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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Red Mars, was an excellent read, transporting you to our world 30,000 years ago. It is an excellent example of hard science fiction, and educates as well as entertains. Definitely worth reading if you have an interest in learning how we lived in the far past, and how humans interacted with the world around them.
There was just too much talk of pizzles and some odd reference to mushroom soup......that just could not be listened too anymore and I did not finish this book after making it 20% into the audiobook.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I actually found it quite impressive in the discipline to keep the scope small. It's a straightforward coming of age story set in the neolithic, resisting the urge most prehistoric fiction cant to make the protagonist important in the grand scheme of human development. This book sets out to tell a relatively small story and does it very well and compellingly.
Șaman e o ficțiune antropologică - poate mai mult SF decât Fantasy în sensul în care antropologia e Science. E interesant experimentul, dar mi se pare că KSR a vrut să scrie despre desenele de la Chauvet și nu a știut cum să lege desenele de narațiunea lui. Primele 200 de pagini sunt foarte lente, după aceea începe un roman cu o cu totul altă factură, care te ține cu inima la gură, după care descrie crearea desenelor de la Chauvet - practic romanul e rupt în trei, și nu e neapărat un lucru bun.
Dar merită citit. E un experiment interesant, mai ales că, Doamne-ajută, nu e făcut să aibă sequel sau prequel. Traducerea e decentă, deși ar fi mers revizuită - sunt neconcordanțe de timpuri pe alocuri sau sunt locuri unde simți cum traducătorul pur și simplu a aruncat o expresie aiurea ca să scape mai repede. Dar nu deranjează la lectură foarte tare, cel puțin nu m-a deranjat pe mine - doar că uneori o observi, și te întrebi de fapt care era sensul textului în original.
Dar merită citit. E un experiment interesant, mai ales că, Doamne-ajută, nu e făcut să aibă sequel sau prequel. Traducerea e decentă, deși ar fi mers revizuită - sunt neconcordanțe de timpuri pe alocuri sau sunt locuri unde simți cum traducătorul pur și simplu a aruncat o expresie aiurea ca să scape mai repede. Dar nu deranjează la lectură foarte tare, cel puțin nu m-a deranjat pe mine - doar că uneori o observi, și te întrebi de fapt care era sensul textului în original.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I finished it, but I'm not sure why. I liked the details, but the character development and dialog style drove me crazy. It seems like this could have been a much better book with more editing. I'm also not sure what the point was.
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since I read it- if you love an epic adventure or detailed descriptions of living outdoors or off the land, then you would love this too.
As many reviewers have already mentioned, there are a lot of disgusting things described in detail in this book, most having to do with what people eat, since they take any measure at all to stay alive and use all parts of the animals they hunt. If that bothers you, then you might not enjoy this. There is also a lot of sex in this book, but I found it wasn't really described in detail but more permeating every aspect of their culture, so it was fine for me- but again, if that isn't your cup of tea then steer clear.
Mostly I enjoyed following Loon in all his travels and in his daily life among his family pack (Heather was my favorite!). It was so interesting to see how the humans interacted with Neanderthals, learned the geography of their world, and survived in nature. This book will definitely transport you to another time and place, while reminding you that humans are simply social animals
As many reviewers have already mentioned, there are a lot of disgusting things described in detail in this book, most having to do with what people eat, since they take any measure at all to stay alive and use all parts of the animals they hunt. If that bothers you, then you might not enjoy this. There is also a lot of sex in this book, but I found it wasn't really described in detail but more permeating every aspect of their culture, so it was fine for me- but again, if that isn't your cup of tea then steer clear.
Mostly I enjoyed following Loon in all his travels and in his daily life among his family pack (Heather was my favorite!). It was so interesting to see how the humans interacted with Neanderthals, learned the geography of their world, and survived in nature. This book will definitely transport you to another time and place, while reminding you that humans are simply social animals
A very slow start, but it was more enjoyable from about half way through.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very good read.
Kim Stanley Robinson has a gift for story telling, whether it be hundreds of years in the future or hundreds of years in the past. If you enjoyed his futuristic tales of what may come in his Mars Series, you will probably enjoy this book of our ice age cousins. Robinson always portrays great characters, and I loved the story of Loon's passage from child to the Pack's Shaman.
Kim Stanley Robinson has a gift for story telling, whether it be hundreds of years in the future or hundreds of years in the past. If you enjoyed his futuristic tales of what may come in his Mars Series, you will probably enjoy this book of our ice age cousins. Robinson always portrays great characters, and I loved the story of Loon's passage from child to the Pack's Shaman.