An Exaltation of Larks

Rating:
Summary: I don't know how to take this book
Review: College boy girl chaser enters the Twilight Zone. Some very interesting things, some bedroom exploits that could have been skipped. This book will stay with you. The material seems like science fiction, but different from most sf.

Rating:
Summary: I don't know how to take this book
Review: College boy girl chaser enters the Twilight Zone. Some very interesting things, some bedroom exploits that could have been skipped. This book will stay with you. The material seems like science fiction, but different from most sf.

Rating:
Summary: An Exaltation of Larks -review-
Review: I'm only in junior high, so adults who read this might not count my opinion, but I thought this book was so good! I couldn't put it down and I definitely can't say that for a lot of books. I agree its not the best I've EVER read, but Reed creates such an interesting and thought provoking synopsis that I was blowen away! This was actually fun to analyse! I've never read a book twice but I'm thinking of making an exception for this one, there's just so much I could of missed. I understand that older people have to sound more distinguished than authors, acting like this novel just lacked plot, flow or whatever and acting like they could write better, but sometimes your wrong. This was a good book, stop kidding yourself! For all of the rest of you out there...read this one!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Writing and Ideas
Review: Reed has produced a brilliantly written piece of work in An Exaltation of Larks. His characters are alive and three dimensional. His portrayal of a small college campus is flawless. His writing is crisp and to the point. And his imagination is wonderful. I would give it five stars but there are just so many great books out there. This one, however, is a must read for those who appreciate good writing with a touch of whimsy and mystery thrown it.

Rating:
Summary: An Exaltation of Larks -review-
Review: The plot is a gloss on a silly time travel/transcendence of Universe theme; a half-smart quasi-Buddhist shtick that leaves one feeling empty and cheated when the story finally unfolds. Along the way we get some generic and purposeless sex, and a story that is supposed to be mysterious and edgy. I give the book a second star because the author writes well, and phrases his silly plot in good style. Perhaps a good rule for science fiction that dips into quasi-crystal channeling mysticism might be to embrace some final meaning, either dark or light. This book leaves one muddled and unhappy, not thoughtful or uplifted. I cannot reccomend the book, but the author writes well enough to deserve more chances.

Rating:
Summary: Well Written Twaddle; Leaves Reader Curiously Dispirited.
Review: The plot is a gloss on a silly time travel/transcendence of Universe theme; a half-smart quasi-Buddhist shtick that leaves one feeling empty and cheated when the story finally unfolds. Along the way we get some generic and purposeless sex, and a story that is supposed to be mysterious and edgy. I give the book a second star because the author writes well, and phrases his silly plot in good style. Perhaps a good rule for science fiction that dips into quasi-crystal channeling mysticism might be to embrace some final meaning, either dark or light. This book leaves one muddled and unhappy, not thoughtful or uplifted. I cannot reccomend the book, but the author writes well enough to deserve more chances.

Rating:
Summary: Great characters, general weirdness
Review: This book has great character development and scene setting which goes on for the first 2/3 of the book. I give it the highest rating for this. However, the rating comes down in the last chapter, which gets weird with strange dream like sequences that I don't care for much. This is the type of book you read in college where you have to try to analyze everything the author is trying to say. I'm not sure what it was. For example, I'm not sure what the title is referring too. I'm also not sure what the power struggle was all about. The author seems to try to convey great significance to an event that seemed trivial to me. The back cover credits compare this author to Phillip K. Dick, but except for the weird dream sequences, Reed's writing is much better. This book reminded me a lot of Vonnegut's Slaughter House Five. The same sort of time travel weirdness and symbolism with great writing. So an average rating for great characterization and scene but a general weirdness that I don't care for.