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sincere_mammoth's review against another edition
4.0
Think Doctor Faustus but with more action and ultimately more interesting.
EDIT: Okay admittedly its been over two years since I read this book, but I want to elaborate a bit on why I like 'Vathek'.
Let me say first off this book is extraordinarily racist, which is to be expected from a book about the Middle East as written by a white British man in the 18th century. It's also pretty sexist, but sexist in a way that is like "well that is how these FOREIGN people treat their ladies", so you know it's a great blend of racism AND sexism all in one. To add onto the racism, the main character Vathek is not just an evil guy, but a Satanist. You know, in a setting that isn't Christian. Oh joy.
I wanted to make the above clear so that when I say that I loved this book, you know that I say that with all of this in mind. There are some awful parts of this book, but there is also wonderful things as well.
This book is alive with detail and color. It's vibrant, crazy, alive, exciting. Because it's a book about things that happen in the 'mysterious not-Britain', the books straddles the line between 'about a place and culture we never bothered to learn about' and, interestingly enough, a fantasy novel. Because that's what this book kinda is. It's a book about wizards, sorceresses, magic, terrible creatures, and an epic quest. And the best part is, the main character is a BAD guy, making it all the more fascinating.
If you love fantasy novels like me, I think that this book is worth a read. It's like 100 pages long and is really interesting, if really problematic in many ways. And if those problematic things are enough for you to not want to give it the time of day I don't judge you in the slightest. But if you're willing to drudge through the filth to find its gems, then I think it's worth the effort.
EDIT: Okay admittedly its been over two years since I read this book, but I want to elaborate a bit on why I like 'Vathek'.
Let me say first off this book is extraordinarily racist, which is to be expected from a book about the Middle East as written by a white British man in the 18th century. It's also pretty sexist, but sexist in a way that is like "well that is how these FOREIGN people treat their ladies", so you know it's a great blend of racism AND sexism all in one. To add onto the racism, the main character Vathek is not just an evil guy, but a Satanist. You know, in a setting that isn't Christian. Oh joy.
I wanted to make the above clear so that when I say that I loved this book, you know that I say that with all of this in mind. There are some awful parts of this book, but there is also wonderful things as well.
This book is alive with detail and color. It's vibrant, crazy, alive, exciting. Because it's a book about things that happen in the 'mysterious not-Britain', the books straddles the line between 'about a place and culture we never bothered to learn about' and, interestingly enough, a fantasy novel. Because that's what this book kinda is. It's a book about wizards, sorceresses, magic, terrible creatures, and an epic quest. And the best part is, the main character is a BAD guy, making it all the more fascinating.
If you love fantasy novels like me, I think that this book is worth a read. It's like 100 pages long and is really interesting, if really problematic in many ways. And if those problematic things are enough for you to not want to give it the time of day I don't judge you in the slightest. But if you're willing to drudge through the filth to find its gems, then I think it's worth the effort.
meredith_gayle's review against another edition
1.0
This book was very hard to read. I did not enjoy it at all.
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