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Chronicles of Chaos #1
Orphans of Chaos
John C. Wright burst onto the SF scene with the Golden Age trilogy. His next project was the ambitious fantasy sequence, The Last Guardians of Everness.
Wright's new fantasy is a tale about five orphans raised in a strict British boarding school who begin to discover that they may not be human beings. The students at the school do not age, while the world around them does.
The children begin to make sinister discoveries about themselves. Amelia is apparently a fourth-dimensional being; Victor is a synthetic man who can control the molecular arrangement of matter around him; Vanity can find secret passageways through solid walls where none had previously been; Colin is a psychic; Quentin is a warlock. Each power comes from a different paradigm or view of the inexplicable and they should not be able to co-exist under the same laws of nature. Why is it that they can?
The orphans have been kidnapped from their true parents, robbed of their powers, and raised in ignorance by super-beings no more human than they pagan gods or fairy-queens, Cyclopes, sea-monsters, witches, or things even stranger than this. The children must experiment with, and learn to control, their strange abilities in order to escape their captors.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Wright's new fantasy is a tale about five orphans raised in a strict British boarding school who begin to discover that they may not be human beings. The students at the school do not age, while the world around them does.
The children begin to make sinister discoveries about themselves. Amelia is apparently a fourth-dimensional being; Victor is a synthetic man who can control the molecular arrangement of matter around him; Vanity can find secret passageways through solid walls where none had previously been; Colin is a psychic; Quentin is a warlock. Each power comes from a different paradigm or view of the inexplicable and they should not be able to co-exist under the same laws of nature. Why is it that they can?
The orphans have been kidnapped from their true parents, robbed of their powers, and raised in ignorance by super-beings no more human than they pagan gods or fairy-queens, Cyclopes, sea-monsters, witches, or things even stranger than this. The children must experiment with, and learn to control, their strange abilities in order to escape their captors.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
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About the author
John C. Wright
137 books449 followersJohn C. Wright (John Charles Justin Wright, born 1961) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy novels. A Nebula award finalist (for the fantasy novel Orphans of Chaos), he was called "this fledgling century's most important new SF talent" by Publishers Weekly (after publication of his debut novel, The Golden Age).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
August 13, 2009
Amelia, Vanity, Colin, Quintus and Victor are the only students at a strict English boarding school. Slowly, they discover that they have secret powers and abilities--and that their teachers are much more than they seem. The adventures, and the tangled Greek mythologies that provide the backdrop, are a great deal of fun and quite exciting. Unfortunately, the author is a little too excited by the prospect of tying up Amelia and putting her at the mercy of lecherous old men. Her heaving bosom and "oh no I think I like this" thoughts are described in rather prurient detail. I liked Amelia-the-squid-princess-from-the-4th-dimension; I hated Amelia-the-bondage-fantasy.
ETA:The author is a vicious and vile homophobe.
ETA:The author is a vicious and vile homophobe.
January 17, 2009
I was pretty excited and anticipatory of a new, favorite author when I first started this book. But then I hit the first time the main female character had her initial taste of bondage, and got all 'excited'. Uh... Maybe there was a reason, and it had something to do with the plot. I kept going.
I realized after a few chapters that it did have something to do with the plot; or rather, the sci-fi plotline was a thin excuse for this porn-hound of an author to revel in his rape fantasies.
If Mr. Wright is so obsessed with his rape-fantasy porn that he can no longer tell a difference between the women being paid to act out a scuzzy little script from a real-life flesh and blood woman, than I suggest he obtain a good psychiatrist. "Schizophrenic" = someone can no longer differentiate fantasy from reality. "It's ok, Mr. Wright! We won't judge you - but you can be helped! There may not be a cure, but at least we can warn the women who are unexpectedly exposed to you so they have a head-start!"
But maybe I'm giving him too much credit; my bad. Maybe, rather than a mental illness, it's just pure stupidity. If that's the case, then let me help out, Mr. Wright; this'll just kill you that you bought all that tripe from your porn collection! The big-secret-that's-not-so-secret is: Women do not get off on being raped. It doesn't excite us; it only excites you. Which is why you need that psychiatrist. Please get the best one money can buy. And join the real world where women are trying very hard to end rape, rather than glorify it.
I realized after a few chapters that it did have something to do with the plot; or rather, the sci-fi plotline was a thin excuse for this porn-hound of an author to revel in his rape fantasies.
If Mr. Wright is so obsessed with his rape-fantasy porn that he can no longer tell a difference between the women being paid to act out a scuzzy little script from a real-life flesh and blood woman, than I suggest he obtain a good psychiatrist. "Schizophrenic" = someone can no longer differentiate fantasy from reality. "It's ok, Mr. Wright! We won't judge you - but you can be helped! There may not be a cure, but at least we can warn the women who are unexpectedly exposed to you so they have a head-start!"
But maybe I'm giving him too much credit; my bad. Maybe, rather than a mental illness, it's just pure stupidity. If that's the case, then let me help out, Mr. Wright; this'll just kill you that you bought all that tripe from your porn collection! The big-secret-that's-not-so-secret is: Women do not get off on being raped. It doesn't excite us; it only excites you. Which is why you need that psychiatrist. Please get the best one money can buy. And join the real world where women are trying very hard to end rape, rather than glorify it.
May 13, 2016
In which a cool opening about a quintet of orphans with amnesia being held captive by their teachers in the English countryside is ruined by the author’s deeply skeevy sexual politics. I knew I was in trouble the first time the—supposedly kickass and named for Amelia Earhart—female protagonist said in her narration (I’m paraphrasing but only slightly), “What woman doesn’t secretly want to kiss a man who’s pinned her down and won’t let her go?” UM, I DON’T AND I BET THE MAJORITY OF YOUR RAPIDLY FLEEING FEMALE READERS DON’T EITHER. The skeeviness continues, with Amelia—who despite her up-for-debate actual age, is in the body of a 14-year-old—being forced by her supposed friends to dress as a slutty maid and serve them, being erotically spanked by the headmaster, being preyed upon in various ways by the lecherous gardener, being forcibly decked out in a skanky dress and makeup and chained to a wall with a big metal collar for said gardener’s pleasure… I could sadly go on. I did go on—out of some small hope that the book would end with Amelia SOUNDLY WHOOPING ALL THEIR ASSES, but instead it concludes with her essentially getting her mind raped too as the setup for the next book in the series. Oh boy. You can bet I’ll be queuing up for that.
As if the author’s icky underage non-con bondage fantasies weren’t enough (and believe me, THEY ARE), as soon as what’s actually going on is revealed, the book becomes vastly less interesting. Wright seems to be employing an “everything but the kitchen sink” take on mythology, and actually, I think he may have thrown the sink in there, too. I believe it was being carried by the God of MY NASTY KINKS AND DISTURBING ATTITUDES TOWARD WOMEN: LET ME SHOW YOU THEM.
As if the author’s icky underage non-con bondage fantasies weren’t enough (and believe me, THEY ARE), as soon as what’s actually going on is revealed, the book becomes vastly less interesting. Wright seems to be employing an “everything but the kitchen sink” take on mythology, and actually, I think he may have thrown the sink in there, too. I believe it was being carried by the God of MY NASTY KINKS AND DISTURBING ATTITUDES TOWARD WOMEN: LET ME SHOW YOU THEM.
January 31, 2008
I got this book as a gift, and I am grateful! It makes me wish I had more than a passing knowledge of Greek mythos, though it's not necessary to understanding the book. It is the best combination of fantasy and sci-fi I've seen in a very long time. It reminds me very much of the Incarnations of Immortality series, in the deft combination of modern science with ancient culture. There's math and physics and gods and goddesses and the mystery of not knowing who's side you're suppose to be on. This is a definate must-read!
April 2, 2008
Currently, I'm not liking this very much. The idea is creative, the implementation lackluster.
About 33% into the book, it has taken a turn for the fucking bizarre, and not in a good way. I'm also irritated at the pseudo-profound, pretentious, pathos-ridden speech the children have in this book. I am always irritated when child characters speak with a wisdom beyond their years, like Haley Joel Osmond in "Pay it Foward". From the mouths of babes comes total drek.
50% through the book the author takes a nosedive with a backflip and a double-gainer off the fucking deep end. The Hungarian judge gives it a 9.5! This book is completely unreadable. I give up on it.
About 33% into the book, it has taken a turn for the fucking bizarre, and not in a good way. I'm also irritated at the pseudo-profound, pretentious, pathos-ridden speech the children have in this book. I am always irritated when child characters speak with a wisdom beyond their years, like Haley Joel Osmond in "Pay it Foward". From the mouths of babes comes total drek.
50% through the book the author takes a nosedive with a backflip and a double-gainer off the fucking deep end. The Hungarian judge gives it a 9.5! This book is completely unreadable. I give up on it.
February 26, 2008
I wanted it to be better than this :( Very offensive stuff against girls.
November 20, 2008
Okay, I pursued obtaining this book (and not only this book, but the entire trilogy) after finishing Wright's Golden Age trilogy and loving just about every second of it. Wright combines truly visionary creativity with compelling characters set in rather peculiar but completely intriguing situations. All these elements come together for books that are not only intricate in their complexity, but also unrelenting in their character development, the pace of the narrative, and the utilization of very abstract concepts to add layers of complexity to the already inherent tensions and conflicts of the story.
That previous paragraph describes every book of his I've read. This book, in particular, launches yet another visionary and truly creative trilogy. Five orphans of an orphanage begin to discover that they are not, in fact, normal in any sense of the word. Four of them realize abilities of four opposing paradigms of power/perception/reality, while the fifth's powers and abilities lie as far from and against the powers of the others as theirs do against each other's. This only begins to explain why the teachers of this orphanage outnumber the students - and these teachers are all mythological demigods. In the end they are not orphans at all, but rather captives - not only from their homes and families, but from who they truly are and the powers and abilities which come with that identity.
Some readers might be disturbed by a specific "spanking" scene, as another reviewer has noted. Cultural differences could probably be designated as the root of this discomfort. That said, the scene did not seem to me to be inconsistent with either the characters involved or the cultural and sociological context of the narrative.
An advanced understanding of fourth dimensional physics as well as a thorough grasp of mythology would probably complement any reading of this book, as Wright never shirks from diving headfirst into rather deep scientific or mythological explorations - but such learning isn't essential to enjoy and partake of the story in general. But be forewarned, sometimes the intellectual waters can get deep rather quickly, so be ready to drink in and digest some rather abstract and intellectual concepts.
So if you are in any way a fan of science fiction and/or fantasy, don't hesitate to pick up this book. I'd just advise trying to get my hands on all of 'em first - Wright truly can't write a novel-size story (I think is creative vision is just too big), so his publishers break his stories down. If you only have this book, you are going to be extremely frustrated when you reach the last page - the story doesn't end or conclude, it just stops. It stops at a logical break in the storyline, mind you, so there is some level of resolution, but only on a minor level which only drives the narrative forward even more.
Overall, an incredible book written by an amazing author. I really do not hesitate to recommend this book/trilogy.
That previous paragraph describes every book of his I've read. This book, in particular, launches yet another visionary and truly creative trilogy. Five orphans of an orphanage begin to discover that they are not, in fact, normal in any sense of the word. Four of them realize abilities of four opposing paradigms of power/perception/reality, while the fifth's powers and abilities lie as far from and against the powers of the others as theirs do against each other's. This only begins to explain why the teachers of this orphanage outnumber the students - and these teachers are all mythological demigods. In the end they are not orphans at all, but rather captives - not only from their homes and families, but from who they truly are and the powers and abilities which come with that identity.
Some readers might be disturbed by a specific "spanking" scene, as another reviewer has noted. Cultural differences could probably be designated as the root of this discomfort. That said, the scene did not seem to me to be inconsistent with either the characters involved or the cultural and sociological context of the narrative.
An advanced understanding of fourth dimensional physics as well as a thorough grasp of mythology would probably complement any reading of this book, as Wright never shirks from diving headfirst into rather deep scientific or mythological explorations - but such learning isn't essential to enjoy and partake of the story in general. But be forewarned, sometimes the intellectual waters can get deep rather quickly, so be ready to drink in and digest some rather abstract and intellectual concepts.
So if you are in any way a fan of science fiction and/or fantasy, don't hesitate to pick up this book. I'd just advise trying to get my hands on all of 'em first - Wright truly can't write a novel-size story (I think is creative vision is just too big), so his publishers break his stories down. If you only have this book, you are going to be extremely frustrated when you reach the last page - the story doesn't end or conclude, it just stops. It stops at a logical break in the storyline, mind you, so there is some level of resolution, but only on a minor level which only drives the narrative forward even more.
Overall, an incredible book written by an amazing author. I really do not hesitate to recommend this book/trilogy.
January 27, 2015
I have had this sitting on my shelf for a while and decided on a fantasy novel as my next read. What I got was a book that comes across as a combination of the author’s very poor and immature opinion of women and some version of a reality that he envisions.
I did not get far enough to rehash the plot, completing about 60 pages. In what is presented as an interesting concept, 5 orphans in a boarding school discover their have super powers, turned south very fast. The narrator is one of the two girls in the orphanage. In the sixty pages I read she was forced to ground by another and “liked it”, had a secret communications system with the boys that involved the boys drilling a hole into the girls showers (ala Porky’s ) and told the tale of her nightly inspection that had to be in the nude. There was also a large amount of discussion of the other girl’s physical shape and curves. The children do not know their ages but guess they are between 16 and 22. So all this could be about young girls. This is all in the first 60 pages.
I also checked out the author’s website and that is what did me in. I do not have to agree with an author to read their work. The fiction is just that. Their opinion is another. But after reading his site and then trying to get back to the book, I kept feeling like the items in the book were symbols, imagery or other crap for his political view point. It was not what I wanted and so I dropped it and won’t be going back.
I did not get far enough to rehash the plot, completing about 60 pages. In what is presented as an interesting concept, 5 orphans in a boarding school discover their have super powers, turned south very fast. The narrator is one of the two girls in the orphanage. In the sixty pages I read she was forced to ground by another and “liked it”, had a secret communications system with the boys that involved the boys drilling a hole into the girls showers (ala Porky’s ) and told the tale of her nightly inspection that had to be in the nude. There was also a large amount of discussion of the other girl’s physical shape and curves. The children do not know their ages but guess they are between 16 and 22. So all this could be about young girls. This is all in the first 60 pages.
I also checked out the author’s website and that is what did me in. I do not have to agree with an author to read their work. The fiction is just that. Their opinion is another. But after reading his site and then trying to get back to the book, I kept feeling like the items in the book were symbols, imagery or other crap for his political view point. It was not what I wanted and so I dropped it and won’t be going back.
