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gmerrall's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
tamargabrielle's review against another edition
2.0
A very well thought out world. It gives our civilization as we know it a spin, where humans are without modern devices, electricity or any knowledge of science. It is a modern version of Eden. It is futuristic, but the way it's set up, there is no need for speculation of a world far in the future. It's all about a civilization away from the modern world, so it falls back to a hunter-gatherer type if living.
It is a basic science fiction storyline, but I didn't mind it. The story has strong characters, and Chris Beckett isn't afraid to bring in twisted elements in the world he creates. So even though it is a much used storyline, Beckett managed to make it unique and compelling regardless.
The story is very much focused on family and society. It is full of fantasy and science fiction, but Chris Beckett doesn't skip over the fundamental details of the world he creates. And that is what makes it a convincing story.
There is some romance but it's not the biggest part of the story, which I like. It's realistic in that sense, there are bigger things at play for the main characters. I found the main character John interesting. He isn't always very likable, but he has to be how he is in order for the story to make sense.
I've been hesitant to pick up science-fiction books lately, but I'm glad I did read this one.
It is a basic science fiction storyline, but I didn't mind it. The story has strong characters, and Chris Beckett isn't afraid to bring in twisted elements in the world he creates. So even though it is a much used storyline, Beckett managed to make it unique and compelling regardless.
The story is very much focused on family and society. It is full of fantasy and science fiction, but Chris Beckett doesn't skip over the fundamental details of the world he creates. And that is what makes it a convincing story.
There is some romance but it's not the biggest part of the story, which I like. It's realistic in that sense, there are bigger things at play for the main characters. I found the main character John interesting. He isn't always very likable, but he has to be how he is in order for the story to make sense.
I've been hesitant to pick up science-fiction books lately, but I'm glad I did read this one.
silverberry's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to get used to the way that these people spoke initially and their unusual way of life, but soon it just became a place I looked forward to going back to to find out what would happen next. By the end I was thinking a lot about our ancient ancestors and the journeys they made to eventually populate the earth, and about the future of our species and our potential. A very enjoyable plot and incredibly thought provoking. I feel rather more proud of being human than I did before. Sad to leave the characters behind which is always a good sign when the end of a book is reached, although I do believe there is another book about this world. If so I will be reading it.
lauca's review against another edition
2.0
Au départ le livre était intéressant, on découvrait un monde, des personnages et une façon de vivre et de parler différentes. J'aimais bien aussi le personnage principal, John, qui cherche à faire bouger les choses, mais en fin de compte, à la moitié du livre, je n'en pouvais plus. Je n'aime pas sa personnalité et on se lasse très vite de leur façon agaçante-agaçante de parler. J'ai réussi à finir ce livre mais je ne lirais pas la suite.
ellieroth's review against another edition
4.0
El Extraño Gato del Cuento
Cuando terminé de leer, puse esto en GoodReads: "Esta reseña va a ser interesante, espero poder abarcar todo lo que me dió este libro." Y sigo esperando poder lograrlo.
Primero, es el primer libro completamente, puro purito, ciencia ficción que leo, por lo que no tengo nada con qué compararlo. Prácticamente me ha desvirgao' este libro (?). Voy hacer esta reseña por puntos... En serio, no sé como hablar del libro, ya pasó un mes exacto desde que lo terminé y no logro agrupar las ideas muy bien.
Narrativamente me fue complicado adentrarme en la historia, la manera en que está escrito es bastante peculiar, hay palabras del tipo "Elek-trikity" (creo que así lo escribe), y esa es la más fácil de entender, varias palabras las va cambiando. Es como un teléfono malogrado, la pronunciación de las palabras se va perdiendo con el transcurso de las generaciones, algo que me pareció frustrante en algunas partes porque no entendía lo que decían, y en cierta forma también tierno, como cuando los niños recién aprenden a hablar. Otra de las razones por las que estuve perdida durante un tiempo también es que cambia de narrador en cada capítulo, a veces es John, otras Tina, a veces aparece Sue, y con la memoria que tengo a veces no recordaba quién era quién.
