A Canticle for Leibowitz

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Summary: Latin not translated leaves ?
Review: This is a long ranging story about post nuclear disaster world where the monks have retained the few scraps of pre-trepidation literature still left after the purge. Over the centuries that follow, the civilization begins to return and the order wrestles with the questions of the need to save knowledge for the future until the nuclear age again arrives. This is a thoughtful and well paced story. My problem with it is the lengthy lapses into Latin, a language I have no knowledge of or interest in. I felt left out and somewhat discriminated against by my protestant upbringing. Perhaps had I read the book and been able to skip over the lengthy Latin verses, I would have enjoyed the story more. I do feel that the Latin was not then translated to let me in on the content and that I must have missed many points and observations that one familiar with the language will enjoy.

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Summary: Why can't I keep this book?
Review: I have given away 6 copies of this book to friends/relatives. It has never been returned. One factor may be my Catholic upbringing, another my "job" as a nuclear weapons targeting expert. The book accurately reflects "early" strategic thinking in doomsday scenarios, and the hypothetical reconstruction scenarios are fascinating. The settings of scenarios, the feel of developing civilization, the development of scientific process are all noteworthy. This is my most "given away" book.

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Summary: The most remarkable SF I have ever read.
Review: I read this book at the age of 12 first, and I thought it was great. But now, at the age of 20, when I read it again I found that it is one of the best SFs I know. Well, it consists of three parts, and three individual plots, only the imagined future and the scene are the same, but there is one idea connecting the three parts and making them into an organic one: the view of history, the chances of our future after a total atomic war, and the deep thoughts against the destruction. Well, and one more thing: I am a believer, a saved child of Jesus Christ, and I found quite valuable the thoughts connecting to religion in this book, although I am not a catholic, and I will never be one. But the role of religion in this people's life, the role in improving the human civilisation, and the questions about life or suicide in the last part about an atomic war are real. I don't know that Miller was a believer or not, but I am sure, that he wrote one of the best book, not just in the genre of SF, but, I think, in the "high literature", too.

Rating:
Summary: I did not enjoy this book as much as other SF books
Review: I started the book and was instantly appaled. It was incredibly slow but I thought "Give it a few chapters, it'll get better." But no! The only reason I read the entire thing, was for an ISU. Although I have to admit, there were a couple good spots, maybe two per part, but other than that, it was no good. I would not recommend this book.

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Summary: A book of pure science fiction in every sense of the word.
Review: Had I expected to read I futuristic novel I could probably say better things but I was strangely dissappointed in the lack of more comedic aspects to the plot. When I read the back of the book it sounded like I would be reading something of a parady on the common misconception of what the world would be like after a second dark age. Over all after discovering the true content of the novel I was pleased with the characters and the setting but was bored with the dull dialog and changing time frame. The character Brother Francis was probably the best at making the story interesting next to the obnoxious Poet who, in his twisted perception, added greatly to the story at points when it didn't seem worth reading anymore. If you like science fiction and have some time on yourhands you will love this book.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but boring at times...
Review: This book describes our future after a nuclear war which destroyed civilization and the lost of technology that is slowy recovered throughout the centuries. We see the world through the eyes of a abbey. This is good book with an intresting storyline. However this book is boring at times and repeats itsself.

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Summary: Work of literary genius
Review: Back in the mid-sixties Time magazine had an article which discussed the "legitimization" of science fiction in American Literature as taught in University throughout the United States. singled out were Arthur C Clarkes "Childhood's End", Issac Asimov's "Foundation Trilogy", and the classic novels from H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. Particular attention was paid to "A Canticle for Leibowitz" as "a work of literary genius". The article described the book as "rare" (1967) and thriving in "hand me down" volumes. It did, in truth, take me some time to find a copy of the book and I must say this is the best work of "science" fiction, indeed any fiction, I have ever read. I have purchased and reread the book a half dozen times over the last thirty years and all those copies are in that hand-me-down mill somewhere now.

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Summary: A mosaic of a novel
Review: This novel has virtually everything I enjoy in a book. Comedy, tragedy, religon, science, symbolism, epic plot. It is pessimistic about man's nature, but optimistic about our salvation (both spiritualy and physically).

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Summary: Surprisingly optimistic masterpiece.
Review: I was forced to read this novel as part of a history of science course I took at univesity and I hated it. I kept the book, however, and picked it up again a decade later and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the overt theme of the novel is nuclear annihilation the underlying theme of hope and re-birth provides as good a definition of what it is to be human as any I have found. This novel manages to be deeply depressing and uplisting while the plot and characterizations keep the reader engrossed. I have read it several times and intend to re-read it soon.

Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking visions of a bleak future
Review: This novel is the story of an order of monks dedicated to preserving the knowledge of human civilization from before nuclear holocaust. Miller tells it in three parts, each separated by several centuries and showing the monks' role at each stage of civilization's rebirth. Miller succeeds in stimulating thought about what qualities of man drive him to destroy himself and then how he rebuilds. I also appreciated the fair portrayal of each side of the conflicts between religion and science in the novel.

I only wish I knew more Latin; untranslated phrases pepper the story.