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The Weaver Fish
Cambridge linguist Edvard Tøssentern, presumed dead, reappears after a balloon crash. When he staggers in from a remote swamp, gravely ill and swollen beyond recognition, his colleagues at the research station are overjoyed. But Edvard’s discovery about a rare giant bird throws them all into the path of an international crime ring.
The Weaver Fish is a gripping adventure story. Set on the island nation of Ferendes in the South China Sea, this book’s sound science and mathematical games will make you question all that you know, or think you know, about weaver fish, giant condors, the infamous tornado-proof Reckles® Texan hat, and much much more.
Praise for the book
'Evocative writing, in which the science is an essential character. The ideas stimulate and mesmerise.' Robyn Williams, ABC Radio National, The Science Show
The Weaver Fish is a gripping adventure story. Set on the island nation of Ferendes in the South China Sea, this book’s sound science and mathematical games will make you question all that you know, or think you know, about weaver fish, giant condors, the infamous tornado-proof Reckles® Texan hat, and much much more.
Praise for the book
'Evocative writing, in which the science is an essential character. The ideas stimulate and mesmerise.' Robyn Williams, ABC Radio National, The Science Show
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
5 people are currently reading
500 people want to read
About the author
Robert Edeson
3 books6 followersRobert Edeson was born in Perth, Western Australia, and educated at Christ Church Grammar School, the University of Western Australia and the University of Cambridge. He has been a consultant anaesthetist and researcher, publishing in the neuroscience, biophysical and mathematical literatures. He lives in Perth. The Weaver Fish is his first work of fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 12, 2016
An impossible book to review with it’s myriad fictional forms, addendums, footnotes, and unreliable and shifting narration.
Totally, utterly, completely bonkers. Edeson is either a lunatic or a genius. Probably both.
Totally, utterly, completely bonkers. Edeson is either a lunatic or a genius. Probably both.
January 20, 2016
I loved this book! But be warned, you must press on to Chapter Five before you have the foggiest idea what it’s ‘about’. Do not, I repeat, do not abandon this book because you don’t ‘get it’ in the first chapters, it starts making sense from page 35 onwards, and from Chapter Six onwards, trust me, it is unputdownable. And sooooo clever!
I’d better explain myself. This is the blurb:
Cambridge linguist Edvard Tøssentern, presumed dead, reappears after a balloon crash. When he staggers in from a remote swamp, gravely ill and swollen beyond recognition, his colleagues at the research station are overjoyed. But Edvard’s discovery about a rare giant bird throws them all into the path of an international crime ring.
The Weaver Fish is a gripping adventure story. Set on the island nation of Ferendes in the South China Sea, this book’s sound science and mathematical games will make you question all that you know, or think you know, about weaver fish, giant condors, the infamous tornado-proof Reckles® Texan hat, and much much more.
The book won the T A Hungerford Award in 2012, but when you start reading the odd but intriguing story of the weaver fish in Chapter One, which seems to be in the style of a naturalist or anthropological journal complete with footnotes, and are then confronted by Chapter Two which seems to be like the text of a Guided Walk in London, and then Chapter Three is a journalist’s report; Chapter Four is an advertising flyer and Chapter Five is an obituary - well, any reader, I suspect, is going to be well and truly puzzled.
To see the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/03/21/th...
I’d better explain myself. This is the blurb:
Cambridge linguist Edvard Tøssentern, presumed dead, reappears after a balloon crash. When he staggers in from a remote swamp, gravely ill and swollen beyond recognition, his colleagues at the research station are overjoyed. But Edvard’s discovery about a rare giant bird throws them all into the path of an international crime ring.
The Weaver Fish is a gripping adventure story. Set on the island nation of Ferendes in the South China Sea, this book’s sound science and mathematical games will make you question all that you know, or think you know, about weaver fish, giant condors, the infamous tornado-proof Reckles® Texan hat, and much much more.
The book won the T A Hungerford Award in 2012, but when you start reading the odd but intriguing story of the weaver fish in Chapter One, which seems to be in the style of a naturalist or anthropological journal complete with footnotes, and are then confronted by Chapter Two which seems to be like the text of a Guided Walk in London, and then Chapter Three is a journalist’s report; Chapter Four is an advertising flyer and Chapter Five is an obituary - well, any reader, I suspect, is going to be well and truly puzzled.
To see the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/03/21/th...
July 29, 2017
Really don't know what to make of this book - it is either a very good, cleverly written novel, or it is just a poorly written and edited one. I cannot make up my mind, but am leaning towards the later as it took me so long to read.
March 1, 2016
A very, very strange book with lots of big words and invisible carnivorous fish and flocks of mosquitoes and a missing person or two. I think it takes a certain sort of reader to get it.
I got it. I think. The characters are oddballs, endearing and otherwise. The prose swoops from brilliant dialogue to opaque technical and scientific journal articles, with punnery and profanity liberally salted throughout. The character names are laugh out loud funny, as in A B C Darien and Edvard Tøssentern, the renowned dream therapist, and a villain named Fiendisch, an alias, or rather more subtle as in a winery called Verita's.
Thoughout the book, thoughts of this review were troubling me. How to describe a book that seems to be written only for me, and the few readers like me. Then I stumbled across this line in the book, "The serious seemed enmeshed with obliquity and even the occasional fantastical." Exactly.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I got it. I think. The characters are oddballs, endearing and otherwise. The prose swoops from brilliant dialogue to opaque technical and scientific journal articles, with punnery and profanity liberally salted throughout. The character names are laugh out loud funny, as in A B C Darien and Edvard Tøssentern, the renowned dream therapist, and a villain named Fiendisch, an alias, or rather more subtle as in a winery called Verita's.
Thoughout the book, thoughts of this review were troubling me. How to describe a book that seems to be written only for me, and the few readers like me. Then I stumbled across this line in the book, "The serious seemed enmeshed with obliquity and even the occasional fantastical." Exactly.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2014
I read someone reviewing this book who pondered at one point whether they were smart enough to read it. In the end they concluded they were. I never reached that same conclusion but I certainly enjoyed it nevertheless. It is no surprise to find the author has been published in neuroscience, biophysical and mathematical literature. There are just so many academic references and footnotes, all of which could have been complete fantasy as far as I am concerned, despite some of the ideas being quite intriguing. I understand that there is plenty of fact mixed with the fiction, and I was moved to look at The Book Club Notes which are hilarious.
December 21, 2018
I just couldn’t get on with this one, and found it too clever for its own good. Post-modern, experimental? Not sure really but it wasn't a fun read and it soon became tedious trying to work out what the point of it all was. It started off promisingly, with a sci-fi feel to it – weird flesh-eating fish, birds with blood that turns to gold, killer condors made out of insects – but then it all got too weird and turned into a sort of crime thriller and I had no idea what was going on. Perhaps rather than being too clever for its own good, it was just too clever for me….
July 25, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Weaver Fish is all over the place. It begins with five chapters that are ostensible scientific journal articles or newspaper pieces about vastly different topics. One of them was a magazine article written about a guy who'd written a book about how to save yourself from an airplane midair disaster by latching onto a plane wing and directing it safely to the ground. Sadly, that Chekov's gun goes unfired, and I was really looking forward to reading about it.
Weaver fish are apparently a real thing? Well, weever fish, and they don't weave themselves into structures, although they are nearly invisible underwater as the book says. And they are venomous, but only through their spines. One theme of the book seems to be "nature will have her revenge" and between the fey weaverfish and a particular species of mosquito described in the book, nature is both purposeful and vengeful. It's sort of a very intellectual version of any of the seventies horror movies you might remember with deadly animals- The Swarm, Willard, Nightwing, Jaws, only a bit more imaginative.
After the first few chapters the book seems to settle into one plot line for a bit. It's the one you're read about on the jacket copy- a seemingly disappeared scientist reappears, and there's some sort of environmental skullduggery. Also, all the characters in the book are incredibly intellectual and love linguistic play (in the verbal sense). Both clever and bad (and sometimes both) puns, plus a lot of elided and double meanings that I probably missed because I was reading too quickly. That's the thing about this book- you have to give it the attention that you would give an academic paper that you must become expert upon, or you will rapidly become lost. There are even footnotes. The writing is so dense that it demands concentration. I like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent, but I wasn't prepared to go quite as deep as this book does. I began to skim which didn't really help me or the book much, but I wasn't willing to give it as much energy as it needs. Be warned- if you're ready to invest a significant portion of time and energy into this, it will probably pay off, but it is not light reading. It reads as sort of escapism for hyper-intellectuals, though.
After settling in to the first part of the story, we suddenly experience a massive shift- a character appears and becomes the POV character for most of the rest of the book. He is a mathematics don and also James Bond for his own amusement. Seriously. He can subvert a security system, clone a phone, fight like a son of a bitch, suffer an attack of gallantry and help a damsel rescue her scientist brother, mock the assassins sent to kill him with puns about physics, and figure probabilities in seconds. More escapism for hyper-intellectuals. I thought it was kind of funny, but was also kind of uncomfortable at the somewhat elitist disdain for the mundane that cropped up here and there. Also, this mathematics mercenary was the victim of insta-love, as far as I can tell because he accidentally grabbed a boob in a fight and then discovered his opponent was a woman.
So many tropes subverted. Is it fun? Maybe. For me it was too much work to be as much fun as it could have been. But I'm pretty mundane.
Weaver Fish is all over the place. It begins with five chapters that are ostensible scientific journal articles or newspaper pieces about vastly different topics. One of them was a magazine article written about a guy who'd written a book about how to save yourself from an airplane midair disaster by latching onto a plane wing and directing it safely to the ground. Sadly, that Chekov's gun goes unfired, and I was really looking forward to reading about it.
