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breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
colepsmith42's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
An interesting historical fantasy of the founding of Greenland, and parts of Canada and US. Reads like a more literary Neil Gaiman re-writing Gilgamesh for North America. Interested to see if v. 2 of the dreams holds up.
An interesting historical fantasy of the founding of Greenland, and parts of Canada and US. Reads like a more literary Neil Gaiman re-writing Gilgamesh for North America. Interested to see if v. 2 of the dreams holds up.
briandice's review against another edition
5.0
“A man is whatever room he is in right now.” - Japanese proverb
“Who do you want to be today?” – Oingo Boingo
William T. Vollmann is going to tell me a story, and he’s going to tell it long. Unlike a Homeric hymn, he’s going to begin at the beginning. He’s warned me that what I am about to read is unreliable. What do I have to lose? Everything.
Am I a product of my environment? Or am I a patchwork of genetic coding, living out the program created by the haphazard joining of thousands of generations that ultimately resulted in this “I”. Like a Viking ancestor, can I wear a different serk (shirt) to channel the power of a beast and become someone different, something new? Will I be the same after I’ve taken off the bear-serk; after I’ve gone berserk?
Bill, you warned me not to trust in your narrative, but what happens when I’ve read your story and I’m mistrustful of your admonition of distrust? What happens when the shirt won’t come off, or I don’t want to take it off? The Blue-shirt fits nicely. The Ice-shirt even better. I think I’ll keep it on. Come on, Bill, what’s the worst that can happen? It’s 987 A.D. – these skraeling savages won’t mind.
I realize that my grandfather, and his father before him, would remove their bear-shirt, their wolf-shirt, before the night once again became day, and ultimately return to themselves. But this is different. This Ice-shirt isn’t coming off. So if you must, go ahead and preach to me from a thousand years into the future. How does this all end?
“Who do you want to be today?” – Oingo Boingo
William T. Vollmann is going to tell me a story, and he’s going to tell it long. Unlike a Homeric hymn, he’s going to begin at the beginning. He’s warned me that what I am about to read is unreliable. What do I have to lose? Everything.
Am I a product of my environment? Or am I a patchwork of genetic coding, living out the program created by the haphazard joining of thousands of generations that ultimately resulted in this “I”. Like a Viking ancestor, can I wear a different serk (shirt) to channel the power of a beast and become someone different, something new? Will I be the same after I’ve taken off the bear-serk; after I’ve gone berserk?
Bill, you warned me not to trust in your narrative, but what happens when I’ve read your story and I’m mistrustful of your admonition of distrust? What happens when the shirt won’t come off, or I don’t want to take it off? The Blue-shirt fits nicely. The Ice-shirt even better. I think I’ll keep it on. Come on, Bill, what’s the worst that can happen? It’s 987 A.D. – these skraeling savages won’t mind.
I realize that my grandfather, and his father before him, would remove their bear-shirt, their wolf-shirt, before the night once again became day, and ultimately return to themselves. But this is different. This Ice-shirt isn’t coming off. So if you must, go ahead and preach to me from a thousand years into the future. How does this all end?
yjb1778's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
You know this was a really weird one. I don’t think I enjoyed it but I think I appreciate it and certain sections were very compelling. Overall feels jumbled and there was no real pull for me to continue, even though i did. The best parts were the modern, travel writings interspaced.
cody_reads_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ichirofakename's review against another edition
5.0
Volume 1 of Vollmann's Seven Dreams, about Europeans encountering Native Americans during the European western migration.
Norsemen head west to Iceland, Greenland, and finally Vinland, aka Wineland, for the abundance of grapes, though apparently it's northern Newfoundland(?). Inuits come east to Greenland, encountering the Norsemen. Vollmann investigates the area, walking among the ruins, befriending the locals.
Norse view told in saga-like style and content, per notes, derived from actual sagas, though heavily adapted. Personally I find the original sagas unreadable, yet Vollmann's version captivating: he writes on the same planet I read on.
A slog at first, action picks up halfway through, with the chapter named Freydis Eiriksdottir. Greenlanders set up a town in Vinland, encounter the local Skrælings, eventually go home.
Becomes excitingly hallucinatory towards the end, as Freydis enters the netherworld in search for the World-Tree. The Greenland god Amortortak battles with Skræling god-like Power Person Kluskap who kills him again, though he does not remain dead.
Freydis brings winter to Vinland. So much for the north Canadian grapes.
Norsemen head west to Iceland, Greenland, and finally Vinland, aka Wineland, for the abundance of grapes, though apparently it's northern Newfoundland(?). Inuits come east to Greenland, encountering the Norsemen. Vollmann investigates the area, walking among the ruins, befriending the locals.
Norse view told in saga-like style and content, per notes, derived from actual sagas, though heavily adapted. Personally I find the original sagas unreadable, yet Vollmann's version captivating: he writes on the same planet I read on.
A slog at first, action picks up halfway through, with the chapter named Freydis Eiriksdottir. Greenlanders set up a town in Vinland, encounter the local Skrælings, eventually go home.
Becomes excitingly hallucinatory towards the end, as Freydis enters the netherworld in search for the World-Tree. The Greenland god Amortortak battles with Skræling god-like Power Person Kluskap who kills him again, though he does not remain dead.
Freydis brings winter to Vinland. So much for the north Canadian grapes.
keerak's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
greenblack's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
freewaygods's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Truly incredible and unique. Unlike anything else I've read. This is the first of Vollmann's novels that I felt like his style really clicked; whereas in You and Bright and Risen Angels and The Rainbow Stories his clipped structure and blend of historical and contemporary felt a bit uneven, here it truly comes into its own and flowers. His prose is mythic, fitting for the narrative. If the rest of the Seven Dreams are like this, then I am thoroughly excited to dream them.
lear2696's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5