Reviews

By the Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Benét

cullenr_d's review

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0

actuallythesun's review

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

dezarai's review

Go to review page

adventurous slow-paced

2.75

very well written, but i did not enjoy 

mcorinne's review

Go to review page

4.0

"By the Waters of Babylon" is a really well written story, with so many effects going into the theme. I was also impressed with how well thought out it was and how many clues there were to what was going on. At first, I didn't get that ASHING was George wASHINGton, and I didn't understand why the main character was so obsessed with food in a jar. But now I get it. The nuclear bombs, can't grow food, too poisonous. That's why they only eat meat and good hunters are so important. And I also think that the "quest" the priests go on… they all go to the place where the main character did. They do that so that someone in each generation will know why it's important not to become too knowledgeable, like the people who were destroyed. I was just really impressed.

nattii's review

Go to review page

read for my english course

casimiera's review

Go to review page

informative mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

gamma's review

Go to review page

hopeful reflective fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes

5.0

I first heard this story when my sister read it to me from her high school literature textbook in 1965. The story haunted me for years, but all I could remember was the god-roads. It is a short story and a look at a possible future with promise.

maddienagy's review

Go to review page

3.0

"I knew that I was seeing the city as it had been when the gods were alive."
I'll be honest, throughout most of this story I was confused and borderline bored, but the ending was really affecting and I especially loved the scene in which the narrator describes the city.

skjam's review

Go to review page

3.0

Reviewed this in a collected edition here: http://www.skjam.com/2019/11/16/book-review-the-pocket-book-of-science-fiction/
More...