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Summary: The Star Rover
Review: An Excellent, yet not very well known book by Jack London. It's inspired by a real story of an innocently sentenced man, Ed Morrell, whom we find to participate in the book.The main character is Darrel Standing, university profesor sentenced for his life to San Quentin jail and is then sentenced to death for hitting a warden in nose. London describes the suffering and solitude of a criminal who finds his freedom in a world of dreams and memories of recent lives his soul went through. London shows the strength of a man's soul, which cannot be broken even by the worst tortures. An extraordinary book, really a must-read.
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Summary: Excellent story
Review: I also read the Czech translation. What an excellent book. I look forward to reading it in English.
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Summary: Height of human triumph .... not for the faint of heart.
Review: I started to write a review over two years ago after I read this piece, then stopped, deciding to wait, wanting to know whether such poignant effect on my thinking and outlook could last. IT HAS! This little-known work by Jack London is a masterpiece, through which my perspective on life- in particular during times of disappointment, loss, or pain- has been placed in new and better perspective. Mr. Morrell conquers the heartless cruelties inflicted by his captors, and London's amazing talent leads the reader vicariously through it.
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Summary: Truth and Transcedence
Review: In Star Rover Jack London writes with the searing pain of the light within the Sun. The journey is horrific, the reward is truth.
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Summary: Truth and Transcedence
Review: In Star Rover Jack London writes with the searing pain of the light within the Sun. The journey is horrific, the reward is truth.
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Summary: London's beliefs about dreaming, freedom and redemption
Review: It makes me very sad that only a few people knows about this book. It tells the story of a man who finds himself in prison. He is trapped in a madman's shirt, in order to confess facts he knew nothing about. Obliged to pass days and nights without being able to move a single muscle, living in complete darkness inside special punishment cells, he manages to avoid getting nuts and yet bravely resists his tortures' will. Developing a way of traveling with his mind, he escapes from all human suffering and still has the chance to watch his actions of past lives, finally understanding how most of his present beliefs and flaws had been built.This is a tale about FREEDOM and REDEMPTION! It makes you firmly believe that free spirits are unbeatable and that we can dream no matter how life is. For anybody who is familiar with London's deep feelings about life and dreaming and freedom, I must say that this is his best book ever. A glimpse of the deepest beliefs of a great writer who left us so soon. A MUST!!!
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Summary: It's Indiana Jones meets HBO's Oz....
Review: Jack London's Star Rover surprised me on every page. It's a riveting, action-packed adventure tale filled with gritty heroes and villains, and fascinating settings, both grim and glorious. The protagonist is a fabulous anti hero, a cross between Indiana Jones and a character straight out of HBO's prison drama Oz. The characters are so well defined, from the sadistic warden to prisoners Ed and Jack, whom we never really see, and only know through intricate, faceless conversations. The lead character, Darrell Standing, is wily, handsome, intrincsically good, but hardened and made cruel by the warden's treatment. Charming and dangerous, he's just the sort of bad-boy we love to root for. Ed and Jack, his two fellow prisoners, are perfect foils, one believing and encouranging, the other skeptical but reluctanly fascinated nonetheless. The warden makes a formidable, multi-faceted villain, at turns weak and cruel, and inventive in his tortures. What a wonderful read!
Rating:
Summary: It's Indiana Jones meets HBO's Oz....
Review: Jack London's Star Rover surprised me on every page. It's a riveting, action-packed adventure tale filled with gritty heroes and villains, and fascinating settings, both grim and glorious. The protagonist is a fabulous anti hero, a cross between Indiana Jones and a character straight out of HBO's prison drama Oz. The characters are so well defined, from the sadistic warden to prisoners Ed and Jack, whom we never really see, and only know through intricate, faceless conversations. The lead character, Darrell Standing, is wily, handsome, intrincsically good, but hardened and made cruel by the warden's treatment. Charming and dangerous, he's just the sort of bad-boy we love to root for. Ed and Jack, his two fellow prisoners, are perfect foils, one believing and encouranging, the other skeptical but reluctanly fascinated nonetheless. The warden makes a formidable, multi-faceted villain, at turns weak and cruel, and inventive in his tortures. What a wonderful read!
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Summary: good first half
Review: the first part is really great. the events of a convict's life is presented in an interesting way. the convict finds a means to escape, sort of a meditative way, that makes him fly to far off places. but the story doesn't really develop or continue from there. instead it ends up being a bit boring, although starting promising.
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Summary: The Most Honest American Writer: Jack London
Review: This book ranks with "Crime And Punishment" London is not sunk by overt sentlementality. This book is not for who view the world thru rose colored glasses thou the american prison has improved, it has improved little. Read this book and you will be in favour of the death peanalty, if only for those poor souls to leave such a Hell Hole! London is the most honest, frank, and truthfull writer americia has ever produced (Even More Honest Then Norman Mailer) Take that Norm! Can you take brutality? Can you face the problem of evil? The terrible red rage that can cause us to fall! it is also about the power of thw will! And redemption. Those "people of the lie" who hate Scott Peck will not like this book. It is the most important book ever writen (at least thats my opinion) If you read London and havent read this book, you havent meet London yet! This book when it was released was lambasted by the critics, the elite, the way the prisons were/are they were protecting their arse! Dare To Read It!
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