ally1135's review against another edition
1.0
OKAY this is only being marked as "read" because I tried, failed, and don't want to pick it up again. I got through a total of 10 pages before I put this down. I might try this again at a later date, but as of right now, I'm not in any frame of mind to force myself through it.
oakes's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
trilobite's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. was a trip! Published in 1959, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel is set in a Catholic monastery in the southwestern desert of what used to be the US. It has been 600 years since a nuclear holocaust destroyed most of mankind. The monastery is dedicated to preserving scientific knowledge on scraps of printed materials that survived the ”Flame Deluge.“ The novel spans thousands of years as civilization rebuilds itself and re-discovers scientific knowledge. The novel is loaded with philosophical questions about God, the fate of humanity, the meaning of suffering, the powers of Church and State, and the cyclical nature of history. The author, Walter M. Miller Jr. served in the Army during WWII and took part in the bombing of the ancient Benedictine Abbey at Monte Cassino in Italy in Feb. 1944. The Allied forces mistakenly believed that German troops were occupying the monastery. 230 Italian citizens who had fled to the monastery for refuge lost their lives. Miller was apparently haunted by his participation in this bombing and converted to Catholicism after the war. He struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, and took his own life in 1996 at the age of 72. Lord have mercy.
Sci-fi isn’t really my jam and I would have quit this book early on, but since it was a Close Reads podcast pick, I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did, because it was quite good. There is a lot of Latin sprinkled throughout the novel. If you read it, look for the website that lists the translations of all the Latin Miller used. The novel would have been richer in my opinion if translations for the Latin had been provided at the bottom of each page. Four stars!
Sci-fi isn’t really my jam and I would have quit this book early on, but since it was a Close Reads podcast pick, I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did, because it was quite good. There is a lot of Latin sprinkled throughout the novel. If you read it, look for the website that lists the translations of all the Latin Miller used. The novel would have been richer in my opinion if translations for the Latin had been provided at the bottom of each page. Four stars!
sillypunk's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay: http://blogendorff.ghost.io/book-review-a-canticle-for-leibowitz/
abogges1's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rockspaperrene's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
raj_page's review against another edition
5.0
There is no hero in this book. No great mission to save the world. Nevertheless, the monks in this books are the perfect protagonists that anyone could wish for.
The story is set in the aftermath of a nuclear war where a small abbey is preserving scientific texts till they can be used again someday.
One recurring theme that I found in the book was the concept of Faith on Science.
In the first story, Francis has blind faith in the scientific texts and science in general. For him, his Faith in God and his Faith in Science is the same thing.
In the second story, Science and God are no longer considered the same entity anymore. In fact there are also people who believe that Science never existed or if it did, it was not used by the current species of man. There are also people who pursue Science for the sake of Science and not for the sake of God.
In the last story, the cycle returns to a impending nuclear war. Science is now fully fledged but it is now on odds with God on more levels than one.
The story is set in the aftermath of a nuclear war where a small abbey is preserving scientific texts till they can be used again someday.
One recurring theme that I found in the book was the concept of Faith on Science.
In the first story, Francis has blind faith in the scientific texts and science in general. For him, his Faith in God and his Faith in Science is the same thing.
In the second story, Science and God are no longer considered the same entity anymore. In fact there are also people who believe that Science never existed or if it did, it was not used by the current species of man. There are also people who pursue Science for the sake of Science and not for the sake of God.
In the last story, the cycle returns to a impending nuclear war. Science is now fully fledged but it is now on odds with God on more levels than one.
enbyglitch's review against another edition
4.0
A haunting tale about the utter danger of nuclear weapons, written little more than a decade after their release into the world.
The first two parts were excellent, though I don't exaggerate when I complain that there were zero female characters. Miller strikes a nice balance between humor, dark fantasy, religion, and more.
The third part delved far too deep into christian ethics for my taste, and gave some answers while failing to deliver on many others. It takes the time to depict the harsh reality of these weapons, but otherwise I think a short and poignant epilogue would have worked better.
Spoiler Q: So is Rachel the person that Benjamin/Lazar was waiting for? Or is it implied that he escapes at the end to continue waiting?
The first two parts were excellent, though I don't exaggerate when I complain that there were zero female characters. Miller strikes a nice balance between humor, dark fantasy, religion, and more.
The third part delved far too deep into christian ethics for my taste, and gave some answers while failing to deliver on many others. It takes the time to depict the harsh reality of these weapons, but otherwise I think a short and poignant epilogue would have worked better.
Spoiler Q: So is Rachel the person that Benjamin/Lazar was waiting for? Or is it implied that he escapes at the end to continue waiting?
gracerose's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
jbmorgan86's review against another edition
5.0
"The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart." (Gen 6:5-6)
This could be the theme of this book
Act I
Civilization has imploded. The self-proclaimed "Simpletons" blame the intelligentsia for the nuclear holocaust. Only one institution is a safe haven for knowledge: the Catholic Church. A monk-in-training discovers material remains of the honorable Leibowitz.
Act II
Fast Forward a few hundred years. The new dark age is ending. Secular powers begin to rival the church. Meanwhile the church rediscovers electricity.
Act III
Fast forward a few hundred years. We're back to where we started: nuclear war
This was a fantastic book. I regret that I listened to the audio rather than reading it. This a "thick" read. I will have to revisit it.
Stand out:
"The closer men came to perfecting for themselves a paradise, the more impatient they became with it, and with themselves as well. They made a garden of pleasure, and became progressively more miserable with it as it grew in richness and power and beauty; for then, perhaps, it was easier to see something was missing in the garden, some tree or shrub that would not grow. When the world was in darkness and wretchedness, it could believe in perfection and yearn for it. But when the world became bright with reason and riches, it began to sense the narrowness of the needle's eye, and that rankled for a world no longer willing to believe or yearn."
This could be the theme of this book
Act I
Civilization has imploded. The self-proclaimed "Simpletons" blame the intelligentsia for the nuclear holocaust. Only one institution is a safe haven for knowledge: the Catholic Church. A monk-in-training discovers material remains of the honorable Leibowitz.
Act II
Fast Forward a few hundred years. The new dark age is ending. Secular powers begin to rival the church. Meanwhile the church rediscovers electricity.
Act III
Fast forward a few hundred years. We're back to where we started: nuclear war
This was a fantastic book. I regret that I listened to the audio rather than reading it. This a "thick" read. I will have to revisit it.
Stand out:
"The closer men came to perfecting for themselves a paradise, the more impatient they became with it, and with themselves as well. They made a garden of pleasure, and became progressively more miserable with it as it grew in richness and power and beauty; for then, perhaps, it was easier to see something was missing in the garden, some tree or shrub that would not grow. When the world was in darkness and wretchedness, it could believe in perfection and yearn for it. But when the world became bright with reason and riches, it began to sense the narrowness of the needle's eye, and that rankled for a world no longer willing to believe or yearn."