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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
There's something to be said for unique craftsmanship and mindf*@!ery. I think I have to call it and just admit I'm a fan. This is one of those books that was either going to get one star or all of them: there is no middle ground.
Reasons for one star: this book could only be read in, perhaps, ten page segments. You had to be awake, caffeinated, and cognitively and referentially on point. It helped if you had an academic knowledge of Sumerian, Greek and biblical myth, 20th century history, and narrative theory; and for some of those passages, you needed to know linguistic terms, social theory, and have an ability to parse tech speak. Not to mention a whole bunch of other random stuff that would show up in one passage, and then, never again- and if you didn't get it, good luck. Also, a dictionary is sometimes helpful. Furthermore, there kind of wasn't one narrative, or, kind of, one character. Every three pages it was something different. From page to page, more or less, there was no continuity. You had to balance about one hundred threads at once, and some of them were really tiny threads. Also, there's no clear plot. So if you like reading a book where you follow a character, a plot, a chain of events or an idea through a coherent story, this book is not for you. That takes an adjustment.
Reasons for five stars: this was, in my opinion, a singular piece of work. It utilized a structure that did beautiful things with ideas of plurality and archetype, and I think, of reincarnation and multiplicity. It's also about the ties that bind in the elaborate sense that different people across many times and places will all make the same mistakes; will love, and fight; will suffer. The writing was intense- dense and wild, the kind that blows your mind and makes you re-read the sentence three times to fully absorb the message, the meaning, the punch of it. Also: if you're a nerd who happens to like mythology, techspeak, history, and the challenge of a crazy vocabulary-- and also, perhaps, just a challenge in your reading, well, that makes it pretty awesome. There's so much more this book does that can't be captured, but Duncan does a fascinating and wonderful job with capturing the ineffable completely inexplicably.
The process of reading the book was equal parts frustration trying to get through it, and incredulity at what I was reading. I figured I wouldn't know until the end if it had managed to drive me batty and throw it across the room, or blow my mind, thoroughly impress me and make me place it proudly back on my bookshelf. In the end, it won. I'm on to the second book- which I'm given to understand is really just the second half of this one story. So yeah, if you think you can bear the creative narrative structures, this gets a stunning recommendation.
Reasons for one star: this book could only be read in, perhaps, ten page segments. You had to be awake, caffeinated, and cognitively and referentially on point. It helped if you had an academic knowledge of Sumerian, Greek and biblical myth, 20th century history, and narrative theory; and for some of those passages, you needed to know linguistic terms, social theory, and have an ability to parse tech speak. Not to mention a whole bunch of other random stuff that would show up in one passage, and then, never again- and if you didn't get it, good luck. Also, a dictionary is sometimes helpful. Furthermore, there kind of wasn't one narrative, or, kind of, one character. Every three pages it was something different. From page to page, more or less, there was no continuity. You had to balance about one hundred threads at once, and some of them were really tiny threads. Also, there's no clear plot. So if you like reading a book where you follow a character, a plot, a chain of events or an idea through a coherent story, this book is not for you. That takes an adjustment.
Reasons for five stars: this was, in my opinion, a singular piece of work. It utilized a structure that did beautiful things with ideas of plurality and archetype, and I think, of reincarnation and multiplicity. It's also about the ties that bind in the elaborate sense that different people across many times and places will all make the same mistakes; will love, and fight; will suffer. The writing was intense- dense and wild, the kind that blows your mind and makes you re-read the sentence three times to fully absorb the message, the meaning, the punch of it. Also: if you're a nerd who happens to like mythology, techspeak, history, and the challenge of a crazy vocabulary-- and also, perhaps, just a challenge in your reading, well, that makes it pretty awesome. There's so much more this book does that can't be captured, but Duncan does a fascinating and wonderful job with capturing the ineffable completely inexplicably.
The process of reading the book was equal parts frustration trying to get through it, and incredulity at what I was reading. I figured I wouldn't know until the end if it had managed to drive me batty and throw it across the room, or blow my mind, thoroughly impress me and make me place it proudly back on my bookshelf. In the end, it won. I'm on to the second book- which I'm given to understand is really just the second half of this one story. So yeah, if you think you can bear the creative narrative structures, this gets a stunning recommendation.
One of only three books I've ever just stopped reading. It cycles redundantly through the same story, if you can call it a story. The death of Matthew Shepherd is a major theme, but I had reached the point at which I no longer cared about Innana and was fast coming to not care about Matthew Shepherd either. Lots of showing off but in the end a total waste of time.
Very difficult read. Multiply split perspectives, and something that can only loosely be called a plot following multiple timelines. Stuck through it in part because the author's ability with words and frankly, nothing else to read. I agree with one of the other reviewers who thought the author might have shuffled notecards with the plot around and put it together.
This was a very challenging read but I am glad that I read it and will probably read the sequel, Ink, at some point.
I haven't read anything like this before. The blurring of dream, history, the current and the vellum time lines was at times confusing but paid of in spades once I got used to it.
I haven't read anything like this before. The blurring of dream, history, the current and the vellum time lines was at times confusing but paid of in spades once I got used to it.
Recommended by a friend, will never listn to him again! I gave up on this book three or four times but was persuaded to finish it, wish I hadn't! It was painful reading and has put me off trying anything else by the author.
This is a cool work. I really like the nonlinear storytelling and the archetypilizing of characters. I loved the Lovecraftian sections, and learned some cool mythology. My principal complaint are that the prose was of variable quality - it was at its best when it was free-spirited and fun, but when it was trying to force the plot forward I would become bored. Additionally, the archetypilization seemed difficult to make interesting - sometimes it was just 'this character has promethean foresight' and struggled for greater profundity.
Surprisingly amazing book. Vellum is an interesting mash-up of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, and Douglas Rushkoff's Testament.
Written in a verbose, beautifully intricate, and yes, sometimes confusing style, Duncan's narrative weaving creates a lush mind-scape for the reader to explore. I imagine many readers disliked this book, not knowing what they were getting into, and not expecting a challenge.
Will definitely require a re-read.
Written in a verbose, beautifully intricate, and yes, sometimes confusing style, Duncan's narrative weaving creates a lush mind-scape for the reader to explore. I imagine many readers disliked this book, not knowing what they were getting into, and not expecting a challenge.
Will definitely require a re-read.
W przypadku "Welinu" ciężko o jakieś podsumowanie, mogące zachęcić, lub zniechęcić potencjalnego czytelnika. Książka ma momenty naprawdę wciągające, zwykle takie, gdzie zachowana jest jakaś spójność struktury któregoś ze "ściegów", z których składa się ta opowieść, potem nagle narracja rwie się, przeszłość miesza się z teraźniejszością, rzeczywistość z mitami, baśniowość z cyberpunkiem. Forma ta wymaga od czytelnika maksymalnego skupienia i koncentracji, bowiem zdarza się, że na przestrzeni kilku następujących po sobie akapitów, autor zmienia sposób narracji, miejsce i czas akcji, oraz bohaterów w nich uczestniczących, tudzież występujących w innych, niż uprzednio wcieleniach.
Mimo bogactwa warsztatowego i świetnego, acz ciężkiego do okiełznania pomysłu, jest to książka, po którą z pewnością nie sięgnąłbym po raz kolejny, mimo, iż pełne zrozumienie jej wymaga z całą pewnością kilkukrotnego przeczytania. I chociaż koncepcja zręcznego połączenia naprawdę niezliczonej wersji mitów, poematów i legend może przypaść do gustu, to nie zmienia to faktu, że "Welin" jest książką bardzo złożoną i zamatowaną, w związku z tym, w przeważającej części, raczej męczącą.
Podsumowując, polecam tą powieść wszystkim miłośnikom literatury skomplikowanej, trudnej w odbiorze, ciężkiej i raczej mało przyjemnej, czyli wszelkiej maści książkowym masochistom.
Mimo bogactwa warsztatowego i świetnego, acz ciężkiego do okiełznania pomysłu, jest to książka, po którą z pewnością nie sięgnąłbym po raz kolejny, mimo, iż pełne zrozumienie jej wymaga z całą pewnością kilkukrotnego przeczytania. I chociaż koncepcja zręcznego połączenia naprawdę niezliczonej wersji mitów, poematów i legend może przypaść do gustu, to nie zmienia to faktu, że "Welin" jest książką bardzo złożoną i zamatowaną, w związku z tym, w przeważającej części, raczej męczącą.
Podsumowując, polecam tą powieść wszystkim miłośnikom literatury skomplikowanej, trudnej w odbiorze, ciężkiej i raczej mało przyjemnej, czyli wszelkiej maści książkowym masochistom.