Rating: Summary: this book is amazing Review: this book is truly amazing and is one of my favorite books. if you have never read this book i urge you to read it. it has a great plot and really gets you in the characters lives and it seems as you are there with them while the nuclear holocaust is going on. so i urge you to read this incredible book.
Rating: Summary: Alas, I read this book Review: The first, and last, time I read this book was for a high school class several years ago. I had read on my own Nevil Shute's On the Beach before reading this one. I can say that if you've read On the Beach, you won't like this one. The fact that everyone survives a nuclear blast a little more than 50 miles away is somewhat questionable. When Chernobyl went up, people hundreds of miles away were affected. The story line of how everyone eventually works together to solve their problems and clean up the mess from the war is purely hysterical. Where's the looting, pillaging, destruction found after real disasters? Not in this book, that's where. This feel-good outcome of nuclear war, though, does fit beautifully in this category - fiction. And, even, if you haven't read On the Beach, the story in Alas, Babylon is laughable at best. Save your money, buy On the Beach instead. It's cheaper, and the story line is much more accurate. The only reason why Alas, Babylon is popular here, is that it's set in the US. Don't read this book. Get Nevil Shute's On the Beach or even the movie. Both are better than this drivel.
Rating: Summary: Fell in Love With This 20 Years Ago, Still Coming Back Review: I fell in love with this book at about age 11. There were a lot of things I liked when I was 11 that I don't care so much for twenty years later; but Alas, Babylon has stood the test of time. I still re-read it periodically! Even if you don't like the genre, the story is so strong that it cannot help but become an American classic. A must-read.
Rating: Summary: Time well spent Review: Without giving anything away for those of you that haven't read it, I'll say that this book is excellent. I bought it on sale once and decided to read it. What I got was a major bargain! It is a fantastic story that many different kinds of people will like. It is in my top 10 books list. (In case you're wondering, my #1 is the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo). Go ahead and get a copy of this book: from here, from a library, wherever! I'm sure if you read it, you'll really enjoy it, and want to pick it up again.
Rating: Summary: A Wonderful depiction of Survival Review: Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank was a wonderful story of how a small Florida town pulls together and attempts to survive the aftermath of a Russian Nuclear attack. I enjoyed this book so much because the plot was intriguing with twists and turns everywhere that kept the book from getting monotonous. When you thought the main characters were out of trouble, something new would always come up, and they would have to solve it. The characters in this seemed to be based on real people, they weren't fake, perfect human beings. They had downfalls. The main character, Randy, was vouyeristic. He enjoyed watching women dress and undress. Overall, this was a wonderful book, and I believe everyone should read it. It is not once boring and is difficult to put down.
Rating: Summary: Well-done Fiction Review: Alas, Babylon was very good novel in my opinion. It combined a compelling (if somewhat far-fetched) story with action and gripping drama. The characters are very believable and realistic. The story line follows a series of events after the start of a nuclear war between Russia and the US. My only complaint is that the author Pat Frank stretched reality a little when it came to the plot. It is a little tough to believe that missiles were launched for the reason they were. Other than that, it is a good read for anyone who enjoys science fiction placed in the near future (or in this case, 50 years ago).
Rating: Summary: Alas Babylon is a great book Review: Alas, Babylon is a very good book. Pat Frank does a great job of describing what a nuclear holocaust might be like. He describes the new life that the few survivors would have to lead, and the hundreds of problems they would have to face. This story focuses on a small group of individuals who live in the Florida town of Fort Repose. The book shows how they collaborate their efforts for survival in order to make a life for themselves they enjoy living. Throughout the story, various problems are described and how the characters solve them. Pat Frank uses excellent description and dialogue to enhance this wonderful story. The characters are all great and likable and there is a great theme. I highly recommend this excellent book.
Rating: Summary: World War III and its Aftermath Review: Frank, witnessing the development and spread of atomic weapons, explores the catastrophic consequences of a nuclear war between the United States of America and the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. His scenarios are not implausible. In the book, deterrence fails because Kremlin leaders believe that America's "window of vulnerability" would enable them to deliver a coup de grace. The Soviets, waiting for the opportune time to strike, find it in an international incident that occurs in a Third World country. Whether the United States of America during the 1950s was vulnerable to a first-strike is debatable, but this perception was genuine.The realism of Frank's book is not limited to nuclear warfare theory; it portrays post-nuclear holocaust America. Frank did his research; World War III devastates the United States, destroying metropolises and isolating less populated areas from each other and from the rest of the country. Literally overnight, people living in these areas such as Fort Repose in Florida exist in conditions similar to their ancestors of the Stone Age. The destruction of the metropolises, including Washington D.C., result in power outages, severance of communication with the rest of the country, an abysmal supply of food and water, and lawlessness. Unlike people of the Stone Age, survivors are also vulnerable to radiation. Despite these grim conditions, however, Frank believes in the civility of humans and argues that most people will preserve the spirit of national and local laws and will help and care for each other. There are many such instances in the book. Dan, Fort Repose's surviving doctor, selflessly travels throughout the area to treat an ever-increasing number of patients. On one occasion, he stopped for a woman alongside a road despite a strong suspicion of an ambush. Randy, one of the primary characters, graciously invites his relatives, friends, and neighbors to stay in his house despite his provisions being in short supply. Alas, Babylon was intended to force the American public and its leaders to dwell on the terrible consequences of a nuclear war. Although many Americans understood that the result would be unparalleled devastation, few thought about the possibility of being a survivor and the life-changing effects that World War III would bring. Frank's book remains relevant today. Although the Cold War has been over for a decade, vast amounts of nuclear weapons remain and it is not difficult to retarget them. Furthermore, more countries have acquired nuclear weapons and others are attempting to develop them. Alas, Babylon is a reminder of the terrifying power of atomic weapons, and thus should be read and discussed by the current and future generations.
Rating: Summary: You just have to read this book! Review: I read this book my junior year in high school. Now I choose it as my topic in my analytical paper. This book is amazing! Its plot could relate to any audience. You become totally enthralled, this same senario could happen to us! I have suggested this reading to several friends and they all loved it. Now I have to buy my own copy again. This will be my second time reading this novel. I have NEVER read a book twice. You have to read this masterpiece to really understand how absolutely wonderful it is!
Rating: Summary: WOW! This is one of the best Books I have ever read Review: This book is a must for anyone who enjoys to read. I picked it up and couldnt put it down. if only there was a sequel.
|