June 16, 2013
This book is not a novel, because it's the opening of a trilogy that's really a novel chopped in three, not three novels in a sequence, ending with cliffhangers and all. And it opens that long novel in a boarding school. Five children kept prisoner and raised there. They know there is something odd about themselves. And not just because when they manage to talk to children outside the school, they learn that they are being given a very unusual education, and not just because they do not know and can not figure out anything about their families and where they came from. For one thing, odd things happen about them, like being able to find a secret passageway some of the time. For another, they do not know how old they are, and the staff of the school are quite careful to keep them from finding out.
For a third, once Amelia found a box of papers telling of stories, but when she looked at them later, she realized they were in her handwriting. Except that she had not been able to write that well when she found them. And they told the story of something the five children did that none of them could remember.
When, however, the Board of Directors meets, and Amelia and Quentin get free to sneak about and spy, they learn quite a bit more about who is keeping them there. And that they are hostages. And from that they work, through many setbacks, toward escape.
An allusive work. I don't think I got all the Greek mythology references, and I know quite a bit of Greek mythology. And Norse mythology, and Beowulf -- and Mother Goose. Among others.
For a third, once Amelia found a box of papers telling of stories, but when she looked at them later, she realized they were in her handwriting. Except that she had not been able to write that well when she found them. And they told the story of something the five children did that none of them could remember.
When, however, the Board of Directors meets, and Amelia and Quentin get free to sneak about and spy, they learn quite a bit more about who is keeping them there. And that they are hostages. And from that they work, through many setbacks, toward escape.
An allusive work. I don't think I got all the Greek mythology references, and I know quite a bit of Greek mythology. And Norse mythology, and Beowulf -- and Mother Goose. Among others.
June 17, 2008
I'm a terrible addict and the combination godly mythos (heavy emphasis on Greek and Roman), Titans, math, science, time, dimensions, magic, smart but stupid (in a normal, not movie-stupid) characters, no clear black and white, and that the damn book ends a third of the way along an epic story line made me go buy the next two books.
Well paced and almost amazing. Really pretty much an opiate for reading addicts.
Well paced and almost amazing. Really pretty much an opiate for reading addicts.
July 28, 2023
I thought this was an excellent, well developed effort. The explanations of each character and their powers - especially the diversity of said powers - was done quite well, as was the personification behind not only the four children who are the focus of the story, but also their captors-slash-caretakers.
While I'm not sure whether or not I'll continue with this series just yet, I have to say that my curiosity has been piqued and if I didn't have a huge To-Read list already, I'd definitely see how things developed in the later books. There's a charming "Forthright Englishman" feel to the setting, which counterpoints the subsequent fantasy and ultra-science feel of the abilities of the four children, and it is this dichotomy that I found especially appealing, and has me leaning towards reading the rest of the series at some point in the future.
HOWEVER, to give fair warning, there are some points at which I had to consider the author's mental stability. The main character, Amelia, finds herself the subject of some rather lascivious scrutiny by the very definition of the phrase 'Dirty Old Man', and in a few instances, even finds herself tied up and helpless. The subsequent titillation she gets from these situations smacks a little too harshly of rape-fantasies that, if the assertion of 'authors putting themselves into books', speaks to an unhealthy misogyny and rape-fantasy fetish that might be lurking in Mr. Wright's subconscious. While this is a considerable stumbling block, if you can get past that, the rest of the story is considerably entertaining.
ADDENDUM AND CORRECTIONS
If there is one thing that we as children of the Information Age have learned, it is the tenet that The Internet Never Forgets, so I would like to say, right here and now, that I am sorry for the above paragraphs. I am sorry for the support I gave to a man like John C. Wright. I have, since writing the above, learned that John Wright falls into the same category of Privileged White Cis-Gendered Male Asshole Homophobe as Orson Scott Card, and to me this is a shame. It is a shame because the writing and story (sans all of the rape fantasy) is intriguing and soaked with symbolism, Greek mythology, and some unusual ideas that would have done very well and I would have enjoyed reading had they not been coupled to some truly horrific anti-woman propaganda that is rooted in the monolithic patriarchy of Judeo-Christian thinking. Partly, I am ashamed that I enjoyed this man's writing and was so easily able to excuse his obvious misogyny, and partly I am ashamed that the kind of thinking that this man espouses still exists in the world, and lastly, I am partly ashamed that the author was not good enough to keep his personal views towards women and sexuality out of what otherwise would have been a good sci-fi series.
John C. Wright will no longer receive any of my support, praise, or money. It will make no difference to neanderthal-minded women-hating zealots like Wright, but I can do my part to dissuade others from thinking like or supporting people like him.
While I'm not sure whether or not I'll continue with this series just yet, I have to say that my curiosity has been piqued and if I didn't have a huge To-Read list already, I'd definitely see how things developed in the later books. There's a charming "Forthright Englishman" feel to the setting, which counterpoints the subsequent fantasy and ultra-science feel of the abilities of the four children, and it is this dichotomy that I found especially appealing, and has me leaning towards reading the rest of the series at some point in the future.
HOWEVER, to give fair warning, there are some points at which I had to consider the author's mental stability. The main character, Amelia, finds herself the subject of some rather lascivious scrutiny by the very definition of the phrase 'Dirty Old Man', and in a few instances, even finds herself tied up and helpless. The subsequent titillation she gets from these situations smacks a little too harshly of rape-fantasies that, if the assertion of 'authors putting themselves into books', speaks to an unhealthy misogyny and rape-fantasy fetish that might be lurking in Mr. Wright's subconscious. While this is a considerable stumbling block, if you can get past that, the rest of the story is considerably entertaining.
ADDENDUM AND CORRECTIONS
If there is one thing that we as children of the Information Age have learned, it is the tenet that The Internet Never Forgets, so I would like to say, right here and now, that I am sorry for the above paragraphs. I am sorry for the support I gave to a man like John C. Wright. I have, since writing the above, learned that John Wright falls into the same category of Privileged White Cis-Gendered Male Asshole Homophobe as Orson Scott Card, and to me this is a shame. It is a shame because the writing and story (sans all of the rape fantasy) is intriguing and soaked with symbolism, Greek mythology, and some unusual ideas that would have done very well and I would have enjoyed reading had they not been coupled to some truly horrific anti-woman propaganda that is rooted in the monolithic patriarchy of Judeo-Christian thinking. Partly, I am ashamed that I enjoyed this man's writing and was so easily able to excuse his obvious misogyny, and partly I am ashamed that the kind of thinking that this man espouses still exists in the world, and lastly, I am partly ashamed that the author was not good enough to keep his personal views towards women and sexuality out of what otherwise would have been a good sci-fi series.
John C. Wright will no longer receive any of my support, praise, or money. It will make no difference to neanderthal-minded women-hating zealots like Wright, but I can do my part to dissuade others from thinking like or supporting people like him.
June 13, 2009
5 stars? Well, maybe that's too much. But after giving four stars to Well of Stars and Ghost Brigades, this is clearly a 5. Really, what we need is a 10 point system, or perhaps one that allows decimals.
And perhaps 5 stars is unjustified because this is not really a complete book. Like Wright's Golden Age trilogy and the Everness duology, this is really one giant book spread over three titles.
So.... what is cool about this book? First, it's nice to read something where the tone or prose doesn't occasionally make me cringe, like the abovementioned two books. It's also nice to start something with a simple well-worn premise (zelazney style godlike powerful people imprisoned and with amnesia) and have it get complicated and interesting-- the relationships between the captors and the prisoners are quite complicated by the end of the book. Finally, the different paradigms of magic are rather erudite, and supply some tasty science-like chewability in a contemporary/fantasy setting.