La Familia, la pequeña sociedad donde viven, como dije con lo del teléfono malogrado, no solo transformó algunas palabras, sino también la historia en sí, por ejemplo vemos que Jesús fue colgado por Hittler. Eso fue lo que se les contó y es lo que ellos creen. Es un libro un poco inquietante, por la forma en la que no están dispuestos a cambiar de pensar (al parecer aún estando en otro planeta, los seres humanos seguimos tercos) o la manera en la que... eh... se reproducen, no encontré otra palabra, quise poner cortejo, pero no tendría nada que ver con el libro. En Eden es así: todas las chicas a partir de cierta edad, 16 si es que recuerdo bien, pueden dormir con cualquier hombre que ellas decidan (lo que está bien, mujeres fuertes e independientes y todo eso) lo que me fue un poco, díganme mojigata, es que no existe algo parecido al matrimonio, cada quién puede crear con quién guste. Y con los chicos no es diferente, básicamente desde que pueden tener una erección pueden empezar a reproducirse. Seeeh, a mí me dijeron que era un libro juvenil, así que cuando empezó cierta cosa así de repente, tuve que leerlo varias veces para entenderlo, es que es tan frío. Soy una romántica, me gusta el porno con amor (?)
En cuanto a lo ciencia ficción, jo, lo amé. Como anuncié al principio, Dark Eden was my first. Eden es hermoso, en su aterradora manera.
Luego de unos capítulos empecé a pensar que le daría bajo puntaje, pero con el transcurso de mi lectura la historia me empezó a fascinar, aun así no es un libro que recomiende a todo el mundo, es bastante pesado seguirle el ritmo. No digo que sea malo, solo que es ese tipo de libro que no es para todos.
El Extraño Gato del Cuento
Cuando terminé de leer, puse esto en GoodReads: "Esta reseña va a ser interesante, espero poder abarcar todo lo que me dió este libro." Y sigo esperando poder lograrlo.
Primero, es el primer libro completamente, puro purito, ciencia ficción que leo, por lo que no tengo nada con qué compararlo. Prácticamente me ha desvirgao' este libro (?). Voy hacer esta reseña por puntos... En serio, no sé como hablar del libro, ya pasó un mes exacto desde que lo terminé y no logro agrupar las ideas muy bien.
Narrativamente me fue complicado adentrarme en la historia, la manera en que está escrito es bastante peculiar, hay palabras del tipo "Elek-trikity" (creo que así lo escribe), y esa es la más fácil de entender, varias palabras las va cambiando. Es como un teléfono malogrado, la pronunciación de las palabras se va perdiendo con el transcurso de las generaciones, algo que me pareció frustrante en algunas partes porque no entendía lo que decían, y en cierta forma también tierno, como cuando los niños recién aprenden a hablar. Otra de las razones por las que estuve perdida durante un tiempo también es que cambia de narrador en cada capítulo, a veces es John, otras Tina, a veces aparece Sue, y con la memoria que tengo a veces no recordaba quién era quién.
La Familia, la pequeña sociedad donde viven, como dije con lo del teléfono malogrado, no solo transformó algunas palabras, sino también la historia en sí, por ejemplo vemos que Jesús fue colgado por Hittler. Eso fue lo que se les contó y es lo que ellos creen. Es un libro un poco inquietante, por la forma en la que no están dispuestos a cambiar de pensar (al parecer aún estando en otro planeta, los seres humanos seguimos tercos) o la manera en la que... eh... se reproducen, no encontré otra palabra, quise poner cortejo, pero no tendría nada que ver con el libro. En Eden es así: todas las chicas a partir de cierta edad, 16 si es que recuerdo bien, pueden dormir con cualquier hombre que ellas decidan (lo que está bien, mujeres fuertes e independientes y todo eso) lo que me fue un poco, díganme mojigata, es que no existe algo parecido al matrimonio, cada quién puede crear con quién guste. Y con los chicos no es diferente, básicamente desde que pueden tener una erección pueden empezar a reproducirse. Seeeh, a mí me dijeron que era un libro juvenil, así que cuando empezó cierta cosa así de repente, tuve que leerlo varias veces para entenderlo, es que es tan frío. Soy una romántica, me gusta el porno con amor (?)
