Shadow's End

Rating:
Summary: One lone voice crying, "I loved it"
Review: I think I'm the only one I know who loves this book--so I have to stick up for it. OK, I would have given it 4 1/2 stars, if that had been an option, because I don't think Tepper has ever quite come back up to the standard she set in "Grass," "Raising the Stones," "After a Long Silence," and "Gate to Women's Country" (although "Fresco" comes close, and "Gate" has had trouble holding up over time).

The theme of "Shadows End" is invisibility. What (and whom) do we see and not see in our worlds? What stops us from recognizing what's there? Tepper returns to this question in a myriad of ways, both directly and obliquely (visibly and in shadows). It spoke to me deeply. And in such remarkably lovely, deft prose!

The end of the book (stop here if you don't want a real hint) breaks all the rules of writing--it's exactly what your English teachers told you never to do. It's absurd and a little unbelievable, but it also left me in awe at the author's deliberate violation of all conventions. Wow!

Rating:
Summary: Men Are Bad
Review: It's curious that the previous reviewers didn't mention the theme of this story: that human males are what's wrong with the universe. That pretty much sums it up.

Rating:
Summary: Superb.
Review: Like all of Tepper's work, this novel is a brilliant demonstration of her skill at world-crafting. Tepper constructs the most beautiful and bizarre societies I have found in speculative fiction, which are all the more real for their strangeness. In this masterpiece, as in Raising the Stones and Singer from the Sea, she evokes a powerful religious paradigm rich with myth and archetypical significance. the end is haunting, compelling as the story itself. it is impossible to forget; these are books that can change the world you live in if you let them. Tepper also has interesting arguments to add to the dialogue on feminism, ecology, and technological advancement; these, too, are impossible to forget, and will keep you thinking and turning new sides of the issues around for a long time. I enthusiastically recommend this novel, and all of Tepper's work, to every intelligent SF reader.

Rating:
Summary: Superb.
Review: Like all of Tepper's work, this novel is a brilliant demonstration of her skill at world-crafting. Tepper constructs the most beautiful and bizarre societies I have found in speculative fiction, which are all the more real for their strangeness. In this masterpiece, as in Raising the Stones and Singer from the Sea, she evokes a powerful religious paradigm rich with myth and archetypical significance. the end is haunting, compelling as the story itself. it is impossible to forget; these are books that can change the world you live in if you let them. Tepper also has interesting arguments to add to the dialogue on feminism, ecology, and technological advancement; these, too, are impossible to forget, and will keep you thinking and turning new sides of the issues around for a long time. I enthusiastically recommend this novel, and all of Tepper's work, to every intelligent SF reader.

Rating:
Summary: when political statements overtake a story
Review: Once more an interesting and potentially rewarding story is overwhelmed by the political agenda of the author. Sad, very sad. I had such high hopes for this group of characters and once more Tepper has disappointed me.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: Pretty great, abit slow at first, with an unbelievable ending that didn't seem complete. BUt still worth buying and reading. An altogether interesting, facinating experience!

Rating:
Summary: A mixed bag
Review: She did it to me again. Tepper builds a solid, clear and convincing world, creates a compelling and three-dimensional set of characters, sets up an intriguing plot that builds logically and excitingly to a climax and then-- well, I still am not sure exactly what the heck happened. It's like someone else finishes the book for her-- all of that solid logical specific foundation disppears ion metaphysical poetically vagur fog. Perhaps a reader more gifted than I would get that part, but for me it was 9/10ths of a great novel.

Rating:
Summary: A mixed bag
Review: She did it to me again. Tepper builds a solid, clear and convincing world, creates a compelling and three-dimensional set of characters, sets up an intriguing plot that builds logically and excitingly to a climax and then-- well, I still am not sure exactly what the heck happened. It's like someone else finishes the book for her-- all of that solid logical specific foundation disppears ion metaphysical poetically vagur fog. Perhaps a reader more gifted than I would get that part, but for me it was 9/10ths of a great novel.