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auleyhill's review against another edition
3.0
Excellent world building and idea. But the prose is so hard to get through. First book ever I just kind of gave up. Had to skim through the final four chapters. If you want to read this I hear there is an adaptation that is a way easier read.
lori85's review against another edition
2.0
The sun has died and the remainder of humanity can only wait in a giant fortress-city as the unspeakable horrors of eternal night draw closer. Into this black landscape a lone knight journeys to save his beloved, the woman he remembers from a previous life long ago, before the world ended and there was still light. Across this flame-lit land alive with mutants and barbarians, he slays all, a hero worthy of the lost Hyborian Age.
Never has such a brilliant idea failed so spectacularly in its execution.
I was willing to put up with the imitation Elizabethan English in which this book was written. The framing device of a grief-stricken man in the seventeenth century describing his visions of the far future gave the story an almost hallucinatory feel, as though the monsters and fires and the resurrection of his dead wife were but a fever-dream. I only wish Hodgson had returned to it in the end or referenced it throughout the story. The first half of Night Land honestly would have been amazing if only Hodgson wasn't so wordy and repetitious.
And then you get to the second half.
A couple of kissy-kiss lovey-dovey teenagers plod slowly across a landscape we've plodded through already. Naani is very "naughty" so the protagonist flogs her several times and calls her his "Baby Slave." Yeah. Fifty Shades of Grey in the apocalypse. What a great time.
Never has such a brilliant idea failed so spectacularly in its execution.
I was willing to put up with the imitation Elizabethan English in which this book was written. The framing device of a grief-stricken man in the seventeenth century describing his visions of the far future gave the story an almost hallucinatory feel, as though the monsters and fires and the resurrection of his dead wife were but a fever-dream. I only wish Hodgson had returned to it in the end or referenced it throughout the story. The first half of Night Land honestly would have been amazing if only Hodgson wasn't so wordy and repetitious.
And here I will tell how that the strange Quiet which did fill all the Land, seeming to brood within the night, was horrid beyond all the roarings which had passed over the darkness in the time that went before; so that it had given my spirit some rest and assurance to hear but the far-echoing, low thunder of the Great Laughter, or the whining which was used at times to sound in the night from the South-East where were the Silver-fire Holes that opened before the Thing that Nods. Or the Baying of the Hounds, or the Roaring of the Giants, or any of those dreadful sounds that did often pass through the night. For they could not have offended me as did that time of silence; and so shall you judge how dreadful was that quiet, which did hold so much of horror.That's some good stuff right there.
And then you get to the second half.
A couple of kissy-kiss lovey-dovey teenagers plod slowly across a landscape we've plodded through already. Naani is very "naughty" so the protagonist flogs her several times and calls her his "Baby Slave." Yeah. Fifty Shades of Grey in the apocalypse. What a great time.
jbradney's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
chrisam's review against another edition
2.0
I awoke me and mine thinking-parts did hurt. I had reminscence of visits to several drinking-places, in which we imbibed several ales. I had also reminiscence of a Maid to whom I paid court in many ways including taking her into a secluded court yard and removing her troublesome nether clothing. I did not recall her name, nor may I ever have askt it. I bethought me to mine Naani of whom I had not thought while the Maid was cooing over mine great physical strength and while I was rogering her so soundly she hoppt off the ground at the top of every stroke of mine impressive shagging-parts.
In the morning I bethought me of this and also of the dis-ease that the Master Monstruwacan hath warned us against, and that I did not take precautions against. And sure enough when I took me from mine bedroll to Piss, the act of Pissation wath painful.
There came a Knock at the door of my quarters, and it wath a Messenger, saying that I wath to be brought before the Beak, that wath to say the MM, right away.
Which I did do so, and upon seeing the Beak, he greeted me thusly:
“Do you not remember that you Punished four fellows in a bar, when they were merely having a drink?”
Some memory of this cameth to mine thinking-parts, which were now hurting even more fiercely. I recalled knocking one down and jumping up and down upon his head. It wath fortunate that the carrying of the Diskos is forbidden in the bars of the Great Redoubt, even for one so heroic as I.
Yet The Beak did not seem to know of the floppy cank from the fifteenth Level whom I surprised with two girls, and taking him aside, did beat him savagely for flopping about and laughing like a wench, yet this memory was coming to me most vivid at the time.
“Now laugheth that one off,” I saideth to him as he lay twitching in a pool of gore and vomition, and gave him a Kick in the Ribs for good measure. Then I wenteth back to the two girls to see if they would be entertained with mine party trick of balancing seven half-pint mugs on mine shagging-parts, but they had gone.
Nay, I suspected the Beak knew of this other incident but thought it well done.
However I am making many an excuse to mine Naani for why I cannot spend the night in her quarters, for the Maid (who was no maiden) whom I tuppt did indeed give me the dis-ease that is known as the Night Clap; and this I would not transmit to mine Naani. Mine princess is still in another castle and I wot not of this ‘Mario’ to whom you refer. I believe that another Expedition may be necessary, to step beyond the Great Redoubt into the Night Land.
In the morning I bethought me of this and also of the dis-ease that the Master Monstruwacan hath warned us against, and that I did not take precautions against. And sure enough when I took me from mine bedroll to Piss, the act of Pissation wath painful.
There came a Knock at the door of my quarters, and it wath a Messenger, saying that I wath to be brought before the Beak, that wath to say the MM, right away.
Which I did do so, and upon seeing the Beak, he greeted me thusly:
“Do you not remember that you Punished four fellows in a bar, when they were merely having a drink?”
Some memory of this cameth to mine thinking-parts, which were now hurting even more fiercely. I recalled knocking one down and jumping up and down upon his head. It wath fortunate that the carrying of the Diskos is forbidden in the bars of the Great Redoubt, even for one so heroic as I.
Yet The Beak did not seem to know of the floppy cank from the fifteenth Level whom I surprised with two girls, and taking him aside, did beat him savagely for flopping about and laughing like a wench, yet this memory was coming to me most vivid at the time.
“Now laugheth that one off,” I saideth to him as he lay twitching in a pool of gore and vomition, and gave him a Kick in the Ribs for good measure. Then I wenteth back to the two girls to see if they would be entertained with mine party trick of balancing seven half-pint mugs on mine shagging-parts, but they had gone.
Nay, I suspected the Beak knew of this other incident but thought it well done.
However I am making many an excuse to mine Naani for why I cannot spend the night in her quarters, for the Maid (who was no maiden) whom I tuppt did indeed give me the dis-ease that is known as the Night Clap; and this I would not transmit to mine Naani. Mine princess is still in another castle and I wot not of this ‘Mario’ to whom you refer. I believe that another Expedition may be necessary, to step beyond the Great Redoubt into the Night Land.
eusorph's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ugly_neko's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kris47's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
stelladallas's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Potent images and ideas drowning in some unbelievably tedious prose. Cloying, sexist, annoying. Would not recommend to anyone other than a diehard science fiction fan/historian. Despite all this... he creates a really striking world, and there is really nothing else like this.
mprov80's review against another edition
Could not stomach the extremely revolting sexist 'romance' that takes a stranglehold on the second half of the book. Some of the most creepily misogynistic drivel I've ever had the misfortune to read. I fully understand that this was written in 1912, but anyone with a scrap of modern decency is going to find this a rough read. Such a massive shame because the first half of the book is a brilliantly inventive piece of fantasy-sci-fi-horror-adventure fiction. So disappointed, and frankly angry that such potential was wasted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence