Okay, I'll admit this is an older book--it was originally published in 1959--but I just can't help myself. Additionally, this blog is not simply for newer books--although you'll see new ones on here as well. Anyways, onto the review!
A Canticle for Lebowitz follows the story of the cycle of human knowledge development. In this world, the apocalypse has just occurred--true to fears born out of WWII, several nations nuke each other, creating a stark, desert world. In the beginning of a new era, the human survivors turned against their so-called advanced culture and knowledge. They execute learned men are executed and burn the books of this now destroyed civilization. In the chaos, a man by the name of Leibowitz, with other like-minded individuals, gathers books that survived and stores them to await the day when people turn to them. As a result, an order of monks, known as the Order of Leibowitz, forms, to collect and protect these old texts until the world wants them back. The book follows this new civilization and its relationship to the order and their cache of books.
My general reaction can be summed up in one word: whoa. Walter M. Miller, Jr. does a fantastic job building the world--and making it believable. Granted most apocalyptic stories these days involve zombies, but still I could definetely see the events playing out once the apocalypse (although it's highly unlikely that I'll actually live through the actual blast to see if my predictions are right). I was immensely impressed with Miller, Jr.'s ability to pull the reader in. Even though he did not stick with just one particular cast of characters, I became engaged with each group that took the reader through a particular point in time. I loved how he took the reader through the development of this new civilization and, really, humanity. The book hit me especially hard at the end; I still haven't decided whether I agree with his worldview. If anyone's read it, please share your thoughts on the ending. All in all, it is a most worthy book, and I demand that you go read it. Right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment