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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Enjoyed every single page. I haven't devoured a book like this in ages. I LOVED it. I can't believe I haven't heard of this book till recently. Fantastic. I understand why it is compared to THE Stand (which I also love)but it is also different and deserve to stand on it's own accord. I think Robert R McCammon may become a new fav author.
Mostly predictable. Mostly underwhelming. There were things I enjoyed about it, there were things that made me cringe. I just feel like the execution was poor, even though the idea/story was neat. A little too 80’s for me, personally.
Teenager me would have probably thought this book was amazing.
Teenager me would have probably thought this book was amazing.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Solid 5 stars, but beware, this book is 920 pages!
Not an easy book. Written in the 1980s.
1. It's 900+ pages of dystopia & speculative fiction with a dash of fantasy.
2. 3rd person omniscient can be hard to follow when the POV changes mid paragraph. This isn't done like this much anymore. Usually when you switch perspectives you have to change chapters or at least leave a line in between POVs.
3. Bombs have dropped and most people are dead. The survivors have a lot of issues including "Job's mask" which is explained at one point.
4. There are three story lines with 2 people each, occasionally more, but they come and go.
5. Swan is a little girl who is trapped in the basement of a store when the bombs drop. she and her mother stay there for weeks with Josh, a huge professional wrestler. Swan has always had a way with plants.
6. There was a bomb shelter that families could buy into and visit 2 weeks a year. Roland, a teenager who has given in to his fantasies of being a warrior, survives with a former Army colonial Macklin who ran the bomb shelter.
7. Sister Creep, a street wise homeless woman meets Artie, a paunchy shoe salesman. sister finds a melted piece of glass that allows her to dream walk.
8. There is also Death (never actually named except "the man with the scarlet eye") who is looking for Sister because she escaped him. He wants the glass she carries because it gives hope and he doesn't want anyone to have hope.
This book is a masterpiece. The fantasy almost seems like something that could actually happen in the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse. The storylines that you know will all merge at one point are wonderful by themselves. We see a little girl who has a way with plants, a boy who gets wrapped up in helping a would be king, and a crazy lady who finds and object that gives her a purpose.
In the 80s we were all sure the nukes were going to drop at some point. There were movies about it. I'm glad I didn't read this book back then because it would have freaked me out, but now it is just plain good. Although i believe kids these days would have a MUCH harder time if the power went out because they haven't had the experience of reading maps, using boredom as a means for creativity, etc. I'm glad I read it even though it took me over a week!
Not an easy book. Written in the 1980s.
1. It's 900+ pages of dystopia & speculative fiction with a dash of fantasy.
2. 3rd person omniscient can be hard to follow when the POV changes mid paragraph. This isn't done like this much anymore. Usually when you switch perspectives you have to change chapters or at least leave a line in between POVs.
3. Bombs have dropped and most people are dead. The survivors have a lot of issues including "Job's mask" which is explained at one point.
4. There are three story lines with 2 people each, occasionally more, but they come and go.
5. Swan is a little girl who is trapped in the basement of a store when the bombs drop. she and her mother stay there for weeks with Josh, a huge professional wrestler. Swan has always had a way with plants.
6. There was a bomb shelter that families could buy into and visit 2 weeks a year. Roland, a teenager who has given in to his fantasies of being a warrior, survives with a former Army colonial Macklin who ran the bomb shelter.
7. Sister Creep, a street wise homeless woman meets Artie, a paunchy shoe salesman. sister finds a melted piece of glass that allows her to dream walk.
8. There is also Death (never actually named except "the man with the scarlet eye") who is looking for Sister because she escaped him. He wants the glass she carries because it gives hope and he doesn't want anyone to have hope.
This book is a masterpiece. The fantasy almost seems like something that could actually happen in the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse. The storylines that you know will all merge at one point are wonderful by themselves. We see a little girl who has a way with plants, a boy who gets wrapped up in helping a would be king, and a crazy lady who finds and object that gives her a purpose.
In the 80s we were all sure the nukes were going to drop at some point. There were movies about it. I'm glad I didn't read this book back then because it would have freaked me out, but now it is just plain good. Although i believe kids these days would have a MUCH harder time if the power went out because they haven't had the experience of reading maps, using boredom as a means for creativity, etc. I'm glad I read it even though it took me over a week!
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Step aside “The Stand,” I have found the best apocalyptic novel.
It was good, well written and very readable, but I don't feel like reading something this dark at the moment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
what a fantastic adventure this book was. though it clocks at close to 1000 pages, i didn't feel that the book was labored at all. i really enjoyed every single second of it.
the main characters, swan, josh, sister, roland are all just fantastic. they are so richly written...their history is brought into their present...they make sense as characters. and they make sense in relation to each other.
i am a big fan of a book that is written as separate stories...all intertwined and leading to the same path. it was like i could envision the physical paths moving across the united states -- waiting for all three stories to finally connect and reveal the climax of the story.
i'm a big fan of post apocalyptic stories...especially ones that mix fantasy and magic and demons into it.
i was never disappointed in the outcome of each and every metaphorical (and literal) mountain that these characters had to climb....we lose some characters that we don't really want to lose. and some characters end up surprising us in the end.
i'm not sure how i missed this novel for so long. i mean, it was written in the 80's! why did i not know it existed?
bottom line here is -- this is not a grand work of literary fiction that will change your outlook on life -- but it is one hell of a good story about a band of great characters surviving in the world after the world as we know it ends.
the main characters, swan, josh, sister, roland are all just fantastic. they are so richly written...their history is brought into their present...they make sense as characters. and they make sense in relation to each other.
i am a big fan of a book that is written as separate stories...all intertwined and leading to the same path. it was like i could envision the physical paths moving across the united states -- waiting for all three stories to finally connect and reveal the climax of the story.
i'm a big fan of post apocalyptic stories...especially ones that mix fantasy and magic and demons into it.
i was never disappointed in the outcome of each and every metaphorical (and literal) mountain that these characters had to climb....we lose some characters that we don't really want to lose. and some characters end up surprising us in the end.
i'm not sure how i missed this novel for so long. i mean, it was written in the 80's! why did i not know it existed?
bottom line here is -- this is not a grand work of literary fiction that will change your outlook on life -- but it is one hell of a good story about a band of great characters surviving in the world after the world as we know it ends.
WOW!
This was my first book by Robert McCammon and I now plan on reading every book written by him lol. Swan Song was amazing, and one of the best apocalyptic books i’ve read. The world and characters McCammon was able to creat is a true work of art. I fell in love with this unique group of characters, and being able to see them grow and develop in this dark world. I am constantly thinking about Swan, Josh and sister.This book is long but it didn’t not feel like a 900 page book because of how fast pace this story is. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
This was my first book by Robert McCammon and I now plan on reading every book written by him lol. Swan Song was amazing, and one of the best apocalyptic books i’ve read. The world and characters McCammon was able to creat is a true work of art. I fell in love with this unique group of characters, and being able to see them grow and develop in this dark world. I am constantly thinking about Swan, Josh and sister.This book is long but it didn’t not feel like a 900 page book because of how fast pace this story is. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes