Baudolino

Rating:
Summary: Adventures in the Middle Ages
Review: We write the year 1204, and the Fourth Crusade is about to hit Constantinople. And there is Baudolino, youth of simple peasant stock, who is a stellar liar and linguist. This aptitude at languages brings him to the attention of Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa who will keep him nearby. Barbarossa later sends him to Paris to study, and Baudolino takes up with some strange characters. But soon he has a new goal to pursue: Finding the Holy Grail and to bring it as a present to Prester John, the fabled Christian ruler over the Orient. And so our hero goes traveling from West to East, finally returning to his native village. Barbarossa has drowned in the meantime, and Baudolino tells most of his story to the Greek historian Niketas Choniates.

As usual, Mr. Eco will have his fun, and that in various languages. He guides us through long philosophical discourses and tries to pull the reader's leg now and then. One has to get joy out of this in order to call this a wonderful, intelligent book that is so very worthwhile reading.

Rating:
Summary: Not a patch on his best stuff
Review: After the dreadful "Island of the Day Before", I was reluctant to pick up another novel by Umberto Eco. Still, given Eco is the author of "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum", I was prepared to buy "Baudolino" in the hope that "Island of the Day Before" was an aberration. Having now read "Baudolino" I think that, at least to a certain extent, "Island" might have been a temporary blip - but I'm not sure, because I thought that "Baudolino" does not represent a return to form by Eco. This is no "Name of the Rose".

The book is very uneven, starting out as Baudolino's narrative of his life story, concentrating on his time in the court of Frederick Barbarossa, studying in Paris, getting involved in Barbarossa's campaigns in Italy and so on. It then lumbers into a kind of fantasy journey in which Baudolino and some associates go in search of "Prester John". The reader is treated to a whole gamut of mythical creatures as the journey progresses - there's also a mystery element thrown in.

I confess that I'm not a great fan of the kind of "fantasy writing" which Eco gets into in the second part of "Baudolino", so I'm not best equipped to criticise too much: if that kind of writing turns you off, then criticism seems somewhat superfluous. I should imagine, however, that even for the most dedicated devotee of that kind of writing, there would be little in "Baudolino" which would appear as either original or truly interesting. Instead, it seemed to me that all one gets is a mixture of off-the-shelf mythology. What I was left with was a feeling that "Baudolino" descended into something like a "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"-meets-"Gulliver's Travels"-meets-Tolkien-meets-Greek mythology and so on.

Having just promised not to criticise too much, I find I am doing just that. There are interesting passages, mostly those examining Biblical themes/beliefs, and juxtaposing them to what appeared to me to be Zoroastrian (or pseudo-Zoroastrian) thought.

But, whilst not a bad novel, I felt that "Baudolino" was far too unwieldy and unoriginal to stand real comparison to Eco's first two novels.

G Rodgers

Rating:
Summary: Baudolino: A Novel
Review: Baudolino : A Novel written by Umberto Eco is a novel, from which Eco does his best writting, that of historical fiction. Set in April of 1204 in the bustling capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople. Eco is known for the "Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum" both of these novels have an all engrossing narrative... well "Baudolino" has that plus is superbly entertaining.

Mixing historical fact with writing a good historical fiction is Eco's main forte. The Middle Ages written with a flair wonder and a dash of provocativity, spicing a beguiling tale Eco works his mastery of the storytelling art in this book. There is even a sprinkling of humor in this twelfth century tale making for an engaging story that keeps the readers interest.

This is a tale about the Fourth Crusade and a simple peasant boy made good (Baudolino), though he has the gift of speaking and learning different languages and a skill for telling tales to deceive. Baudolino is befriended by a commanding officer of an invading force, little did Baudolino know that this was Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

Barbarossa was smitten with the boy and sends him to the university in Paris. There Baudolino makes friends, not just ordinary friends, but those of a fearless and adventurous kind. This rather merry band of lads getting all high on their own reveries decides to set out and search for none other than Prester John. Prester John is a legendary priest-king and is known to rule a vast empire to the East. This empire is not just your ordinary empire, no, this empire through all of the legend has some really strange creatures and lovely maidens

Trust me on this one, Eco has worked the storytelling art to its very best, you will not want to put the book down until the end. Myths, fables, ingenious humor,and romance are all present along with history making for an entertaining book. This book ranks right up along his "Name of the Rose and Foucalt's Pendulum" for intricate and absorbing reading.

