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Stamping Butterflies (Gollancz S.F.)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Gollancz (2005-08-04)
ISBN: 057507650X
EAN: 9780575076501
Dewy Decimal #: 813
Paperback: 432 pages
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Customer Reviews
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Confusing; very.
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-11-01
A confusing and, to my mind, often badly structured plot that fails to reach any kind of satisfactory conclusion - and I loved it. I would have liked a little more explanation (just a tad, here and there), especially towards the end where we find that Zero is really Moz. I'm still not entirely sure how it was that Moz was able to see the future, or just how the alt-future was averted, but SB was so compellingly written, the characters beautifully drawn. A real page turner (though I'm still not entirely sure why)
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Three strange stories
Rating  (3)
Date: 2007-08-16
This book has three different layers that eventually merge together, however unlikely that seems. First, in the contemporary timeline there's the most-liked US president in the history and the strange Prisoner Zero who tries to assassinate him and after capture doesn't say a word. Then there's the Marrakech of 1970s with Moz and Malika and their messd-up lives. Third, there's the mystic Emperor watched by his 148 billion citizens, waiting for an assassin to arrive.
So yes, it's a strange book. All three storylines didn't work as well for me; I liked the Marrakech, but didn't like the Emperor too much. Then again, I read someone else commenting exactly the opposite, so your mileage may vary. Some of it will get boring before the end, but the final twists make enough sense to make it all worth reading, I suppose. However, there's quite a bit of - perhaps unnecessary - graphic violence, torture and sex; some might find that unpleasant.
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Uninvolving
Rating (3)
Date: 2007-02-03
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
One of the things I liked about the book is that it has several plot lines each set in its own time frame and location. The progression in each thread of the story was quite smooth and the ideas in each were interesting. However it did seem strange that a large part of the book is set in the past or in our time frame.
This is a piddling problem compared to the major issue which is that the book had two major flaws. The first is that there is little depth to the story and the second is that the characters are equally shallow. This is partly because there are quite a few plot lines and so plenty of characters but its also because the author wants to keep you on your toes so he gives very little away abou the reasons things are happening. The end result was that I didn't really have any connection to the characters and I didn't really care what happened in any of the plotlines.
I should perhaps give the book 4 stars, it did have good ideas after all. However I just plain didn't enjoy it so 3 stars seems more accurate.
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Fantastic Sci-Fi from Grimwood
Rating  (5)
Date: 2006-05-11
3 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
Grimwood's understanding of ancient Chinese beliefs emerge in ths wonderfully detailed book. I was drawn to his books after hearing some good reviews and also some talks by Grimwood at a convention and after reading for a few pages of this book in the bookshop I was determined to buy it.
The story spans across three different timelines, and although all three "junctures" begin separated and individual, they become more an more entwined as the book nears it's end. Grimwood ties all three wonderfully in a psychadelically mesmeric mish-mash that puts into question the identity, consciousness and perception of each of the main characters in the book, and requires a sound mind in order to keep up with the progression of the storyline. It is, by no means, a travel book that is picked up every now and then.
An intriguing read, and a good introduction for Grimwood for new readers.
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A fantastic read
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-03-06
4 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
When you reach the end of this book you will want to start at the beginning again - it's that good. Absorbing and challenging, I wish there were more books like it - it's the first book I have read by this author but I intend to read all his others. Everyone knows about the emporer who dreamed he was a butterfly, but the author has taken this starting point and weaved cutting edge science with detailed socio-cultural backgrounds and timelines that move backwards and forwards, the end product is a wonderful story.
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Retail Price: £6.99
Amazon.com's Price:£0.01
That's 100% Off!
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