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tresat's review against another edition
4.0
Brasyl, River of Gods, and now The Dervish House. McDonald has an awesome talent for taking already alien contemporary cultures and projecting them into a wondrous but tangible future. Istanbul itself is the most interesting character and revealed as far stranger than the omnipresent nanotech miracles. I spent a lot of time with a dictionary and Wikipedia to parse some of it, (no helpful glossary this time), but by the end of the book the swarm of unfamiliar words established such a distinct atmosphere it was worth the early difficulties.
The main action-thriller plotline(s) seems to take a little too long to get together, but the characters' own desires and lives and side-quests are just as interesting, and the finale is suitably terrific. Really good.
The main action-thriller plotline(s) seems to take a little too long to get together, but the characters' own desires and lives and side-quests are just as interesting, and the finale is suitably terrific. Really good.
leflambeur's review against another edition
4.0
An excellently written book and a strong plot to support it. As they say, I didn't want it to end.
lbrapid's review against another edition
4.0
Quite an amazing read. I love Ian McDonald's writing and his descriptions of locations. His writing is both detailed and beautiful. The story as well is quite complex and full of enjoyable characters and plots.
The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is that it was very hard to get into the book initially. I had to start over a couple of times, but by the time I got 2/3 of the way through I couldn't stop.
The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is that it was very hard to get into the book initially. I had to start over a couple of times, but by the time I got 2/3 of the way through I couldn't stop.
greenteamaker's review against another edition
5.0
I've been looking for a science fiction book set in Istanbul for a long time. This is my first Ian McDonald book, and I love it.
I'll leave a detailed review later, once my thoughts have settled.
For now, it seems like Turkey's membership in the EU is a most fantastical element of the book, even more unbelievable than the nanobots, autopilot cars, and other sci-fi stuff.
I'll leave a detailed review later, once my thoughts have settled.
For now, it seems like Turkey's membership in the EU is a most fantastical element of the book, even more unbelievable than the nanobots, autopilot cars, and other sci-fi stuff.
wstuivenga's review against another edition
4.0
An intriguing cypber-punk style sci-fi effort, well worth your time and the mental energy required to sort it all out. Takes place in Turkey, just a few years into the future. Involves nanotechnology, robotics, and the attempt to create religious belief in the brain via nano. But it's the great storylines that grab you, and make you want to find out how it will end.
aneel0's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting, but not outstanding. I found myself skimming through some of the description.
dennissd's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent book. It may not be quite as good as The River of Gods, or maybe I'm just expecting McDonald to just amaze me every time now. I loved the short jump in to the future and Istanbul really came alive for me through the many characters of this story. Definitely recommended. Also the ending is a bit happier than RoG!
dennisfischman's review against another edition
3.0
This would be someone’s favorite book, I think, but not mine.
I liked everything I learned about Istanbul and Islam; the geography, the history, the myths, foods, and smells. I like the hard science fiction aspects of the book, and it would be interesting to look back at it six years from now and see what has become real.
Oddly, however, all that reality is wrapped up in a fairy tale where everyone has a happy ending. And that is emblematic of the way the book felt contrived. At its best, it presents some beautiful writing at worst, it watches itself present it.
I liked the old Greek and the nine-year-old, and I felt for the young man who started seeing jinn. As for the other main characters, I would pay money not to meet them in real life.
I liked everything I learned about Istanbul and Islam; the geography, the history, the myths, foods, and smells. I like the hard science fiction aspects of the book, and it would be interesting to look back at it six years from now and see what has become real.
Oddly, however, all that reality is wrapped up in a fairy tale where everyone has a happy ending. And that is emblematic of the way the book felt contrived. At its best, it presents some beautiful writing at worst, it watches itself present it.
I liked the old Greek and the nine-year-old, and I felt for the young man who started seeing jinn. As for the other main characters, I would pay money not to meet them in real life.
bombach's review against another edition
3.0
I had heard a lot of praise for this novel prior to reading it. I am particularly prone to over high expectations and so was a little worried that this novel wouldn't be able to live up to its praise. I am pleased to say that it for the most part did. Although Goodreads shows this as a 3-star for me, I would call it a 3.5 star novel.
Things I liked
* The writing was quite good. The descriptions were rich and served to transport me to a place I've never visited both geographically as well as temporally.
* I quite enjoy near future science fiction especially when it seems to be just out of the current horizon. The Dervish House delivered on that front. From nanotechnology to remote controlled micro robotic drone, the science/technology was new but definitely believable.
Things I didn't like
* The plot was plodding at first. Everything seemed to come together in a rush at the end
* There were a few too many characters and they didn't seem tightly enough intertwined to merit putting them together in a single note.
Things I liked
* The writing was quite good. The descriptions were rich and served to transport me to a place I've never visited both geographically as well as temporally.
* I quite enjoy near future science fiction especially when it seems to be just out of the current horizon. The Dervish House delivered on that front. From nanotechnology to remote controlled micro robotic drone, the science/technology was new but definitely believable.
Things I didn't like
* The plot was plodding at first. Everything seemed to come together in a rush at the end
* There were a few too many characters and they didn't seem tightly enough intertwined to merit putting them together in a single note.
hamspamdamere's review against another edition
4.0
A twisting dance as six stories entwine in the heart of near future Istanbul. The old world and the ultra new, the ancient and the nascent future whirl together around the old Dervish House in Adem Dede Square.
Heat struck Istanbul, at once archaic and enigmatic then industrial and grimy, but also thrusting and modern, the palpitating heart of new European future Turkey, the crossroads of East and West, makes a fascinating and atmospheric setting as the stories spiral ever faster around each other and around the Dervish House.
The young Turk financier an Ultralord of the Universe, his wife the purveyor of antique and holy art. The old Greek economist, the grandson he never had a fragile but inquisitive and brilliant boy in a cloistered world. A sociopath rescued by his Islamist brother and his sect of street judges. The family girl from the countryside pushing her way ahead in the frenetic business world of the city with her extended family and their bleeding edge nano tech brainchild. All their stories interweave twist and sway together, touching each other holding on then whirling off again, spinning to individual climax and a collective crescendo that leaves the dancers breathless as the heatwave breaks and the sun sets over the Bosphorous and peace descends over the Queen of Cities.
This is a wonderful mix of story and atmosphere, characters and ideas, relationships and politics, history and the future, the big and the small, but never losing the human scale of love, loss and desire. This is Science Fiction because of the future politics and yet to be born technology, but it is beautiful storytelling whatever the genre.
Heat struck Istanbul, at once archaic and enigmatic then industrial and grimy, but also thrusting and modern, the palpitating heart of new European future Turkey, the crossroads of East and West, makes a fascinating and atmospheric setting as the stories spiral ever faster around each other and around the Dervish House.
The young Turk financier an Ultralord of the Universe, his wife the purveyor of antique and holy art. The old Greek economist, the grandson he never had a fragile but inquisitive and brilliant boy in a cloistered world. A sociopath rescued by his Islamist brother and his sect of street judges. The family girl from the countryside pushing her way ahead in the frenetic business world of the city with her extended family and their bleeding edge nano tech brainchild. All their stories interweave twist and sway together, touching each other holding on then whirling off again, spinning to individual climax and a collective crescendo that leaves the dancers breathless as the heatwave breaks and the sun sets over the Bosphorous and peace descends over the Queen of Cities.
This is a wonderful mix of story and atmosphere, characters and ideas, relationships and politics, history and the future, the big and the small, but never losing the human scale of love, loss and desire. This is Science Fiction because of the future politics and yet to be born technology, but it is beautiful storytelling whatever the genre.