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aether's Reviews (111)
What a massive book. I had the pleasure of listening to the audio book version, and I didn't think I would be able to tackle it (the thing was 80+ hours long!). I recall one chapter, "This is John Galt Speaking", that was Ayn Rand giving the thesis of the entire book through the voice of one character; it quite literally lasted two and a half hours. Rand takes things that could be said in a few paragraphs and manages to say them in 40 pages. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as she adds great depth to situations and character development. It certainly has the potential to turn many readers away, however.
The message of the book is incredible. I would not say I agree with all of it, or even most of it, but it is a most fascinating perspective. One major flaw I find in Rand's philosophy is this: she believes that people who act selfishly are good (in fact, they are the ultimate good if they act selfishly), and she completely disdains all faith and compassion. Her view of 'good' is twisted, because she believes that if someone is acting in their own interest, often that personal action will result in the desire to help/love others (either because you love that they love themselves as much as you do, or that they have worth in what they can do for you). I can't say I don't like this ideology in a business sense; the never-ending strive to accomplish more through the work of your own hands, and not through slimy parlor deals or through using friends/legislature to destroy the competition in order to net oneself an unethical profit. But applying this on a societal scale is entirely unrealistic--people just don't act the way Ayn Rand would like them to. (I've probably stated this poorly, but the message of her book is difficult to digest completely.)
Philosophy aside, I adored the book. While a book about trains may seem boring, Rand does much to draw the reader in. This 1000+ page volume can be tough to chew, but finishing it is a satisfying endeavor. The character development, the plot, bits of sci-fi, literary style--all come together to create a great work that leaves no doubt in my mind as to why it is considered among the classics of literature.
If you have the mental fortitude (or sufficient self-loathing) to endure the length, I would recommend this book!
The message of the book is incredible. I would not say I agree with all of it, or even most of it, but it is a most fascinating perspective. One major flaw I find in Rand's philosophy is this: she believes that people who act selfishly are good (in fact, they are the ultimate good if they act selfishly), and she completely disdains all faith and compassion. Her view of 'good' is twisted, because she believes that if someone is acting in their own interest, often that personal action will result in the desire to help/love others (either because you love that they love themselves as much as you do, or that they have worth in what they can do for you). I can't say I don't like this ideology in a business sense; the never-ending strive to accomplish more through the work of your own hands, and not through slimy parlor deals or through using friends/legislature to destroy the competition in order to net oneself an unethical profit. But applying this on a societal scale is entirely unrealistic--people just don't act the way Ayn Rand would like them to. (I've probably stated this poorly, but the message of her book is difficult to digest completely.)
Philosophy aside, I adored the book. While a book about trains may seem boring, Rand does much to draw the reader in. This 1000+ page volume can be tough to chew, but finishing it is a satisfying endeavor. The character development, the plot, bits of sci-fi, literary style--all come together to create a great work that leaves no doubt in my mind as to why it is considered among the classics of literature.
If you have the mental fortitude (or sufficient self-loathing) to endure the length, I would recommend this book!
Vonnegut has an amazing ability to communicate the tragedy of war in an atypical way. Along with Catch-22, I enjoy this kind of 'not your average war book' literature. Would recommend to those who like quirky, often sarcastic, and sometimes saddening stories.
This book was not what I expected. I did expect dark, yes, but not like this. Cormac McCarthy throws literary convention out the window and approaches the content of this book in a unique way. Using unconventional dialogue, stream of consciousness, and a distinct lack of chapters, McCarthy weaves a story of hopelessness amid desolation. I would NOT recommend this to readers who do not like fear or dark literature: this book goes over the top in that regard. I WOULD recommend this to people who like to sit at night and wonder what the world would be if everything we knew were destroyed beyond salvation, or anyone willing to tackle an emotional challenge.
A must read for anyone considering serious dating!
This book surprised me. I thought its main gimmick would be the "Ringworld" concept, and as such I thought it wouldn't have much substance to it. Surprisingly, it contained a huge amount of worldbuilding (no joke intended) and character development. Many of the 'sci-fi' concepts dreamed up by Niven were fascinating to ponder. The book takes an odd, non-sci-fi turn near the end. I hate to give anything away, but I read "Mostly Harmless" by Douglas Adams immediately after and I found some incredible similarities with his concept of "temporal reverse engineering". I enjoyed the book, although I fear my reading was a little hindered by the quality of the audiobook I listened to. I would give it 3 stars for that, but I cannot blame the author for the fault of the medium. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
This book could have been a quarter of its current length. It felt too stretched out, butter spread too thin. This is, unfortunately, the first work I've read by Herbert that has been disappointing. The concept: loved it. The ending: disliked it, but respected it. The month long (200 page) inner journey/character development walk through Ireland: unnecessary. I completely realize that other people may enjoy this book, but it was not what I was looking for in a Herbert novel. It saddens me that I disliked it; I didn't want to, but I had to FORCE myself to read the last 20 pages just so I could be done with it (I had gotten that far, I didn't want to give up!). I probably would not recommend this book, as there are many - better - Herbert books I would recommend instead!
A wonderfully short read. If you don't have the patience to get through 1984, read this instead. Although the two books are quite different, the first half of Anthem had a significant 1984-esque feel to me. Rand's book, however, deals less with the "paranoid adhesion to a government-controlled society" and more with her philosophy of "The ultimate man is the self made man. The man who works for only himself is most righteous." While parts of this philosophy are appealing, I don't think, alone, it serves as an adequate worldview. That aside, Rand does an excellent job giving hope to and empowering the reader. I would recommend this book, as it's a short read and encapsulates Rand's thoughts well.
“Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before. He is full of murderous resentment of people who are ignorant without having come by their ignorance the hard way.”
If I could give a book four and a half stars on Goodreads, I would do so with this book! Filled with dark humor and imaginative science, Cat's Cradle is the story of an island, a family, and the folly of man. Much like in Slaughterhouse Five, Vonnegut uses a unique approach to critique the concept of war and the stupidity of man for continuing to wage it. For me, this was a wonderful read. It has about 120+ chapters, most of which are no more than two or three pages long. There are a number of great quotes in the book, but some of my favorite center around what the title represents. A better explanation can be found here: Cat's Cradle Title.
The book was a little slow; much of the first 80% of the book was character development and some commentary on the human condition by Vonnegut. It's not until the last 50 pages that things pick up. However, when they do pick up, it goes from 0 to 100 in a matter of pages. That's why I would love to give this book four and a half stars: not perfect, but amazing nonetheless. Would recommend to anyone who might enjoy atypical humor and/or social commentary.
Special thanks to Stefanie Swain for giving me this book!
If I could give a book four and a half stars on Goodreads, I would do so with this book! Filled with dark humor and imaginative science, Cat's Cradle is the story of an island, a family, and the folly of man. Much like in Slaughterhouse Five, Vonnegut uses a unique approach to critique the concept of war and the stupidity of man for continuing to wage it. For me, this was a wonderful read. It has about 120+ chapters, most of which are no more than two or three pages long. There are a number of great quotes in the book, but some of my favorite center around what the title represents. A better explanation can be found here: Cat's Cradle Title.
The book was a little slow; much of the first 80% of the book was character development and some commentary on the human condition by Vonnegut. It's not until the last 50 pages that things pick up. However, when they do pick up, it goes from 0 to 100 in a matter of pages. That's why I would love to give this book four and a half stars: not perfect, but amazing nonetheless. Would recommend to anyone who might enjoy atypical humor and/or social commentary.
Special thanks to Stefanie Swain for giving me this book!
What a thrilling read! Crichton had suspense at every corner. With cliffhangers at every chapter, I couldn't help but read on. One review from the New York Times says "The suspense is real...you know they're going to make it. Or do you? The last 10 pages are exactly what they should be." I can't echo this enough. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, a new clue or event comes up to throw me off completely. A wonderful mix of suspense and science fiction.
I was recommended this book by a friend, and I was not disappointed! It is an amazing read. Vinge has an imagination off the charts, with world building to rival Tolkien. The picture of the galaxy he paints is like a splash on a canvas: enough detail for one to get the general feel, but much of the minutiae left for the imagination to contrive. The pacing in the third quarter of the book felt a little slow relative to the rest of the book, but over all it was an action-packed adventure -- a wonderful mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Vinge also does an amazing job of weaving plot twists onto the story; many such twists have their roots within the first few chapters of the book. The reader is essentially "thrown" into the book's universe, but Vinge gradually builds up the reader's understanding of his canon. It is a longer novel, but well worth the length.