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tanja_alina_berg 's review for:
Swan Song
by Robert R. McCammon
It's over! It's done! I'm so happy I would do a little jig on the living room table if I thought the latter could take it. I can't believe I stuck with this overly long and fantastically boring book. I bought it because of comparisons to "the Stand", the high average rating and excellent reviews. I read it because I got too invested and was hoping for something spectacular. It never came, although there were some sunny peaks in the valley of the shadow of death.
In an alternative world the nuclear arm's race ended with the destruction of the world. At least, everything was laid to rest as nuclear wasteland. Some few pockets of humanity survived the initial blasts. A crazy bag lady became sane as she emerged from underground to the rubble, but couldn't remember her name and just went as "Sister". Outside that which used to be Tiffany's, she picks up something which looks like a glass crown, with jewels stuck inside. She kept it and it turns out to be magical. Another two who survived was the little girl called "Swan" - short for Sue Wanda - with the special ability to make things grow, and a wrestler called Josh. Sister sees Swan in the glass circle and sets out to look for her. The man with many faces who wants to see all of humanity wiped out, is looking for both Swan and Sister. He doesn't want anything that could contribute to hope walking about.
In another corner of the country, an old Vietnam veteran and a misguided young boy are making their way. They are building an "army of excellence" for people unblemished with keloids caused by raditation. It takes time.
In the middle of the book there is a fast foward of seven years. Swan and Josh are still on their way, Sister is still looking for them. However, it looks like their paths will cross soon - and with the Army of Excellence.
The premise is good. It's just that this book is so long and not particularly interesting. It's not like I was biting my nails seeing what would come next, I spent most of the book wishing it would be over. I don't recommend this to anyone except perhaps masochists.
In an alternative world the nuclear arm's race ended with the destruction of the world. At least, everything was laid to rest as nuclear wasteland. Some few pockets of humanity survived the initial blasts. A crazy bag lady became sane as she emerged from underground to the rubble, but couldn't remember her name and just went as "Sister". Outside that which used to be Tiffany's, she picks up something which looks like a glass crown, with jewels stuck inside. She kept it and it turns out to be magical. Another two who survived was the little girl called "Swan" - short for Sue Wanda - with the special ability to make things grow, and a wrestler called Josh. Sister sees Swan in the glass circle and sets out to look for her. The man with many faces who wants to see all of humanity wiped out, is looking for both Swan and Sister. He doesn't want anything that could contribute to hope walking about.
In another corner of the country, an old Vietnam veteran and a misguided young boy are making their way. They are building an "army of excellence" for people unblemished with keloids caused by raditation. It takes time.
In the middle of the book there is a fast foward of seven years. Swan and Josh are still on their way, Sister is still looking for them. However, it looks like their paths will cross soon - and with the Army of Excellence.
The premise is good. It's just that this book is so long and not particularly interesting. It's not like I was biting my nails seeing what would come next, I spent most of the book wishing it would be over. I don't recommend this to anyone except perhaps masochists.