The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles, Malka Older, 2024 novella or short novel. I don't know, in the first one the setting was so new and original and novel, and now that that's worn off, the underlying premise just feels so sad, like the whole subtext here seems to be that people could have revitalized and gone back to the Earth ages ago if academic bureaucracy hadn't put itself in charge and cut off hope of actual action. I don't know. Maybe this series isn't for me. Weirdly low-key plot, too.