Surprisingly, the reviews on the back of the book are quite accurate if perhaps slightly gushing:
"Start of a complex mythology based series..."
"...overlapping frames of reference..."
"Formidably erudite... complex plotting... high-concept metaphysical romance."
I have been avoiding these books for a while, I wonder why. Perhaps I was waiting for that perfect moment of three days ago when I saw the complete trilogy sitting tidily together on the library shelves, waiting for me to take them home :-)
And perhaps 5 stars is unjustified because this is not really a complete book. Like Wright's Golden Age trilogy and the Everness duology, this is really one giant book spread over three titles.
So.... what is cool about this book? First, it's nice to read something where the tone or prose doesn't occasionally make me cringe, like the abovementioned two books. It's also nice to start something with a simple well-worn premise (zelazney style godlike powerful people imprisoned and with amnesia) and have it get complicated and interesting-- the relationships between the captors and the prisoners are quite complicated by the end of the book. Finally, the different paradigms of magic are rather erudite, and supply some tasty science-like chewability in a contemporary/fantasy setting.
Surprisingly, the reviews on the back of the book are quite accurate if perhaps slightly gushing:
"Start of a complex mythology based series..."
"...overlapping frames of reference..."
"Formidably erudite... complex plotting... high-concept metaphysical romance."
I have been avoiding these books for a while, I wonder why. Perhaps I was waiting for that perfect moment of three days ago when I saw the complete trilogy sitting tidily together on the library shelves, waiting for me to take them home :-)
October 26, 2012
The weird plot pacing bothered me more than the slight kinkiness. I can see how my fellow reviewers, who disliked it have a point, but I just took it as an indication that:
1. The character, despite appearances, isn't actually a young girl - or even human for that matter - so it's not so strange that she would be in some ways alien to us normal people.
2. The book takes its source-material seriously. After all it is intended as a modern take on Greek mythology. It would be sort of historical revisionism just for the sake of modern sensibilities, if the Greek gods weren't sexual amoralists at their core.
3. Said gods have horribly dehumanising mind-powers, one of which is stated to be the direct cause for the inconsistency between the protagonist's supposed sexual preferences and her overall personality. Unfortunately, given that she's been effectively brainwashed since a young age, and given that she's the narrator, she can't very well summon up the self-reflection to inform us of that explicitly. The onus is on us readers to realise that she's more of a tragic victim than she's able to see. As such, while it might seem as if the kinkiness is included for the sake of deviant erotica, I saw it more as no-hands-held subtle horror.
Or perhaps I'm being too charitable to the author. As I said, I do understand those who see it differently; as an example of literary sexism or wanton author-fantasy. I'm just explaining why I didn't see it from that angle until I read these angry reviews.
1. The character, despite appearances, isn't actually a young girl - or even human for that matter - so it's not so strange that she would be in some ways alien to us normal people.
2. The book takes its source-material seriously. After all it is intended as a modern take on Greek mythology. It would be sort of historical revisionism just for the sake of modern sensibilities, if the Greek gods weren't sexual amoralists at their core.
3. Said gods have horribly dehumanising mind-powers, one of which is stated to be the direct cause for the inconsistency between the protagonist's supposed sexual preferences and her overall personality. Unfortunately, given that she's been effectively brainwashed since a young age, and given that she's the narrator, she can't very well summon up the self-reflection to inform us of that explicitly. The onus is on us readers to realise that she's more of a tragic victim than she's able to see. As such, while it might seem as if the kinkiness is included for the sake of deviant erotica, I saw it more as no-hands-held subtle horror.
Or perhaps I'm being too charitable to the author. As I said, I do understand those who see it differently; as an example of literary sexism or wanton author-fantasy. I'm just explaining why I didn't see it from that angle until I read these angry reviews.
February 24, 2009
This is possibly the most intelligent fantasy since Neil Gaiman. Think Harry Potter meets Phillip Pullman meets Bullfinch's mythology meets The Breakfast Club and Home Alone. Stir in some Greek philosophy, add a bit of inter-dimensional theory and particle physics, and wrap it all in bit of subtle erotica of a bildungsroman you have it.
August 3, 2015
There is a quote on the back of my copy of “Orphans of Chaos”, it is form “Locus” and is goes like this: “Imaginative...A bit like C.S. Lewis’s Chronicle of Narnia updated by half a century, but with more gusto.” Truer words had never been spoken.
This is a wonderful book. Beautifully written, its pages filled with wonders and so erudite, you feel as if talking to someone highly educated and also witty - it is incomparable intellectual pleasure. I will elaborate about it later, but now I'd like to explain something less important though most often present in reviews.
It is not sexist book. It's quite the opposite. There is, what was pointed many times before, a girl (protagonist and narrator) who happen to like BDSM. Is that bad? There are women all around the world who happen like BDSM. Are they sexist too? What's more not only Amelia do not represent women as a whole but it is also very clearly stated (p. 226, paperback edition) that Amelia "likes it rough" because she was made like that by one of the other characters. To be honest, Amelia is probably the only female character ever that fully convinced me - she is so realistic as any other. For example - her frustration, when she realizes she is not stronger than boys anymore. It is one of mine most terrible experiences of growing up. Would someone so sexist as it is implied in so many reviews wrote something with such an insight? And also - how the fact that Amelia is quite a badass (she is four-dimensional creature, which makes her almost omnipotent) fills in the "sexist scheme"? She wants to be an explorer, a pilot (she names herself after Amelia Eckhart, for Gods sake!) - and GODDAMMIT we are talking about protagonist and the narrator of this book. She is one of the few strong yet realistic female characters out there. She is almost omnipotent, strong-minded, well educated and intelligent without being absurd. Yes, I must admit that I am not a big fan of how full of sex this book is. I think it would not suffer if at least half of it was cut out (basically all the characters are horny all the time). But in the same time: this is a book about Greek mythology and teenagers. Isolated teenagers: they have only themselves. And after Amelia's strange and quite absurd love for BDSM gets its explanation everything is ok in this department (also: there is way less sex in other volumes).
I read this one-sentence reviews and I wonder - did you even read this book? Did you understand it? Or maybe it was to complicated for you and you're too ashamed to admit it? Because... and now we finally get to review proper... this book is awesome. It is not an action book and it requires knowledge. Without prior knowledge of ancient mythology (Greek and Roman) and also some anglo-saxon tradition there is no way to understand this novel. Its roots reach deep into the European culture - and yet it is not another postmodern collage. This traditions are alive in "Children of Chaos" and this makes this book so beautiful. It doesn't bother itself about genres it boldly goes where it wants. Main Characters - all five of them - are highly educated (from quantum physics to ancient poetry, read in original of course), polite children in many ways straight from times before WWII. The way they talk and the way Amelia narrates whole story is not realistic. It is poetic and a bit unreal like all of the things that happen to them. In many ways it is based on the classic young adult books, the ones about children in boarding school. It starts like one of those. A girl tells us about her life at orphanage and how she doesn't know who she is. But then - is she a girl? Is she STILL a girl or maybe AGAIN? Things are getting weirder and weirder and then - all this comes in place. But it is a strange and filled with mythology place. Myths are not the ornaments here, they're the fabric of reality. Magic is not a trick, it is waved in the structure of the world (you can say you talk to spirits. You can also say that you manipulated some atoms here and there). It is a wonderful read and if you're looking for a very good book, something not just fun but intellectually entertaining - it is for you. Even though I didn't like the sexual elements it is 5/5 - it is that good.
