Glasshouse
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Product Description
Review
The sheer brio of invention and intellectual energy propel the reader towards a satisfying climax (GUARDIAN )
Stross's best book yet. Pick it up and discover it for yourself' (SFX (5 stars) )
A genuinely unmissable page-turner . . . A genuine triumph of a tale that you can never quite tie down ((Five stars) STARBURST )
Stross's enthralling blend of action, extrapolation and analysis delivers surprise after surprise'' KIRKUS REVIEWS 'Stross is an author who anyone interested in SF should read and relish' SFX 'Darkly funny and crackling with high-bandwidth ideas' PAUL Mc
Stross's best book yet. Pick it up and discover it for yourself' (SFX (5 stars) )
A genuinely unmissable page-turner . . . A genuine triumph of a tale that you can never quite tie down ((Five stars) STARBURST )
Stross's enthralling blend of action, extrapolation and analysis delivers surprise after surprise'' KIRKUS REVIEWS 'Stross is an author who anyone interested in SF should read and relish' SFX 'Darkly funny and crackling with high-bandwidth ideas' PAUL Mc
Book Description
GLASSHOUSE is a far-future helter-skelter ride through an experimental archaeology project gone horribly wrong.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent book. Yes you get the clever posthuman stuff, identity, politics, society and everything but the story here is just great. Characters to care about don't hurt and an insight into how future historians might view 1950 to 2000 really makes you think and provides a few laughs too. This is the author's best book to date and that's saying something.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed Singularity Sky and its sequel, and admired Accelerando for its brave attempt to describe the transition of humanity through the technological singularity, but I really feel that this is Stross's finest book so far.
I say this not only because of his excellent and original depiction of a far-future society, but also because of the rich storyline and characters, which will be enjoyed even by those who do not consider themselves hard sci-fi junkies.
The plot could be described as a futuristic retelling of The Stepford Wives, rewritten as a contemporary science fiction novel instead of a 70's schlock horror story.
I say this not only because of his excellent and original depiction of a far-future society, but also because of the rich storyline and characters, which will be enjoyed even by those who do not consider themselves hard sci-fi junkies.
The plot could be described as a futuristic retelling of The Stepford Wives, rewritten as a contemporary science fiction novel instead of a 70's schlock horror story.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
It is the 27th century. Urth is now legend, all have fled it, fleeing not only from a series of holocausts, but from their own horrific memories. Some will go as far as having a mind wipe...so that they might sleep again at night. Some will have no choice...
The result: billions living in artificial environments, undergoing psycho-therapy. It is a time of highly advanced technologies, where death is not always the end...alas...
The Glasshouse was once a prison. Robin, not knowing this, willing signs up to a programme that aimed to recreate life in the 20th century onwards. They are forced to take wives, attend church, etc--all in bodies, even sexes, not of their own, and with no memory of ever signing up. It soon becomes apparent that they are there for the long haul, with no way out, and the will to escape being gradually destroyed in cruelly psychological ways.
Wow. It has been said that reading Charles Stross' work is like being trapped in an ideas factory without a helmet. This is certainly true!
The first twenty or so pages were a bit slow and laden with too much technical information, but, the pace soon picked up, and the premise was certainly very interesting. I rarely read a book this though-provoking.
As well as the simple tale of the struggle of human life and, basically, a kidnapping where psychology is used against it's test subjects to create a realistic 'dark ages' environment (20th century onwards!) this book is also a potent comment on a vast array of subjects. In Glasshouse, Charles Stross talks of the severe danger we face from information loss, the dangers of immortality, and even advanced technology--somehow managing to make all this crucial to the story and page-turning!
I also felt it was rather clever while he was doing all this, that the characters were looking back on the 'dark ages' and wondering how we could have coped at all with things that the reader finds perfectly normal. Such as cooking food, and books made from paper...
There was never any pretence that this book was going to be at all humorous, but, although deeply disturbing in places (and sometimes, just downright weird!), this book is definitely gripping and fun to read.
There are some great lines, too: Now let's go upstairs. We've got a library to open before we can overthrow the government..
An excellent SF book but make sure you have your 'thinking head' on when you read it! I look forward to reading more of Charles Stross' work :) 8 out of 10.
For more fantasy/SF reviews, regular amazing competitions, and author interviews, visit: www.thebookswede.blogspot.com
The result: billions living in artificial environments, undergoing psycho-therapy. It is a time of highly advanced technologies, where death is not always the end...alas...
The Glasshouse was once a prison. Robin, not knowing this, willing signs up to a programme that aimed to recreate life in the 20th century onwards. They are forced to take wives, attend church, etc--all in bodies, even sexes, not of their own, and with no memory of ever signing up. It soon becomes apparent that they are there for the long haul, with no way out, and the will to escape being gradually destroyed in cruelly psychological ways.
Wow. It has been said that reading Charles Stross' work is like being trapped in an ideas factory without a helmet. This is certainly true!
The first twenty or so pages were a bit slow and laden with too much technical information, but, the pace soon picked up, and the premise was certainly very interesting. I rarely read a book this though-provoking.
As well as the simple tale of the struggle of human life and, basically, a kidnapping where psychology is used against it's test subjects to create a realistic 'dark ages' environment (20th century onwards!) this book is also a potent comment on a vast array of subjects. In Glasshouse, Charles Stross talks of the severe danger we face from information loss, the dangers of immortality, and even advanced technology--somehow managing to make all this crucial to the story and page-turning!
I also felt it was rather clever while he was doing all this, that the characters were looking back on the 'dark ages' and wondering how we could have coped at all with things that the reader finds perfectly normal. Such as cooking food, and books made from paper...
There was never any pretence that this book was going to be at all humorous, but, although deeply disturbing in places (and sometimes, just downright weird!), this book is definitely gripping and fun to read.
There are some great lines, too: Now let's go upstairs. We've got a library to open before we can overthrow the government..
An excellent SF book but make sure you have your 'thinking head' on when you read it! I look forward to reading more of Charles Stross' work :) 8 out of 10.
For more fantasy/SF reviews, regular amazing competitions, and author interviews, visit: www.thebookswede.blogspot.com
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
...Yesterday's high crime leads to todays medical treatment...
It is the 27th century and humans are now simulations of themselves and virtually indestructible as long as you remember that a back-up self is advisable. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Eileen Shaw
Everything scifi should be
Of all the Charles Stross novels this is my favourite.
It does more than just give you a great alternate universe with great ideas (although it does this in spades)
It... Read more
It does more than just give you a great alternate universe with great ideas (although it does this in spades)
It... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Jack Webster
Interesting
Glasshouse continues very loosely the world that Accelerando started (both books are written as stand alone books but share some of the same concepts) and is written the classic... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2009 by Jalepe
crazy rollercoaster mindtwisting stuff
It is the 27th century and Robin is recovering from a voluntary memory removal procedure. Human society is now multi-stellar with space-habitats, planets and vast ships connected... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2008 by Rod Williams
People as data
we're used to having firewalls and anti-virus software for our PCs to protect us when we're sending emails etc. Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2008 by Tony P
Poor show from a decent author
I should preface this by saying that I usually rate this author. Not one of my favourites, but generally a good read and worth buying more of. However... Read more
Published on 10 April 2008 by Clavain
I want my time back!
I want the time I wasted on this book, back! The story starts pretty good, but then halfway through we end up in a simulated world resembling the 1950's. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2007 by Jan-Henrik Haukeland
Gripping and Human, well, Posthuman anyway
Charles Stross is just about the best SF author writing today for ideas, originality and for sheer cracking storylines. Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2007 by S. J. Horgan
Great Concept, Badly Delivered
Like other reviewers this is my first book of this author. I cannot really comment on writing style as if you look at William Gibson's Neuromancer epic, it could have been written... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2007 by Ad Leaton
His best so far
Much better plotted than Singularity Sky and his other recent novels. Very readable and engaging.
Published on 20 Jun 2007 by able baker
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