So, get the book and enjoy a novel that is in every instance equal to the author's hallmark, this is an intellectual adventure story seeking the truth.

Rating:
Summary: As good as he's ever been
Review: If I had to rank his four novels, this one would be tied for second with his first book (Focault's Pendulum is simply a masterpiece that will probably never be duplicated).

His story is much easier of a read than his other 3 books. Some will like that, others won't. It doesn't read as thick, or as filled with historical or philosophical angles. It seems more of a book aimed at mainstream approval. Whether that is good or not, is up to you. I personally liked it a great deal.

The history angle in this book, whereas in Focault's seems almost 'educational', is simply present as a story-telling device. It is interesting how Eco takes history and rewrites it, adding his own spins and touches. It adds a neat dimension to a story that could be otherwise simply read for pleasure. Not that you can't, the book is a joy to read. His characters are all rather interesting, just when you think something has drawn to a close, an end has been reached, Eco will introduce someone new, fresh, that invigorates the story.

I'd highly recommend this book to a first-time Eco reader, as an appetizer to his other material. It can be a gateway drug, I warn you ;)

Rating:
Summary: The Lie, the Fantasy, and Recorded History as Fact?
Review: Expect the unexpected from Eco. Playful with words, concepts, and history, Eco will twist your conception of Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa, his court, the third and fourth Crusades, paradise on Earth, religious dogma, relics and their sources, till it becomes difficult to tell the real from the unreal. So much so that when two thirds into the book Eco changes from his variant of history to an out and out Cabellian fantasy, complete with unicorns and other less savory creatures, it comes across as merely another short step in the journey of his accomplished liar and linguist protagonist Baudolino.

And what a main character Baudolino is! For every major historical event, from Barbarossa's sieges and compromises with various Italian cities and popes to the discovery and placement of the Three Magi of Cologne, Baudolino is not only there, he is the major instigator. From the opening of the book, when we meet him as a young boy worming his way into Friedrich's graces with his quick wit and tongue, Baudolino is an engaging rascal, full of himself and his own (justified) ability to turn the course of history with a well crafted falsified parchment here, a poem (as presented as by someone else) there, or a quiet word with the Emperor carefully couched in just the language the Emperor wishes to hear.

But this also brings up one of Eco's major themes of this book, on just what is real and true. If people believe in it, does it matter that the relic worshiped as the Holy Grail is actually a common wooden bowl? If the lie will serve a greater good, is it really a lie? If someone, somewhere, declares that something exists, then does it really have an existence? Where is the line between fantasy and reality? Of course, at the same time that Eco is investigating these points, he is also rather savagely satirizing various religious beliefs and demonstrating the hilarity of the life and death dissension of various religious sects over incredibly tiny differences of interpretation of some element of dogma.

As usual, Eco is not an easy read. Besides his liberal sprinkling of Latin, German, and other languages throughout the text, the ideas and history he is presenting are not for the faint of heart or one totally ignorant of this period. Without at least some knowledge of this historical period and Catholic religious dogma, a good portion of what he is saying will be overlooked. A good dictionary should also be a constant companion while reading this, as he often uses some very uncommon words, and sometimes intends some of the lesser known meanings of other more common words.

There are some elements that don't totally work here. I felt his inclusion of a locked room murder mystery within the main body of the work was not really necessary from either a plot or character development standpoint, and plot elements that are linked to this could have easily been handled differently. This element almost seemed like it was tacked on as an expected thing for an Eco novel. The long fantasy section seemed to go on much too long, with rather tiresome long lists of the various creatures and their characteristics. Most of the characters other than Baudolino seem rather two-dimensional, and if they had been given some further rounding, I think Eco's satirical side could have been sharpened. None of these faults are really major, but they do detract somewhat from what is otherwise an outstanding novel.

Different, difficult, discerning, and ultimately deserving of an attentive read.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd...

Rating:
Summary: Fine novel, and a little history
Review: Good prose, fascinating characters, a dash of history, and a heaping of fantasy come together in this mind blowing novel recounting the lifelong quest of Baudolino, minister of Frederick Barbarossa and consummate liar.

People interested in the theology of early Christians will enjoy the last third of the book. In fact, come to think of it, some of the metaphysical musing is reminiscent of Hesse.

Overall, a great book.

Rating:
Summary: Patchy
Review: "I don't know what to make of my life," Baudelino tells historian Niketas upon rescuing from the sack of Constantinople in 1204. He then proceeds to relate the entire story, hoping that an outside listener can provide him with some clarity.

I really wanted to like this book better than I did. I generally love the combination of history and fantasy, and the middle ages is one of my favourite time periods. But a lot about _Baudolino_ left me cold. While there were portions of the book where the writing really flowed and was quite engaging, as in the lyrical descriptions of Baudolino's love affairs, there were whole chapters that seemed to be no more than lists of wonders -- as one character said, "If I hear one more thing about topaz, I'm going to throw up!" I had a very hard time relating to any of the characters; they seemed very two-dimensional. And the middle parts of the book appeared to me to be a bunch of only vaguely related events that only served to pad out the number of pages. I know that life often seems to be made up of random events without much relationship to each other until seen from the persepctive of time, and I know that this is in a large portion what _Baudolino_ was about, but the read was not enjoyable until the last two or three chapters when things began to come together. I truly shared Baudolino's experience of slogging ahead on an arduous journey in order to reach the revelations of the last pages, but I really prefer my books to be more entertaining.

If you're looking for another _Name of the Rose_ or Foucault's Pendulum_, this isn't it.

Rating:
Summary: Truth behind the central lie?
Review: I've been an unabashed fan of Eco's for nearly two decades now, and leapt into "Baudolino" enthusiastically, despite the sour taste that still lingers from "Island of the Day Before." Eco's gift is rare -- his erudition and his tangential details bring to vivid life not only far-away times and places, but also firmly root the reader in the psychological struggles of the protagonist. "The Name of the Rose," Eco's first and best novel, was a page-turning story and also made me feel the pressing weight of monastic politics. "Foucault's Pendulum," although set in the second half of the 20th century, convincingly sweeps the reader into a truly frightening dance with the occult. All three readings of "Foucault" left me sleeping uneasily for several nights.

I thought of "Island of the Day Before" as Eco's first real stumble. Neither the story nor the atmosphere seemed remotely as compelling as in either of the two previous novels.

In many respects, "Baudolino" is a return to form. The return isn't complete, however. Twelfth-century Europe springs to life here, although it doesn't ring true -- there seems to be an overly-modern sensibility written into the dialogue and into the motivations of most characters. For example, the medieval archetype of unrequited courtly love is reduced to an episode reminiscent of the nubile Stepmom from "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure."

Perhaps "Baudolino's" greatest accomplishment is the cool eye it casts toward the very modern notion that a well-crafted lie exposes a greater truth. Baudolino's proclamation to that effect seems much more benign than, say, the claims of Tawana Brawley -- but is it really?

Rating:
Summary: Humourous, wonderful, entertaining
Review: I would not recommend this book to everyone. If you are not interested in the middle ages and have no background in their history, or if you are not interested in gnosticism - you would probably find this book confusing and having too much piled in.
However - for those who do have some background in the history - this is absolutely wonderful. I think this is Eco's best book so far - it is meticulously researched, it is humourous, it weaves together multiple themes (including love, philosophy, adventure) and it has his typical detective edge with a surprising ending.
I could not stop smiling for 2 days after I finished reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Earthy and erudite
Review: Humorous and obscure, earthy and erudite, Eco's tale of a 12th century Italian peasant whose rise through the court of the Prussian Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, gives him a hand in most of the significant history of the time, delivers the intricate arguments, raucous personalities and mindbending paradoxes readers have come to expect.

The story opens during the sack of Constantinople in 1204. Having saved the historian Niketas, Baudolino proceeds to tell him his story; a grand epic which stars Baudolino as poet, statesman, reluctant soldier, spy, lover, holy man, philosopher, and pilgrim to the mythical realm of Prester John. It encompasses the Crusades, the search for the holy grail, the mysteries of the East, the circular wrangling between pope and potentate, the petty, fluid and bloody rivalries of Italian cities and the state of science at the time.

But there's one caveat. The young Baudolino originally caught his patron's eye because of his two greatest talents - languages and lies. So what to believe?

The choice is yours and the journey is stimulating, although the drug-enhanced Paris student arguments on the great questions of the day begin to read like student arguments of any era, despite the wit. Baudolino is engaging, but as an untrustworthy narrator he maintains a certain distance from the reader. Eco's fans, dictionary in hand, will enjoy the play, but those who got bogged down in "The Name of the Rose" should skip this one.