Ps. There's a girl in this book who is four-dimensional winged centaur, READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY.
This is a wonderful book. Beautifully written, its pages filled with wonders and so erudite, you feel as if talking to someone highly educated and also witty - it is incomparable intellectual pleasure. I will elaborate about it later, but now I'd like to explain something less important though most often present in reviews.
It is not sexist book. It's quite the opposite. There is, what was pointed many times before, a girl (protagonist and narrator) who happen to like BDSM. Is that bad? There are women all around the world who happen like BDSM. Are they sexist too? What's more not only Amelia do not represent women as a whole but it is also very clearly stated (p. 226, paperback edition) that Amelia "likes it rough" because she was made like that by one of the other characters. To be honest, Amelia is probably the only female character ever that fully convinced me - she is so realistic as any other. For example - her frustration, when she realizes she is not stronger than boys anymore. It is one of mine most terrible experiences of growing up. Would someone so sexist as it is implied in so many reviews wrote something with such an insight? And also - how the fact that Amelia is quite a badass (she is four-dimensional creature, which makes her almost omnipotent) fills in the "sexist scheme"? She wants to be an explorer, a pilot (she names herself after Amelia Eckhart, for Gods sake!) - and GODDAMMIT we are talking about protagonist and the narrator of this book. She is one of the few strong yet realistic female characters out there. She is almost omnipotent, strong-minded, well educated and intelligent without being absurd. Yes, I must admit that I am not a big fan of how full of sex this book is. I think it would not suffer if at least half of it was cut out (basically all the characters are horny all the time). But in the same time: this is a book about Greek mythology and teenagers. Isolated teenagers: they have only themselves. And after Amelia's strange and quite absurd love for BDSM gets its explanation everything is ok in this department (also: there is way less sex in other volumes).
I read this one-sentence reviews and I wonder - did you even read this book? Did you understand it? Or maybe it was to complicated for you and you're too ashamed to admit it? Because... and now we finally get to review proper... this book is awesome. It is not an action book and it requires knowledge. Without prior knowledge of ancient mythology (Greek and Roman) and also some anglo-saxon tradition there is no way to understand this novel. Its roots reach deep into the European culture - and yet it is not another postmodern collage. This traditions are alive in "Children of Chaos" and this makes this book so beautiful. It doesn't bother itself about genres it boldly goes where it wants. Main Characters - all five of them - are highly educated (from quantum physics to ancient poetry, read in original of course), polite children in many ways straight from times before WWII. The way they talk and the way Amelia narrates whole story is not realistic. It is poetic and a bit unreal like all of the things that happen to them. In many ways it is based on the classic young adult books, the ones about children in boarding school. It starts like one of those. A girl tells us about her life at orphanage and how she doesn't know who she is. But then - is she a girl? Is she STILL a girl or maybe AGAIN? Things are getting weirder and weirder and then - all this comes in place. But it is a strange and filled with mythology place. Myths are not the ornaments here, they're the fabric of reality. Magic is not a trick, it is waved in the structure of the world (you can say you talk to spirits. You can also say that you manipulated some atoms here and there). It is a wonderful read and if you're looking for a very good book, something not just fun but intellectually entertaining - it is for you. Even though I didn't like the sexual elements it is 5/5 - it is that good.
Ps. There's a girl in this book who is four-dimensional winged centaur, READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY.
September 25, 2012
I loved the setup for this book. Mysterious amnesiac orphans in a remote mansion that's a combination school and prison, hints that everyone is more than they seem, discovery of strange powers, secret passages, hypnotic messages, and so on. But as more of the backstory was revealed, and every character acquired a minimum of three names/identities, as well as a tendency to explain the politics of the pantheon for paragraphs and even pages... It got less interesting instead of more.
Also I thought Wright set himself too much of a challenge writing from the pov of a (supposedly) adolescent girl, even one raised under unusual conditions. The disturbing sexual subplot, where our feisty young heroine discovers that she wants to be dominated and spanked (yes, there's a plot reason, but still) by authoritative males, read like preaching rather than characterisation. Sometimes Amelia was quite believable as a bright, unsocialised young woman struggling to understand the world and her place in it. Other times she was clearly a middle-aged man's fantasy.
It didn't help when I discovered that Wright's own Amazon reviews include 1)a contradiction of someone reviewing his book; b)a generally positive review of a Gor book, going into detail about Gor novels as romances.
Also I thought Wright set himself too much of a challenge writing from the pov of a (supposedly) adolescent girl, even one raised under unusual conditions. The disturbing sexual subplot, where our feisty young heroine discovers that she wants to be dominated and spanked (yes, there's a plot reason, but still) by authoritative males, read like preaching rather than characterisation. Sometimes Amelia was quite believable as a bright, unsocialised young woman struggling to understand the world and her place in it. Other times she was clearly a middle-aged man's fantasy.
It didn't help when I discovered that Wright's own Amazon reviews include 1)a contradiction of someone reviewing his book; b)a generally positive review of a Gor book, going into detail about Gor novels as romances.
July 6, 2009
This was kind of a fun read because I had just gone through an impromptu study of Greek mythology, so I actually recognized some names and things going on in this story, which made it more memorable and intriguing to me.
The bad thing was that this is part of a series, and the ending did not satisfy me at all - I'm going to need to find the next book and find out what happens next because I really want to know more about these characters and what happens to them.
Nevertheless, I liked the book (technically, an ebook) and recommend it to anyone, regardless of whether they know Greek mythology.
Setting: This is set in present day (or, at least, it appears that way). It seems to be located on earth, or on a parallel universe version of earth. This entire first book is spent within and around the home/prison of the five main characters. They do get out a bit toward the end, but it is mostly forest that they get to see. Still, the author does a good job of describing the home and the weather. There were a few times where I was a bit confused on location or time or weather, but not often.
Plot: These children are supposedly orphans, but they are suspicious about it and seem to think they are different than normal kids. But, their guardians are pretty powerful and are not about to let them escape or find out who they truly are. There are some interesting twists with political maneuvering and some Greek gods doing some fun and interesting things.
Conflict: Obviously, the kids want to escape, especially when they learn the truth about who they are. There are also some conflicts about growing up versus staying naive, and some sexual tension. There's a lot of conflict between the Greek gods.
Characters: I loved these characters (even the "bad" ones). This is where the book really shines for me. I loved the interaction between the kids and especially between them and their guardians. Of course, knowing some mythology added another level to these characters, so that may be part of it.
Text: I was intrigued by the science-y stuff about other dimensions and causality, but it might throw off some readers.
The bad thing was that this is part of a series, and the ending did not satisfy me at all - I'm going to need to find the next book and find out what happens next because I really want to know more about these characters and what happens to them.
Nevertheless, I liked the book (technically, an ebook) and recommend it to anyone, regardless of whether they know Greek mythology.
Setting: This is set in present day (or, at least, it appears that way). It seems to be located on earth, or on a parallel universe version of earth. This entire first book is spent within and around the home/prison of the five main characters. They do get out a bit toward the end, but it is mostly forest that they get to see. Still, the author does a good job of describing the home and the weather. There were a few times where I was a bit confused on location or time or weather, but not often.
Plot: These children are supposedly orphans, but they are suspicious about it and seem to think they are different than normal kids. But, their guardians are pretty powerful and are not about to let them escape or find out who they truly are. There are some interesting twists with political maneuvering and some Greek gods doing some fun and interesting things.
Conflict: Obviously, the kids want to escape, especially when they learn the truth about who they are. There are also some conflicts about growing up versus staying naive, and some sexual tension. There's a lot of conflict between the Greek gods.
Characters: I loved these characters (even the "bad" ones). This is where the book really shines for me. I loved the interaction between the kids and especially between them and their guardians. Of course, knowing some mythology added another level to these characters, so that may be part of it.
Text: I was intrigued by the science-y stuff about other dimensions and causality, but it might throw off some readers.
December 21, 2014
I don't normally review books, but I need to warn people away from this one. This author has very scary ideas about female sexuality, and according to his blogs, about human sexuality in general. It's frightening to think there is someone out there writing books that get fairly good reviews, and people are reading, digesting and even enjoying these things.
I wanted to like these books because the plot sounds really cool. It's bogged down with teenage S&M and barbaric, outdated views of female sexuality. I'm sorry, but I need my characters to be of age if they're having sex and I need it to be consensual. I dislike Fifty Shades for this reason.
Do not buy this book new if at all possible. Don't give the author your money.
I wanted to like these books because the plot sounds really cool. It's bogged down with teenage S&M and barbaric, outdated views of female sexuality. I'm sorry, but I need my characters to be of age if they're having sex and I need it to be consensual. I dislike Fifty Shades for this reason.
Do not buy this book new if at all possible. Don't give the author your money.
October 10, 2013
I started this book with some trepidation. I first encountered John C. Wright via his Golden Age Trilogy. The first book of that trilogy was great, ending on a cliffhanger that promised mystery and revelations in an entirely new setting. I was hugely disappointed that the author completely threw away the advantage in the second book, which was literally more of the same - like stepping through a door to fairyland to find ... hardware stores, fast food, and traffic. I finished that trilogy but wasn't excited about it, and didn't buy any of Mr. Wright's other work.
When I saw this book for free, I picked up this book with some worry about what I would find. The book has an engaging premise , that relies heavily on Greek mythology. It's mythic SF in a vaguely English setting. Five children with special powers struggle to find out who they are and why they're kept at this boarding school. Wright mixes in a number of interesting concepts, and the heroine is likeable.
Unfortunately, the story is undermined by two factors.
1) The extent of the mythological references is extreme. I understood most of the key references - confirmed by the occasional 'now I explain it all' moment - but there were dozens of minor references that passed me right by. Understanding these is not essential to the story, but not understanding means that they're just so much blather - like reading a technical manual that goes on about the components of the paint, when all you need to do is screw one piece onto another. I like my mythology, but this was only mildly interesting.
2) Some of the heroine's reactions are troubling. I have no problem with putting unpleasant elements in a story - often they can strengthen it. But I do like to relate to or understand characters, even when bad things happen to them, or they do bad things. I had trouble with that here. There are some indications that this element is the result of evildoing, and perhaps that will be explained in later books.
I'm unsure whether to go on with the series. On the one hand, the premise is engaging, and much of the writing is good. On the other, the two points above did substantially decrease my enjoyment of the book. Last time I read a Wright trilogy, the sequels fell very flat. So on balance, I think I'm unlikely to continue. If I see book 2 for free or cheap, I might give it a chance to improve. Otherwise, probably not.
When I saw this book for free, I picked up this book with some worry about what I would find. The book has an engaging premise , that relies heavily on Greek mythology. It's mythic SF in a vaguely English setting. Five children with special powers struggle to find out who they are and why they're kept at this boarding school. Wright mixes in a number of interesting concepts, and the heroine is likeable.
Unfortunately, the story is undermined by two factors.
1) The extent of the mythological references is extreme. I understood most of the key references - confirmed by the occasional 'now I explain it all' moment - but there were dozens of minor references that passed me right by. Understanding these is not essential to the story, but not understanding means that they're just so much blather - like reading a technical manual that goes on about the components of the paint, when all you need to do is screw one piece onto another. I like my mythology, but this was only mildly interesting.
2) Some of the heroine's reactions are troubling. I have no problem with putting unpleasant elements in a story - often they can strengthen it. But I do like to relate to or understand characters, even when bad things happen to them, or they do bad things. I had trouble with that here. There are some indications that this element is the result of evildoing, and perhaps that will be explained in later books.
I'm unsure whether to go on with the series. On the one hand, the premise is engaging, and much of the writing is good. On the other, the two points above did substantially decrease my enjoyment of the book. Last time I read a Wright trilogy, the sequels fell very flat. So on balance, I think I'm unlikely to continue. If I see book 2 for free or cheap, I might give it a chance to improve. Otherwise, probably not.
April 17, 2008
Philosophy, Mythology and Physics, Oh My!
Ok, corny, but I really enjoyed this book. The variety of ideas, his use of some obscure mythological deities and stories, his grasp of physics and his ability to construe these ideas to laymen in his book kept me thinking.
What I loved less, well, I am a little creeped out by middle aged men who write so fervently about nubile teenage girls on the cusp of their sexual awakening. I was a little taken aback by his portrayal of the Olympian caretakers/prison guards barely checked lust for the two girls until I realized that hey, if Zeus defiled a swan and Aphrodite and her brother were lovers (or some pair of siblings in that incestuous lot) why wouldn't assorted Olympians think of pseudo teenagers as fair game? Still the whole spanked and I liked it 'tee hee' is a little gross, maybe its just the American prude in me but, hello, this was still a person who thought of herself as a 16 year old kid, who as far as I could tell hadn't been spanked enough as a kid to warrant an ass whipping fetish, so, um, yuck.
That said, it was a tiny portion of a book that otherwise kept me interested and puzzling over really intriguing ideas about alternate realities, view points, ways of seeing magic and the world. As you read the entire series you will find the characters becoming more and more solid, their personalities very individualized, well fleshed out and believable. Liked it well enough to buy the next two. Probably could have just said that, but then where's the fun?
Ok, corny, but I really enjoyed this book. The variety of ideas, his use of some obscure mythological deities and stories, his grasp of physics and his ability to construe these ideas to laymen in his book kept me thinking.
What I loved less, well, I am a little creeped out by middle aged men who write so fervently about nubile teenage girls on the cusp of their sexual awakening. I was a little taken aback by his portrayal of the Olympian caretakers/prison guards barely checked lust for the two girls until I realized that hey, if Zeus defiled a swan and Aphrodite and her brother were lovers (or some pair of siblings in that incestuous lot) why wouldn't assorted Olympians think of pseudo teenagers as fair game? Still the whole spanked and I liked it 'tee hee' is a little gross, maybe its just the American prude in me but, hello, this was still a person who thought of herself as a 16 year old kid, who as far as I could tell hadn't been spanked enough as a kid to warrant an ass whipping fetish, so, um, yuck.
That said, it was a tiny portion of a book that otherwise kept me interested and puzzling over really intriguing ideas about alternate realities, view points, ways of seeing magic and the world. As you read the entire series you will find the characters becoming more and more solid, their personalities very individualized, well fleshed out and believable. Liked it well enough to buy the next two. Probably could have just said that, but then where's the fun?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2020
I wish this were executed better than it was. The premise itself is incredibly interesting–it’s a unique twist on mythology and fantasy that I really enjoyed. The worldbuilding is fantastic and while I was confused for a good first half of the book, it’s fun to unravel the mystery of who these characters are as the characters themselves learn more about who they are and why they’re at this boarding school.
There is, however, misogynistic overtones that just did not need to be added to the story. I’m not sure why the main character, Amelia, keeps getting tied up, assaulted by old men, and is somehow turned on by it because of some weirdness a magical old guy did to her brain? In general, most of the male characters’ interactions with the female characters feels incredibly gross and skeevy. Even when they’re supposed to be friends or “good guys.”
While the world is interesting, there are too many great mythology books out there that aren’t misogynistic to waste your time on this one.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
There is, however, misogynistic overtones that just did not need to be added to the story. I’m not sure why the main character, Amelia, keeps getting tied up, assaulted by old men, and is somehow turned on by it because of some weirdness a magical old guy did to her brain? In general, most of the male characters’ interactions with the female characters feels incredibly gross and skeevy. Even when they’re supposed to be friends or “good guys.”
While the world is interesting, there are too many great mythology books out there that aren’t misogynistic to waste your time on this one.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
March 22, 2015
3 Stars
Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright is both a masterfully brilliant inclusive fantasy and a horrendous, dirty, all over the place mess of a novel. This book contains everything and maybe even including the kitchen sink. It is a science fiction novel filled with mathematics and technical jargon. It is a fantasy filled with magic, flying, and invisible forces. There are gods a plenty most of them straight out of Greek Mythos. The book is a tale of coming of age of a group of Orphans. It is also about oppression and imprisonment. There is a power struggle about to occur and the political machinations will stop at nothing.
The first half of this book is exceptional and I loved it. Unfortunately, once the mysteries are brought to light, the story goes dark to me. I hated portions of the book from that point forward. I was impatient with the story progression even the back story was filled in.
This is a frustrating and inconsistent read that has left me wondering if I could ever read more about The Orphans of Chaos.
Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright is both a masterfully brilliant inclusive fantasy and a horrendous, dirty, all over the place mess of a novel. This book contains everything and maybe even including the kitchen sink. It is a science fiction novel filled with mathematics and technical jargon. It is a fantasy filled with magic, flying, and invisible forces. There are gods a plenty most of them straight out of Greek Mythos. The book is a tale of coming of age of a group of Orphans. It is also about oppression and imprisonment. There is a power struggle about to occur and the political machinations will stop at nothing.
The first half of this book is exceptional and I loved it. Unfortunately, once the mysteries are brought to light, the story goes dark to me. I hated portions of the book from that point forward. I was impatient with the story progression even the back story was filled in.
This is a frustrating and inconsistent read that has left me wondering if I could ever read more about The Orphans of Chaos.
March 3, 2013
Started out with an interesting premise, ruined by the author's bizarre and disturbing bondage scenes. These are especially creepy, as some occur when the main character is 14 (having been forcibly regressed to that age. Her actual age is unknown). It's a shame, as the science fiction/mythological aspects are excellent (No surprise it received the Nebula award). Maybe the future novels in the series find a way to explain the bondage away (as the orphans are supposed to be mythological characters, it's not impossible). However, when the novel is read in isolation, it comes across as disconcerting at best, misogynistic at worst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2008
This could have been, an almost was, a cool boarding-school fantasy. Unfortunately, it was a little too skeevy -- and became that other kind of boarding-school fantasy. You know, the kind where all teenage girls are gorgeous and curious and innocent, and love being spanked by the principle, or dressing up as sexxy maids to serve their friends (under duress) or being kidnapped, held down, chained up...etc.
Basically, this was an adventure novel that fell down the id-vortex, and became a rape-fantasy about teenage girls written by a man, for men. Not really my cup of tea, thanks.
Basically, this was an adventure novel that fell down the id-vortex, and became a rape-fantasy about teenage girls written by a man, for men. Not really my cup of tea, thanks.
October 18, 2009
Creepy and weird. Some of the fantasy is fun-- though the prose is not always what one would call "engaging." However, the (middle-aged)(male) author is a bit too fixated on his (adolescent) (female) protagonist's awakening sexuality. Rape fantasies feature strongly. I stopped reading when the (middle-aged) (male) headmaster of the protagonist's boarding school punishes her with an overtly sexual spanking. Not the kind of book I thought I'd be reading when I picked it up.
If this kind of thing is, for some reason, your kind of thing, be warned also that the whole thing is horrifically sexist. Antifeminism reeks from its every paper pore. Women, according to John C. Wright, are weak, sentimental, and oversexed. Most of them really just want to be told what to do by a man who has forcibly taken them in hand. It's... gross. I turned the book in at the used bookstore as soon as I had the chance, so I do not have quotes at hand, but I found it unbelievably irritating and alienating. Aphrodite-- an empty-headed sex kitten obsessed with her own appearance-- is particularly annoying, because she's kind of presented as "the ultimate woman," thought it's never said in so many words.
The fantasy elements are also oddly conceived. It's pretty much straight Greek mythology, but the author seemed to want to make it globally applicable or something, so he tried to identify some of the Greek myths with stories from other parts of the world. He seems to have a particular interest in Japan. At one point in the story there is a gathering of mythological beings. All of them are Greek or Atlantean, except for two inexplicable kimono-clad foxes who seem to have nothing to do with anything else. Lamia also makes an appearance. She is presented as a drunk Japanese woman-- irrational and sex-obsessed, of course-- who seems originally to have been conceived as one of the Maenads, until the author went off on a mental tangent and decided to give her a bigger role. Grendel and Jenny Wren-- whose name I had heard but not in any informative context-- were the other main non-Greeks.
It's just bizarre. I gave it two stars because the prose and story are interesting enough to keep the pages turning, especially in the first third or so, but I would not recommend it.
If this kind of thing is, for some reason, your kind of thing, be warned also that the whole thing is horrifically sexist. Antifeminism reeks from its every paper pore. Women, according to John C. Wright, are weak, sentimental, and oversexed. Most of them really just want to be told what to do by a man who has forcibly taken them in hand. It's... gross. I turned the book in at the used bookstore as soon as I had the chance, so I do not have quotes at hand, but I found it unbelievably irritating and alienating. Aphrodite-- an empty-headed sex kitten obsessed with her own appearance-- is particularly annoying, because she's kind of presented as "the ultimate woman," thought it's never said in so many words.
The fantasy elements are also oddly conceived. It's pretty much straight Greek mythology, but the author seemed to want to make it globally applicable or something, so he tried to identify some of the Greek myths with stories from other parts of the world. He seems to have a particular interest in Japan. At one point in the story there is a gathering of mythological beings. All of them are Greek or Atlantean, except for two inexplicable kimono-clad foxes who seem to have nothing to do with anything else. Lamia also makes an appearance. She is presented as a drunk Japanese woman-- irrational and sex-obsessed, of course-- who seems originally to have been conceived as one of the Maenads, until the author went off on a mental tangent and decided to give her a bigger role. Grendel and Jenny Wren-- whose name I had heard but not in any informative context-- were the other main non-Greeks.
It's just bizarre. I gave it two stars because the prose and story are interesting enough to keep the pages turning, especially in the first third or so, but I would not recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2014
Meh. book starts out interesting and Amelia is a great character, sometimes. The general idea is fun and interesting, but the story often takes a back seat to long explanations of the world and how it works. The characters ages are impossible to peg down because we literally have no clue how old they are and they don't know how old they are, something we're reminded of a number of times in the book. Just when the action FINALLY gets moving, it again slows down to a halt and we're returned to a new status quo that goes no where.
Also, the bondage/rape fantasies rampant in this book are very off putting. We've got Amelia going from strong and independent to constantly needing to please one of the 5 important men in her life. She's swooning over Victor, who she seems to have genuine feelings for, then swooning over Collin because he held her down, then she's got a thing for Quentin for a bit because he kisses her without her permission, then she goes between Mr. Glum, a man old enough to be her father, and Boggan, the headmaster, who she's also always had a secret crush on. It's kinda sick and annoying. Yes, a young woman can have feelings for multiple men, but the way this is handled is kinda all over the place and she seems to constantly want to please ONE of the men (often between Victor and Boggan). It undercuts her as a heroine and the lead of the book and makes it rather unbelievable to read.
Also, the bondage/rape fantasies rampant in this book are very off putting. We've got Amelia going from strong and independent to constantly needing to please one of the 5 important men in her life. She's swooning over Victor, who she seems to have genuine feelings for, then swooning over Collin because he held her down, then she's got a thing for Quentin for a bit because he kisses her without her permission, then she goes between Mr. Glum, a man old enough to be her father, and Boggan, the headmaster, who she's also always had a secret crush on. It's kinda sick and annoying. Yes, a young woman can have feelings for multiple men, but the way this is handled is kinda all over the place and she seems to constantly want to please ONE of the men (often between Victor and Boggan). It undercuts her as a heroine and the lead of the book and makes it rather unbelievable to read.
October 29, 2014
Very Important Note: this book has a sequel. And given where this one ends, I am ready to strangle something for the opportunity to read it. Welcome to a world of magic like you've never seen it before. Fourth-dimensional beings and warlocks and stranger things make up this simple yet very complicated view of the universe. Or universes, if you prefer. It's like playing rock/paper/scissors with power: this one trumps that one but is canceled out by that over there. Some of the arguments the main characters have left me in stitches, and some of the descriptions of higher dimensions were breathtaking. But other than the book ending so quickly, there was one thing that really annoyed me. Amelia, the main character, has her power trumped by those who shape the world according to their desires. Both of the people who possess that power are men who want to bend her to their own perverted sexual fantasies. Nothing happens, exactly, but some of the implications make me angry (for example, it is completely uncertain to me if she is even ALLOWED to fight back, in her thoughts or with her body, if they don't want her to). At any rate, I really hope all five of them manage to escape in the next book. Amelia and Victor and Quentin are just too interesting, though I would like to kick Vanity and Colin both, for different reasons. Highly Recommended.
September 15, 2009
This one had been on my list for quite a while. The anticipation was better than the book.
The premise is good. Five young people are the only students at a British boarding school. Except they have powers. And they may not be human. And they're probably not as young as they seem. And they're really captives not students. And their captors seem to be Gods and characters out of mythology.
The trouble is that Wright seems more interested in exploring the question of why older men want younger women and the nature of teenage sexuality rather than getting on with a plot. He also feels the need to describe all of the magic in terms of physics. Every time the story shows some signs of life he kills it with another long dull section exploring these tangents.
There are some good scenes and interesting characters, but ultimately this is a frustrating read. In the end, the novel meanders back to where it started. The teens know more about their nature, but their memories are about to be wiped. I'm sure they make some progress later in the series, but I won't be along for the ride.
The premise is good. Five young people are the only students at a British boarding school. Except they have powers. And they may not be human. And they're probably not as young as they seem. And they're really captives not students. And their captors seem to be Gods and characters out of mythology.
The trouble is that Wright seems more interested in exploring the question of why older men want younger women and the nature of teenage sexuality rather than getting on with a plot. He also feels the need to describe all of the magic in terms of physics. Every time the story shows some signs of life he kills it with another long dull section exploring these tangents.
There are some good scenes and interesting characters, but ultimately this is a frustrating read. In the end, the novel meanders back to where it started. The teens know more about their nature, but their memories are about to be wiped. I'm sure they make some progress later in the series, but I won't be along for the ride.
June 10, 2008
Much like Sophie's world, Orphans of Chaos discusses the various ways of interpreting and understanding the world but from a science fiction genre. Also, there is religion tied in with references to the Greek gods and current religions as well (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc). The plot is much better than other books I've read with philosophy tied in. A very interesting and enthralling read.
April 19, 2012
People often complain about the horrible teacher-to-student ratio in schools these days. Most schools have dozens of students per teacher, which negatively impacts the interaction between individual students and their teachers. Imagine a school with only five students and a full set of faculty, i.e. a place where the teachers outnumber the students? What would that be like?
If you are Amelia Armstrong Windrose, the number of students isn't the only odd thing about your English countryside school. Her original name was Secunda (as in the second eldest of the bunch) and at eight or ten she got to choose a name. Of course she didn't notice that was strange since everyone (all five of them) went through the same thing and they hardly ever had contact outside of the school. Being raised in sheltered environment makes you think your special, right?
Unless the shelter is actually a prison and both you and your captors are not at all what they seem. That premise is the jumping off point for the Chronicles of Chaos, a trilogy of fantasy novels that begins with Orphans of Chaos. This book sets the stage for what is to come, describing various characters and the parts they play in the larger scheme of things. And by larger, I do mean multi-dimensional and possibly eon-spanning.
As the students discover their powers and their origins, a rich if overwhelming tapestry of mythology and science is woven by the author. So much mythology is thrown in, it can be hard to keep up. There's also a lot of scientific and pseudo-scientific talk describing how their powers and magics work. I found that a bit of a challenge and started giving up on keeping track of everything. I hope I haven't glossed over anything that will be important in the next two books.
The other challenging thing about this book is that it is definitely the first act of a larger ongoing story. Much like the three books that make up The Lord of the Rings, it seems as if this book is just the first third of the story and not so much a complete story in itself. The ending leaves the reader wondering what will happen next. Even though my paperback includes the first four pages of the next book at the end, the addition hardly provides the sort of closure that would allow the reader to skip the other two books.
Fortunately I do own the subsequent novels and will start reading Fugitives of Chaos right away.
If you are Amelia Armstrong Windrose, the number of students isn't the only odd thing about your English countryside school. Her original name was Secunda (as in the second eldest of the bunch) and at eight or ten she got to choose a name. Of course she didn't notice that was strange since everyone (all five of them) went through the same thing and they hardly ever had contact outside of the school. Being raised in sheltered environment makes you think your special, right?
Unless the shelter is actually a prison and both you and your captors are not at all what they seem. That premise is the jumping off point for the Chronicles of Chaos, a trilogy of fantasy novels that begins with Orphans of Chaos. This book sets the stage for what is to come, describing various characters and the parts they play in the larger scheme of things. And by larger, I do mean multi-dimensional and possibly eon-spanning.
As the students discover their powers and their origins, a rich if overwhelming tapestry of mythology and science is woven by the author. So much mythology is thrown in, it can be hard to keep up. There's also a lot of scientific and pseudo-scientific talk describing how their powers and magics work. I found that a bit of a challenge and started giving up on keeping track of everything. I hope I haven't glossed over anything that will be important in the next two books.
The other challenging thing about this book is that it is definitely the first act of a larger ongoing story. Much like the three books that make up The Lord of the Rings, it seems as if this book is just the first third of the story and not so much a complete story in itself. The ending leaves the reader wondering what will happen next. Even though my paperback includes the first four pages of the next book at the end, the addition hardly provides the sort of closure that would allow the reader to skip the other two books.
Fortunately I do own the subsequent novels and will start reading Fugitives of Chaos right away.
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