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mattygroves's review against another edition
5.0
This isn't your average everyday weirdness. This is advanced weirdness. A treatise on metaphysics in the form of an allegorical journey through surreal landscapes. A Pilgrim's Progress in a Gnostic cosmos. A work of eccentric imagination, unconcerned with reception. If it were any more fantastical it would be incomprehensible.
mudcrab_v2's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
fermentedsorcerer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
windhover's review against another edition
2.0
OK, this a philosophic allegory with a surface story of a science fiction-y travelogue. So far, so good. Unfortunately, either I didn't pay enough attention or the philosophy was buried too deep, but I didn't get a lot out of it philosophically. There is some stuff that is interesting but nothing that rocked my world.
Unfortunately, it's not really a fun story on its own merits: the protagonist is a horrible person, most of the other characters are worse, and everybody is pretty flat. The action often seems arbitrary or contrived. I can only presume it is generally serving some symbolic purpose that I couldn't be bothered to notice. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.
On the other hand, it reminds me a lot of books I do love. It has the same wandering structure as George Macdonald's wonderfully disjointed adult fantasy novels Lilith and Phantastes. C. S. Lewis liked it and borrowed large elements of its plot for Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra. I confirmed this with Wikipedia, but I was pretty sure before; the similarities are pretty obvious. It's distasteful, naive, but strangely mysterious protagonist reminded me strongly of Gene Wolfe's heroes, especially Severian from Book of the New Sun and Able from The Wizard Knight. Maybe I'll have to re-read this one sometime when I'm willing to spend the work to really parse out exactly what Lindsay is trying to say.
One last thing: This book has a lot to say about gender and love and power. If discussions of gender from the 1920's sound like something that might make you angry, maybe pass this one by.
Unfortunately, it's not really a fun story on its own merits: the protagonist is a horrible person, most of the other characters are worse, and everybody is pretty flat. The action often seems arbitrary or contrived. I can only presume it is generally serving some symbolic purpose that I couldn't be bothered to notice. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.
On the other hand, it reminds me a lot of books I do love. It has the same wandering structure as George Macdonald's wonderfully disjointed adult fantasy novels Lilith and Phantastes. C. S. Lewis liked it and borrowed large elements of its plot for Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra. I confirmed this with Wikipedia, but I was pretty sure before; the similarities are pretty obvious. It's distasteful, naive, but strangely mysterious protagonist reminded me strongly of Gene Wolfe's heroes, especially Severian from Book of the New Sun and Able from The Wizard Knight. Maybe I'll have to re-read this one sometime when I'm willing to spend the work to really parse out exactly what Lindsay is trying to say.
One last thing: This book has a lot to say about gender and love and power. If discussions of gender from the 1920's sound like something that might make you angry, maybe pass this one by.
baldwig's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A Voyage to Arturas (1920) by David Lindsey 3.25
A Voyage to Arturas is peculiar. David Lindsey's writing is clunky but his philosophical and psychological ideas resonate.
• Play-by-play dialogue. "We are getting close," responded he "let use go and investigate."
• ""These organs are called 'poigns.' They use is to enable us to understand and sympathize with all living creatures." "What advantage do you derive from that, Joiwind?" "The advantage of not being cruel and selfish, dear Maskull."
• Joiwind, ""Is not the whole world full of lovely children? Why should I want selfish possessions?""
• Tydomin, ""It's not for me to ask a sacrifice from you, Maskull. That would be compliance on your part, but not sacrifice ... You must wait until you feel there's nothing else for you to do.""
• Digrung, Joiwind's brother, ""To hide the truth is a special branch of lying.""
• "earnest, idealistic youth"
• Tydomin, "He who is always anxious to teach, will learn nothing."
• "but this valley lying in the heart of it was so fertile, that he had never seen such fertility." Ouch. The heat was hot. Hunger, it's a hunger.
• Corpang, "Without love every individual would be entirely self-centered" "A natural man lives for himself; a lover lives for others."
• Haunte, "So here you have another illustration of the necessary trinity of nature."
• Sullenbode, "Men who live by laws and rules are parasites." "Love can't go back- it can only go on." "when the climax has been reached, love if it still wants to ascend must turn to sacrifice."
• Maskull's selfish journey around Arcturas, leaving death and destruction in his wake. Inviting him in won't end well. Enlightenment. Crystalman/Krag, God/Devil, good/evil, man/woman. Necessary opposing force?
• Gangnet about Krag, "Do as I say, Maskull. To bandy words with him is to throw oil on fire."
• Krag, "Gangnet is the king of poets... But happens when poets try to carry through practical enterprises?" "There are two forms of pratical activity," replied Gangnet calmly. "One may either build up, or destroy."
• The far away drums are the beating of one own's heart?
• Maskull died, "Ask Crystalman," Krag responded sternly. "His world is no joke. He has a strong clutch .... but I have a stronger. Maskull was his, but Nightspore is mine." Duality of man. Maskull has fleeting moments of compassion, but ultimately hits and runs. Eats, shoots and leaves.
• "a grim death-struggle in which what is worse than death- namely, spiritual death- inevitably awaited the vanquished of Muspell."
• Crystalman vs Krag (Surtur). Pleasure versus pain. Maskull's journey of discovery around Tormance.
• Raf: planet Tormance around star Arcturus. Little plot and characterization, but philosophy and symbolism. extended allegory, fever dream. influenced Tolkien, C.S. Lewis. Maskull (masculinity), the generic male stand-in. Death responsibility? Free will. Alienization. Fantasy can transport psychology & philosophy into weird places to literalize and focus metaphors. With Joiwind (joy) pleasure, causing no harm, a tentacle (umbilical cord) to feel and share emotions. Next a third arm for will (Freudian ego), desire, greed, possession. A maturity, soul progression, growing up, developing a personality. Or a mystical, gnostic interpretation. Gnosticism is a radical dualism religion.
A Voyage to Arturas is peculiar. David Lindsey's writing is clunky but his philosophical and psychological ideas resonate.
• Play-by-play dialogue. "We are getting close," responded he "let use go and investigate."
• ""These organs are called 'poigns.' They use is to enable us to understand and sympathize with all living creatures." "What advantage do you derive from that, Joiwind?" "The advantage of not being cruel and selfish, dear Maskull."
• Joiwind, ""Is not the whole world full of lovely children? Why should I want selfish possessions?""
• Tydomin, ""It's not for me to ask a sacrifice from you, Maskull. That would be compliance on your part, but not sacrifice ... You must wait until you feel there's nothing else for you to do.""
• Digrung, Joiwind's brother, ""To hide the truth is a special branch of lying.""
• "earnest, idealistic youth"
• Tydomin, "He who is always anxious to teach, will learn nothing."
• "but this valley lying in the heart of it was so fertile, that he had never seen such fertility." Ouch. The heat was hot. Hunger, it's a hunger.
• Corpang, "Without love every individual would be entirely self-centered" "A natural man lives for himself; a lover lives for others."
• Haunte, "So here you have another illustration of the necessary trinity of nature."
• Sullenbode, "Men who live by laws and rules are parasites." "Love can't go back- it can only go on." "when the climax has been reached, love if it still wants to ascend must turn to sacrifice."
• Maskull's selfish journey around Arcturas, leaving death and destruction in his wake. Inviting him in won't end well. Enlightenment. Crystalman/Krag, God/Devil, good/evil, man/woman. Necessary opposing force?
• Gangnet about Krag, "Do as I say, Maskull. To bandy words with him is to throw oil on fire."
• Krag, "Gangnet is the king of poets... But happens when poets try to carry through practical enterprises?" "There are two forms of pratical activity," replied Gangnet calmly. "One may either build up, or destroy."
• The far away drums are the beating of one own's heart?
• Maskull died, "Ask Crystalman," Krag responded sternly. "His world is no joke. He has a strong clutch .... but I have a stronger. Maskull was his, but Nightspore is mine." Duality of man. Maskull has fleeting moments of compassion, but ultimately hits and runs. Eats, shoots and leaves.
• "a grim death-struggle in which what is worse than death- namely, spiritual death- inevitably awaited the vanquished of Muspell."
• Crystalman vs Krag (Surtur). Pleasure versus pain. Maskull's journey of discovery around Tormance.
• Raf: planet Tormance around star Arcturus. Little plot and characterization, but philosophy and symbolism. extended allegory, fever dream. influenced Tolkien, C.S. Lewis. Maskull (masculinity), the generic male stand-in. Death responsibility? Free will. Alienization. Fantasy can transport psychology & philosophy into weird places to literalize and focus metaphors. With Joiwind (joy) pleasure, causing no harm, a tentacle (umbilical cord) to feel and share emotions. Next a third arm for will (Freudian ego), desire, greed, possession. A maturity, soul progression, growing up, developing a personality. Or a mystical, gnostic interpretation. Gnosticism is a radical dualism religion.
entvapparat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
lordenglishssbm's review against another edition
4.0
There's little in the way of plot or character here, but David Lindsay's pessimistic post-World War 1 philosophical exploration and the sheer weirdness of the setting lend the book a charm that no one has been able to replicate in the century since it was written. I enjoyed it.
jakej's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
4.5
A brain-melting, wildly allegorical story
paintedgiraffe's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, that was weeeeirrrd. Lol, it kinda of just dropped off at the end, too. I'm going to have to read some analysis online. Really enjoyed it, though; so mind-bending and creative. Astonishing to find this sort of literature published in 1920.