Weaver fish are apparently a real thing? Well, weever fish, and they don't weave themselves into structures, although they are nearly invisible underwater as the book says. And they are venomous, but only through their spines. One theme of the book seems to be "nature will have her revenge" and between the fey weaverfish and a particular species of mosquito described in the book, nature is both purposeful and vengeful. It's sort of a very intellectual version of any of the seventies horror movies you might remember with deadly animals- The Swarm, Willard, Nightwing, Jaws, only a bit more imaginative.
After the first few chapters the book seems to settle into one plot line for a bit. It's the one you're read about on the jacket copy- a seemingly disappeared scientist reappears, and there's some sort of environmental skullduggery. Also, all the characters in the book are incredibly intellectual and love linguistic play (in the verbal sense). Both clever and bad (and sometimes both) puns, plus a lot of elided and double meanings that I probably missed because I was reading too quickly. That's the thing about this book- you have to give it the attention that you would give an academic paper that you must become expert upon, or you will rapidly become lost. There are even footnotes. The writing is so dense that it demands concentration. I like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent, but I wasn't prepared to go quite as deep as this book does. I began to skim which didn't really help me or the book much, but I wasn't willing to give it as much energy as it needs. Be warned- if you're ready to invest a significant portion of time and energy into this, it will probably pay off, but it is not light reading. It reads as sort of escapism for hyper-intellectuals, though.
After settling in to the first part of the story, we suddenly experience a massive shift- a character appears and becomes the POV character for most of the rest of the book. He is a mathematics don and also James Bond for his own amusement. Seriously. He can subvert a security system, clone a phone, fight like a son of a bitch, suffer an attack of gallantry and help a damsel rescue her scientist brother, mock the assassins sent to kill him with puns about physics, and figure probabilities in seconds. More escapism for hyper-intellectuals. I thought it was kind of funny, but was also kind of uncomfortable at the somewhat elitist disdain for the mundane that cropped up here and there. Also, this mathematics mercenary was the victim of insta-love, as far as I can tell because he accidentally grabbed a boob in a fight and then discovered his opponent was a woman.
So many tropes subverted. Is it fun? Maybe. For me it was too much work to be as much fun as it could have been. But I'm pretty mundane.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2014
My brother Recently sent me a proof that 1=2. It is rather elegant and seems to work until you give it close examination. I imagine that Robert Edeson would enjoy that type of puzzle, and I imagine he and my brother would get on well. I'd introduce them: Robert, Recently; Recently, Robert.
Robert Edeson has written a wonderful book with a hero named Worse and a villain called Fiendisch, plus a whole lot more, and he gets away with it.
In The Weaver Fish a corrupt administration on an island somewhere in South East Asia sells the logging rights to the Chinese. The forest is home to some endangered animals and our characters with the unlikely names become involved. And so, such is the story that if you read this book and got nothing else, is very satisfying. The action rolls along, there are twists and turns, and even Perth gets a mention. Although I'm not sure we have a building with 74 floors. Do they even make buildings that high?
And there you have it. The entire book is fictitious, something to keep in mind as you read the copious footnotes to each chapter explaining the science or philosophy behind ideas mentioned.
In one, we learn that researchers have discovered how to tell what language is being spoken by analysing the pauses and silences in speech. It all seems so plausible. 1=2. It is worthy of Stephen Leacock, such nonsense. Why, when listening to speech, would you not simply listen to the words?
This book is set in the modern world but there is a pervading feel of the heroic age, a juxtaposition that is again, very satisfying. We live in such unheroic times.
I highly recommend this book. I don't know anything quite like it.
Footnotes:
1: Why 2 = 1
a = b
a2 = ab multiply both sides by a
a2 + a2 = a2 + ab add a2 to both sides
a2 + a2 -2ab = a2 + ab – 2ab subtract 2ab from both sides
2a2 – 2ab = a2 – ab simplify
2(a2 – ab) = 1(a2 – ab) factorise
2 = 1 divide both sides by (a2 – ab)
2: Tallest buildings: The worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai, is 163 floors high. Perth's tallest is a mere 54 floors. In fairness, Australians are on average 27.24% taller than Arabs, so although we don't win, we're not that far behind on actual building height.
Robert Edeson has written a wonderful book with a hero named Worse and a villain called Fiendisch, plus a whole lot more, and he gets away with it.
In The Weaver Fish a corrupt administration on an island somewhere in South East Asia sells the logging rights to the Chinese. The forest is home to some endangered animals and our characters with the unlikely names become involved. And so, such is the story that if you read this book and got nothing else, is very satisfying. The action rolls along, there are twists and turns, and even Perth gets a mention. Although I'm not sure we have a building with 74 floors. Do they even make buildings that high?
And there you have it. The entire book is fictitious, something to keep in mind as you read the copious footnotes to each chapter explaining the science or philosophy behind ideas mentioned.
In one, we learn that researchers have discovered how to tell what language is being spoken by analysing the pauses and silences in speech. It all seems so plausible. 1=2. It is worthy of Stephen Leacock, such nonsense. Why, when listening to speech, would you not simply listen to the words?
This book is set in the modern world but there is a pervading feel of the heroic age, a juxtaposition that is again, very satisfying. We live in such unheroic times.
I highly recommend this book. I don't know anything quite like it.
Footnotes:
1: Why 2 = 1
a = b
a2 = ab multiply both sides by a
a2 + a2 = a2 + ab add a2 to both sides
a2 + a2 -2ab = a2 + ab – 2ab subtract 2ab from both sides
2a2 – 2ab = a2 – ab simplify
2(a2 – ab) = 1(a2 – ab) factorise
2 = 1 divide both sides by (a2 – ab)
2: Tallest buildings: The worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai, is 163 floors high. Perth's tallest is a mere 54 floors. In fairness, Australians are on average 27.24% taller than Arabs, so although we don't win, we're not that far behind on actual building height.
July 9, 2014
Ever read a book that you know you should just absolutely love, and yet somehow you're not quite getting it. It's a bit like that feeling you get when you're invited to a party and show up in fancy dress only to realise that you'd muddled up the invitations.
The quote for the book is from Robyn Williams, ABC Radio National's The Science Show - "Evocative writing, in which the science is an essential character. The ideas stimulate and mesmerise."
Not having been any good at science at school might be part of the reason (although having sought confirmation from the resident science boffin, he wasn't convinced either), this reader spent most of the book seriously... bemused I think is the most accurate word.
It's undoubtedly clever. There's a weaving (pun intended) of a series of storylines that head into most unexpected territory. Whilst it's employing some very clever tactics, it's also very slyly introducing some "in-jokes". Elaborate joke character names, footnotes nearly as intricate as those that Mr Pratchett is known to employ. And there's undoubtedly humour built into all of that. Which is also perhaps part of the problem. Humour's subjective and when you get a sneaking suspicion that you're not cool enough, or clued up enough to get the joke, it's easy to get a bit put off. And disinterested.
Whilst things did start to get rather interesting somewhere around a 3rd of the way into the book, that thread seem to wander off to stare at itself in a mirror and contemplate the meaning of life, or the proof of 1+2 equalling 2. Don't get me wrong - I know there's such a proof and I know all about how long it took to actually be proved (I watch QI after all), but ....
You have to admire the bravery of something like THE WEAVER FISH. It's not immediately "pigeon-holed" into any obvious category, and it's not straightforward. That's the bit that this reader thinks is really positive, good, encouraging about such a book. I'd just caution that you read the party invitation carefully.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
The quote for the book is from Robyn Williams, ABC Radio National's The Science Show - "Evocative writing, in which the science is an essential character. The ideas stimulate and mesmerise."
Not having been any good at science at school might be part of the reason (although having sought confirmation from the resident science boffin, he wasn't convinced either), this reader spent most of the book seriously... bemused I think is the most accurate word.
It's undoubtedly clever. There's a weaving (pun intended) of a series of storylines that head into most unexpected territory. Whilst it's employing some very clever tactics, it's also very slyly introducing some "in-jokes". Elaborate joke character names, footnotes nearly as intricate as those that Mr Pratchett is known to employ. And there's undoubtedly humour built into all of that. Which is also perhaps part of the problem. Humour's subjective and when you get a sneaking suspicion that you're not cool enough, or clued up enough to get the joke, it's easy to get a bit put off. And disinterested.
Whilst things did start to get rather interesting somewhere around a 3rd of the way into the book, that thread seem to wander off to stare at itself in a mirror and contemplate the meaning of life, or the proof of 1+2 equalling 2. Don't get me wrong - I know there's such a proof and I know all about how long it took to actually be proved (I watch QI after all), but ....
You have to admire the bravery of something like THE WEAVER FISH. It's not immediately "pigeon-holed" into any obvious category, and it's not straightforward. That's the bit that this reader thinks is really positive, good, encouraging about such a book. I'd just caution that you read the party invitation carefully.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
June 30, 2014
The Weaver Fish is unlike any other book that I've read before. It is an adventure/mystery story, yes, and I invite you to read the synopsis at http://www.fremantlepress.com.au/book... where you can also read preview pages and book club notes (which are quite entertaining). What makes The Weaver Fish unique is the amount of material, in the form of footnotes and select documents, that support the events and concepts mentioned in the book (keeping in mind that this is a fictitious story). Even the foreword, notes and acknowledgments, and author bio fall within the world of The Weaver Fish, which makes reading this book a fun experience (it even has an index and a travel advisory for the Ferendes).
Another unique aspect of this book is the variety of (very real) subjects mentioned in the story, such as eigenvalues, sonata form, aeronautics, Markov chains, Bernouilli trials, and so on, which makes distinguishing between real and fictitious facts all the more difficult but adds another element of realism to the story (of course all facts are real in the story).
I found the character of Worse to be most captivating. At first I didn't quite know what to make of him. His initial actions seemed somewhat shady, what with his secret surveillance system and his disposal of an assassin called Zheng, but we soon realize that he is much more than what he seems.
It took me longer than usual to get into the book simply because the first several chapters seemed rather random and I had trouble seeing the connections between them, but the connections do become apparent and the story really picks up before long. Everything comes together nicely by the end.
The Weaver Fish by Robert Edeson is a unique and captivating read, and I'm glad that I was introduced to this book through Goodreads First Reads.
Another unique aspect of this book is the variety of (very real) subjects mentioned in the story, such as eigenvalues, sonata form, aeronautics, Markov chains, Bernouilli trials, and so on, which makes distinguishing between real and fictitious facts all the more difficult but adds another element of realism to the story (of course all facts are real in the story).
I found the character of Worse to be most captivating. At first I didn't quite know what to make of him. His initial actions seemed somewhat shady, what with his secret surveillance system and his disposal of an assassin called Zheng, but we soon realize that he is much more than what he seems.
It took me longer than usual to get into the book simply because the first several chapters seemed rather random and I had trouble seeing the connections between them, but the connections do become apparent and the story really picks up before long. Everything comes together nicely by the end.
The Weaver Fish by Robert Edeson is a unique and captivating read, and I'm glad that I was introduced to this book through Goodreads First Reads.
November 10, 2014
~Received for free from First Reads on Goodreads
The Weaver Fish by Robert Edeson is a hard book to categorise. Although primarily a crime/mystery novel, it manages to incorporate footnotes giving the novel an eerie non-fiction feel. The use of the footnotes was a genius touch and it really contributes to the novel and its authenticity, providing what could easily be a real life depiction of events that have occurred.
The book is rather slow at the start, jumping from multiple plot lines but as the story progresses, each plot line developed and starts to intertwine to what ends up to be a successfully coordinated ending which was rather satisfying.
The description in this book was the perfect mix of detailed yet concise. Every scene had a clear depiction and following on from scene to scene was executed flawlessly.
The plot, although confusing at times, was very interesting. The reasons behind the events taking place all are revealed at the end of the novel so you had to keep reading to find some answers.
Robert Edeson must be congratulated on this creative idea, I have never seen a book that came together so intrinsically with only minor things left unfinished.
Now that I am aware of how everything links together it is definitely going to get a re-read.
The Weaver Fish by Robert Edeson is a hard book to categorise. Although primarily a crime/mystery novel, it manages to incorporate footnotes giving the novel an eerie non-fiction feel. The use of the footnotes was a genius touch and it really contributes to the novel and its authenticity, providing what could easily be a real life depiction of events that have occurred.
The book is rather slow at the start, jumping from multiple plot lines but as the story progresses, each plot line developed and starts to intertwine to what ends up to be a successfully coordinated ending which was rather satisfying.
The description in this book was the perfect mix of detailed yet concise. Every scene had a clear depiction and following on from scene to scene was executed flawlessly.
The plot, although confusing at times, was very interesting. The reasons behind the events taking place all are revealed at the end of the novel so you had to keep reading to find some answers.
Robert Edeson must be congratulated on this creative idea, I have never seen a book that came together so intrinsically with only minor things left unfinished.
Now that I am aware of how everything links together it is definitely going to get a re-read.
February 28, 2016
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Aardvark Bureau!
The reviews I read about this book said that it was a hard read. Well, they were right. Full of scientific, historical and linguistic facts, it's hard to discern whether they are real or made up (thank you, Google for your help). Some parts were so beautifully written, that they were enjoyable to read: philosophical digressions about the act of dreaming, a legend involving the elusive weaver fish and the story of the historical rivalry between two families, to name a few. Others... well, I may not have been smart enough to get them and they were hard to get through. I mostly read for entertainment and, as much as I enjoy it when a book challenges me, this was just too much hard work. I'd give five stars to the parts that I liked, but it would be hard to rate the parts that I went over my head. I will make it three stars. If you're a smart person looking for a challenging book, this is just for you. If you're just looking for entertainment, you may be better off with a more conventional novel.
The reviews I read about this book said that it was a hard read. Well, they were right. Full of scientific, historical and linguistic facts, it's hard to discern whether they are real or made up (thank you, Google for your help). Some parts were so beautifully written, that they were enjoyable to read: philosophical digressions about the act of dreaming, a legend involving the elusive weaver fish and the story of the historical rivalry between two families, to name a few. Others... well, I may not have been smart enough to get them and they were hard to get through. I mostly read for entertainment and, as much as I enjoy it when a book challenges me, this was just too much hard work. I'd give five stars to the parts that I liked, but it would be hard to rate the parts that I went over my head. I will make it three stars. If you're a smart person looking for a challenging book, this is just for you. If you're just looking for entertainment, you may be better off with a more conventional novel.
June 7, 2016
If you like Umberto Eco then this might be an excellent choice: hugely imaginative, playful, erudite and downright bonkers in places, this is certainly mis-categorised as 'crime' and will disappoint or puzzle if that's what you expect when you come to it.
Instead, It's a literary tour-de-force that jumps from the sinister yet beautiful weaver fish, to dream theory, flying, maths and language. What it shares with Eco is a dazzling yet lightly-worn erudition and intellectual stretch, but it's warmer and more human than Eco. The playful names reminded me of Dickens (Tossentern, Feckles, Reckles - say them out loud) as does the way the narrative connects in unexpected ways.
There's no point even starting to talk about 'plot', if such a thing exists, but that's really not the point of the book anyway. This is bold, and clever, and deliciously complex, but with a humanity and sense of humour that leavens the erudition. Not a book to relax with, this keeps you on your toes and your mind active.
ARC via Netgalley
Instead, It's a literary tour-de-force that jumps from the sinister yet beautiful weaver fish, to dream theory, flying, maths and language. What it shares with Eco is a dazzling yet lightly-worn erudition and intellectual stretch, but it's warmer and more human than Eco. The playful names reminded me of Dickens (Tossentern, Feckles, Reckles - say them out loud) as does the way the narrative connects in unexpected ways.
There's no point even starting to talk about 'plot', if such a thing exists, but that's really not the point of the book anyway. This is bold, and clever, and deliciously complex, but with a humanity and sense of humour that leavens the erudition. Not a book to relax with, this keeps you on your toes and your mind active.
ARC via Netgalley
March 7, 2016
I am writing about the forthcoming edition of this book. I believe it was first published in 2014. I was drawn to it by the eclectic range of reviews which I read. After the first few chapters I have become totally confused. Reading this novel is a surreal experience. It is like waking from a series of weird dreams.
Eventually the story started to settle on a more conventional pattern set in Western Australia. Indeed it seemed to be developing into a fast paced thriller. However the underlying surrealism was never far from the surface.
By the end I was still not sure whether I had read a thriller, a piece of original science fiction or a philosophical novel. However I enjoyed the book, even though I didn't fully understand why.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Aardvark Bureau for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2016
Linguists, the south pacific, speculative science, a battle against illegal loggers and strip miners, dream theory, surrealism, conflation, heroic mathematics, determinative silence, logic metaphor... goddamn I'm delighted. Plenty to work with to investigate themes of humanity and nature and philosophy and reality and history and identity, presented with charm and humor through lovable oddball characters and a well-paced plot to tie it all together.
The only disquieting point is that the author's goodread page lists almost exclusively diet cookbooks, but I will chalk that up to author plasticity.
The only disquieting point is that the author's goodread page lists almost exclusively diet cookbooks, but I will chalk that up to author plasticity.
September 16, 2014
This is one of the strangest books I have ever read; you really have to persevere. Once you get caught up in the incredible adventure story, you won't want to put it down. However, there are whole chapters on science that most probably are factual as the book has won Science awards; they were incomprehensible. Also incomprehensible were the whole chapters on the history and interpretation of language. The story of the weaver fish and the condors are more like science fiction but absolutely fascinating, albeit terrifying.
November 2, 2024
Even though reading Robert Edeson’s The Weaver Fish made me feel simultaneously smarter and stupider, I’m glad I took a chance on this odd story. The Weaver Fish is both thriller and intellectual exercise, cyberpunk and philosophy. I fear that this review will not do the book justice...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
May 11, 2014
I received this book through good reads first reads for free. It has taken me a lot longer than normal for me to finish this book. Partly because I'm so busy but a lot had to do with what Lisa said. The book is difficult to follow and understand at the beginning. That made it difficult to stick with and I am one that has a very difficult time completely abandoning a book! Press on and stick with it. It does start to come together and get good.
Read
April 24, 2016Wow - a mind blowing book. The first few chapters were quite hard going because the main plot didn't begin until a few chapters in, however the end of the book linked everything together very nicely. A very different book to what I have read before and very intellectually written. Well done.
July 6, 2014
A curious story full of rich language and astounding fabrication. Did I say fabrication? Surely I meant to say facts. The Weaver fish is real isn't it?
February 27, 2025
Wow!!
Highly recommended. I haven't read a book like this...it's brilliant.
Highly recommended. I haven't read a book like this...it's brilliant.
May 18, 2017
Fictional Non-Fiction Fragments and a Crime Novella in Search of a Book
There are a few parts of this book, a few fragments and bits and throwaways, that are so good you are pleased to have read it even though there are substantial stretches that don't really go anywhere. Think of a gifted jazz musician who wanders around on his instrument, but sometimes hits on something true and affecting. Or, maybe better, think of a collection of short pieces with a wide range of hits, misses, and almosts. That's how I found this book.
The book is set up in an unusual fashion. The first third consists of brief pieces, letters, notes, news clippings, narratives, and similar oddities that have little in common except that they all fall into the category of fictional, or made-up, non-fiction. The final two thirds of the book is supposedly a crime thriller, with the hook being that most of the material from the first third ends up being tied into this last part.
I wasn't particularly entertained by the crime thriller. But, that first third has some real gold nuggets if you're willing to pan for it. The opening description of weaver fish is stunning. The giant condors are brilliant. The mad engineer who writes an entire non-fiction book about how to survive a mid-air plane explosion by riding a wing segment safely back to earth is dry and brutal. There are jokes and subtle throwaways and puns and loads of deadpan asides and footnotes. You will read about things and places and events and people who never existed but who feel real and important. This is Borges and post-postmodern territory, and Edeson navigates it with aplomb.
Like most experimental and avant-garde material, some of this works and some doesn't. Some parts feel pat, a little too self-satisfied and precious, or just plain forced. But, when it takes off, it soars. For me, a book that takes big chances and sometimes hits the jackpot is a lot more fun than a book that plays safe. If you like a bit of a playful challenge from time to time, this could be a nice choice.
There are a few parts of this book, a few fragments and bits and throwaways, that are so good you are pleased to have read it even though there are substantial stretches that don't really go anywhere. Think of a gifted jazz musician who wanders around on his instrument, but sometimes hits on something true and affecting. Or, maybe better, think of a collection of short pieces with a wide range of hits, misses, and almosts. That's how I found this book.
The book is set up in an unusual fashion. The first third consists of brief pieces, letters, notes, news clippings, narratives, and similar oddities that have little in common except that they all fall into the category of fictional, or made-up, non-fiction. The final two thirds of the book is supposedly a crime thriller, with the hook being that most of the material from the first third ends up being tied into this last part.
I wasn't particularly entertained by the crime thriller. But, that first third has some real gold nuggets if you're willing to pan for it. The opening description of weaver fish is stunning. The giant condors are brilliant. The mad engineer who writes an entire non-fiction book about how to survive a mid-air plane explosion by riding a wing segment safely back to earth is dry and brutal. There are jokes and subtle throwaways and puns and loads of deadpan asides and footnotes. You will read about things and places and events and people who never existed but who feel real and important. This is Borges and post-postmodern territory, and Edeson navigates it with aplomb.
Like most experimental and avant-garde material, some of this works and some doesn't. Some parts feel pat, a little too self-satisfied and precious, or just plain forced. But, when it takes off, it soars. For me, a book that takes big chances and sometimes hits the jackpot is a lot more fun than a book that plays safe. If you like a bit of a playful challenge from time to time, this could be a nice choice.
June 22, 2020
How do I adequately explain this book? In turns, it is both:
- enjoyable and frustrating
- engrossing and boring
- intelligent and meaningless
The author writes well - well enough, in fact, that I have already ordered the follow up (From Bad to Worse). But there are some gaps that prevent this from being better than 3 stars.
The story involves a deep mystery, which is cleverly established. It builds quite nicely through one set of characters for about half of the book, before abruptly shifting to another set of characters for the back half. It seemed that the first half was written in such a way to solely allow for a mystery for the main character to pursue ... and this could all have been achieved in a couple of chapters.
The characters themselves are largely one dimensional. Eccentric geniuses and misfits. They experience no real development at any point in the story. There is also never any sense that they will fail.
And the villains? Ripped straight out of the cartoons, it would seem (the well constructed image of the fiend standing in the dark with fire reflecting from his glasses could have come straight from Minions).
And the mystery itself? I’m still scratching my head. In the context of the story world, there would appear to be a greater intelligence that is guiding outcomes which, perhaps, makes our story characters mostly irrelevant. (And perhaps that’s the point: there are some things that human intelligence can’t yet comprehend?)
But ... but it is so much damned fun. This was a light hearted rollick, for all the (unnecessary) technical explanations, that was a great way to relax.
I’m not quite sure why (because the authors are different), but I keep thinking that if you enjoyed Douglas Adam’s ‘The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul’, you would enjoy ‘The Weaver Fish’.
- enjoyable and frustrating
- engrossing and boring
- intelligent and meaningless
The author writes well - well enough, in fact, that I have already ordered the follow up (From Bad to Worse). But there are some gaps that prevent this from being better than 3 stars.
The story involves a deep mystery, which is cleverly established. It builds quite nicely through one set of characters for about half of the book, before abruptly shifting to another set of characters for the back half. It seemed that the first half was written in such a way to solely allow for a mystery for the main character to pursue ... and this could all have been achieved in a couple of chapters.
The characters themselves are largely one dimensional. Eccentric geniuses and misfits. They experience no real development at any point in the story. There is also never any sense that they will fail.
And the villains? Ripped straight out of the cartoons, it would seem (the well constructed image of the fiend standing in the dark with fire reflecting from his glasses could have come straight from Minions).
And the mystery itself? I’m still scratching my head. In the context of the story world, there would appear to be a greater intelligence that is guiding outcomes which, perhaps, makes our story characters mostly irrelevant. (And perhaps that’s the point: there are some things that human intelligence can’t yet comprehend?)
But ... but it is so much damned fun. This was a light hearted rollick, for all the (unnecessary) technical explanations, that was a great way to relax.
I’m not quite sure why (because the authors are different), but I keep thinking that if you enjoyed Douglas Adam’s ‘The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul’, you would enjoy ‘The Weaver Fish’.
June 8, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Whew - this was a tough one. I wanted to stop reading so many times but pressed on. This is definitely a book that I just wasn't smart enough to get - it reads more like a textbook, with multitudes of footnotes, equations, scientific jargon that I just didn't get or even care about. There were some interesting plot lines where I stopped and read more slowly but most of the time I just wanted to be done reading it!
This book got generally good reviews so the fault of not getting it obviously was mine!
Whew - this was a tough one. I wanted to stop reading so many times but pressed on. This is definitely a book that I just wasn't smart enough to get - it reads more like a textbook, with multitudes of footnotes, equations, scientific jargon that I just didn't get or even care about. There were some interesting plot lines where I stopped and read more slowly but most of the time I just wanted to be done reading it!
This book got generally good reviews so the fault of not getting it obviously was mine!
October 18, 2022
A story that slowly sneaks in and surprises .. excellent. Quirky, informative, engaging … interesting erudite characters with many talents.
Blending the natural world, the scientific world, the corrupt business world with a wild ‘Bond’ type adventure and even love interests .. well done and well imagined.
Blending the natural world, the scientific world, the corrupt business world with a wild ‘Bond’ type adventure and even love interests .. well done and well imagined.
May 28, 2018
A very strange book. A mixture of James Bond & Mission Impossible meets Dennis Wheatley & Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World overlaid with its characters exhibiting the attitudes and using the esoteric language beloved of maths and physics graduates whom I have known
October 5, 2019
This was a most unusual read & it's extremely difficult to describe. Great fun though you really need not to take it too seriously!
August 4, 2021
Disappointing
One word sums up this book - pretentious. It was a relatively good story ruined. Surely the author wrote it with a thesaurus on hand. The initial chapters were like independent short stories when they could more cleverly have been woven into the storyline. We’re provided with a lot of unnecessary comment (the author showing how ‘intellectual’ he is?) but parts of the actual mystery are left unexplained.
One word sums up this book - pretentious. It was a relatively good story ruined. Surely the author wrote it with a thesaurus on hand. The initial chapters were like independent short stories when they could more cleverly have been woven into the storyline. We’re provided with a lot of unnecessary comment (the author showing how ‘intellectual’ he is?) but parts of the actual mystery are left unexplained.
July 1, 2016
The Weaver Fish by Robert Edeson
This book purports to be a novel. Frankly I didn't see it. It appeared to be a collection of disconnected narratives that I never could quite connect. Some of the narratives were interesting but some were beyond dry. Sometimes it reads as a text book and other times it seems like a novel.
There seem to be a couple of plots that are intermingled. Puns seem to enter into the equation with some of the names, such as Edvard Tossenturn or Worse. There were things that piqued my interest, giant condors, invisible fish, illegal loggers and mosquitos.
I have read other reviews that infer this is a book for the scientific mind, I guess that my review proves that is something I lack.
I am sure that someone will find this book entertaining or enlightening but I didn't and most likely that is my failure not the authors.
web site: https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/con...
This book purports to be a novel. Frankly I didn't see it. It appeared to be a collection of disconnected narratives that I never could quite connect. Some of the narratives were interesting but some were beyond dry. Sometimes it reads as a text book and other times it seems like a novel.
There seem to be a couple of plots that are intermingled. Puns seem to enter into the equation with some of the names, such as Edvard Tossenturn or Worse. There were things that piqued my interest, giant condors, invisible fish, illegal loggers and mosquitos.
I have read other reviews that infer this is a book for the scientific mind, I guess that my review proves that is something I lack.
I am sure that someone will find this book entertaining or enlightening but I didn't and most likely that is my failure not the authors.
web site: https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/con...
September 7, 2014
I won this book in a first reads giveaway. It sounded fascinating from the blurb, I am definitely a science chick. But it just too me a very long time to get in to, and I found myself confused on more than one occasion. However it is a very clever book.
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