En cuanto a lo ciencia ficción, jo, lo amé. Como anuncié al principio, Dark Eden was my first. Eden es hermoso, en su aterradora manera.
Luego de unos capítulos empecé a pensar que le daría bajo puntaje, pero con el transcurso de mi lectura la historia me empezó a fascinar, aun así no es un libro que recomiende a todo el mundo, es bastante pesado seguirle el ritmo. No digo que sea malo, solo que es ese tipo de libro que no es para todos.
El Extraño Gato del Cuento
alibrareads's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. This wasn't what I expected when I picked up this book years ago. I expected the people of Eden to act/sound like humans do today, the descendants of Earth people making a life on a new planet.
This was a nose-crinkling look at what would happen if the hypothetical one man and one woman scenario actually played out, but on an alien world. It's full of people with deformities which isn't surprising considering everyone is related, so of course there would be birth defects when you're breeding with your own kin. It was kind of horrifying to think about.
The linguistic aspect was fascinating and the simplicity of it made for a strange juxtaposition to the dark world and situation they were in. I had this overall feeling that everyone on the planet by this point had some kind of mental disability from the interbreeding, and certainly that was the case with some characters, but then it finally clicked that they would repeat words for emphasis because they lacked the vocabulary to express anything deeper verbally. But they had very normal human thoughts and needs, expressed in the way that a young person might who didn't really understand what it was they were going through and didn't have words for it.
This book seems to takes the angle that men are by nature creatures who desire power, and even on an alien planet with very little Earth culture as an influence they will inevitably try to establish themselves as the dominant gender over women.
I would love to see some art of this world: a dark place where there is no star to act as a sun, and life comes from deep beneath the ground from the core of the planet and shines from pretty glowing trees. I think what drove me through this story was a desire to explore this world more and see what sights and creatures they would discover.
The ending was meh... It certainly leaves things open for a sequel, but didn't feel very satisfying. For a long time you are preparing for a conflict, and Beckett just totally leaves you hanging and wondering what, or even IF, that conflict will ever happen. It does make me want to see how the Eden societies will evolve after all of the progress they made in this book: how close they get to following Earth or how they diverge.
I did enjoy it, but the ending was very abrupt and not satisfying. You could just read this as a stand-alone novel I think. If you like coming-of-age stories, survivalist stories, and interesting linguistics with a sci-fi twist, this is for you.
This was a nose-crinkling look at what would happen if the hypothetical one man and one woman scenario actually played out, but on an alien world. It's full of people with deformities which isn't surprising considering everyone is related, so of course there would be birth defects when you're breeding with your own kin. It was kind of horrifying to think about.
The linguistic aspect was fascinating and the simplicity of it made for a strange juxtaposition to the dark world and situation they were in. I had this overall feeling that everyone on the planet by this point had some kind of mental disability from the interbreeding, and certainly that was the case with some characters, but then it finally clicked that they would repeat words for emphasis because they lacked the vocabulary to express anything deeper verbally. But they had very normal human thoughts and needs, expressed in the way that a young person might who didn't really understand what it was they were going through and didn't have words for it.
This book seems to takes the angle that men are by nature creatures who desire power, and even on an alien planet with very little Earth culture as an influence they will inevitably try to establish themselves as the dominant gender over women.
I would love to see some art of this world: a dark place where there is no star to act as a sun, and life comes from deep beneath the ground from the core of the planet and shines from pretty glowing trees. I think what drove me through this story was a desire to explore this world more and see what sights and creatures they would discover.
The ending was meh... It certainly leaves things open for a sequel, but didn't feel very satisfying. For a long time you are preparing for a conflict, and Beckett just totally leaves you hanging and wondering what, or even IF, that conflict will ever happen. It does make me want to see how the Eden societies will evolve after all of the progress they made in this book: how close they get to following Earth or how they diverge.
