Angels & Insects: Two Novellas

Book Description

In these breathtaking novellas, A.S. Byatt returns to the territory she explored in Possession: the landscape of Victorian England, where science and spiritualism are both popular manias, and domestic decorum coexists with brutality and perversion. Angels and Insects is "delicate and confidently ironic.... Byatt perfectly blends laughter and sympathy [with] extraordinary sensuality" (San Francisco Examiner).

Customer Reviews:

Fine Use Of Mid-Victorian Setting.......2005-08-19

Two novellas, both set in Byatt's favorite period, the Victorian era. The first novella carried, in my opinion, the weaker second, but both are good reads. The first story was later shot as an NC17 movie. It is about a biologist who comes back to England after a decade in Brazil and begins to write his great work on the civilization of ants. He falls in love with the daughter of his host family and marries her. For several years all seems well, if slightly askew, somehow, to him, and at the end of the novella, we learn exactly what is wrong with life in that house and what has been wrong all along. (Slightly shocking, really, giving the unsuspecting tone to the plot that led up to it.) The second novella is about the late-Victorian mania with séances and spiritualism. In it a woman whose husband, captain of a whaling ship, is presumed drowned at sea, and she is encouraged by her sister to seek the aid of a noted medium. Both these novellas may easily be partaken of in a day, and make superb reading material for a long flight or rainy evening spent alone.

Fly like an angel, sting like a bee.......2004-03-25

A.S. Byatt is best known for her lush, time-spanning historical romance "Possession." In "Angels and Insects: Two Novellas," Byatt revisits the intellectuals of the Victorian era. She dips into Victorian interests in spiritualism, insects, poetry and love -- not to mention their darker sides as well.

"Morpho Eugenia" introduces us to a young naturalist named William, who until recently had been studying insects in the Amazon. He was shipwrecked, then rescued by the wealthy Alabaster family. While continuing to study butterflies, he marries the beautiful eldest daughter Eugenia and for a time, lives the good life. The only problem is that unknown to him, Eugenia is wrapped up in a lifelong tangle of obsession and incest.

"The Conjugial Angel" introduces us to a group of mediums who gather to call up spirits. Mrs. Papagay is still in love with the dead Arturo. Emily mourns her dead lover, immortalized in her brother Alfred Tennyson's "In Memoriam" -- except she has married again. Now she struggles with her past emotions, her present doubts, and her longing to communicate with her love again.

As in her prior works, Byatt's writing is almost dizzily lush. She has a good sense of detail, describing ribbons, moths, butterfly wings, and the flames of gaslights. But pretty words are not all that Byatt has to offer -- she makes use of poetry (her own, and that of others), Darwinism and religious faith, Swedenborg, a family whose opulence covers their decay, and the nuances of love. Not to mention the dialogue: Eugenia's rambling explanation about her relationship with her brother is chilling.

Perhaps best of this collection is that Byatt has a fantastic grasp on period descriptions and dialogue -- it all sounds like a novel from the 19th centuy, with the polish of a modern book. Which is not to say that "Angels and Insects" is perfect. Byatt spends a little too much time on the moths and too little on the Alabaster family. And she's not at her best in "Conjugial Angel," which lacks the punch of the first novella. It's moving at the end, but takes awhile to get there.

Delving into such topics as survival of the fittest, poetry and love, Byatt produces a solid pair of novellas written in her usual sensuous prose. Despite some flaws that bog it down, this is a unique read.

Another Byatt Gem!.......2003-12-31

Angels and Insects is my third Byatt book. Naturally I approached the book with certain expectations: that it would contain poetry, utilize a broad and deep set of metaphors, probe existential meaning, and require me to think. Right. And I am still thinking, trying to understand all of the connections between the two novella and why Byatt chose this particular format - two novellas linked by a common character who is minor to both.

As others have stated, the two novellas present wonderfully rich situations that allow the characters to explore the fundamental issues that confronted women and men at the dawn of modernism. A description of the Tennyson siblings childhood home provides a metaphoric description for the Victorian age: "Everything was double there, then - it was real and loved, here and now, it was glittering with magic and breathing out a faint cold perfume of a lost world, a king's orchard, the garden of Haroun al-Raschild." Darwinism, naturally, informs one level of discourse. Swedenborg plays an important role. Add a shake of Carl Linnaeus, a dash of the Bible, and some good hardcore Victorian poetry and you have a proper Petri dish environment for discussion. And the topic appears to be: what is man?

Given that Byatt is anything but a "black and white" thinker, I am prone to believe that her title provides an answer. There is a duality, a "compositeness," and a depth to our experience. Perhaps that is why Byatt cannot escape from Victorian and Romantic poetry, which probes meanings and begins to ask the questions about man that inform modernism. In Tennyson, in particular, with echoes of Shakespeare and Keats, we find the essential voice to examine the question. There we find an insolvable tension between the dead and living, between life and art, between the ephemeral and eternal, between angels and insects.

After one reading, I don't pretend to understand all that this book is about. But I have had great enjoyment tracing some of the questions about in my mind. And, as always, I have an endless appreciation for the structures around which Byatt winds her tales and for the fascinating connections her fiction present to us.

For a beautiful, lucid read..........2003-02-11

...look to A.S. Byatt. Hers is a voice that carries you until the book's final pages. Having read Possession, Byatt has catapulted herself toward the writer of distinction that she truly is. I love Morpho Eugenia -- the words carried me. And even though The Conjugal Angel isn't as impressive as the first novella, the sensuous and lucid language is a work of art nevertheless. I have got to spread the word on this exceptional book! I hadn't expected the writing to move me so much. What more could I say other than the fact that this is an excellent piece of literature. Ms. Byatt, I applaud this marvelous effort...

1st Novella is Wonderful -- 2nd Leaves Much to be Desired.......2003-01-09

ANGELS AND INSECTS contains two novellas. The first of which is the insect portion of the book: MORPHO EUGENIA. The second of which is angel portion of the book: THE CONJUGIAL ANGEL. Both have surprise endings and both concern themselves with two different forms of societally forbidden loves. MORPHO EUGENIA is definitely the best of the two. Evidently, the movie based on the book only contains this story and leaves out the other. However, the purchase of the book was worth it for the value of the first story. Below is a short description of each novella:

MORPHO EUGENIA - ***** (5 stars)
Things are not what they seem. William Adamson returns from the far reaches of the Amazon only to be castaway at sea and lose most of his precious insect collections. He and only the rarest of his insect collection (always kept close at hand) are recovered and now find themselves to reside in a Gothic English
mansion. Upon his arrival, he meets the beautiful Eugenia of whom he brashly writes in his journal: "I shall die if I cannot have her. I shall die if I cannot have her. I shall die if I cannot have her." He woos her with a cloud of butterflies and gets his wish, coming to reside with her family in the Gothic mansion. To pass his time and earn his keep, he categorizes Eugenia's father's various exotic collections. Becoming bored with this, he helps the children's teacher, Matty Compton, with various science experiments for the children. The chiefest of these is an elaborate study of local ant colonies. Things are not what they seem. William begins to see harrowing parrallels in the insect world he observes and his own world. Things are definitely not what they seem.

THE CONJUGIAL ANGEL - ** (2 stars)
This is mainly the story of the intense grieving of three people over loved men lost at sea. Mrs. Papagay morns Arturo and never marries again. Emily and her brother, Alfred Tennyson, morn the Arthur immortalized in Tennyson's poems. The two women, Mrs. Papagay and Emily, spend many hours at seances, hoping to come in contact with the spirits of their long-lost loves. The surprise ending is very sweet, but not worth wading through the rest of the story. This second novella was immensely difficult to become interested in and to follow. The author, in trying to be historical, refers to too many different characters and uses different names for the characters at random. In fact, I had nearly completed the story before I realized that Emily Tennyson and Emily Jesse were one and the same. The storyline also incorporates lots of poetry that, truly, doesn't seem to fit in with the text.

