★★★★☆ Recommended
(SF) Kai has conquered his whole world, but he's starting to get bored with it. There are other worlds, but the concept gives him the creeps. And sometimes they won't be ignored. (18,200 words; Time: 1h:00m)
Recommended By: 🏆Hugo+2 👍RSR+1 (Q&A)
"Perfect State," by Brandon Sanderson [bio], published on March 31, 2015 by Dragonsteel Entertainment.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2015.208 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: Kai starts the story wanting to deal with Melhi. By the end Melhi has been dealt with, but the simple revelation that Melhi is a woman tells us that Sophie was likely modeled on Melhi. Kai's nemesis was probably the person he's really most compatible with. In some sense.
It also makes sense that Melhi's annoyance with Kai was because she wanted him to pay attention to her. Kai is hardly the only one who's bored.
In addition to developing Sophie/Melhi, the story does a nice job of developing Kai as well. He's not just an arrogant, entitled aristocrat. He genuinely cares about people, even when they're just software. His reaction to the little girl screaming for her mother goes a long way toward making him someone we can like.
Con: It's odd that Kai doesn't make an effort to know Melhi better. Picking the ten brains that are physically closest seems rather random.
Because there's no real threat, we don't feel particularly attached to Kai, so there's no big emotional impact at the end.
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Pro: Kai starts the story wanting to deal with Melhi. By the end Melhi has been dealt with, but the simple revelation that Melhi is a woman tells us that Sophie was likely modeled on Melhi. Kai's nemesis was probably the person he's really most compatible with. In some sense.
It also makes sense that Melhi's annoyance with Kai was because she wanted him to pay attention to her. Kai is hardly the only one who's bored.
In addition to developing Sophie/Melhi, the story does a nice job of developing Kai as well. He's not just an arrogant, entitled aristocrat. He genuinely cares about people, even when they're just software. His reaction to the little girl screaming for her mother goes a long way toward making him someone we can like.
Con: It's odd that Kai doesn't make an effort to know Melhi better. Picking the ten brains that are physically closest seems rather random.
Because there's no real threat, we don't feel particularly attached to Kai, so there's no big emotional impact at the end.
Other Reviews: Search Web, GoodReads.com
Brandon Sanderson Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
I agree with your rating and your pros and especially the cons. I'd add one more con, which is how Melhi is too good a nemesis to be believed in her ability to manipulate the domains AND Kai's emotions AND perfectly predict Kai's thinking to achieve her revenge. Still, it's a well-written, well plotted, FUN story that zips along. It's cute how Kai and Sophie break the "fourth wall" without talking to the reader. :-)
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