I did enjoy it, but the ending was very abrupt and not satisfying. You could just read this as a stand-alone novel I think. If you like coming-of-age stories, survivalist stories, and interesting linguistics with a sci-fi twist, this is for you.
atjelea's review against another edition
4.0
***I received an ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway***
I don't often read Science Fiction, but I found the premise of this book intriguing. A harsh planet with no sun, no modern technology and a small human population (one which was limited by a small gene pool and the resulting genetic mutations such as club foot and cleft lip). Food was scarce and supplies were limited due to The Family's rules. They lived with the distant hope that someday, if they remained in one area, people from Earth would come to rescue them (the original founders of this group were a man and woman from Earth who had crash landed on this unknown planet). For generations, this was the credo of the group. No one questioned or deviated from the rules...that is until John Redlantern developed a vision of a different life on Eden. His vision included journeying across the yet unexplored areas of the planet to try and find more plentiful food sources and supplies. He was ridiculed and shunned for his ambition. Knowing that change would not come without a drastic occurrence happening, John destroyed a piece of history that was central to the family. This precipitated a series of events that led to groups breaking off from the central Family. Now there were new ideas being formed and acted upon (animals were domesticated to help carry supplies and light the way...these animals had built in light sources. Clothing was developed to help withstand the harsh elements etc.). This rift in the family also opened it up to new leadership and men who at one time had no say in the matters of the Family were now advocating violence and dictatorship. These men had their own agendas and were looking to destroy rather than create. This is a book that illustrates both the strengths and weaknesses of the human race. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this author!
I don't often read Science Fiction, but I found the premise of this book intriguing. A harsh planet with no sun, no modern technology and a small human population (one which was limited by a small gene pool and the resulting genetic mutations such as club foot and cleft lip). Food was scarce and supplies were limited due to The Family's rules. They lived with the distant hope that someday, if they remained in one area, people from Earth would come to rescue them (the original founders of this group were a man and woman from Earth who had crash landed on this unknown planet). For generations, this was the credo of the group. No one questioned or deviated from the rules...that is until John Redlantern developed a vision of a different life on Eden. His vision included journeying across the yet unexplored areas of the planet to try and find more plentiful food sources and supplies. He was ridiculed and shunned for his ambition. Knowing that change would not come without a drastic occurrence happening, John destroyed a piece of history that was central to the family. This precipitated a series of events that led to groups breaking off from the central Family. Now there were new ideas being formed and acted upon (animals were domesticated to help carry supplies and light the way...these animals had built in light sources. Clothing was developed to help withstand the harsh elements etc.). This rift in the family also opened it up to new leadership and men who at one time had no say in the matters of the Family were now advocating violence and dictatorship. These men had their own agendas and were looking to destroy rather than create. This is a book that illustrates both the strengths and weaknesses of the human race. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this author!
ghostmuppet's review against another edition
4.0
This is a difficult book to review. I started not really enjoying it, due to some of the stupid repeating of words (such as, he was good good). This really started to grind - but i was intrigued by the world. So i kept listening. The repeating words started to grate less, and the story started to take hold. I formed a connection with some of the main characters.
My biggest issue with the book is the ending. It just stops. WHAT. It looks like this should have been a bigger book, but a decision was made to split it into two. I am not sure if that was the case, but this is NOT a stand alone book. There is a sequel which i will be getting, but i was kind of hoping for a solid ending to this book.
My biggest issue with the book is the ending. It just stops. WHAT. It looks like this should have been a bigger book, but a decision was made to split it into two. I am not sure if that was the case, but this is NOT a stand alone book. There is a sequel which i will be getting, but i was kind of hoping for a solid ending to this book.
lenarafley's review against another edition
5.0
Naprawdę jedna z lepszych książek, które ostatnio czytałam! Polecam w 100%.
lorj's review against another edition
3.0
Dragged on and on and nothing really happened. Unsatisfying and a bit dull, but there are some good ideas here.