Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I found this book dull and confusing; I had no interest in slogging through it, even though it was for my S.F. book club.
I find Roger Zelazny's 'Lord of Light' to be a perfect realization of the merging of myth and far future science fiction. Mr. Zelazny's imagined world is rich with characters, culture, and aliens, all mixed into an emergent factional conflict which originates with the Gods.
It's hard to really be fair to this book. If I had read it in 1967, when it came out, I'm sure I would have been blown away. Sadly, so many authors have followed in its footsteps by this point that was what original at the time seems nothing special today. We've got an alternate culture/mythology (mostly Hindu), a world that has lost most of its technology so that the leftover tech from the few original colonists seems like magic, people using advanced science to set themselves up as gods, and of course the good old "leave them to moulder in their ignorance vs. give them advanced tech and let the chips fall where they may" conflict.
Try Dan Simmons' "Ilium" for an updated version of this idea.
So, the characterization (very male-centered) was not enough to keep me enthralled when the concepts did not. Pretty imagery, though.
Try Dan Simmons' "Ilium" for an updated version of this idea.
So, the characterization (very male-centered) was not enough to keep me enthralled when the concepts did not. Pretty imagery, though.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
What do you call that structure in the tradition of religious or legendary narrative where the whole thing focuses on one hero but its split into a series of short stories describing one feat or event in the hero's life? Kinda parable-like but not really, not with the moral.
This book was at its most fun when it was doing that; I feel like that structure collapses partway through as it conforms to a more conventional sci-fi structure, which ain't bad but it doesn't *sing*.
It ain't Orientalist in the way, say, Dothraki are, but it does feel like Hindu concepts that feel important initially play out to be more like elaborate window dressing by the end.
I still thought it was a fun read.
This book was at its most fun when it was doing that; I feel like that structure collapses partway through as it conforms to a more conventional sci-fi structure, which ain't bad but it doesn't *sing*.
It ain't Orientalist in the way, say, Dothraki are, but it does feel like Hindu concepts that feel important initially play out to be more like elaborate window dressing by the end.
I still thought it was a fun read.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gal, jei domėčiausi hinduizmu ir budizmu, būtų buvę įdomiau.
mysterious
reflective
Despite feeling a constant level of contusion throughout the entire book, it was also a creative and interesting story -- it almost felt more mythological than science fiction most of the time -- and I am glad I read/finished it. However, I really wish I had the knowledge from the end of the book when I first started so I wasn't so constantly confused, but I also don't think I liked it so much that I'll ever read it again.
slow-paced