paperback, 464 pages
Published July 6, 2021 by Orbit.
Beautiful and hopeful; distant yet familiar (both for better or worse). Exceptionally structured and framed - one of those books where every twist is unexpected yet obvious in hindsight. On top of that, beautiful and true worldbuilding, with rich, earthy prose. Good for when the weather is turning; like warm, hearty soup.
Beautifully and darkly poetic, there's a lot here about the value of life, the fallacy of human elitism, and the bleakness of history. It's not an easy read, and as far as stories go, it's not one with the beginning, middle, and end. But it is a slice of a very dark life, and not a bad read.
Beautifully and darkly poetic, there's a lot here about the value of life, the fallacy of human elitism, and the bleakness of history. It's not an easy read, and as far as stories go, it's not one with the beginning, middle, and end. But it is a slice of a very dark life, and not a bad read.
A solarpunk setting for grim reactionary political intrigue. Somewhere between "Psalm for the Wild-Built" and "Ministry for the Future" in several directions.
A solarpunk setting for grim reactionary political intrigue. Somewhere between "Psalm for the Wild-Built" and "Ministry for the Future" in several directions.
Not what I expected. Full of understated twists and turns, and a Le Carré story seems to emerge at the end.
This is very much the Clair North experience, but with at twist.
This time it is not a familiar world with one supernatural twist, but a different world with a familiar humanity populating it.
Notes from the Burning Age has [b:A Canticle for Leibowitz|164154|A Canticle for Leibowitz (St. Leibowitz, #1)|Walter M. Miller Jr.|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1450516880l/164154.SY75.jpg|250975] vibe to it.
Yet another barnstormer from Claire North. This is a first-rate post-apocalyptic novel. It’s obviously Margaret-Atwood-inspired, and wears that proudly on its sleeve.
In part, it is a long and involved spy thriller. But it expertly weaves in a mixture of spiritual fantasy and eco-shock-horror. If you could reboot society – what knowledge would be too dangerous to let into the wild? Can man have mastery over nature without dramatic consequences?
Thankfully, it is less idiosyncratically written than some of her previous books. It occasionally lapses into first-person-present tense which helps keep things interesting.
I found it a little grim and bloody occasionally, but that’s my squeamishness. There’s a slightly unweildly cast of characters – some with multiple names. It isn’t quite Lord of the Rings territory – but you might need to flip back a few pages occasionally to remember who is who.
Overall, it’s a great novel. An expert …
Yet another barnstormer from Claire North. This is a first-rate post-apocalyptic novel. It’s obviously Margaret-Atwood-inspired, and wears that proudly on its sleeve.
In part, it is a long and involved spy thriller. But it expertly weaves in a mixture of spiritual fantasy and eco-shock-horror. If you could reboot society – what knowledge would be too dangerous to let into the wild? Can man have mastery over nature without dramatic consequences?
Thankfully, it is less idiosyncratically written than some of her previous books. It occasionally lapses into first-person-present tense which helps keep things interesting.
I found it a little grim and bloody occasionally, but that’s my squeamishness. There’s a slightly unweildly cast of characters – some with multiple names. It isn’t quite Lord of the Rings territory – but you might need to flip back a few pages occasionally to remember who is who.
Overall, it’s a great novel. An expert blend of sci-fi and spycraft.
