Earth Abides
Author:
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Stationery, Journals & Notebooks
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Author:
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Stationery, Journals & Notebooks
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Helpful Score: 1
I don't generally enjoy the sci-fi genre, so take my review with a grain of salt.
Focusing on the overall message of the book, I greatly enjoyed Stewart's illustration of how the social, philosophical, and ideological are affected through generations as his characters' world is restructured after The Great Disaster. The Americans (whom were those who lived before and after The Great Disaster) understood the practices and traditions of old, but their way of living was slowly lost as they died off ('extinction' is an accurate descriptor), causing the ideas of modern civilization to regress into something more tribal. It was quite interesting to watch those ideas and traditions organically warp and adapt to something more practical for a life without paved roads, running water, modern education, etc.
The details of the book weren't as enjoyable and most of them were quite unbelievable. I found the protagonist entirely unlikeable with his sexist, misogynist, grandiose and superior view of himself in relation to the other survivors, which is exacerbated by the two-dimensionality of ALL of the other characters. I found it entirely absurd that 20 years after The Great Disaster, there is still running water and edible canned goods with no focused attempt to learn to farm, hunt or gather. Because of these things, I found long stretches of the book to be tedious and unbearable and I would have loved to see it shortened by 100 pages or so.
My grievances aside, being the first (or one of the first) in an ENTIRE GENRE is an impressive accolade and I am glad to have (finally!) read it... and also GOOD RIDDANCE!
Focusing on the overall message of the book, I greatly enjoyed Stewart's illustration of how the social, philosophical, and ideological are affected through generations as his characters' world is restructured after The Great Disaster. The Americans (whom were those who lived before and after The Great Disaster) understood the practices and traditions of old, but their way of living was slowly lost as they died off ('extinction' is an accurate descriptor), causing the ideas of modern civilization to regress into something more tribal. It was quite interesting to watch those ideas and traditions organically warp and adapt to something more practical for a life without paved roads, running water, modern education, etc.
The details of the book weren't as enjoyable and most of them were quite unbelievable. I found the protagonist entirely unlikeable with his sexist, misogynist, grandiose and superior view of himself in relation to the other survivors, which is exacerbated by the two-dimensionality of ALL of the other characters. I found it entirely absurd that 20 years after The Great Disaster, there is still running water and edible canned goods with no focused attempt to learn to farm, hunt or gather. Because of these things, I found long stretches of the book to be tedious and unbearable and I would have loved to see it shortened by 100 pages or so.
My grievances aside, being the first (or one of the first) in an ENTIRE GENRE is an impressive accolade and I am glad to have (finally!) read it... and also GOOD RIDDANCE!