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Angels & Insects - Two Novellas
A. S. Byatt
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IWXVW4

Average customer rating:

Who Do You Trust?

Held my attention but left me unsatisfied

Great Read! Could not put it down!

A Readable Identity Story

Beautiful lies--Beautiful book!
Beautiful Lies: A Novel
Lisa Unger
Manufacturer: Shaye Areheart Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0307336689
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Book Description

If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. She would still be the privileged daughter of a doting father and a loving mother. Her life would still be perfect—with only the tiny cracks of an angry junkie for a brother and a charming drunk with shady underworld connections for an uncle to mar the otherwise flawless whole.

But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie.

Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own.

Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . . . .

AN INTERNATIONAL BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH SELECTION

A featured alternate selection of the Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, Mystery Guild, and Rhapsody Book Club.

Also available as a Random House AudioBook, a Large Print edition, and an eBook.

Download Description

Lisa Unger lives in Florida with her husband and daughter. Visit her at lisaunger.com.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Who Do You Trust?.......2007-09-24

A very quick read and one that holds your attention from the start. I found the story to be inventive and plausible. Also, the ending was believable in that not every question was answered and all loose ends neatly tied up. I found the heroine to possess realistic emotions.

Held my attention but left me unsatisfied.......2007-05-31

I read this novel in only 2 days, could not put it down because I wanted to find out what was going to happen. A woman gets "15 minutes of fame" through rescuing a little boy, and then out of the blue receives a package indicating that the people she thought were her parents might not actually be her parents. And when she tried to uncover where the package might have come from, she finds out some information that certain people do not want anyone to know about (and puts herself in possible danger by doing so). I had my suspicions about how the story would wrap up early on... but, not to give anything away, there were too many things that did not quite seem to make sense when I reached the end. NOT because I am too stupid to figure them out. Some things regarding who the father actually is (when you find out, you may have the same question... see my post in the forum below after you've read it), and the so-called shady connections of the lawyer in the story seemed kind of, well... let's just say that it seemed awfully contrived just to make the plot "thicker" and to throw the reader off the scent, and not something that might have realistically happened. And, there were some other items that were intentionally never really resolved at the end - you want to know WHY things happened, and the author either to be quirky or because she can't think of a reason herself (seems almost like she was under a deadline to get the book done and couldn't pull it all together adequately in time) gyps you out of a resolution after you spend your valuable time reading the whole thing.

Great Read! Could not put it down!.......2007-05-22

Someone sent me this book and I read it, with no idea who Lisa Unger was. Therefore, I did not have any preconceptions or expectations whatsoever. I was very impressed and cannot wait to read the second book featuring this same heroine. I could not put this book down and read the entire thing in less than a day. Not only is is a first-rate thriller, but the author has very believable insights into human characteristics. Her writing style is razor sharp. Bravo, Ms. Unger!

A Readable Identity Story.......2007-05-13

"I'll be there in a second" I said to my wife. Why did I say that, I wondered, as I stared down at my brown Ugg loafers that I was wearing, somewhat incongrously, with cargo shorts. People always say "in a second" when they are actually going to take much longer. And wouldn't it be better, really, if we were all more honest? "I have to finish writing this review," I told her.

That passage (from my life) captures the style of this book. Shallow but heartfelt observations about life, plenty of name-dropping descriptions of people's clothes and lives, and surprisingly long asides in the middle of dialog. All this occurs, however, in the midst of a page-turning, if somewhat predictable, romantic thriller. And, for me the best part, the core of the book is an identity story. I am interested in identity stories, and some of Unger's description of her heroine's recasting and gradual reinterpretation of her life as she learns about her identity make up the best part of the book and were sufficient to hold my interest. Otherwise, as a pure romantic thriller, you can do better.

