Rating: 
Summary: Thought provoking, but.....
Review: I've read a lot of good books in the past year, and this was actually one of the more disappointing ones. So much so, that I decided to give a review of it, although I have not made a review before.I bought the hardcover version of this book with high expectations as I had read a most of Ishmael (it miraculously disappeared after a break up) and was blown away by some of the concepts. Quinn, to me, is an open minded thinker with a unique way of looking at humanity and its various problems. While reading Ishmael, I was never impressed with the way the story was told, but never had a book make me think so much. Having a strong interest in the Holocaust, I thought that I would get the same effect from this book. While there were some interesting thoughts regarding how history portrayed the Holocaust in the future, I felt the book was not worthy of the title. It was a shallow attempt to create a work of fiction that covered such a deep subject, as the plot was uninteresting, and the ideas few and far between. This form of writing worked for Ishmael, but failed for After Dachau. What was interesting to me, is that I read two other books around the same time that more heavily pertained to the Holocaust and did a great job at representing a piece of history and the author's thoughts on it. Neither one had a title that implied it regarded the Holocaust! The books were The Reader by Bernard Schlink and Beach Music by Pat Conroy. Although I detested much of Beach Music, and it took forever to read, the part about the Holocaust was great. Both of these books were much better than After Dachau. I hope Son of B is better. If you do read AD, please don't waste money on the hardcover edition.
Rating: 
Summary: I was surprised...
Review: I was surprised that the editorial review on this book condemns it so harshly. I enjoyed reading the book. It does have some ideas that don't quite come together, and it leaves a lot out/unfinished, but the idea itself is so astonishing that it's definitely worth a read. The protagonist of the story is a man who donates his time to work for a non-profit organization that tries to prove reincarnation. From there, it takes you on a ride that really can shake you up. Please don't listen to the reviewer, it is an amazing book and leaves you thinking about how life would be different if the second World War had not been won by the allies.
Rating: 
Summary: This was terrible!
Review: Quinn has done it again. This time he really caught my attention. ...
AFTER DACHAU is actually one of the best novels I have read in recent times. He is a master story teller, and has to be to present ideas like his. This book is a great starting point for those who wish to understand Quinns' style and tone as a writer and also progress into radicalized politics. Although it comes some time after his original literary successes, I recommend this to highlight current domination of conquering peoples and lands, and all that has been swept under the rug and left out of my "history" books. Read Quinn, read all of Quinn, and then work to stabilize your own community around common needs and common existence and to eliminate those structures and systems around you that work away from unity. We cannot survive unless we get to know thy neighbors. "Can I borrow some sugar, and your copy of Ishmael?"
Rating: 
Summary: good as always
Review: i enjoyed this book very much. dan quin is an excellent writer and proves his greatness with each book.
Rating:
Summary: Unique story vision
Review: Intriguing and easy read from a very provocative writer. The story is at times contrived and artificial, but the real value of this book is what it reveals about you and your own thoughts and ways of viewing the world. As always Quinn brings his unique vision to the table and challenges your most basic of assumptions about your worldview and your assumptions of knowledge. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Either I've missed something...
Review: or a lot of others have... One of Mr. Quinn's on-going themes is cultural/historic revisionism--people swallowing whole everything that Mother Culture whispers in our ear. In both of the Ishmael books (and, to a lesser extent, The Story of B), Mr. Quinn takes a definite step away from the real world, mostly, it would seem, to give us a slightly distanced view of our own culture; in A.D., the step merely seems larger (that's all I'll say about that, though the "professional review" above pretty comprehensivley obliterates all surprise in the book). I write "seems", though, because, despite the rather large detour taken from reality, the book itself points out that we (in particular we Americans) tend to add a nice glossy coat to large parts of history and spend as little time as possible thinking about some of the other parts. It touches lightly on the history of colonialism (and even more lightly on the somewhat interesting question of what ~did~ happen to Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal?) in the same context as history "after Dachau" (the premise, not the title, of the book). Additionally, I recall seeing an piece in the news a year or two back that, already, a sizable percent of people polled either didn't know what the actual Holocaust was, or didn't believe it had happened. Sadly, it seems that alternate realities are not the only place where it sometimes seems "no one cares". Perhaps modeling himself on Ishmael, however, (or vice versa?) he allows the student to make connections, draw conclusions, etc. I agree that A.D. lacks some of the depth of development he displays in his other works, but Mr. Quinn seems to vary his style to present his thoughts in ways that will appeal to varying audiences, so A.D. will appeal, for many reasons, to audiences that may not enjoy the Ishmael books or B. As in each of his books, however, he uses After Dachau to take a step back from our world and wax philosophic about the society we have built and the society we may build; everything from minor foibles to outright faults. In that, I think his writing is as sharp as ever.
Rating:
Summary: Quinn at his funnest...
Review: Well, ok... Maybe not... Newcomber's Guide to the Afterlife was probably Quinn at his funnest. BUT... THIS WAS A FUN READ!! Hopefully the readers familiar with his other works will understand that sometimes an author has to write JUST TO WRITE, but when Quinn does this, it is obvious that the result is a work of gripping fiction, suspense, inventiveness, and with a dark cautionary twist that only Quinn can provide (I hope if you haven't read it that you didn't read the editorial review that gave away far more than it had to in its bashing of the book). And it is not - as one other reviewer wrote - a message about the evils of the white man or anything like that (I really laughed out loud at that one). It is a parable. Simple as that. 'Nuff said.
Get it. Read it. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: I feel let down
Review: It seems that DQ has tried to write a shallow summer-beach-novel. I can't see the depth in the story. There are too many parallels to stories such as The Matrix, The Time Machine, etc. His disclaimer at the end felt like a slap in the face. I am reading DQ because I feel he has important ideas to share about the world and our way of living. I wish that he stays with this concept. The whole idea that everything is the white man's fault is rather immature and short-sighted. Every race has its racist tendencies. I don't want to give away the story of the book, because it certainly was a page turner. Sadly, at the end all I had to say is "And?". For the reader unfamiliar with DQ's thinking I would recommend "Beyond Civilization" and our dear "Ishmael".
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: While noble at heart and definitely carrying its ingenious moments, this book lacked in real depth and character growth/background. I was most disappointed with the hokey ending, utterly guessable and also the author's use of simplistic descriptive terminology. I've heard this book described as 'life altering', and 'deeply moving' and while I don't dismiss it altogether, I cannot imagine it classifying it as either when it merely plays on ideas which have been well versed in the past. A good short story at best.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing book!!!
Review: An amazing book!!! It makes you realize that maybe we should analyze what is in our minds, and how it affects the world. Keep writing Mr. Quinn.
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