http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/mammoth/ reading material to get excited about Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:08:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/mammoth/comment-page-1/#comment-7706 QUICKGASM >> 4.2.07 » Bookgasm Mon, 02 Apr 2007 11:25:39 +0000 http://www.bookgasm.com/?p=32#comment-7706 [...] Time travel novels are tricky to pull off because most current ones come off as little more than gimmicks. There are exceptions: John Varley’s MAMMOTH, the Arthur C. Clarke/Stephen Baxter collaboration TIME’S EYE, and now THE PLOT TO SAVE SOCRATES. In it, author Paul Levinson wonders what would happen if the famed Greek philosopher was saved from his fatal hemlock cocktail by a female graduate student from 2042. She becomes involved with the whole shebang when a friend shows her a transcribed conversation suggesting as much, conveniently leading her to a time machine so she can do just that. I’m shortcutting things, but it doesn’t read so far-fetched as Levinson tells it. In fact, his speculative account has the added benefit of sounding plausible, if only because he eschews the usual flashy trappings in favor of a serious, smart plot. For a journey through time that’ll make you think as it thrills. It’s so accessible, even those generally put off by sci-fi should enjoy the trip. [...] [...] Time travel novels are tricky to pull off because most current ones come off as little more than gimmicks. There are exceptions: John Varley’s MAMMOTH, the Arthur C. Clarke/Stephen Baxter collaboration TIME’S EYE, and now THE PLOT TO SAVE SOCRATES. In it, author Paul Levinson wonders what would happen if the famed Greek philosopher was saved from his fatal hemlock cocktail by a female graduate student from 2042. She becomes involved with the whole shebang when a friend shows her a transcribed conversation suggesting as much, conveniently leading her to a time machine so she can do just that. I’m shortcutting things, but it doesn’t read so far-fetched as Levinson tells it. In fact, his speculative account has the added benefit of sounding plausible, if only because he eschews the usual flashy trappings in favor of a serious, smart plot. For a journey through time that’ll make you think as it thrills. It’s so accessible, even those generally put off by sci-fi should enjoy the trip. [...]

]]> http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/mammoth/comment-page-1/#comment-3265 BOOK WHORE >> 6.20.06 » Bookgasm Tue, 20 Jun 2006 12:47:46 +0000 http://www.bookgasm.com/?p=32#comment-3265 [...] MAMMOTH by John Varley – An intact wooly mammoth is discovered frozen in Canada. Huddled next to the huge creature is the mummified body of a Stone Age man around 12,000 years old. And he is wearing a wristwatch. (Now in paperback; read BOOKGASM’s original review here.) [...] [...] MAMMOTH by John Varley – An intact wooly mammoth is discovered frozen in Canada. Huddled next to the huge creature is the mummified body of a Stone Age man around 12,000 years old. And he is wearing a wristwatch. (Now in paperback; read BOOKGASM’s original review here.) [...]

]]> http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/mammoth/comment-page-1/#comment-952 Bookgasm » BOOK WHORE >> 4.4.06 Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:11:45 +0000 http://www.bookgasm.com/?p=32#comment-952 [...] • RED LIGHTING is John Varley’s sequel to 2004’s RED THUNDER, itself a Heinlein-esque juvenile sci-fi adventure. For more older-skewing Varley, even non-SF fans should appreciate last year’s MAMMOTH. [...] [...] • RED LIGHTING is John Varley’s sequel to 2004’s RED THUNDER, itself a Heinlein-esque juvenile sci-fi adventure. For more older-skewing Varley, even non-SF fans should appreciate last year’s MAMMOTH. [...]

]]> http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/mammoth/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Bookgasm » Blog Archive » The John Varley Reader: Thirty Years of Short Fiction Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:01:02 +0000 http://www.bookgasm.com/?p=32#comment-25 [...] As much as I loved John Varley’s new novel MAMMOTH (see our review here), I cannot look to THE JOHN VARLEY READER with even half as much enthusiasm. [...] [...] As much as I loved John Varley’s new novel MAMMOTH (see our review here), I cannot look to THE JOHN VARLEY READER with even half as much enthusiasm. [...]

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