Reviews

With A Canticle for Leibowitz, we are forced to conside some dark and difficult questions concerning the intersection of nature, religion, science and war.

Published in 1959 under the spectre of mutually assured destruction, this book should be considered part of a Cold War literary canon. War is used as the backdrop for a series of stories set throughout the centuries following the destruction of our civilization in a nuclear war.

The themes presented are still entirely relevant today. This book is worth any reader's time and attention.

sthenic's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

outatime85's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

ellis_eden's review against another edition

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2.0

While this book is technically science fiction, the religious overtone of the entire book really bogs down the text. So much Latin! One is hard pressed to find much to recommend this as science fiction.

The book seems more fantasy than scifi. After reading a lot of reviews about it being "one of the greatest science fiction books of all time", I was sad to form the opposite opinion. While the prose flowed relatively well in each section, it read more like what it was: three novellas of a similar theme, stuck together. It was difficult to care about the fate of any characters. Just as you begin to understand one, they disappear for some reason or another, never to return unless as a brief aside or historical reference. They moved like puppets created for the furtherance of the plot.

Granted, this is a golden age book, but the lack of ANY strong female characters (with one exception of a mutant woman beatified on the spectrum of the virgin/whore duality) I also found troubling.

Overall, a disappointment.

leflambeur's review against another edition

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4.0

Picked this up after having seen it me tend many times and having my post apocalyptic reading interest rekindled by reading Wool. It's not quite to my taste, but still a completely unique writing style. One gets the feeling there are many layers in the writing and it could probably support multiple reads. The writing holds up very well and really hasn't dated.

avelasco7's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

ofchippo's review against another edition

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reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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