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chitownbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
2.0
aholeistodig's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome. Exciting, confusing, funny. There's a sort of antiquity to it that I think'll probably either delight or annoy, depending on the reader--kind of like Marias' Voyage Along the Horizon. Very much a part of Chabon's move away from the American naturalism of his own earlier works, in favor of the "thrilling tale." He writes in his afterword that he was originally going to call it Jews With Swords.
P.S. If vocab is the sole reason you couldn't get into either this or Yiddish Policemen's Union, you're officially a wuss. They're called context clues, yo.
P.S. If vocab is the sole reason you couldn't get into either this or Yiddish Policemen's Union, you're officially a wuss. They're called context clues, yo.
priya_haha's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ella1801's review against another edition
3.0
Chabon's getting to be pretty handy with the genre fiction, and this was the experiment following The Yiddish Policemen's Union. Not bad, and my petty gripe is that I'm sure I missed a lot of the humor and/or wit because I'm not Jewish and don't have the background.
But you have to admit, it's pretty cool that it was originally published in serial form in the New York Times magazine. And the working title? "Jews with Swords".
But you have to admit, it's pretty cool that it was originally published in serial form in the New York Times magazine. And the working title? "Jews with Swords".
earthgirl207's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent, quick read, although keep a dictionary handy if you want to fully understand some of the archaic words Chabon uses for atmosphere. Gentlemen of the Road is great high adventure that keeps you guessing what will happen next.
eletricjb's review against another edition
2.0
Kind of meandering, not really gripping. Maybe that's a consequence of switching point of view so many times. Didn't have time to get attached to any of the characters. Disappointing.
kayteeem's review against another edition
3.0
I can certainly see why this was dedicated to Moorcock. And this is very much the story it wanted to be. But I like a little more of my plots laid out on the page and not left to implication.
mpclemens's review against another edition
3.0
"A Tale of Adventure" yes, but written in Chabon's literary style, which can mean unpacking a good deal of verbiage to get at the heart of a scene. Entertaining enough, though it's more Webster and Roget than Crosby and Hope, for the titular Gentlemen of the Road are polyglots who feel inserted into their roles, like scholars play-acting as savages. I think it's most telling that Chabon's "Afterword" is as long as a chapter itself.
A fine enough book, but for a true "Tale of Adventure" there could stand to be more actual adventuring, and less expansive vocabulary.
A fine enough book, but for a true "Tale of Adventure" there could stand to be more actual adventuring, and less expansive vocabulary.
reaghan527's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25