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Tourists: A Novel
The 1993 American Book Award-winning author of The Red Magician presents another spellbinding tale. In a faraway land called Amaz, a family whose ordinary appearance masks hidden conflicts discovers things that change them forever. "One of the great American novels of the 1980s."--Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
239 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
25 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Goldstein
99 books101 followersAka Isabel Glass.
Lisa Goldstein (b. November 21, 1953 in Los Angeles) is a Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Award nominated fantasy and science fiction writer. Her 1982 novel The Red Magician won the American Book Award for best paperback novel, and was praised by Philip K. Dick shortly before his death. Goldstein writes science fiction and fantasy; her two novels Daughter of Exile and The Divided Crown are considered literary fantasy.
Elizabeth Joy "Lisa" Goldstein's father was Heinz Jurgen "Harry" Goldstein (b. June 08, 1922 in Krefeld, Germany; d. May 24, 1974 in Los Angeles), a survivor of concentration camp Bergen-Belsen; her mother, Miriam Roth, was born in Czechoslovakia and survived the extermination camp Auschwitz. Her parents came to the United States in 1947 and met in an ESL class.
She has published two fantasy novels under the pen name Isabel Glass. She chose to use a pseudonym to separate the novels from her other work. The "Isabel" is from Point Isabel, a dog park, and "Glass" was chosen because it fits Tor's requirements for pseudonyms.
With her husband since 1986, Douglas A. "Doug" Asherman, she lives in Oakland, California.
Lisa Goldstein (b. November 21, 1953 in Los Angeles) is a Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Award nominated fantasy and science fiction writer. Her 1982 novel The Red Magician won the American Book Award for best paperback novel, and was praised by Philip K. Dick shortly before his death. Goldstein writes science fiction and fantasy; her two novels Daughter of Exile and The Divided Crown are considered literary fantasy.
Elizabeth Joy "Lisa" Goldstein's father was Heinz Jurgen "Harry" Goldstein (b. June 08, 1922 in Krefeld, Germany; d. May 24, 1974 in Los Angeles), a survivor of concentration camp Bergen-Belsen; her mother, Miriam Roth, was born in Czechoslovakia and survived the extermination camp Auschwitz. Her parents came to the United States in 1947 and met in an ESL class.
She has published two fantasy novels under the pen name Isabel Glass. She chose to use a pseudonym to separate the novels from her other work. The "Isabel" is from Point Isabel, a dog park, and "Glass" was chosen because it fits Tor's requirements for pseudonyms.
With her husband since 1986, Douglas A. "Doug" Asherman, she lives in Oakland, California.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 30, 2014
This book read like a rough draft: one-dimensional characters with inconsistent behavior; unfinished or irrelevant diversions from the main story; awkward, canned dialogue; a misguided premise.
First of all, the characters are unlikeable and in some cases superfluous. They are so vaguely outlined, and the personality traits ascribed to them so loosely adhered to, that it is difficult to form a firm picture of them. Additionally, they mostly seem inept and emotionless. For example, the father, a researcher of . . . or an archeologist (?--we aren't sure because sometimes he is studying texts and sometimes he is protesting that his days of looking for ancient artifacts have passed), visits a country that he has failed to find information about, including details even the most hapless tourists seek: whether an embassy exists, what the religious and other cultural norms are, if it's safe for his family, etc. The university he is visiting seems to comprise a solitary academic who is sinister, dismissive, kind, and determined at turns. Furthermore, when both daughters are in trouble, the parents are utterly unconcerned--rather, they voice their concerns, but their passivity make those concerns sound hollow. Most of the characters are cartoonishly portrayed and not differentiated in their speech or their reactions to stimuli.
The premise of the story is hard to swallow. The title of the book is Tourists--the visiting family are foreigners to the country where the story takes place, but they aren't tourists. Painfully, they aren't even portrayed as inept tourist-like personalities who blunder into another culture, stepping on toes and making a nuisance of themselves. More generally, they are inept at life, taking for granted what requires a great stretch of the imagination to believe. For example, during political crises, they are more concerned about getting out of the country than they are reuniting their family, and they take as gospel what a waitress at a McDonald's tells them about the situation. They do a lot of sitting around waiting for events to happen.
In the end, it's difficult to care about the characters or their quest. While some ideas in the book were intriguing, they required more development to feel satisfying.
First of all, the characters are unlikeable and in some cases superfluous. They are so vaguely outlined, and the personality traits ascribed to them so loosely adhered to, that it is difficult to form a firm picture of them. Additionally, they mostly seem inept and emotionless. For example, the father, a researcher of . . . or an archeologist (?--we aren't sure because sometimes he is studying texts and sometimes he is protesting that his days of looking for ancient artifacts have passed), visits a country that he has failed to find information about, including details even the most hapless tourists seek: whether an embassy exists, what the religious and other cultural norms are, if it's safe for his family, etc. The university he is visiting seems to comprise a solitary academic who is sinister, dismissive, kind, and determined at turns. Furthermore, when both daughters are in trouble, the parents are utterly unconcerned--rather, they voice their concerns, but their passivity make those concerns sound hollow. Most of the characters are cartoonishly portrayed and not differentiated in their speech or their reactions to stimuli.
The premise of the story is hard to swallow. The title of the book is Tourists--the visiting family are foreigners to the country where the story takes place, but they aren't tourists. Painfully, they aren't even portrayed as inept tourist-like personalities who blunder into another culture, stepping on toes and making a nuisance of themselves. More generally, they are inept at life, taking for granted what requires a great stretch of the imagination to believe. For example, during political crises, they are more concerned about getting out of the country than they are reuniting their family, and they take as gospel what a waitress at a McDonald's tells them about the situation. They do a lot of sitting around waiting for events to happen.
In the end, it's difficult to care about the characters or their quest. While some ideas in the book were intriguing, they required more development to feel satisfying.
March 21, 2017
I found this book completely un-put downable, even as I thought, wtf? The plot structure takes interesting risks that sort of succeed in terms of getting from point A to Z, but it really hangs together because of voice, mood, character, especially Claire and Casey. The fictional foreign country is plagued by Orientalism but mostly also, like the plot structure, does its job.
August 19, 2010
Can you imagine being a tourist in a fantasy realm? I haven't read enough Lisa Goldstein - she writes like a poet.
January 17, 2018
Un des pire romans que j'ai pu lire cette année, de très loin. Une espèce de ramassis colonialiste bourrés de préjugés sur un pays imaginaire "exotique" où une famille d'Américain·es un père et ses deux filles (dont une qui se retire dans son monde imaginaire et dont le père ne cache jamais son mépris pour elle), s'adonne à être les seul·es vrai·es héro·ïnes de l'histoire. La mère est aussi alcoolique (et c'est son seul rôle dans l'histoire, être saoule et .
En résumé, le père est à la recherche d'une épée légendaire dans le cadre de ses recherches universitaires et finit par la trouver (grâce à ses filles notamment) et finira par la donner à une université pour l'exposer dans un musée parce qu'il ne faudrait surtout pas que les deux clans qui se battaient pour l'avoir depuis des siècles ne l'aient parce que ce sont des barbares stupides.
Les intrigues sont nulles, , une des filles américaines est dès le départ présentée comme une espèce de white saviour mystique pour la population locale, les personnages sont caricaturés et frôlant le racisme régulièrement (incluant une grosse mère de douze enfants qu'on surnomme "Mama" , un dictateur qui prend le contrôle du pays (et que la population supporte sans problème de manière ignorante et béate), etc. etc.
J'ai vraiment peine à croire que ce roman a été publié et traduit (à deux reprises!) en français. Ce n'est même pas bien écrit! (peut-être faut-il accuser la traduction pour ça par exemple)
Un roman de fantasy à éviter à tout prix.
En résumé, le père est à la recherche d'une épée légendaire dans le cadre de ses recherches universitaires et finit par la trouver (grâce à ses filles notamment) et finira par la donner à une université pour l'exposer dans un musée parce qu'il ne faudrait surtout pas que les deux clans qui se battaient pour l'avoir depuis des siècles ne l'aient parce que ce sont des barbares stupides.
Les intrigues sont nulles, , une des filles américaines est dès le départ présentée comme une espèce de white saviour mystique pour la population locale, les personnages sont caricaturés et frôlant le racisme régulièrement (incluant une grosse mère de douze enfants qu'on surnomme "Mama" , un dictateur qui prend le contrôle du pays (et que la population supporte sans problème de manière ignorante et béate), etc. etc.
J'ai vraiment peine à croire que ce roman a été publié et traduit (à deux reprises!) en français. Ce n'est même pas bien écrit! (peut-être faut-il accuser la traduction pour ça par exemple)
Un roman de fantasy à éviter à tout prix.
June 6, 2017
One of those books where the premise intrigued me, I downloaded it free or cheap, and then suck it into my "Haven't Read" folder on my Kindle. I chose it at random last week to be the next book I read and I had difficulty putting it down.
The mood is established right from the start; foreigners in a foreign land. Mysticism and puzzles surround them. Difficulties with each character lend to the 'out of the realm of normal' feel to this.
There are errors-most common was the replacement of the words angle or angles with the name Angie, who happens to be a character in the book. Could do with a bit of editing and polish.
The end is wrapped up, but not in a pretty bow. There are still issues and some questions left unanswered. Some plot devices were thrown in to help carry the story forward and I felt they could be fleshed out better to lend a bit more depth.
Still, I don't feel my time was wasted and I was entertained. I'd seek out more from this author.