Beautiful lies--Beautiful book!.......2007-05-12

Great book-- suspense,great detail, excellent read. I could not wait to move to the second book in the series

Average customer rating:

Poor Quality Binding
Beautiful Lies a beautifully crafted romance!
Acceptable romance with some twists and turns
This Is A Must Read
Talk about WONDERFUL

Beautiful Lies
Emilie Richards
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0778322505

Customer Reviews:

Poor Quality Binding.......2001-01-13

While this book may be a good read, I'll never know because the pages have fallen out of the book like leaves, from the first moment I opened it. I've spent much time trying to retrieve and organize the wayward pages, to allow me to read what might be an interesting story. I have personally never experienced such a shoddy product.

Beautiful Lies a beautifully crafted romance!.......2000-04-08

This book is a saga, a journey two familes share. Tom Robeson finds a pearl in Australia's waters and his best friend, Archer Llewellyn murders him for it. And with this The Pearl of Great Price throws the two families into generations of turmoil. The Pearl is the catalyst. The people are the story.

Liana Robeson, Tom Robeson's granddaughter, is the current owner of the pearl. Once upon a time she met and married Cullen Llewellyn, Archer's great-grandson. They thought their love was enough to mend the generations of trouble between their families. In the end, the marriage ended and the only two things they shared was a son, Matthew, and the family legacy, the history of the pearl. Now Matthew is gone, and in order to find him Cullen and Liana have to delve into their family past and their personal past. They have face their personal demons, and face each other.

Beautiful Lies is a story of discovery. From San Francisco to Australia, the book weaves a tale of hope and love. Liana and Cullen discover their family past, they discover their son, and more importantly the discover just what they both lost when their marriage ended. BL is a beautiful tapestry that showcases Richards talent in a story of betrayal and hope, of beauty and darkness . . . of a love that is destined to be.

Acceptable romance with some twists and turns.......1999-11-28

When Liana Robertson's teenage son disappears, she is forced to work with her ex-husband Cullen Llelleyn to find him.

Liana and her ex-husband Cullen hate eachother, 100 years of family history has taken care of that. A beautiful pearl called The Pearl of Great Price has disappeared also, along with their son, a pearl that has ripped the families apart by greed and jealous and even murder.

One hundred years ago Liana's grandfather Tom found The Pearl of Great Price only to be murdered by Cullen's great-grandfather Archer in order to own it. One hundred years of unhappiness follows the two families, passing the pearl from family to family until Liana and Cullen finally unite the two families by marriage.

Now the pearl is missing and so is their son. Liana and Cullen must face their problems to find their son and the pearl.

I found this story to be boring in places, but very good in others. It went back in time too often leaving out the main characters, Liana and Cullen. Not enough romance and I left feeling like there should have been more.

This Is A Must Read.......1999-04-09

When her teenaged son and an heirloom pearl turn up missing Liana Robeson, V-P of a west coast real estate development company, becomes caught up in events that lead her back to her ex-husband. Both crisp and taut, this riveting emotional story delivers everything I want in a romance.

Talk about WONDERFUL.......1999-03-31

This book had everything I love in a book. Great characterization, wonderful plot, the perfect combination of romance, mystery, I can't say enought marvelous things. First of all the premise of the book was realistic and believable. I never had to suspense belief. because of the natural progresssion of the story. The characters were wonderully drawn. especially the heroine and hero. Likeable people who overcame their fears, and learned to communicate effectively. After reading this book, I definitely have put Ms. Richards on authors that I MUST buy list.

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The Beautiful Lie
Sheenagh Pugh
Manufacturer: Seren
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Beautiful Lies
Tony Griffiths
Manufacturer: Wakefield Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Australia | Australia & Oceania | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1862542848

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Beautiful Lies
Lisa as Unger, Lisa Miscione
Manufacturer: Shaye Areheart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UIFGNS

Beautiful Lies: Australia from Menzies to Howard

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Beautiful Lies: Australia from Menzies to Howard
Tony Griffiths
Manufacturer: Wakefield Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Australia | Australia & Oceania | History | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Combining impressive historical research with pithy prose, this entertaining work chronicles Australia's evolution from British lackey during World War II to global power player in the 21st century. Appealing to academic audiences and armchair historians alike, this volume focuses on Australia's shift from political and economic reliance on England to becoming politically aligned with the United States and economically tethered to Japan and China, a transition in part initiated by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. With chapters entitled "Beating the Bolshoi," "All the Way with JFK," and "The Banana Republic," this concise history of modern Australia is written in a style both delightful and informative.

COLLETED PLAYS SILENCE THE LIE IT IS THERE IZZUM IT'S BEAUTIFUL

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COLLETED PLAYS SILENCE THE LIE IT IS THERE IZZUM IT'S BEAUTIFUL
Nathalie Sarraute
Manufacturer: George Braziller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QAQ1GG

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Here lies a most beautiful lady
Richard Blaker
Manufacturer: W. Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006AN3EO

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Mentiras Piadosas/ Beautiful Lies
Lisa Unger
Manufacturer: Ediciones Urano
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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More beautiful lies: Mark Panozzo, Anna Kay, Chloe Hopper, Jay Kranz

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More beautiful lies: Mark Panozzo, Anna Kay, Chloe Hopper, Jay Kranz

Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

S.M. Stirling's acclaimed hardcover debut-and a top ten Locus bestseller for two months-The Peshawar Lancers takes readers to an alternate 21st century earth, where boats still run on steam, messages are exchanged by telegraph, and the British Empire controls much of the world from India. But the Czar of all Russias is preparing for global conquest...

Customer Reviews:

Two-fisted Tales of the Once and Future Raj.......2007-03-11

This is the sort of story that a Brit (or Canadian) writes when he throws off the yoke of political correctness and unabashedly wallows in the glory of his mythic imperial heritage. It is also great fun. In this very detailed and believably crafted alternate history the British Empire never faded away. Instead it was forced to fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic world (multiple comet strikes in 1878 caused tidal waves and years of never-ending winter in the northern hemisphere.) In fact, I cannot help but wonder if the annihilation of both the United States and most of the continental powers doesn't represent a secret wish fulfillment in some Britons...

In any case, Victoria and her court, along with the top ten thousand families and their essential servants relocate to India. There they establish themselves as the true ruling caste in residence (much as the Moghul dynasty before them.) They slowly begin to merge with their new home thru constant contact and intermarriage with the upper castes. They speak Hindi as well, or better, than English. In fact, the tendency is to call on Krishna instead of Christ in a pinch.

The real action of our story is in the year 2025. The Empire, or Angrezi Raj, has finally clawed its way up beyond pre-Fall conditions. There are some interesting alterations such as electric arc lamps but no incandescent bulbs, and advanced steam engines but no internal combustion engines. Yet, they have developed practical giant airships (Sterling cycle hot air engines), as well as, massive difference engines (mechanical computers.)

It is in this world that Captain Athelstane King, his family and their faithful family retainers defend the Empire. They defend it against the Czar and his dark empire. While the British fled to the south during the never-ending winter of the Fall the Russians stayed put. They turned to cannibalism to survive (of non-Russian slaves.) In fact, long after it ceased to be a necessity, they kept the practice as a sacrament in their Black Church. Of course there are also more traditional enemies- the Caliph in Syria and the Mikado in Japan and China. You even have Afghan raiders and Thug cult murderers.

All in all, it is a good, rousing, old fashion adventure yarn- even if it is set in the future.

I only have one little nit picking, irritating complaint with the book. Both Metford rifles and Webley revolvers are mentioned- neither of these were developed until the 1880's.

High adventure tale set in a highly original alternate world setting .......2006-06-16

_The Peshawar Lancers_ by S. M. Stirling is an interesting alternate history by one of the most prominent authors of this sub-genre of science fiction. The setting is very unusual, one that I have never encountered before. In 1878, either a series of comets or one large comet that broke up impacted the Earth over a space of twelve hours, devastating Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, and North America, with millions dying from blast damage and tsunamis and later many more from starvation, disease, social breakdown, and banditry, all of which resulted not only from the immediate aftermath of the impacts but also as a result of greatly altered weather, as for decades afterward the weather was a good deal cooler due to dust in the atmosphere and temporarily altered ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream. While much of the world reverted to preindustrial if not prehistoric levels, the British Empire survived the impact to a degree. Facing tremendous problems due to devastated infrastructure, food shortages, and horrible weather, over the course of three years the upper classes, most of the middle classes, and many soldiers and skilled workers relocated to three main destinations. While half a million went to South Africa and a million went to Australia/New Zealand, a million and a half - along with Queen Victoria and the government - went to India. After enduring the continuing aftermath of the comet impacts on India as well as a decades-long Second Mutiny, eventually these new settlers and their local allies forged a new nation, Angrezi Raj. While the subcontinent's majority is still Hindu, Christians and those of European ancestry form a significant - and powerful and wealthy - minority. By the time of the events of the novel, the year 2025 (148 years after the Fall), Angrezi Raj has successfully become the dominant power in the world, governing 40% of the Earth's habitable surface and nearly 50% of its population, its domain including India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, half of Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, most of southern Africa, and had begun to resettle the British Isles and parts of North America. Though other states existed, notably Japan (known as Dai-Nippon), the Caliphate, a France in exile (known as France-outre-mer and located in North Africa and on various Mediterranean islands), and a Russia in exile (largely restricted to Central Asia and based around Samarakand), Angrezi Raj is the dominant country in the world.

The book's main characters are the heroic Captain Athelstane King of the Peshawar Lancers, a soldier who was forced by the course of events in the book to become a secret agent, his scientist sister Cassandra, who works on a steampunk-esque clockwork-like computer, his trusted Sikh companion Narayan Singh, a Muslim companion known as Ibrahim Khan, and Yasmini, a Russian seer who can see alternate timelines and possible futures (an interesting ability that really felt more like magic than science fiction). Together they became embroiled in a plot that would have threatened not only the future of Angrezi Raj but also the future existence of the King family, as Yasmini and other seers who worked for the Russians discovered that one or more members of their family were going to be very vital in the future and that their deaths would please the god that the Russians worshipped (the Russians apparently worshipped the Devil, whom they called the Peacock Angel or Tchernobog or the Black God and whose chief representative in the book was the almost over the top evil Count Vladimir Ignatieff).

The book had some interesting parallels to another work of Stirling's, _Conquistador_ (which to my mind was the better book); both books had sections that were pretty much tours of their alternate worlds, both had main characters who had large, lovingly described family estates, both books went into great detail describing the often lavish meals the characters ate, finales that involved lots of native raiders attacking in the desert, and of course both dealt with very different Earths and were set in the early 21st century. However, I thought the characters in _Peshawar Lancers_ seemed too 19th century to me; that while some obvious merging of Western and Indian culture had occurred, at their heart they still seemed too Victorian to me with regards to views on duty, honor, gender relations, etc. though for the most part without the racist overtones.

It is an interesting question as to what degree millions of European refugees would have adapted Indo-Islamic culture, though from my limited understanding of the subject, at the time of the Fall, British culture was becoming or had become rather racist and condescending much of the time towards the natives of the subcontinent, so I don't know that they would have absorbed even the amount of Indian culture that they did. On the other hand though I can't imagine a few million immigrants failing to absorb large amounts of local culture, religion, etc. from a region that today in our world has a population of a billion people.

I also thought to an extent that many of the characters, while quite distinct, were somewhat stereotypical, though maybe that is reaction on my part to Stirling using such obviously Kipling-esque character types.

Another complaint was that technology didn't seem to have advanced terribly much since the Fall. In 2025 people are using steam engines for the most part, cars are very rare, airships are pretty common (and all of them apparently use hydrogen), I don't recall any mention of heavier-than-air aircraft, and the first computers have been built, immense, warehouse sized punch-card and clockwork like machines that seem to be a favorite (like airships) of alternate history writers.

Having said that, the book certainly wasn't bad and was a pretty good adventure story that was epic in its scope; while I would not place this book in the top tier of alternate history stories, it certainly wasn't a bad read. I did appreciate the work Stirling lavished on his world, detailed in several appendices.

should have been a 3-book series.......2006-01-03

An okay adventure story with a very interesting alternative-world premise, but the most interesting thing about the book was the appendix. I would have loved it had he brought it up through time from when the comets struck until ending it with this book. Instead you get dumped into an almost-over story (with his usual wonderful detail, of course) that you can't fully understand until you read the appendix. I did wonder, as someone else has mentioned, about the British going so 'native' in dress and food, and was rather appalled by the part of the appendix where he told how the English language had been so corrupted even among the well-educated British in India (glad the story wasn't written using it!). I guess I started with his high-spots, with the Island In The Sea of Time and the Dies The Fire series (eagerly awaiting the third in that latter series), both of which I really loved, and also Conquistador. I just wish Stirling had not left out what should have been the most interesting part of this story, that of the struggle in the U.K., the relocation, and the development of techology and customs in their new home--and the accommodations between the people of India and the U.K. in coming up with their new empire. He had it all there in the appendix--would have been great. A bit more global scope would have been nice, also.

Steampunk Meets Bollywood.......2005-12-19

This book is actually a favorite of mine on the shelves, partly for its exquisite research, and partly for the flair with which Stirling invests even his most peripheral characters with a distinct personality. The action scenes carry well, and the various subplots work together more or less seamlessly.

The appendices themselves are a fascinating read, and it is a shame that the rest of Stirling's post-Comet world can't be better explored in its pages. I for one consider the fusion of British and Indian cultures into the vision Stirling depicts to be a fascinating one, regardless of the plausibility. I also consider the depiction of Japan as the empire of Dai-Nippon as more or less on target with what would have happened should reactionary elements (pro-military, pro-modernist, anti-liberal, anti-innovation) seized the reins early and set forth on a policy of aggressive expansion.

It really is a good read; the research is on par with a work like Jack Dann's "The Memory Cathedral" and Stirling does a masterful job of making the world believable, the characters vivid, the storyline compelling. The other positive reviews should give you no doubt as to whether or not to spend a few days with this book.

Very Tedious..........2005-06-11

This was the first book I ever read that was written by SM Stirling. Now that I have read it, I wont buy any of his books again. The book was so long and dragged out to explain every minute detail that had absolutley no connection with the story at all. About half the book as explanation, and the plot was dry when it surfaced. Sace your money, don't by this horrid book!

Customer Reviews:

The Best Collection of Chesterton's Catholic Apologetics.......2007-09-25

Well worth the price to have ,The Catholic Church & Conversion,The Well And the Shallows & The Thing: Why I am a Catholic,all in one volume. Chesterton's writings on the Catholic faith was one of the reasons I came back to the Church.With common sense,humour & erudition Chesterton will convince you of the Truth of the Catholic Faith. Chesterton like all prophetic writers speaks to our time as much as his own.

Incredible.......2007-07-04

Chesterton's genius is unquestionable - not because of the topic(s), but because his' logic is irrefutable.

An Intelligent Guide of Reason, Tradition, and Catholicism.......2006-12-11

G.K. Chesterton has "disturbed" this reviewer again. This reviewer has read Chesterton's books with the view of critisizing his books and ideas. Yet, each time this reviewer has found Chesterton's books a joy to read and "food for thought." Volume III of Chesterton's works is yet another book that thoughtful people should enjoy.

One of the arguments that Chesterton uses in these essays is that Catholic ideas and tradition have lasted while "modern" fads have quickly become dated. One of the agruments that Chesterton uses against Puritanism is that in the early 20th. century, Puritanism was something that no reasonable person would touch with "a barge pole." One of Chesterton's theses in this book is that while Catholcism has remained consistent for 2,000 years, Protestantism has become passe and has changed into meaningless modernism.

Chesterton has an interesting comment on page 280. To paraphrase part of this page, Chesterton remarks that modern Protestantism has replaced predestination with suggestion. The Catholic theologians have defended the Faith (The Catholic Faith) with reason. Along these lines, Chesterton effectively argues that Catholic authorities and theologians helf the beliefs of the Faith in a careful balence. The Protestants and modern agnostics have distorted both their own ideas and concepts by exaggerating parts of religion at the expense of everything else. This has led to distortion.

Chesterton gives reasons for his conversion to Catholicism. He proceeds to explain why other ideas and religious views were not reasonable. He also explains the distortions historians have made regarding the Faith. Chesterton's own intellectual curiousity led him to the Faith which he viewed as more sane and more reasonable.

Chesteron demonstrates historical insight in this volume. This reviewer gets the impression that Chesterton is holding something in reserve in making his historical arguments. He may have been inviting his critics to question his historical knowledge whereby he would give the historical details and knowledge. Readers should note that Chesterton was very knowledable of history.

Another interesting aspect of this book is Chesterton's concern over distoritions of language. He comments that some of the moderns were demanding a universal language and that they got was "journalistic jibberish." Chesterton remarks that Europeans had a universal language-Latin. Chesterton remarks that Latin was a precise language which had been neglected in favor of bad thinking and poor writing.

Chesterton did not engage in ad hominem arguements and was usually generous to his critics. He did not object to comments about his size and appearance. He could laugh at himself. Yet, he offer fierce cefesne of truth and honesty when they were attacked.

Volume III of Chesteron's works is well worth reading. As this reviewer wrote before, some may consider me as skeptic. However, Chesterton's writing, knowledge and reason is enough to make anyone pay attention and read his books to learn and to understand clear thinking.

The undiscovered Chesterton.......2006-01-31

This particular volume in Ignatius Press' collected Chesterton series pulls together his specifically Catholic books. Widely read in his own time, they were later praised by Hillaire Belloc and other writers during the Catholic revival in Britain. Yet they are little read in our time. One reason is that Chesterton converted fourteen years after writing his masterpiece, Orthodoxy, in 1908, and the current Chesterton revival is fueled largely by his novels.

My introduction to these books came in the brief overviews in Dale Ahlquist's G.K. Chesterton: Apostle of Common Sense, which whetted my appetite to read them. One in particular stood out: "The Catholic Church and Conversion." As with Orthodoxy, it's a lively book with a dull title. I was shocked reading his account of the three stages of conversion: 1. Patronizing the Church, 2. Discovering the Church, 3. Running from the Church. But for me, the book was full of shocks of recognition.

I generally don't like Omnibus type volumes such as the Collected Works, and would like to see Ignatius issue this book on its own, but if this is the only way to read it, I highly urge curious readers to obtain this Ignatius edition (Volume Three of the Collected Chesterton). All of the books in this volume were originally issued individually nearly a century ago, and are eminently worth reading. One of them is interesting because GKC wrote it late in life, and reviews some of the ideas in his earlier books. Were these books available individually now, they no doubt would all have reviews on Amazon. As with Orthodoxy, this volume showed me that Chesterton's non-fiction can be as startling and fresh as his fiction.

Simply Magnificent.......2004-05-17

This volume contains essays revolving around GK's conversion to Catholicism. As always, GK is illuminating and entertaining--several parts of these essays had me laughing out loud. GK has a marvelous talent for utterly dismantling an argument, an attitude, or a belief, while remaining so good natured about it that even his intellectual enemies must have liked him at least a little. Here, he mainly takes on Protestantism, modernism, secularism, Liberalism, and several other "isms" of the day that challenged the Catholic Church--some of which at one time or another had even attracted GK himself. In the end, he makes as convincing an argument for Catholicism that anyone could make. In the process, he throws much light on many political and social trends that were just gearing up in the 1920's, like birth control, divorce, moral relativism and secular humanism. GK offers grave predictions for these insufficient ideas, many of which sadly have come true beyond probably even his imagination.

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