From 40fbdd93c090ba2831e9047f305aecbf114c09de Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: ktyl Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2022 19:22:33 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] the prince of milk --- blogs/2022/10/18/the-prince-of-milk.md | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+) create mode 100644 blogs/2022/10/18/the-prince-of-milk.md diff --git a/blogs/2022/10/18/the-prince-of-milk.md b/blogs/2022/10/18/the-prince-of-milk.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8827d23 --- /dev/null +++ b/blogs/2022/10/18/the-prince-of-milk.md @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@ +# The Prince of Milk + +The Prince of Milk is a science fiction novel by Exurb1a of YouTube fame. + +It follows the story of a fictional village in southern England named Wilthail, which ends up the unwilling venue for the settling of an ancient grudge. +Deities known as Etherics exist alongside the mundanity of 21st century Wilthail, and engage in absurdity, sodomy and violence with its quaint populace. +The books makes reference to a number of popular philosophical debates, and takes inspiration from a number of classical sci-fi authors. + +A common theme is the idea that power is relative. +Though the deities are immortal - their grudge has played out across hundreds of 'Corporic' incarnations - having power far beyond the comrehension of their human counterparts. +However, they do not necessarily view themselves as gods. +This is particularly true of the character Beomus, who frequently plays down their immortality and returns fire with questions about modern humans' relationship to their primitive ancestors, or ants. +This relativity of power recurs plenty, and is reminiscient of Arthur C. Clarke's statement of any sufficiently advanced technology being indistiguishable from magic. +As characters in a book, the Etherics are understandably cagey about how any of their abilities work - but broadly refuse to allow them to be classified as magic or technology. + +Reincarnation is viewed as a fundamental way of the world - Chalmers' panpsychism, or the Hard Problem of Philosophy. +This goes further than to suggest that people are simply reincarnated as others when they die, rather suggesting that consciousness is a fundamental force of the universe, in just the way electromagnetism is. +It's a recursive thing, from the lowliest atom up through rocks, mice, snakes, cats, people, stars and gods. +It's a neat and satisfying view, and one that has yet to be disproven by neuroscience. + +The human characters are invariably damaged - mental health issues, broken relationships, toxic parentage, drug use, suicide, difficult histories. +This paints PoM's world as realistic, and grounds it through the fantastical happenings in the middle act. +It grips the reader with its variety of characters, and follows them all as the confront not only their own personal hells, but the one they now find themselves sharing, in a twisted take on country bumpkinism. + +Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to reading more of Exurb1a's writing. +I am a little biased, as I have already enjoyed the YouTube channel for a number of years. + +There is a short glossary at the end naming and exploring some of the particular concepts explored in the novel, which prompt the reader to explore further. +Top marks! +