Scan barcode
lusitania's review against another edition
2.0
This thing reads like the one time I tried to do NaNo, didn't plan for it, and just rambled blindly to hit my word goal.
strtdusty's review against another edition
2.0
the story was LONG and kept telling about the minutiae of the characters travels
lottpoet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
redheadreading's review against another edition
2.0
Loved the world and all the ideas in it, absolutely hated the relationship between the main characters so couldn't enjoy it.
aleph's review against another edition
2.0
Ein Buch über Liebe wie Verzweiflung. Die - vermutlich im Gegensatz zum Original - einfache Sprache funktioniert wunderbar und verstärkt auf eine seltsame Art die Düsternis des Night Lands. Das Buch lebt vom interessanten Setting, dass ich gerne noch weiter ausgebaut gesehen hätte - aber alles, was erklärbar und erkundbar ist, verliert an Schrecken; dieser ist ja vorrangig durch die schiere Andersartigkeit der Dinge so präsent.
Wie dem auch sei, es ist mir leider erst einige Tage nach dem Lesen richtig schmerzlich bewusst geworden, dass nahezu alles in diesem Roman ausser dem Setting (auf welches wie oben bemerkt leider sehr wenig eingegangen wird) sehr ersetzbar ist. Und leider, wenige Tagen nach dem Lesen, bereits nur mehr verblasste Erinnerungen sind.
Wie dem auch sei, es ist mir leider erst einige Tage nach dem Lesen richtig schmerzlich bewusst geworden, dass nahezu alles in diesem Roman ausser dem Setting (auf welches wie oben bemerkt leider sehr wenig eingegangen wird) sehr ersetzbar ist. Und leider, wenige Tagen nach dem Lesen, bereits nur mehr verblasste Erinnerungen sind.
shendriq's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
loryndalar's review against another edition
3.0
Oh how I wish I could have enjoyed this book more... the language, the weirdness, the Lovecraft precursorness... but it was difficult (err... perhaps because of all of that?)
aospovat's review against another edition
On the one hand, this giant book I'm slogging through is a Lovecraftian masterpiece.
On the other hand, it's infuriating that William Hope Hodgson could easily conceive of a world millions of years in the future, in which the sun has died, and monsters roam the Earth, and the last humans survive huddled in a metal pyramid 7 miles high - but he couldn't imagine a world in which women have jobs.
So on the whole - it's quite a bit like reading Lovecraft. Grit your teeth through the noxious bigotry, force yourself to plod through the mind-numbing sections of overblown fantasy, and you'll be rewarded with an amazing story.
Not recommended for slow readers. Spare yourself and just get the rewritten version.
On the other hand, it's infuriating that William Hope Hodgson could easily conceive of a world millions of years in the future, in which the sun has died, and monsters roam the Earth, and the last humans survive huddled in a metal pyramid 7 miles high - but he couldn't imagine a world in which women have jobs.
So on the whole - it's quite a bit like reading Lovecraft. Grit your teeth through the noxious bigotry, force yourself to plod through the mind-numbing sections of overblown fantasy, and you'll be rewarded with an amazing story.
Not recommended for slow readers. Spare yourself and just get the rewritten version.
fergster's review against another edition
5.0
Damn this book!
Damn its godawful butchering of the English language. Damn its constant repetition and endless belabouring of every point. Damn its plodding, every-single-day-must-be-mentioned-in-full narrative. Damn its saccharine-sweet love story. Damn its unforgivable misogyny and depiction of "acceptable" violence against women.
And damn it all to hell for making me end up loving it thanks to an ending that is both horrendously trite and ridiculously moving!
Damn its godawful butchering of the English language. Damn its constant repetition and endless belabouring of every point. Damn its plodding, every-single-day-must-be-mentioned-in-full narrative. Damn its saccharine-sweet love story. Damn its unforgivable misogyny and depiction of "acceptable" violence against women.
And damn it all to hell for making me end up loving it thanks to an ending that is both horrendously trite and ridiculously moving!
chramies's review against another edition
2.0
ON THE P*** IN THE NIGHT LAND
I awoke me and mine thinking-parts did hurt. I had reminscence of visits to several drinking-places, in which we imbibed several ales. I had also reminiscence of a Maid to whom I paid court in many ways including taking her into a secluded court yard and removing her troublesome nether clothing. I did not recall her name, nor may I ever have askt it. I bethought me to mine Naani of whom I had not thought while the Maid was cooing over mine great physical strength and while I was rogering her so soundly she hoppt off the ground at the top of every stroke of mine impressive shagging-parts.
In the morning I bethought me of this and also of the dis-ease that the Master Monstruwacan hath warned us against, and that I did not take precautions against. And sure enough when I took me from mine bedroll to Piss, the act of Pissation wath painful.
There came a Knock at the door of my quarters, and it wath a Messenger, saying that I wath to be brought before the Beak, that wath to say the MM, right away.
Which I did do so, and upon seeing the Beak, he greeted me thusly:
“Do you not remember that you Punished four fellows in a bar, when they were merely having a drink?”
Some memory of this cameth to mine thinking-parts, which were now hurting even more fiercely. I recalled knocking one down and jumping up and down upon his head. It wath fortunate that the carrying of the Diskos is forbidden in the bars of the Great Redoubt, even for one so heroic as I.
Yet The Beak did not seem to know of the floppy cank from the fifteenth Level whom I surprised with two girls, and taking him aside, did beat him savagely for flopping about and laughing like a wench, yet this memory was coming to me most vivid at the time.
“Now laugheth that one off,” I saideth to him as he lay twitching in a pool of gore and vomition, and gave him a Kick in the Ribs for good measure. Then I wenteth back to the two girls to see if they would be entertained with mine party trick of balancing seven half-pint mugs on mine shagging-parts, but they had gone.
Nay, I suspected the Beak knew of this other incident but thought it well done.
However I am making many an excuse to mine Naani for why I cannot spend the night in her quarters, for the Maid (who was no maiden) whom I tuppt did indeed give me the dis-ease that is known as the Night Clap; and this I would not transmit to mine Naani. I believe that another Expedition may be necessary, to step beyond the Great Redoubt into the Night Land.
I awoke me and mine thinking-parts did hurt. I had reminscence of visits to several drinking-places, in which we imbibed several ales. I had also reminiscence of a Maid to whom I paid court in many ways including taking her into a secluded court yard and removing her troublesome nether clothing. I did not recall her name, nor may I ever have askt it. I bethought me to mine Naani of whom I had not thought while the Maid was cooing over mine great physical strength and while I was rogering her so soundly she hoppt off the ground at the top of every stroke of mine impressive shagging-parts.
In the morning I bethought me of this and also of the dis-ease that the Master Monstruwacan hath warned us against, and that I did not take precautions against. And sure enough when I took me from mine bedroll to Piss, the act of Pissation wath painful.
There came a Knock at the door of my quarters, and it wath a Messenger, saying that I wath to be brought before the Beak, that wath to say the MM, right away.
Which I did do so, and upon seeing the Beak, he greeted me thusly:
“Do you not remember that you Punished four fellows in a bar, when they were merely having a drink?”
Some memory of this cameth to mine thinking-parts, which were now hurting even more fiercely. I recalled knocking one down and jumping up and down upon his head. It wath fortunate that the carrying of the Diskos is forbidden in the bars of the Great Redoubt, even for one so heroic as I.
Yet The Beak did not seem to know of the floppy cank from the fifteenth Level whom I surprised with two girls, and taking him aside, did beat him savagely for flopping about and laughing like a wench, yet this memory was coming to me most vivid at the time.
“Now laugheth that one off,” I saideth to him as he lay twitching in a pool of gore and vomition, and gave him a Kick in the Ribs for good measure. Then I wenteth back to the two girls to see if they would be entertained with mine party trick of balancing seven half-pint mugs on mine shagging-parts, but they had gone.
Nay, I suspected the Beak knew of this other incident but thought it well done.
However I am making many an excuse to mine Naani for why I cannot spend the night in her quarters, for the Maid (who was no maiden) whom I tuppt did indeed give me the dis-ease that is known as the Night Clap; and this I would not transmit to mine Naani. I believe that another Expedition may be necessary, to step beyond the Great Redoubt into the Night Land.