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he_slaughtered's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
waden34's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fairly entertaining book. The idea of love hurting somebody was unique and made for some interesting characters.
The constant flashbacks and flashforwards made for a compelling read but also made the plot hard to follow at times.
I almost gave this four stars but the confusion in the early going made it difficult to do.
The constant flashbacks and flashforwards made for a compelling read but also made the plot hard to follow at times.
I almost gave this four stars but the confusion in the early going made it difficult to do.
ms_m's review
4.0
I have read Piers Anthony most of my life and love each of his books. To find this one tucked in the back of a bookshelf was a treat. I love the story and it has imprinted itself on me, possibly scaring me for life.
thereadingrambler's review
1.0
I didn't actually even finish this book. I questioned for a long time whether I would or wouldn't finish it and I got through about 3/4 of it and then abandoned it.
My first questions about whether or not I would actually finish it arose because of the blatant disregard with which rape is treated. The main character, Anton, rapes a woman as a way of "teaching her a lesson" and this woman goes on to be totally in love with him. This falls into this theme that women receive love as abuse and hurt. Maybe at the end there was some sort of "redemption" for this perspective, but I couldn't take reading this abuse and vitriol launched at women; this condoning of abusive relationships, arguing that women [i]want[/i] abuse, that this is the way that women feel and want love. This is an entirely ridiculous proposition and really just evidence of the hate women have to endure, especially in early science fiction.
My second questions about whether or not I would finish it, and the reason I eventually abandoned it, was just how badly the second half was written. I couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on and I read Faulkner for fun. Anthony became more obsessed with talking about how woman should be treated and explicating the female psyche that his prose suffered.
The parts of the story that revolve around the prison break and being in the prison (besides the totally okay rape??) are really great. But then it devolves for the writer's own agenda.
My first questions about whether or not I would actually finish it arose because of the blatant disregard with which rape is treated. The main character, Anton, rapes a woman as a way of "teaching her a lesson" and this woman goes on to be totally in love with him. This falls into this theme that women receive love as abuse and hurt. Maybe at the end there was some sort of "redemption" for this perspective, but I couldn't take reading this abuse and vitriol launched at women; this condoning of abusive relationships, arguing that women [i]want[/i] abuse, that this is the way that women feel and want love. This is an entirely ridiculous proposition and really just evidence of the hate women have to endure, especially in early science fiction.
My second questions about whether or not I would finish it, and the reason I eventually abandoned it, was just how badly the second half was written. I couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on and I read Faulkner for fun. Anthony became more obsessed with talking about how woman should be treated and explicating the female psyche that his prose suffered.
The parts of the story that revolve around the prison break and being in the prison (besides the totally okay rape??) are really great. But then it devolves for the writer's own agenda.
deearr's review
5.0
As a longtime fan of Mr. Anthony, this early novel was one I had never found in hardcover or paperback. Seeing it as a Kindle release, I purchased it and am glad I did. It was refreshing to return to a writer that had previously delighted me with his novels. “Chthon” is now in that group.
The main character of Aton reminded me of Mr. Anthony’s Var the Stick in “Battle Circle,” a man trapped into doing what he believed was right even though it wasn’t the option he wanted or that he felt would make him happy. This moral quandary is missing from many stories I come across nowadays, and the combination of a fantastic plot and deep characterization is a talent a writer should strive to create. When this happens, an entertaining and engrossing book is the result, emphasized by nominations for both Hugo and Nebula Awards.
The author jumps back and forth through different time periods in Aton’s life, presenting questions that are answered later. The technique is effective, and kept me turning the pages until the end. There are poetic interludes (Prolog, Interlog, and Epilog) which some readers may be tempted to skim, but they add meaning to the novel and deserve careful reading. The Author’s Note after the story is part autobiography, part explanation of some of the nuanced sections of the book. There were some aspects I caught, others I missed, and it is enlightening to read this before placing the book on the shelf or removing it from the carousel.
Overall, a great book from an accomplished author. Five stars.
The main character of Aton reminded me of Mr. Anthony’s Var the Stick in “Battle Circle,” a man trapped into doing what he believed was right even though it wasn’t the option he wanted or that he felt would make him happy. This moral quandary is missing from many stories I come across nowadays, and the combination of a fantastic plot and deep characterization is a talent a writer should strive to create. When this happens, an entertaining and engrossing book is the result, emphasized by nominations for both Hugo and Nebula Awards.
The author jumps back and forth through different time periods in Aton’s life, presenting questions that are answered later. The technique is effective, and kept me turning the pages until the end. There are poetic interludes (Prolog, Interlog, and Epilog) which some readers may be tempted to skim, but they add meaning to the novel and deserve careful reading. The Author’s Note after the story is part autobiography, part explanation of some of the nuanced sections of the book. There were some aspects I caught, others I missed, and it is enlightening to read this before placing the book on the shelf or removing it from the carousel.
Overall, a great book from an accomplished author. Five stars.
rgrove's review
2.0
Cthon is a confounding novel. One the one hand it's a creative mash up of genres and ideas. It is very sharply written and has scenes of great poetic weirdness. On the other hand the novel is deeply stained with misogyny: forcible rape where the victim comes to love the rapist, a planet where the more women are abused the more they love you....get the idea? Scenes of cannibalism, murder, maternal incest and violent death are also told with great attention to detail. Too much detail, I think.
It's a testament to the author's writing skill that I didn't throw this book across the room. The ending is so misogynistic that I kinda wish I had.
Piers Anthony may have refined his views of women in subsequent novels, but I'm afraid I won't be reading them.
It's a testament to the author's writing skill that I didn't throw this book across the room. The ending is so misogynistic that I kinda wish I had.
Piers Anthony may have refined his views of women in subsequent novels, but I'm afraid I won't be reading them.
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