The Fourth Circle

Rating:
Summary: Dazzling writing, but rather disappointing novel
Review: It's rare that one finds a disconnect between the talent of a writer and the quality of his story. As a general rule, one expects that a gifted writer will produce great novels and vice versa. Unfortunately, in the case of "The Fourth Circle" the reader is treated to a novel that is supremely well written, but which is somehow empty at its core.

Told through seemingly unrelated narratives that are parsed out over seemingly random intervals, "The Fourth Circle" is an ambitious attempt to offer a cosmogony, a structure and perhaps purpose for the universe. While taken as individual units, each story is beautifully structured and written, but as a whole the book is somehow less than the sum of its parts, which is ironic given its lofty ambition.

The ultimate problem is that there is no comprehensive denouement; the reader is drawn into the story of a pregnant artificial intelligence, Sherlock Holmes' last case, the life of alien six armed beings and more, but ultimately the links between these narratives, which define the whole structure of the novel, are lacking. Whether this is because Zivkovic is being intentionally enigmatic or because he just wrote himself into a corner is uncertain, but I think most readers would agree that the payoff, such as it is, is severely lacking.

Which is a shame, because as I have stated above, Zivkovic is a writer of great talent. His phrasing and word selection is impeccable, and he is a master of capturing the mood. From levity to disgust to a sense of otherworldly wonder, his work is imbued with emotion. Moreover, each individual vignette stands nicely on its own, with a particularly impressive entry detailing the exploits of a medieval painter and his humble assistant. Unfortunately, as I have stated above, such laudable accomplishments are not sufficient to make a book with this multi-linear approach work. In the absence of an overarching cohesion, these are just short stories printed out of order.

Nonetheless, I don't want the potential reader to dismiss "The Fourth Circle" out of hand. As I have stated, the author's writing is superb and makes for an enjoyable diversion, and while the novel may fall short, it's complex structure and grand design is at least worth consideration. I wouldn't buy it in hardcover, but checking it out of the library or buying in paperback may well prove worth the time for the adventurous reader.

Jake Mohlman


Rating:
Summary: The Circle is more like a small arc
Review: While well written (the prose that is) this is one of the emptiest novels I have ever read. It has no meaning, no depth and in a nutshell is no fun. The author states that after writing the first sentence, he "didn't have the slightest idea what would follow." Well there are a lot of words well strung together, but no meaning. Save your time, don't bother with it.

Rating:
Summary: A masterful weaving of multi-story threads
Review: Zoran Zivkovic is a writer of astonishing talent. After having read his superb "Library" novellas in the VanderMeer/Aguirre-edited "Leviathan 3" anthology, I was eagerly awaiting this release from NightShade. And I was not disappointed.

I won't attempt to give a plot synopsis here, especially as plot, per se, is not the salient feature of The Fourth Circle. What is prominent is Zivkovic's mastery of the multiple character perspective, i.e., the manner in which he develops his characters (there are many) and gives each a distinctive voice. That, and the way he wraps the varied story threads into a finally cohesive, yet mysterious whole.

The narrative, however, kept me at a slight remove from total involvement in the story, which leads me to give it four stars rather than five. Quality fiction, regardless.

Rating:
Summary: A masterful weaving of multi-story threads
Review: Zoran Zivkovic is a writer of astonishing talent. After having read his superb "Library" novellas in the VanderMeer/Aguirre-edited "Leviathan 3" anthology, I was eagerly awaiting this release from NightShade. And I was not disappointed.

I won't attempt to give a plot synopsis here, especially as plot, per se, is not the salient feature of The Fourth Circle. What is prominent is Zivkovic's mastery of the multiple character perspective, i.e., the manner in which he develops his characters (there are many) and gives each a distinctive voice. That, and the way he wraps the varied story threads into a finally cohesive, yet mysterious whole.

The narrative, however, kept me at a slight remove from total involvement in the story, which leads me to give it four stars rather than five. Quality fiction, regardless.