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Carpet Makers Universe
Des milliards de tapis de cheveux
Ostvan est tisseur. Comme le veut la tradition, depuis qu'il a pris femme, il tisse un tapis à l'aide des cheveux de son épouse, ainsi que ceux de ses filles. Il y passe toutes ses journées, s'usant les yeux et les doigts. Pour vivre, les siens et lui ont l'argent que son père a tiré de la vente de son propre tapis de cheveux, bien des années plus tôt, et Ostvan espère bien que l'oeuvre de sa vie rapportera, lorsqu'elle sera achevée, une somme suffisante pour qu'Abron, son fils unique, puisse lui aussi consacrer sans souci son existence au tissage. Seulement, Abron ne semble pas avoir l'intention de succéder à son père, peut-être parce qu'il est allé à l'école, où il a appris à lire. Il se dresse même contre le vieil homme lorsque celui-ci, conformément à la coutume qui veut qu'un tisseur n'ait qu'un seul fils, parle de tuer son enfant à naître si celui-ci est un garçon. Mais le poids de la tradition, et la vénération à l'égard de l'Empereur immortel, véritable dieu vivant, est plus forte que l'amour paternel ; le jeune homme en fera la cruelle expérience…
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 5, 1995
173 people are currently reading
7826 people want to read
About the author
Andreas Eschbach
160 books820 followersAndreas Eschbach is a German writer who mostly writes science fiction. Even if some of his stories do not exactly fall into the SF genre, they usually feature elements of the fantastic.
Eschbach studied aerospace engineering at the University of Stuttgart and later worked as a software engineer. He has been writing since he was 12 years old. His first professional publication was the short story Dolls, published in 1991 in German computing magazine C't. His first novel was published in 1995. Five of his novels have won the Kurd-Laßwitz-Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the German SF scene.
His novels have also been translated into a number of languages, including English, French, Italian, Russian, Polish, Turkish and Japanese.
In 2002, his novel Das Jesus Video was adapted for German television. In 2003, his novel Eine Billion Dollar was adapted for German radio. As of 2006, his only novel translated into English was Die Haarteppichknüpfer, published in 2005 as The Carpet Makers.
Eschbach studied aerospace engineering at the University of Stuttgart and later worked as a software engineer. He has been writing since he was 12 years old. His first professional publication was the short story Dolls, published in 1991 in German computing magazine C't. His first novel was published in 1995. Five of his novels have won the Kurd-Laßwitz-Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the German SF scene.
His novels have also been translated into a number of languages, including English, French, Italian, Russian, Polish, Turkish and Japanese.
In 2002, his novel Das Jesus Video was adapted for German television. In 2003, his novel Eine Billion Dollar was adapted for German radio. As of 2006, his only novel translated into English was Die Haarteppichknüpfer, published in 2005 as The Carpet Makers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 877 reviews
April 17, 2015
even better the second (or possibly the third) time around.
the novel is a series of interlinked short stories, more or less. this time around reading it i had the feeling it was a tapestry, altho possibly not made of women's hair.
that's what the carpet makers make: carpets out of women's hair. their wives' and subwives' hair. fear not, no women are harmed in the making of this carpet. well, not just for their hair, anyway.
the carpet makers work their art as honored members of their society. a carpet maker makes only one carpet in his (yes, always his) entire life. its selling price pays for his son's lifework: making another hair carpet. generation after generation, making hair carpets, and where do they all go?
to the Emperor, who reportedly adorns his palace with them.
but all is not quite as the carpet makers have been led to believe, and the truth about where the carpets go and why is unbelievably appalling.
but no spoilers here!
eschbach is a genius. this novel begins with the story of one otherwise utterly ignorant carpet maker, and in succeeding stories, tells you the history of an intergalactic empire that spans 250,000 years. eschbach tells you this history in a mere 18 chapters. the genius of it is that each chapter is just one more story of a very human individual--he weaves the history so tightly into the individual's story that the reader never feels she is being info-dumped or given a lesson at all. we are simply reading one person's story, and then another, and another, and each is a perfectly formed and perfectly distinct gem.
as a writer, i stand in awe (the real kind) of what he has accomplished here. as a reader, i am alternately deeply moved, or amused, or horrified, or fall into the deepest of sighs that says, yes, that's how life is (even when it's not pretty, but also when it is).
i cannot recommend this book highly enough. i read at least 100 books a year, and in 45 years of reading like a mad librarian, i can count on my limited digits the number that i find to be of this caliber. this book is a serious literary and storytelling accomplishment, and i hope that this review convinces you to give it a try.
perhaps we can then all get together and convince Tor to have more of Eschbach's works translated. to date this is the only one i know of in English. we are impoverished by this lack... Tor, are you listening?
the novel is a series of interlinked short stories, more or less. this time around reading it i had the feeling it was a tapestry, altho possibly not made of women's hair.
that's what the carpet makers make: carpets out of women's hair. their wives' and subwives' hair. fear not, no women are harmed in the making of this carpet. well, not just for their hair, anyway.
the carpet makers work their art as honored members of their society. a carpet maker makes only one carpet in his (yes, always his) entire life. its selling price pays for his son's lifework: making another hair carpet. generation after generation, making hair carpets, and where do they all go?
to the Emperor, who reportedly adorns his palace with them.
but all is not quite as the carpet makers have been led to believe, and the truth about where the carpets go and why is unbelievably appalling.
but no spoilers here!
eschbach is a genius. this novel begins with the story of one otherwise utterly ignorant carpet maker, and in succeeding stories, tells you the history of an intergalactic empire that spans 250,000 years. eschbach tells you this history in a mere 18 chapters. the genius of it is that each chapter is just one more story of a very human individual--he weaves the history so tightly into the individual's story that the reader never feels she is being info-dumped or given a lesson at all. we are simply reading one person's story, and then another, and another, and each is a perfectly formed and perfectly distinct gem.
as a writer, i stand in awe (the real kind) of what he has accomplished here. as a reader, i am alternately deeply moved, or amused, or horrified, or fall into the deepest of sighs that says, yes, that's how life is (even when it's not pretty, but also when it is).
i cannot recommend this book highly enough. i read at least 100 books a year, and in 45 years of reading like a mad librarian, i can count on my limited digits the number that i find to be of this caliber. this book is a serious literary and storytelling accomplishment, and i hope that this review convinces you to give it a try.
perhaps we can then all get together and convince Tor to have more of Eschbach's works translated. to date this is the only one i know of in English. we are impoverished by this lack... Tor, are you listening?
October 22, 2024
Grata sorpresa me he llevado.
A las pocas páginas ya te percatas de que estás ante una novela de argumento original, enigmática y que no sabes a dónde llevará. La sensación es la de leer una fábula o un cuento de fantasía que deriva sutilmente hacia una space opera de mundos avanzados a la par que rudimentarios (vamos, que hay pastores de cabras y artesanos, pero también sobrevuelan las naves espaciales).
Lo más curioso es que no hay una trama lineal ni personajes principales. Cada capítulo es un episodio casi independiente con sutiles nexos de unión con los anteriores. Pero conforme vas leyendo, acabas cerrando el círculo y comprendiendo el conjunto de la historia y las situaciones que resultaban inicialmente desconcertantes terminan resultando perfectamente justificadas y explicadas.
No voy a entrar en que la historia sea una crítica a los estados absolutistas o las similitudes alegóricas con la historia pasada de Alemania, que yo no le doy tantas vueltas a ese tipo de análisis.
Lo que sí tengo claro es que es una pedazo de novela; de lo mejorcito en Ciencia Ficción relativamente reciente, y por tanto, muy recomendable.
A las pocas páginas ya te percatas de que estás ante una novela de argumento original, enigmática y que no sabes a dónde llevará. La sensación es la de leer una fábula o un cuento de fantasía que deriva sutilmente hacia una space opera de mundos avanzados a la par que rudimentarios (vamos, que hay pastores de cabras y artesanos, pero también sobrevuelan las naves espaciales).
Lo más curioso es que no hay una trama lineal ni personajes principales. Cada capítulo es un episodio casi independiente con sutiles nexos de unión con los anteriores. Pero conforme vas leyendo, acabas cerrando el círculo y comprendiendo el conjunto de la historia y las situaciones que resultaban inicialmente desconcertantes terminan resultando perfectamente justificadas y explicadas.
No voy a entrar en que la historia sea una crítica a los estados absolutistas o las similitudes alegóricas con la historia pasada de Alemania, que yo no le doy tantas vueltas a ese tipo de análisis.
Lo que sí tengo claro es que es una pedazo de novela; de lo mejorcito en Ciencia Ficción relativamente reciente, y por tanto, muy recomendable.
December 2, 2016
Lo que comenta todo el mundo: una obra maestra. Sin querer menospreciar otros subgéneros, estamos hablando de ciencia ficción con mayúsculas. En esta novela salen naves espaciales, e incluso alguna pistola de rayos, pero nada que ver con la idea tan arraigada que arrastra la ciencia ficción, esto es, space opera de mala calidad.
En mi opinión se trata de una ciencia ficción orientada al ser humano. Los cambios tecnológicos y del contexto futuro (la posibilidad de un imperio galáctico, etc.) son una excusa para imaginar sociedades distintas a la nuestra. Sociedades con sus tiranos, tradiciones, prejuicios, dominación y explotación. Es decir, sociedades ante todo humanas: en unos aspectos muy distintas pero en otros similares. Es lo que llamamos naturaleza... humana.
Las historias contadas no son las vicisitudes del héroe al uso. De hecho, no hay protagonistas. Se trata de gente corriente en una sociedad estelar que ocupa toda una galaxia, muy distante de nosotros en el tiempo y el espacio.
Sentido de la maravilla del ser humano.
En mi opinión se trata de una ciencia ficción orientada al ser humano. Los cambios tecnológicos y del contexto futuro (la posibilidad de un imperio galáctico, etc.) son una excusa para imaginar sociedades distintas a la nuestra. Sociedades con sus tiranos, tradiciones, prejuicios, dominación y explotación. Es decir, sociedades ante todo humanas: en unos aspectos muy distintas pero en otros similares. Es lo que llamamos naturaleza... humana.
Las historias contadas no son las vicisitudes del héroe al uso. De hecho, no hay protagonistas. Se trata de gente corriente en una sociedad estelar que ocupa toda una galaxia, muy distante de nosotros en el tiempo y el espacio.
Sentido de la maravilla del ser humano.
February 11, 2015
Overall I definitely enjoyed this book although there were some aspects of it that I didn't like so much. The chapters jump around a bit, there wasn't much in the way of female characters who weren't defined by sex, and the reveal at the end came in a package I didn't find all that believable.
That said, the story that gets revealed was completely unexpected and goes to show what ultimate power can do. It isn't a pretty sight. I can't discuss the best aspect of the story without giving away the ending, so although I don't claim that this is the best book ever, it certainly is worth the read to find out what's behind the mystery. It gives a lot of food for thought.
That said, the story that gets revealed was completely unexpected and goes to show what ultimate power can do. It isn't a pretty sight. I can't discuss the best aspect of the story without giving away the ending, so although I don't claim that this is the best book ever, it certainly is worth the read to find out what's behind the mystery. It gives a lot of food for thought.
March 14, 2017
Todos los amantes de la ciencia ficción saben que, con frecuencia, algunas de las joyas que esconde el género no tratan sobre aventuras, sobre guerras espaciales o sobre la resistencia ante la invasión extraterrestre. A menudo, los escenarios futuristas o las posibilidades científicas son un pretexto para tratar los grandes temas; los mismos que toca a veces la literatura realista o, sin irnos muy lejos, las conversaciones entre buenos amigos en torno a un café: el amor, la desigualdad, el miedo, el odio, la trascendencia, la divinidad, las relaciones humanas… Pero, si existen esos grandes temas de la literatura, el que se trata en esta novela se lleva aquí a un grado superlativo que yo, personalmente, no había visto jamás.
Los tejedores de cabellos se marcha, con cinco estrellas, a mi carpeta de favoritos y, dentro de poco, ¡reseña en Sense of Wonder!
Los tejedores de cabellos se marcha, con cinco estrellas, a mi carpeta de favoritos y, dentro de poco, ¡reseña en Sense of Wonder!
March 25, 2023
Briefly - I'm no expert but I've not read science fiction quite like that before. Well written and it did entertain me.
In full
There is a planet where fathers spend their lives making hair carpets. They only use the finest hair from their wives and daughters. Towards the end of their lives the carpets are sold and are said to enhance the glory of the Emperor's palace. The money effectively keeps their families going until the son completes his hair carpet. However there are stories of strange men who say that the empire has fallen and the Emperor is dead. This must be heresy mustn't it?
So starts the first story in this book. I found it was engaging and deceptively simple. The writing in this is very good - in passing kudos to the translator too as this can make or break a book. The stories are here are "woven" too and the more you read the more of the bigger picture you see. This widening of the viewpoint builds steadily. The setting appears to be a post apocalyptic one. The Empire and the Emperor are all encompassing - but are they really still there? And why does the Emperor really want all the hair carpets?
The narrative is non linear narrative which left me puzzled sometimes. Not all the stories were equally good for me either. Those that did though were very good. This really was quite unlike any other Sci-Fi books that I've read although I must confess it is a genre I only dip into from time to time. The Hair Carpet Weavers is an unusual book with a lyrical feel to the writing and the stories. This is not an action packed thriller - the brain is far more useful than ray guns! While I do not consider this one of the best books I've read I really enjoyed reading it. If you are looking for something a little different in Sci-Fi this rather strange book is well worth considering. 4.5/5
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
In full
There is a planet where fathers spend their lives making hair carpets. They only use the finest hair from their wives and daughters. Towards the end of their lives the carpets are sold and are said to enhance the glory of the Emperor's palace. The money effectively keeps their families going until the son completes his hair carpet. However there are stories of strange men who say that the empire has fallen and the Emperor is dead. This must be heresy mustn't it?
So starts the first story in this book. I found it was engaging and deceptively simple. The writing in this is very good - in passing kudos to the translator too as this can make or break a book. The stories are here are "woven" too and the more you read the more of the bigger picture you see. This widening of the viewpoint builds steadily. The setting appears to be a post apocalyptic one. The Empire and the Emperor are all encompassing - but are they really still there? And why does the Emperor really want all the hair carpets?
The narrative is non linear narrative which left me puzzled sometimes. Not all the stories were equally good for me either. Those that did though were very good. This really was quite unlike any other Sci-Fi books that I've read although I must confess it is a genre I only dip into from time to time. The Hair Carpet Weavers is an unusual book with a lyrical feel to the writing and the stories. This is not an action packed thriller - the brain is far more useful than ray guns! While I do not consider this one of the best books I've read I really enjoyed reading it. If you are looking for something a little different in Sci-Fi this rather strange book is well worth considering. 4.5/5
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
March 18, 2024
Audiorreseña detallada en mi podcast Gabinete de Curiosidades en el programa "Mis diez mejores novelas de 2023: https://go.ivoox.com/rf/122452942
Sinsentido existencial, absurdo nihilista, pesimismo, fatalismo... En efecto, esta novela solo podría haberla escrito un alemán luego de una buena dosis de barbitúricos y Kierkegaard.
En un imperio galáctico de proporciones... cósmicas, el emperador exige a un mundo periférico un tributo muy particular: alfombras. Pero no cualquier tipo de alfombras: alfombras tejidas con cabellos humanos, unas obras de artesanía tan exquisitas, delicadas y rigurosas que una única alfombra requiere de toda una vida de trabajo constante para cumplir los estándares imperiales. Así, en este mundo ha aparecido una casta de tejedores de alfombras dedicados única y exclusivamente a la confección de tan caprichoso adorno. Estos tejedores de alfombras cosechan el cabello de sus muchas mujeres y sus hijas, con la esperanza de zanjar la deuda que han contraído con sus padres, y que estos contrajeron así mismo con sus abuelos. El testigo pasará al primogénito e hijo único, que tendrá que iniciar su labor vital para mayor gloria del emperador ¿Qué ocurre si nace otro varón? Nada que no pueda resolverse con una sencillo ajuste matemático.
Esta es la premisa de Los tejedores de cabellos, una novela sobre imperios galácticos bastante atípica, no solo por su premisa sino también por su desarrollo. Es una novela que se compone de muchos relatos entrelazados; algunos ambientados en este planeta de tejedores y otros en la capital imperial u otros mundos; algunos contando episodios del presente y otros del pasado; algunos muy interesantes y de calidad excepcional y otros tan insulsos como prescindibles para la historia que se nos quiere contar.
La novela va de menos a más. Los primeros relatos no dejan de ser una introducción al universo creado por Eschbach, en los que el componente de ciencia ficción es casi inexistente. Si no fuera por la aparición de los mercaderes espaciales, estos cuentos podrían haberse ambientado en alguna zona desértica en un momento indeterminado de nuestra Tierra. Aún así, hay algunos cuentos que tienen mucha fuerza poética y, sobre todo, una despiadada carga filosófica de las que revuelven el estómago. Porque, en última instancia, Eschbach utiliza a estos tejedores, que han dedicado su vida a una tarea para satisfacer los caprichos de un soberano al que nunca han conocido, para hablar del absurdo de la existencia humana, los mecanismos del poder, la divinidad y el sentido -en este caso la falta de sentido- de la vida. Conforme la novela avanza y vamos conociendo más de la historia de este imperio y de este misterioso emperador más se refuerza este nihilismo, que estalla justo al llegar al final.
Porque esta novela no sería lo que es sin su final. De los que no se olvidan.
Sinsentido existencial, absurdo nihilista, pesimismo, fatalismo... En efecto, esta novela solo podría haberla escrito un alemán luego de una buena dosis de barbitúricos y Kierkegaard.
En un imperio galáctico de proporciones... cósmicas, el emperador exige a un mundo periférico un tributo muy particular: alfombras. Pero no cualquier tipo de alfombras: alfombras tejidas con cabellos humanos, unas obras de artesanía tan exquisitas, delicadas y rigurosas que una única alfombra requiere de toda una vida de trabajo constante para cumplir los estándares imperiales. Así, en este mundo ha aparecido una casta de tejedores de alfombras dedicados única y exclusivamente a la confección de tan caprichoso adorno. Estos tejedores de alfombras cosechan el cabello de sus muchas mujeres y sus hijas, con la esperanza de zanjar la deuda que han contraído con sus padres, y que estos contrajeron así mismo con sus abuelos. El testigo pasará al primogénito e hijo único, que tendrá que iniciar su labor vital para mayor gloria del emperador ¿Qué ocurre si nace otro varón? Nada que no pueda resolverse con una sencillo ajuste matemático.
Esta es la premisa de Los tejedores de cabellos, una novela sobre imperios galácticos bastante atípica, no solo por su premisa sino también por su desarrollo. Es una novela que se compone de muchos relatos entrelazados; algunos ambientados en este planeta de tejedores y otros en la capital imperial u otros mundos; algunos contando episodios del presente y otros del pasado; algunos muy interesantes y de calidad excepcional y otros tan insulsos como prescindibles para la historia que se nos quiere contar.
La novela va de menos a más. Los primeros relatos no dejan de ser una introducción al universo creado por Eschbach, en los que el componente de ciencia ficción es casi inexistente. Si no fuera por la aparición de los mercaderes espaciales, estos cuentos podrían haberse ambientado en alguna zona desértica en un momento indeterminado de nuestra Tierra. Aún así, hay algunos cuentos que tienen mucha fuerza poética y, sobre todo, una despiadada carga filosófica de las que revuelven el estómago. Porque, en última instancia, Eschbach utiliza a estos tejedores, que han dedicado su vida a una tarea para satisfacer los caprichos de un soberano al que nunca han conocido, para hablar del absurdo de la existencia humana, los mecanismos del poder, la divinidad y el sentido -en este caso la falta de sentido- de la vida. Conforme la novela avanza y vamos conociendo más de la historia de este imperio y de este misterioso emperador más se refuerza este nihilismo, que estalla justo al llegar al final.
Porque esta novela no sería lo que es sin su final. De los que no se olvidan.
March 27, 2016
Los tejedores de cabellos es una de esas historias donde lo importante es la trama y el mensaje que el autor nos quiere inculcar con ella.
Engancha bastante, sobre todo a partir de mitad del libro solo pensaba en descubrir el secreto que había detrás de las alfombras de cabellos.
La forma en que esta narrada es original. No hay un personaje protagonista como tal y en cada uno de los 17 capítulos disfrutaremos del punto de vista de 17 personajes distintos.
Con esto conseguimos una mayor amplitud de miras a la hora de de descubrir el universo que Andreas Eschbach quiere mostrarnos. Pero también sufrimos de unos altibajos en la narración que no siempre son agradables.
El final es el adecuado, aunque para mi gusto, la forma de narrarlo o más bien de llegar a él, quizás podría ser otra.
En definitiva, un buen libro de ciencia ficción que se lee en tres ratos y que seguro que si se le da una oportunidad terminará gustando hasta al más pintado.
Como en todas mis reseñas os dejo un enlace a mi blog por si queréis leer mi opinión de una forma algo más detallada.
http://fantasiascifiymuchomas.blogspo...
Engancha bastante, sobre todo a partir de mitad del libro solo pensaba en descubrir el secreto que había detrás de las alfombras de cabellos.
La forma en que esta narrada es original. No hay un personaje protagonista como tal y en cada uno de los 17 capítulos disfrutaremos del punto de vista de 17 personajes distintos.
Con esto conseguimos una mayor amplitud de miras a la hora de de descubrir el universo que Andreas Eschbach quiere mostrarnos. Pero también sufrimos de unos altibajos en la narración que no siempre son agradables.
El final es el adecuado, aunque para mi gusto, la forma de narrarlo o más bien de llegar a él, quizás podría ser otra.
En definitiva, un buen libro de ciencia ficción que se lee en tres ratos y que seguro que si se le da una oportunidad terminará gustando hasta al más pintado.
Como en todas mis reseñas os dejo un enlace a mi blog por si queréis leer mi opinión de una forma algo más detallada.
http://fantasiascifiymuchomas.blogspo...
October 18, 2015
No necesité más que echar un vistazo a la sinopsis para lanzarme de cabeza. Ciencia ficción viejuna y una historia que engancha más que los nudos de los tejedores de alfombras. Está contada en capítulos donde el protagonista siempre es distinto, aunque habrá personajes que enlacen las historias entre sí. En la primera parte sobre todo, tienes la impresión de estar leyendo las historias de Sherezade. Además el final es muy redondo y se lee en un momento. ¿Qué más se puede pedir?
P.D: Gracias a Sara por recomendármelo y a Cris por secundarlo xD
P.D: Gracias a Sara por recomendármelo y a Cris por secundarlo xD
June 18, 2012
The Carpet Makers is constructed like a carpet, weaving narratives together to tell a story that is at once immense in scope and driven by attention to the tiniest detail. Each chapter is a short story focusing on a different character. No perspective is repeated, but themes and characters recur, as seen through the eyes of others. Often we encounter a character several chapters before his or her significance becomes apparent. The end result is a book that is satisfying as a whole, with several stories that stand out on their own. I would have liked to see what happened to some of the characters left behind as the focus expanded, but I'm not sure I would have been satisfied with the answer, so maybe it's best left to my imagination.
July 11, 2016
The Carpet Makers (TCM) has both good quality: a good concept and a very good execution. The concept is epic and deep, the writing execution is resembling the carpet weaving in the story itself.
This book reminded me of Foundation, with different POV of each chapter and simple dialogues (no techies jargons).
This book reminded me of Foundation, with different POV of each chapter and simple dialogues (no techies jargons).
October 31, 2025
Me ha gustado bastante, me ha parecido original.
La prosa del autor ha sido muy buena, la verdad es que en cada historia relacionada con el imperio del emperador te sumerges sin problemas y cada historia va cobrando sentido a medida que llegas al final.
Valoración: 8/10
Sinopsis: Andreas Eschbach es uno de los descubrimientos de la ciencia-ficción europea, un auténtico best-seller, y ésta es su novela más popular. Una space opera colosal, éxito de ventas en Alemania, Francia e Italia, que narra una historia desmesurada de poder, traición y megalomanía, desde los humildes mundos de tejedores de alfombras de cabellos hasta los salones imperiales donde se traman las intrigas.
Una epopeya que abarca galaxias y miles de años de historia.
En un mundo semidesértico perdido en una galaxia olvidada, toda la vida gira en torno al hilado de alfombras de cabellos. Gracias al dinero que su padre antes que él obtuvo por la venta de un tapiz, cada tejedor abre su taller y elabora, a lo largo de toda su vida, una alfombra espléndida con los cabellos de sus esposas e hijas. Tras venderla para entregar a su vez el dinero a su único hijo, la alfombra se une a inmensas caravanas que convergen en el espaciopuerto, desde donde parten fastuosos bajeles estelares rumbo, dicen, al palacio del divino Emperador. Pero, ¿Cuál es el propósito que lleva al sacrificio de tantas vidas para elaborar alfombras de cabellos? ¿Y si fueran ciertos los rumores de que el Emperador ha sido derrocado?
Andreas Eschbach ha dibujado un fresco impresionante que sigue la pista del misterio de las alfombras de cabellos desde los mundos periféricos hasta la corte imperial y más allá. Los tejedores de cabellos, justamente famosa en Europa, ha obtenido el Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire y ha sido traducida al francés, italiano, polaco y checo.
"Con un estilo excelente y una narración soberbia, Eschbach cuenta una fábula moderna, una fábula espeluznante sobre el poder a escala universal que no se olvida una vez leída." -- Valerio Evangelisti en Galaxies
La prosa del autor ha sido muy buena, la verdad es que en cada historia relacionada con el imperio del emperador te sumerges sin problemas y cada historia va cobrando sentido a medida que llegas al final.
Valoración: 8/10
Sinopsis: Andreas Eschbach es uno de los descubrimientos de la ciencia-ficción europea, un auténtico best-seller, y ésta es su novela más popular. Una space opera colosal, éxito de ventas en Alemania, Francia e Italia, que narra una historia desmesurada de poder, traición y megalomanía, desde los humildes mundos de tejedores de alfombras de cabellos hasta los salones imperiales donde se traman las intrigas.
Una epopeya que abarca galaxias y miles de años de historia.
En un mundo semidesértico perdido en una galaxia olvidada, toda la vida gira en torno al hilado de alfombras de cabellos. Gracias al dinero que su padre antes que él obtuvo por la venta de un tapiz, cada tejedor abre su taller y elabora, a lo largo de toda su vida, una alfombra espléndida con los cabellos de sus esposas e hijas. Tras venderla para entregar a su vez el dinero a su único hijo, la alfombra se une a inmensas caravanas que convergen en el espaciopuerto, desde donde parten fastuosos bajeles estelares rumbo, dicen, al palacio del divino Emperador. Pero, ¿Cuál es el propósito que lleva al sacrificio de tantas vidas para elaborar alfombras de cabellos? ¿Y si fueran ciertos los rumores de que el Emperador ha sido derrocado?
Andreas Eschbach ha dibujado un fresco impresionante que sigue la pista del misterio de las alfombras de cabellos desde los mundos periféricos hasta la corte imperial y más allá. Los tejedores de cabellos, justamente famosa en Europa, ha obtenido el Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire y ha sido traducida al francés, italiano, polaco y checo.
"Con un estilo excelente y una narración soberbia, Eschbach cuenta una fábula moderna, una fábula espeluznante sobre el poder a escala universal que no se olvida una vez leída." -- Valerio Evangelisti en Galaxies
August 12, 2012
This book has to get five stars from me because it's the first book in quite a while that I would've stayed up late into the night to finish, even if I was exhausted. From the first chapter, it weaves a compelling mystery and builds a whole new world. The writing itself is beautiful; the translation is excellent, with no sense of a gap between me and the text, which I often do get with translations. I think I'm going to have to parcel it up and send it on a round of my friends to read.
I'm not actually saying it's flawless. The structure, however, keeps it strong: each chapter is a self-contained story, which adds a link in the chain to eventually get to the heart of the mystery. But once I got there, after all that build-up, it felt unsatisfying -- but that didn't take away from the power and mystery of the rest of the book. And the epilogue was another strong link in the chain, a perfect way to finish the story.
Usually, I'm interested in characters, in any given book. That's not the case here, and I didn't even feel a lack because of it. It's a totally bewildering, bewitching book..
I'm not actually saying it's flawless. The structure, however, keeps it strong: each chapter is a self-contained story, which adds a link in the chain to eventually get to the heart of the mystery. But once I got there, after all that build-up, it felt unsatisfying -- but that didn't take away from the power and mystery of the rest of the book. And the epilogue was another strong link in the chain, a perfect way to finish the story.
Usually, I'm interested in characters, in any given book. That's not the case here, and I didn't even feel a lack because of it. It's a totally bewildering, bewitching book..
October 14, 2025
Note finale : 3.5/5
Une fois de plus, ma note ne reflète pas la qualité du livre. La façon dont l'auteur parvient à décrire et peupler son univers de SF qui s'étend sur une galaxie et des centaines de milliers d'années, en changeant de personnages à chaque chapitre, est grandiose. C'est vraiment un très, très beau travail d'exposition. Alors évidemment, on se perd parfois un peu dans la chronologie, mais à la fin, tout prend un sens et la révélation du dernier chapitre est vertigineuse. Vraiment, c'est de l'excellent travail et (je pense, je ne lis pas assez pour être sûr de moi sur ce point) très original. Je pense que je le recommanderais très très fort aux amateurs de SF.
Mais deux choses : la première est très subjective. J'ai du mal à retenir les noms des personnages. Alors changer complètement de personnages chaque chapitre m'a épuisé. J'ai dû m'accrocher pour me rappeler qui était qui, qui faisait quoi, etc. Heureusement, ils sont bien caractérisés et l'histoire était intéressante, le style efficace, sinon j'aurais simplement abandonné. Parce que oui, je dis "changer de personnages chaque chapitre", c'est pas comme un Game of Thrones par exemple, qui alterne les points de vue, non non : sur 17 chapitres, on a 15 points de vue et une dizaine d'histoires différentes (avec un "jeu" de personnages secondaires différents dont certains reviennent). Y a même un chapitre (le 13, "Je te reverrai"), je ne vois pas ce qu'il fout dans le roman. Je n'ai pas compris comment il était rattaché au reste.
Mais surtout, le traitement des personnages féminins est catastrophique. Des épouses/mères et des concubines, à trois exceptions près : une marchande (Ubhika) qui se languit de la caresse d'un homme, une femme rousse qui fait partie des rebelles (Rhuna) et une archiviste blonde (Lamita) qui se languit de la caresse d'un homme. Y en a même une qui est l'objet d'un combat de coq dans le fameux chapitre 13. Ça m'a tellement gonflé et c'est tellement présent que c'est malheureusement l'une des impressions qui me restera le plus de ma lecture. Alors que je maintiens tout ce que j'ai dit dans le premier paragraphe.
Une fois de plus, ma note ne reflète pas la qualité du livre. La façon dont l'auteur parvient à décrire et peupler son univers de SF qui s'étend sur une galaxie et des centaines de milliers d'années, en changeant de personnages à chaque chapitre, est grandiose. C'est vraiment un très, très beau travail d'exposition. Alors évidemment, on se perd parfois un peu dans la chronologie, mais à la fin, tout prend un sens et la révélation du dernier chapitre est vertigineuse. Vraiment, c'est de l'excellent travail et (je pense, je ne lis pas assez pour être sûr de moi sur ce point) très original. Je pense que je le recommanderais très très fort aux amateurs de SF.
Mais deux choses : la première est très subjective. J'ai du mal à retenir les noms des personnages. Alors changer complètement de personnages chaque chapitre m'a épuisé. J'ai dû m'accrocher pour me rappeler qui était qui, qui faisait quoi, etc. Heureusement, ils sont bien caractérisés et l'histoire était intéressante, le style efficace, sinon j'aurais simplement abandonné. Parce que oui, je dis "changer de personnages chaque chapitre", c'est pas comme un Game of Thrones par exemple, qui alterne les points de vue, non non : sur 17 chapitres, on a 15 points de vue et une dizaine d'histoires différentes (avec un "jeu" de personnages secondaires différents dont certains reviennent). Y a même un chapitre (le 13, "Je te reverrai"), je ne vois pas ce qu'il fout dans le roman. Je n'ai pas compris comment il était rattaché au reste.
Mais surtout, le traitement des personnages féminins est catastrophique. Des épouses/mères et des concubines, à trois exceptions près : une marchande (Ubhika) qui se languit de la caresse d'un homme, une femme rousse qui fait partie des rebelles (Rhuna) et une archiviste blonde (Lamita) qui se languit de la caresse d'un homme. Y en a même une qui est l'objet d'un combat de coq dans le fameux chapitre 13. Ça m'a tellement gonflé et c'est tellement présent que c'est malheureusement l'une des impressions qui me restera le plus de ma lecture. Alors que je maintiens tout ce que j'ai dit dans le premier paragraphe.
June 12, 2008
The Carpet Makers is a well thought out, expansive sci-fi story that despite it's scope manages to deliver a simple morality tale about human nature during times of change.
It took me a few chapters to get used to the author's style. Each chapter seemed to start a new narrative, following a different group of characters, with few repeat appearances from previous characters or story-lines. The book could almost be read as a collection of short stories. A few chapters in I started to see the relationship between the (seemingly) disconnected narratives, and began to enjoy putting together the puzzle pieces, and unraveling the mystery.
Sci-fi fans who can appreciate a challenging mystery involving alien-worlds, an oppressive empire & brave rebellion, and a morality tale that touches the heart of human nature will definitely enjoy this book.
It took me a few chapters to get used to the author's style. Each chapter seemed to start a new narrative, following a different group of characters, with few repeat appearances from previous characters or story-lines. The book could almost be read as a collection of short stories. A few chapters in I started to see the relationship between the (seemingly) disconnected narratives, and began to enjoy putting together the puzzle pieces, and unraveling the mystery.
Sci-fi fans who can appreciate a challenging mystery involving alien-worlds, an oppressive empire & brave rebellion, and a morality tale that touches the heart of human nature will definitely enjoy this book.
September 4, 2018
This book is a set of intergalactic midiveal stories that offer scenarios without any judgements or preconceived notions. And in that process, it exposes many things we are too stubborn to let go, even with the aid of logic. Still, this can be either a stimulating read or a pointless discourse, depending on the cultural view point one approach it from. I was in the first strand, finding criticisms and philosophies in stories melancholy. And exercised myself in the process of making a science-y carpet out of book's many coloured stories.
Will recommend.
Will recommend.
August 7, 2016
Todo gira entorno al noble arte de hacer alfombras con cabello humano. ¿? .... y mucho más, y más, y más....
Increíble novela, no hay palabras para describir todas las sensaciones que he experimentado leyendo, pero cuidado si no dosificas se puede leer de un tirón. Sin duda para mí en el top ten de las mejores. Si eres amante de la cf no te la puedes perder.
Increíble novela, no hay palabras para describir todas las sensaciones que he experimentado leyendo, pero cuidado si no dosificas se puede leer de un tirón. Sin duda para mí en el top ten de las mejores. Si eres amante de la cf no te la puedes perder.
June 18, 2012
From the beginning I thought this had to do with and it does, but by the end I was thinking the story addressed and so much more.
The first chapter was originally written as a short story, and it’s a good short story. The entire story is interesting, and I love how it folds back over itself and how every chapter both stands on its own and is interconnected.
I love how, even though I got frustrated by many characters, I could see things from the point of view of each character. The various twists are fun.
I particularly love Piwano the triflutist, and his mentor.
I did get lost once or twice, but only temporarily. The main downside is I missed some of the earlier characters as I got to know new ones. It’s hard to become invested in a bunch of casts of characters, each one replacing the previous ones.
A couple of quotes I liked:
“It only becomes art if it touches other people.”
“But shame is like a wound that is never exposed and therefore never heals.”
This is a rather brilliant book, and I think it would make for a fascinating reread.
4 ½ stars
The first chapter was originally written as a short story, and it’s a good short story. The entire story is interesting, and I love how it folds back over itself and how every chapter both stands on its own and is interconnected.
I love how, even though I got frustrated by many characters, I could see things from the point of view of each character. The various twists are fun.
I particularly love Piwano the triflutist, and his mentor.
I did get lost once or twice, but only temporarily. The main downside is I missed some of the earlier characters as I got to know new ones. It’s hard to become invested in a bunch of casts of characters, each one replacing the previous ones.
A couple of quotes I liked:
“It only becomes art if it touches other people.”
“But shame is like a wound that is never exposed and therefore never heals.”
This is a rather brilliant book, and I think it would make for a fascinating reread.
4 ½ stars
April 23, 2020
Die Haarteppichknüpfer = The Carpet Makers :
Part collection of short stories, part polyphony novel, allowing points of view and changes of scale to come to the fore. This is an ambitious fantasy story... set in a full-swedge space opera scale... in a book of a few words, and a highly unusual read at that.
Matching soundtrack :
Soft Machine - Aubade & Taliesin's Tale
------------
Une forme entre recueil de nouvelles et roman polyphonique qui donne toute sa place à la multiplicité des points de vue et des échelles dans la construction d'un univers de space-opéra, dans un volume serré ! Une lecture très inhabituelle.
Correspondance Musicale :
Soft Machine - Aubade & Taliesin's Tale
Part collection of short stories, part polyphony novel, allowing points of view and changes of scale to come to the fore. This is an ambitious fantasy story... set in a full-swedge space opera scale... in a book of a few words, and a highly unusual read at that.
Matching soundtrack :
Soft Machine - Aubade & Taliesin's Tale
------------
Une forme entre recueil de nouvelles et roman polyphonique qui donne toute sa place à la multiplicité des points de vue et des échelles dans la construction d'un univers de space-opéra, dans un volume serré ! Une lecture très inhabituelle.
Correspondance Musicale :
Soft Machine - Aubade & Taliesin's Tale
August 21, 2020
Penguin has decided to bring back some 'science fiction classics', in a handsome new series (if rather oddly formatted - they're unusually small books, perhaps to make them fatter, as we're less used to the sensible length books were in the past). While this title is stretching that 'classics' label a tad (the book only dates back to 1995, and this translation is from 2005), The Hair-Carpet Weavers was certainly a great addition to the collection.
Andreas Eschbach builds a fascinatingly weird set up in an interplanetary empire that has lasted tens of thousands of years. On the featured planet, each craftsman spend his entire life weaving a single carpet from the hair of his wives and daughters. The book consists of 18 linked stories, which gradually fill in the big picture of what is, to begin with, a baffling and unlikely society. We start on that single planet, but by the end have take in the whole Empire and how and why it is changing.
The stories are beautifully written - although to begin with the way that each story is centred on a separate character makes the whole thing feel rather episodic, as the different aspects begin to tie together to form a whole new patterns emerge in what is a satisfying (if highly unlikely) conclusion.
There were a couple of issues. Ever since the days of Asimov there has been an awareness that an Empire stretching across vast distances and hundreds of planets would not be sensibly manageable - it seems very doubtful that it would survive as long as it has. And the handling of economics could be better - the decision the hair-carpet maker makes in the first story, dependent on the idea that he can only have one living son, who will get all the money from the father's carpet to start his own, doesn't really make any sense as the older son could simply leave and do something else, as there is clearly a much wider economy on the planet. But these are picky details.
I'm not sure why, but I expected to be underwhelmed by this book - hair-carpet weaving seemed such a silly, knit-your-own-yoghurt idea. But actually The Hair Carpet Weavers is excellent, both in the writing and the clever structuring. If it is not yet strictly a classic, it is certainly a classic in the making.
Andreas Eschbach builds a fascinatingly weird set up in an interplanetary empire that has lasted tens of thousands of years. On the featured planet, each craftsman spend his entire life weaving a single carpet from the hair of his wives and daughters. The book consists of 18 linked stories, which gradually fill in the big picture of what is, to begin with, a baffling and unlikely society. We start on that single planet, but by the end have take in the whole Empire and how and why it is changing.
The stories are beautifully written - although to begin with the way that each story is centred on a separate character makes the whole thing feel rather episodic, as the different aspects begin to tie together to form a whole new patterns emerge in what is a satisfying (if highly unlikely) conclusion.
There were a couple of issues. Ever since the days of Asimov there has been an awareness that an Empire stretching across vast distances and hundreds of planets would not be sensibly manageable - it seems very doubtful that it would survive as long as it has. And the handling of economics could be better - the decision the hair-carpet maker makes in the first story, dependent on the idea that he can only have one living son, who will get all the money from the father's carpet to start his own, doesn't really make any sense as the older son could simply leave and do something else, as there is clearly a much wider economy on the planet. But these are picky details.
I'm not sure why, but I expected to be underwhelmed by this book - hair-carpet weaving seemed such a silly, knit-your-own-yoghurt idea. But actually The Hair Carpet Weavers is excellent, both in the writing and the clever structuring. If it is not yet strictly a classic, it is certainly a classic in the making.
June 9, 2022
È la storia del tessitore di capelli. Se non l'avete ancora letta, non posso promettervi che l'amerete. Non posso neppure promettervi che vi piacerà. Posso solo fare una promessa: non la dimenticherete, mai.
scrive l'autore nella postfazione al romanzo, e sicuramente devo dargli ragione. Un libro veramente singolare e l'espressione che mi viene alla mente per descriverlo al meglio è: intreccio.
E' la tecnica che viene usata nella tessitura. Dall' intreccio al tessuto, passando per il filo.
E' la tecnica che viene usata dall'autore per raccontare questa storia. Dall'intreccio alla trama, passando per la scrittura.
Un'idea veramente originale che, purtroppo, non ho apprezzato appieno. Non sono amante dei racconti e questo sembra più una raccolta di storie collegate tra loro che un vero romanzo. Fino a circa un terzo mi sono chiesta come mai fosse un'opera di genere sci-fi, poi ho capito :-)
E da metà in poi mi sono abbastanza annoiata, tranne per l'ultimo capitolo che finalmente spiega la verità.
«Dunque, è questa la storia dei tappeti di capelli»
scrive l'autore nella postfazione al romanzo, e sicuramente devo dargli ragione. Un libro veramente singolare e l'espressione che mi viene alla mente per descriverlo al meglio è: intreccio.
E' la tecnica che viene usata nella tessitura. Dall' intreccio al tessuto, passando per il filo.
E' la tecnica che viene usata dall'autore per raccontare questa storia. Dall'intreccio alla trama, passando per la scrittura.
Un'idea veramente originale che, purtroppo, non ho apprezzato appieno. Non sono amante dei racconti e questo sembra più una raccolta di storie collegate tra loro che un vero romanzo. Fino a circa un terzo mi sono chiesta come mai fosse un'opera di genere sci-fi, poi ho capito :-)
E da metà in poi mi sono abbastanza annoiata, tranne per l'ultimo capitolo che finalmente spiega la verità.
«Dunque, è questa la storia dei tappeti di capelli»
August 13, 2017
Qué historia tan memorable. Salvo el estilo (normal pero nada destacable) todo es soberbio.
December 14, 2020
Quel dommage que le traitement déplorable des personnages féminins soit venu gâcher mon expérience.
Ce roman est un sacré exercice de style ! Très impressionnant, inventif et original.
Dommage.
Ce roman est un sacré exercice de style ! Très impressionnant, inventif et original.
Dommage.
August 24, 2021
This is a soft SF written as a series of linked stories by Andreas Eschbach, a SF author from Germany. I read it as a part of monthly reading for August 2021 at Speculative Fiction in Translation group.
The story starts in a strange world, which a reader initially cannot place: there is a carpet maker, his several wives and a son. The maker is already old and trembling, but he has to finish his work – a carpet from hair of his wives that will go to the Emperor’s palace, just like his father did before him and his son should do after him. However, his son, influenced from outside the house is unsure is there still the Emperor, and should he spend his whole life just like his father has done?
The stories like hairs in the carpet are linked with one another as readers see ever larger tapestry – the carpet makers and their traditions, carpet traders, tax collectors, ordinary folk whose labor support that trade and unordinary people who try to understand the whole mystery, for with all these carpets over generations there should be no place for them in the Emperor’s palace.
This is definitely an unusual story, alluding greatly to spiritual texts, which try to describe how a person can be so devoted that they leave problems of material world behind trying to reach a higher goal. There are almost no dialogues, the story is given as a wall of text, which can be a sign of German literature in general, for similar structure can be seen e.g. in Hermann Hesse works. Long paragraphs in no way mean boring, the story grabs and holds the reader.
The story starts in a strange world, which a reader initially cannot place: there is a carpet maker, his several wives and a son. The maker is already old and trembling, but he has to finish his work – a carpet from hair of his wives that will go to the Emperor’s palace, just like his father did before him and his son should do after him. However, his son, influenced from outside the house is unsure is there still the Emperor, and should he spend his whole life just like his father has done?
The stories like hairs in the carpet are linked with one another as readers see ever larger tapestry – the carpet makers and their traditions, carpet traders, tax collectors, ordinary folk whose labor support that trade and unordinary people who try to understand the whole mystery, for with all these carpets over generations there should be no place for them in the Emperor’s palace.
This is definitely an unusual story, alluding greatly to spiritual texts, which try to describe how a person can be so devoted that they leave problems of material world behind trying to reach a higher goal. There are almost no dialogues, the story is given as a wall of text, which can be a sign of German literature in general, for similar structure can be seen e.g. in Hermann Hesse works. Long paragraphs in no way mean boring, the story grabs and holds the reader.
September 26, 2010
This is the sort of science fiction that's perfect to hand to someone who says they never read science fiction -- sure, it's set in the future, and there are space ships, and we visit a couple of different planets in a vast interstellar empire, but that's ultimately just a slightly-more-exotic-than-usual setting for a story about some very human people whose lives touch because they each in some way illuminate the central mystery.
Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, and within the 10-15 pages devoted to that character Eschbach is able to give the reader a strong sense of who that character is and what his/her life is like -- and most of those lives are hard, and filled with tragedies large and small. Whether it is Eschbach's doing or the translator's, the prose is imbued with a sense of distance that makes those tragedies bearable -- and were it not for that sense of distance I would have had to put the book down several times to cry. But the book isn't about those tragedies; each one is presented not for pathos but because it gives the reader (and soon, some of the characters) clues about the purpose behind the hair carpets.
As we delve deeper into the mystery the plotting becomes more complex and the scope widens -- we begin to sense the vast sweeps of history and the passions behind them. The book does lose a little of its focus in a couple chapters -- three of the perspectives ended up almost totally extraneous to the final resolution. But the resolution itself is horrifying, and all the more potent because of the dryness of the narration. This is a book that lingers long past the final page, and one which feels far richer than 300 pages has a right to be. I am immensely glad that it was translated into English.
Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, and within the 10-15 pages devoted to that character Eschbach is able to give the reader a strong sense of who that character is and what his/her life is like -- and most of those lives are hard, and filled with tragedies large and small. Whether it is Eschbach's doing or the translator's, the prose is imbued with a sense of distance that makes those tragedies bearable -- and were it not for that sense of distance I would have had to put the book down several times to cry. But the book isn't about those tragedies; each one is presented not for pathos but because it gives the reader (and soon, some of the characters) clues about the purpose behind the hair carpets.
As we delve deeper into the mystery the plotting becomes more complex and the scope widens -- we begin to sense the vast sweeps of history and the passions behind them. The book does lose a little of its focus in a couple chapters -- three of the perspectives ended up almost totally extraneous to the final resolution. But the resolution itself is horrifying, and all the more potent because of the dryness of the narration. This is a book that lingers long past the final page, and one which feels far richer than 300 pages has a right to be. I am immensely glad that it was translated into English.
August 6, 2018
The idea of carpet makers weaving carpets out of their wives’ and daughters’ hair might seem an odd premise for a science fiction novel, but it turns out to be the foundation for an incredibly fascinating story, and one which heads in intriguing and thought-provoking directions that I personally didn’t see coming.
The brilliant thing about this book is the thread of mystery and secrecy that runs throughout the whole thing. You are constantly asking yourself one key question (as are the characters), and you get tantalisingly closer and closer to the truth until you finally learn it in its entirety. On the way you meet many unique characters, and although I’m usually a reader who prefers a small cast, each of these glimpses into a new life and situation was so compelling and bound up with the one great mystery that I really enjoyed them. In fact, I think the constantly expanding scope and shifting perspective was one of the things that made this novel so good.
Despite being a work of science fiction, this definitely had a fairy tale or ancient fable quality to it. It was also beautifully written - many of the scenes were so vivid and wonder-evoking that I felt quite spell bound by them. The story did explore heavy themes relating to power and propaganda and belief, and wasn't short on tragedy... and yet I didn’t find it depressing or heavy-handed.
I listened to the audiobook in the original German (and it was so absorbing I sometimes forgot I wasn't listening in English, despite German being a second language for me), but it’s available in translation as well (with the title 'The Carpet Makers').
A really unique and surprisingly addictive read – definitely one of my reading highlights of the year!
The brilliant thing about this book is the thread of mystery and secrecy that runs throughout the whole thing. You are constantly asking yourself one key question (as are the characters), and you get tantalisingly closer and closer to the truth until you finally learn it in its entirety. On the way you meet many unique characters, and although I’m usually a reader who prefers a small cast, each of these glimpses into a new life and situation was so compelling and bound up with the one great mystery that I really enjoyed them. In fact, I think the constantly expanding scope and shifting perspective was one of the things that made this novel so good.
Despite being a work of science fiction, this definitely had a fairy tale or ancient fable quality to it. It was also beautifully written - many of the scenes were so vivid and wonder-evoking that I felt quite spell bound by them. The story did explore heavy themes relating to power and propaganda and belief, and wasn't short on tragedy... and yet I didn’t find it depressing or heavy-handed.
I listened to the audiobook in the original German (and it was so absorbing I sometimes forgot I wasn't listening in English, despite German being a second language for me), but it’s available in translation as well (with the title 'The Carpet Makers').
A really unique and surprisingly addictive read – definitely one of my reading highlights of the year!
April 4, 2024
Spoiler:
Es ging die ganze Zeit um Rache. Das war es. Mehr steckt nicht dahinter.
Die Rache kleingeistiger Despoten.
Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf.
Falls das die Kernaussage der Geschichte sein sollte, bräuchte der Leser aber eine Gebrauchsanweisung.
Ich habe mir das lediglich zusammengereimt.
Denn irgendeinen Sinn muss das alles doch haben, dieses Gewurstel von Einzelschicksalen.
Frustrierend hierbei ist, dass man/ich relativ schnell das grobe Gerüst der Geschichte erkennt.
•Hier brauchte niemand diese Teppiche.
•Sie waren eine Pflicht, eine Art Strafe, die Menschen reglementiert.
•Wir kennen das aus Bußen, die Gläubige ableisten müssen, simple Strafarbeiten.
•Bei wem die Bevölkerung Abbitte leisten mussten, war klar. Dem Kaiser.
•Aber warum?
•Eigentlich ist das egal. Ein Akt der Willkür. Um das Volk zu knechten.
Zum Schluss wird es uns erzählt.
Rache.
Wie trivial.
Wie öde und langweilig.
Ach ja, wie notierte ich während eines Leseupdates? Das ist Star Trek in richtig, richtig schlecht!
Es ging die ganze Zeit um Rache. Das war es. Mehr steckt nicht dahinter.
Die Rache kleingeistiger Despoten.
Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf.
Falls das die Kernaussage der Geschichte sein sollte, bräuchte der Leser aber eine Gebrauchsanweisung.
Ich habe mir das lediglich zusammengereimt.
Denn irgendeinen Sinn muss das alles doch haben, dieses Gewurstel von Einzelschicksalen.
Frustrierend hierbei ist, dass man/ich relativ schnell das grobe Gerüst der Geschichte erkennt.
•Hier brauchte niemand diese Teppiche.
•Sie waren eine Pflicht, eine Art Strafe, die Menschen reglementiert.
•Wir kennen das aus Bußen, die Gläubige ableisten müssen, simple Strafarbeiten.
•Bei wem die Bevölkerung Abbitte leisten mussten, war klar. Dem Kaiser.
•Aber warum?
•Eigentlich ist das egal. Ein Akt der Willkür. Um das Volk zu knechten.
Zum Schluss wird es uns erzählt.
Rache.
Wie trivial.
Wie öde und langweilig.
Ach ja, wie notierte ich während eines Leseupdates? Das ist Star Trek in richtig, richtig schlecht!
January 2, 2015
At first this seems like a simple, but unusual, story of a planet whose whole purpose is the creation of carpets made of hair to sell for their Emperor-God. The carpets are made from the hair of the carpet makers wives and daughters and will take their entire life to create just one. As the story unfolds you gradually learn all is not as it seems and something quite sinister is happening.
This was a mesmerising tale which kept me glued to the pages so much I read the whole book in a couple hours. I just had to know what the truth was and I have to say I didn't see it coming. The twist was pulled off superbly.
There were some negatives though. The way the book was told was very disjointed and often jarring and disorientating from one chapter to the next. You'd never know how much time, if any, had passed until later on. I also felt there were a few plot lines that were never resolved. They just disappeared.
Overall though this was a great book. I highly recommend it.
This was a mesmerising tale which kept me glued to the pages so much I read the whole book in a couple hours. I just had to know what the truth was and I have to say I didn't see it coming. The twist was pulled off superbly.
There were some negatives though. The way the book was told was very disjointed and often jarring and disorientating from one chapter to the next. You'd never know how much time, if any, had passed until later on. I also felt there were a few plot lines that were never resolved. They just disappeared.
Overall though this was a great book. I highly recommend it.
March 26, 2019
Read the German original.
This book is genius! A mosaic novel with flawless execution. Like the tracking shot from microbe to planet, the stories start with a limited POV on a remote world and zoom out till they encompass the whole galaxy. It starts and ends with a cranky haircarpet weaver and inbetween we get to know the fates of many different characters on many different worlds. All of them single knots in the fabric of the larger carpet.
The different POVs from chapter to chapter don't allow connection to any of the protagonist. But this book is not about the people, it is about the story, and in this it is an intricately woven masterpiece!
All the stars!
This book is genius! A mosaic novel with flawless execution. Like the tracking shot from microbe to planet, the stories start with a limited POV on a remote world and zoom out till they encompass the whole galaxy. It starts and ends with a cranky haircarpet weaver and inbetween we get to know the fates of many different characters on many different worlds. All of them single knots in the fabric of the larger carpet.
The different POVs from chapter to chapter don't allow connection to any of the protagonist. But this book is not about the people, it is about the story, and in this it is an intricately woven masterpiece!
All the stars!
April 28, 2025
Menuda gozada de lectura. Una absoluta obra maestra. Qué ganas tenía de que apareciera en mi vida un nuevo libro favorito 💜
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