Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: City on Fire by Walter Jon Williams ISBN: 0-06-105442-9 Publisher: Harper Mass Market Paperbacks Pub. Date: January, 1998 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.64 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: An Award Winning Performance
Comment: Although I enjoyed Walter Jon Williams's previous Novel, Aristoi, for it's exotic atmosphere and larger-than-life characters, I was somewhat disappointed in Metropolitan. It seemed somewhat contrived and depressing. At the time I did not realize that it was part of a series as it definitely stands on its own as a complete novel. City on Fire is the sequel to Metropolitan and it delivers all the promise that Williams has shown in previous novels.
City on Fire is a fascinating novel both for its characters, who evolve and devolve in fascinating ways, but for William's exploration of the interactions of religious, military, commercial, and political factions as they deal with consolidating power in a conquered territory, a situation which is usually the conclusion of most books rather than the starting position. Throughout the novel the action is fast, but never slights the accelerated education of Aiah, the strong and engaging protagonist. Although the setting is science fictional, the actions and reactions are completely and realistically human. This book is a marvel and I intend to nominate it for a Hugo in 1997.
Thank you, Walter Jon Williams, for a thoroughly engaging world and characters. I simply can't wait for your next amazing performance.
Rating: 4
Summary: Interesting
Comment: METROPOLITAN and CITY ON FIRE have a unique angle on magic which may be refreshing to those who, like me, have "outgrown" traditional fantasy stories. It's a bit on the literal side, more like electricity than like dreams, but the exploration of it is thorough and honest, and the story is compelling. I'm certainly looking forward to the third volume.
Rating: 5
Summary: Creative and utterly engrossing
Comment: City on Fire is a transcendant novel in that it goes beyond most works of science fiction. At its heart, it is a story about the rites of passage endured by Aiah as she develops from a young woman into a major socio-political figure. This progression is handled very well, and in such a subtle fashion that it is only at the end of the novel that one realizes just how far she has come. In addition, the novel uses a complex political backdrop and well thought-out future landscape in which to chronicle these events. Many of the characters are larger-than-life, yet Walter Jon Williams manages to make their successes and failures credible. The novel's futurist qualities are a bit more suspect in that it is based on the existence of a compound called "plasm". This compound has almost magical properties, and at times I suspected I was reading a work of fantasy more than of science-fiction. Nonetheless, Walter Jon Williams adhered to a fairly rigorous realization of the socio-economic impact of plasm, and has a very consistent world view such that after the first few pages, I was willing to accept the society that he proposes. Walter Jon Williams novel is also blessed with his writing style--one which remains concise and powerful, yet avoids omissions, thus remaining quite readible. In summary, this is a truly outstanding work. Once you get past the initially odd concept of plasm, the novel becomes a well-written, compelling read. So much so that I am quite sorry to see that there is not third novel in the series.
 |
Title: Metropolitan by Walter Jon Williams ISBN: 0061054410 Publisher: Harper Mass Market Paperbacks Pub. Date: April, 1996 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
 |
Title: Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams ISBN: 0812514092 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: September, 1993 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
 |
Title: The Crown Jewels by Walter Jon Williams ISBN: 0812557980 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: October, 1987 List Price(USD): $3.50 |
 |
Title: Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan ISBN: 0345457684 Publisher: Del Rey Pub. Date: 04 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
 |
Title: The Rift by Walter J. Williams ISBN: 0061057940 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 04 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