The mood is established right from the start; foreigners in a foreign land. Mysticism and puzzles surround them. Difficulties with each character lend to the 'out of the realm of normal' feel to this.
There are errors-most common was the replacement of the words angle or angles with the name Angie, who happens to be a character in the book. Could do with a bit of editing and polish.
The end is wrapped up, but not in a pretty bow. There are still issues and some questions left unanswered. Some plot devices were thrown in to help carry the story forward and I felt they could be fleshed out better to lend a bit more depth.
Still, I don't feel my time was wasted and I was entertained. I'd seek out more from this author.
July 24, 2023
An annoying, strange, and intriguing story
Having just finished reading this book, I really don’t know what to think of it.
On the one hand, it’s slow and boring, and seems like it was devised by someone high on drugs. Also, dysfunction abounds to the point of absurdity.
On the other hand, it’s compelling and different and interesting. The plot is bizarre enough to be intriguing in the same way that, say, China Miéville’s writing is.
I’m not sure if the good stuff was worth slogging through the bad stuff. I think it’s a solid 3½ stars but am rounding up because of its compelling uniqueness. I give it 4/5 stars.
Having just finished reading this book, I really don’t know what to think of it.
On the one hand, it’s slow and boring, and seems like it was devised by someone high on drugs. Also, dysfunction abounds to the point of absurdity.
On the other hand, it’s compelling and different and interesting. The plot is bizarre enough to be intriguing in the same way that, say, China Miéville’s writing is.
I’m not sure if the good stuff was worth slogging through the bad stuff. I think it’s a solid 3½ stars but am rounding up because of its compelling uniqueness. I give it 4/5 stars.
June 4, 2017
This was a very strange book about a disfunctional family that moves to a small country so the father can research the authenticity of a manuscript he has been writing about. He likes armchair research but finds himself following a native looking for the sacred sword. One daughter withdraws into her fantasy world. The other goes out exploring. The wife catches taxis to places she needs to go, instead of wants to go. This is not "One Hundred Years of Solitude" but kept me off balance through the book like "One Hundred Years" did.
December 18, 2017
Not as dreamy as you'd think
The Kindle synopsis of this book was intriguing so I bought it. However during my reading of it was as if I was being dragged along with the story rather than being engaged by it. I won't read another book by this author.
The Kindle version also has several typos and a few minor errors not caught by the editor.
The Kindle synopsis of this book was intriguing so I bought it. However during my reading of it was as if I was being dragged along with the story rather than being engaged by it. I won't read another book by this author.
The Kindle version also has several typos and a few minor errors not caught by the editor.
February 23, 2023
*Read as part of the "Masterpieces The Best Science Fiction of the Twentieth Century" by Orson Scott Card*
Magical realism that feels neither magic nor real! Pass. Interesting concept, but how interesting could it be if it put me to sleep?
Magical realism that feels neither magic nor real! Pass. Interesting concept, but how interesting could it be if it put me to sleep?
November 4, 2017
Goldstein know the secret of good fantasy fiction: the best fantasy blends with reality to create a third dimension. This is a magical book.
April 14, 2025
Loved the potential of the world that was getting built, but couldn't handle the dysfunctional family element, especially the father's dislike of his possibly neuro-divergent daughter.
December 14, 2025
Interesting
An interesting book. Coincidence afer councidience. A strange puzzle and fantasy book. I really, really, really liked this book a lot!
An interesting book. Coincidence afer councidience. A strange puzzle and fantasy book. I really, really, really liked this book a lot!
May 19, 2008
An excellent tale of magical realism. Because of the point-of-view (precocious teenage girl), bit of it seem juvenile, but there is a very genuine sense of wonder implicit the author imparts to the story as it unfolds.
October 23, 2013
I usually hate fantasies that are really mainstream novels with "just enough" fantasy to qualify. Goldstein, however, made this one work as a dysfunctional family moves to a Middle Eastern nation, gets embroiled in a war between two ancient sects and discovers some decidedly strange goings-on.
April 3, 2007
Enjoyable enough - the characters a bit flat, and about two-thirds of the way you see where its all going, and its nowhere that original, but charming enough.
April 12, 2008
This was a very creative adventure that I would highly recommend for anyone.
October 31, 2010
I love these types of books. Nothing much happens in some ways, a lot in others. Almost dreamlike in the way that nothing is explained.
April 14, 2013
Read 2004, so a bit vague in my memory. Dreamy, gentle book with interesting ideas. It didn't blow my socks away, but I remember I enjoyed it very much.
September 8, 2016
An interesting tale in the genre of magic realism. I thought it would turn out more like Indiana Jones, but instead it turned out more like Italo Calvino. Anxious to read her other books now.
April 12, 2016
One character. Well done. He was on Cheers, Norm
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews