series. By the way, there might not be much of a plot but the story is still pretty great. Especially the second part. Because cool things happening! Because great dialogues! Because action! Because reasons! Because great character interaction! And because very unexpected twist! (view spoiler)[What? Did you think I was actually going to tell you about the twist in this spoiler? Hahahaha, you people are so naïve sometimes, you crack me up!! (hide spoiler)]

Now, for the brains characters in the story: to be honest, I didn't like Kai that much. Well, he's alright but I guess he's pretty much as boring as he is bored. You know, the kind of guy who's concerned about the welfare of his people and all that nonsense. Much too nice for my taste and seriously lacking in the awe-inspiring department. In other words, not nearly assholish enough. Sigh. I actually liked Kai's sidekicks, Shale and Besk, a lot more than I did him. And his evil nemesis was pretty cool, too. But my favourite brain character here was definitely Kai's date, Sophie. Because this:The only thing I could come up with—something truly difficult—was to become a complete anarchist. They built a perfect world for me, so I had to burn it down.+ this:“So let’s go back to your State,” she said. “I could probably stomach the singing trees and the elves long enough to get laid.”= this:

Sophie, a girl after my own heart.



And this getting laid business takes us right to the "is it sexy? Is it not?" business. So I'm not that familiar with Sanderson's work. Yet ( ← I'm adding this for the sole benefit of the slightly deranged members of the Sanderson Cult who might be reading this review. It's all part of the "there is hope for me yet" act I'm working on). But it seems this story here is pretty revolutionary in that Sanderson almost wrote a sex scene. Mind you, I'm using the word "almost" very loosely here. Because dear old Brandon is still a long way from Fever book 4, chapter 4. I mean, the "almost sex scene" involves Sophie unzipping her dress halfway. BAHAHAHAHAHA. Sanderson definitely has his work cut out for him in the Smut department. I think it's time for him to call 1-800-JZB, the Jericho Barrons emergency hotline. Make that call, Brandon!!

Oh come on, you Sanderson Freaks Fans, you know I'm mostly just kidding, no need to get all outraged here. I did not just dare criticize Brandon Sanderson. Brandon Sanderson can do no wrong. Brandon Sanderson is flawless. Brandon Sanderson is perfection. Brandon Sanderson is a living God.



Okay, have I redeemed myself enough here? It's not that I don't like bowing down to Mr. S but my back's starting to hurt here. Besides, I already said I'd give The Way of Kings another try at some point in this century so cut me some slack, will you? Need I also remind you that I LOVE Legion? No? Oh, good [Hears something in the background] Excuse me? What was that? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, would you mind saying that again?



OMG OMG OMG, I think I have just been absolved by the slightly freaky Sanderson Cult. Life will never be the same [Puffs, pants & wheezes] Breathe Sarah, breathe. Listen, I'm afraid my recovery is going to take a while, so why don't you people go read this story while I hyperventilate? I'm pretty sure you'll love it.



[Pre-review nonsense]

Hey you, members of the Sanderson Cult! Yes, you right there! See my rating for this one? Told you I wasn't totally hopeless! HA.



►► Full review to come.

Great novella - philosophically quite deep, funny, emotionally powerful, thought-provoking. I wish this were a long novel, but it's still awesome.

 Bruna Acioly Leão

I really enjoyed this short story! The only problem (as usual with all short stories) is that I wish I could have more of the world and characters explored!

Adam

At the beginning of this one, I really wasn't into it. I think that was the point. Perfect State takes a look at what would happen if you started with a somewhat boring character and shape them into a hero -- but in a non-traditional short story. This could be described (and this isn't spoiling anything, as it's explained early on) as the first version of the Matrix, the one where people got everything they wanted, but where each person is in their own isolated universe. When people who have only talked to AIs decide to talk to other actual humans, things get interesting.

Perfect State

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