- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Eos; New title edition (Feb 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0060753870
- ISBN-13: 978-0060753870
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13.5 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,150,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Year of Our War (Gollancz S.F.)
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Review
'An enjoyable piece of 'weird' fiction' (Andrew Osmond DREAMWATCH )
'A joy to read, it is bursting at the seams with ideas. The Year of Our War is the first book that makes you believe New Weird actually is a movement, rather than a bunch of books China Mieville likes. A Mieville quote appears prominently on the cover where he describes the book as "thoughtful, exuberant, incredibly inventive, funny but never whimsical or mannered." This is true and it doubles as a kind of manifesto pledge for New Weird' (SF Site )
'A stunning fantasy, and the most incredible thing about it is that it is a first novel... The setting is impeccably realised, with a deftness of touch and a genius for description which would be impressive in an author of considerably greater experience - of the current crop of British fantasy writers, only China Mieville can touch this level of brilliance. In fifty years time, people are still going to be reading this book and talking about it the way we talk about Gormengast' (George Walkley INK MAGAZINE )
'The density of Swainston's creation is breathtaking. But Swainston's also a knockout writer for scenes of triumphant action. Having created a world that's almost too complex to comprehend, she's able to unravel scenes of spectacular conflict. From the jaw-dropping opening chapter to the tense and bloody finish, Swainston puts the reader in the picture with a clarity that challenges cinema.' (Rick Kleffel TRASHOTRON )
Her descriptive passages are rich and vivid and her characterisation is actually even better; frankly it's superb... Even her dialogue is free-flowing, original, yet natural-sounding; how often do you get that from a debut novelist? As for the protagonist himself: in Jant Shira, Swainston has come upwith one of the most irrepressibly loveable rogues in fantasy fiction, bar none. So, The Year of War has everything, yes? It's about as close to a perfect debut as you can get.' (THE ALIEN ONLINE )
Every so often in publishing a buzz develops about a book. The current buzz is most definitely the property of Steph Swainston and her stunning debut novel, The Year of our War. If it has antecedents then they are Angela Carter, Roger Zelazny, M. John Harrison and China Mieville. But while drawing on such illustrious forebears, it is by no means derivative. It is very much its own thing. It has a rare combination of the grim, the bizarre and the hilarious. And somehow it all works. (EMERALD CITY ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
'A joy to read, it is bursting at the seams with ideas. The Year of Our War is the first book that makes you believe New Weird actually is a movement, rather than a bunch of books China Mieville likes. A Mieville quote appears prominently on the cover where he describes the book as "thoughtful, exuberant, incredibly inventive, funny but never whimsical or mannered." This is true and it doubles as a kind of manifesto pledge for New Weird' (SF Site )
'A stunning fantasy, and the most incredible thing about it is that it is a first novel... The setting is impeccably realised, with a deftness of touch and a genius for description which would be impressive in an author of considerably greater experience - of the current crop of British fantasy writers, only China Mieville can touch this level of brilliance. In fifty years time, people are still going to be reading this book and talking about it the way we talk about Gormengast' (George Walkley INK MAGAZINE )
'The density of Swainston's creation is breathtaking. But Swainston's also a knockout writer for scenes of triumphant action. Having created a world that's almost too complex to comprehend, she's able to unravel scenes of spectacular conflict. From the jaw-dropping opening chapter to the tense and bloody finish, Swainston puts the reader in the picture with a clarity that challenges cinema.' (Rick Kleffel TRASHOTRON )
Her descriptive passages are rich and vivid and her characterisation is actually even better; frankly it's superb... Even her dialogue is free-flowing, original, yet natural-sounding; how often do you get that from a debut novelist? As for the protagonist himself: in Jant Shira, Swainston has come upwith one of the most irrepressibly loveable rogues in fantasy fiction, bar none. So, The Year of War has everything, yes? It's about as close to a perfect debut as you can get.' (THE ALIEN ONLINE )
Every so often in publishing a buzz develops about a book. The current buzz is most definitely the property of Steph Swainston and her stunning debut novel, The Year of our War. If it has antecedents then they are Angela Carter, Roger Zelazny, M. John Harrison and China Mieville. But while drawing on such illustrious forebears, it is by no means derivative. It is very much its own thing. It has a rare combination of the grim, the bizarre and the hilarious. And somehow it all works. (EMERALD CITY ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
SF Site
'A joy to read, it is bursting at the seams with ideas. The Year of Our War is the first book that makes you believe New Weird actually is a movement, rather than a bunch of books China Mieville likes. A Mieville quote appears prominently on the cover where he describes the book as "thoughtful, exuberant, incredibly inventive, funny but never whimsical or mannered." This is true and it doubles as a kind of manifesto pledge for New Weird'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
I knew my own words, however badly reported, so I flicked to page five, where there was a cartoon with a surprising likeness of Lightning. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I knew my own words, however badly reported, so I flicked to page five, where there was a cartoon with a surprising likeness of Lightning. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After a while, one grows tired of elves and orcs and barbarians and the typical fantasy stories. Steph Swainston has invented a new and unique world with none of the normal suspects in it, with great imagination that still leaves a lot to the readers to ponder.
She creates a world with mortals and immortals, where the immortals must earn their place by being the best at what they can do: the best swordsman, the best sailor, the best archer. Immortality is betowed upon them by the Emperor San...where he got the ability to do this is one of the mysteries of the series.
Jant Comet is one of the immortals, called the Messenger because of his unique ability to fly. Because he is the Emperor's Messenger, we get to see the politics of the realm, and even see Jant change a few things.
The Emperor's realm is at war with the Insects, who look like bugs many times the size of humans and who build paper nests out of counqueorer lands. Where the Insects have come from is yet another of the mysteries in the book and series.
Jant is an addict to a substance called Cat. Ms. Swainston's portrayl of Jant's addiction, in this book and the next, is dead on...she must have known or studied addicts quite closely.
Jant's addiction gives him entrance into a parallel world, a world he and we the readers are not sure is real until we explore it further. Then it becomes tied in with the Emperor's world and the Insects.
Ms. Swainston mixes political intrigue (immortals battling each other for position; non-immortals vs. the Emperor; mortals vying to become immortals), war (vividly imagines human vs. insect fighting scenes, shades of Stormship Troopers!), addiction and Jant's journey of self-discovery into an excellent fantasy novel. As an author, what I most admire about the writing is her ability to not tell the reader what is going on (at least for the big stuff) but to let us figure it out. The novel held me in suspense till the end, made we eager for the next (which is equally good).
Highly recommended.
She creates a world with mortals and immortals, where the immortals must earn their place by being the best at what they can do: the best swordsman, the best sailor, the best archer. Immortality is betowed upon them by the Emperor San...where he got the ability to do this is one of the mysteries of the series.
Jant Comet is one of the immortals, called the Messenger because of his unique ability to fly. Because he is the Emperor's Messenger, we get to see the politics of the realm, and even see Jant change a few things.
The Emperor's realm is at war with the Insects, who look like bugs many times the size of humans and who build paper nests out of counqueorer lands. Where the Insects have come from is yet another of the mysteries in the book and series.
Jant is an addict to a substance called Cat. Ms. Swainston's portrayl of Jant's addiction, in this book and the next, is dead on...she must have known or studied addicts quite closely.
Jant's addiction gives him entrance into a parallel world, a world he and we the readers are not sure is real until we explore it further. Then it becomes tied in with the Emperor's world and the Insects.
Ms. Swainston mixes political intrigue (immortals battling each other for position; non-immortals vs. the Emperor; mortals vying to become immortals), war (vividly imagines human vs. insect fighting scenes, shades of Stormship Troopers!), addiction and Jant's journey of self-discovery into an excellent fantasy novel. As an author, what I most admire about the writing is her ability to not tell the reader what is going on (at least for the big stuff) but to let us figure it out. The novel held me in suspense till the end, made we eager for the next (which is equally good).
Highly recommended.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Steph Swainston has created an incredibly imaginative & original fantasy novel. Her characters range from the macabre to the beautiful. There are (thankfully!) no elves, goblins or magic swords, just exciting action, believable dialogue and a main character that is by far the most interesting hero we have seen for a long time. I look forward to reading more of her work.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Swainston has a direct style of storytelling that doesn't let you relax and draws you in to a world not so far from ours. This world, though, is peopled by fantastic beasts and great characters, and you cannot help but relate to the Immortals - Tornado, Jant, Lightning and the rest - as they veer between the internal politics of the Court and the wild and terrible battles raging outside. Jant, flying man, hero, lover and junkie is destined to become one the memorable few fantasy creations - like King's Roland of Gilead, more than human but all too fallible when he needs a fix or spies something sexy but off-limits. More to come - I hope so.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Seemingly original idea, but...
Being an ardent fantasy fan, I was hoping to find a new approach to this genre, something different than elves, kings and magicians. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2008 by selana
bug wars
a fantasy novel. running roughly 370 pages, telling the story of jant. an immortal man. who can fly. Read more
Published on 15 July 2008 by Paul Tapner
A frustrating novel
Steph Swainston is the author of three books set in the Fourlands, a series she collectively calls The Castle Series. Two more are forthcoming. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2008 by A. Whitehead
Interesting, different, pacey and involving.
Having read many different fictions, Fantasy , Sci Fi, Murder mystery amongst others I rarely try to analyse books. Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2008 by D. Powell
swaps one set of cliches for another
Can't agree with the reviews that say this is great and original. Characters are flat, and only seem different if you've never read other types fiction. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2007 by David Martin
A different fantasy
Normally I stay well away from fantasy as most is formulaic. This book (and the others in this series) stand head a shoulders above most fantasy writing. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2007 by Mr. S. Crook
Postmodern, druggy, immortal fantasy adventure - well worth a read
I was given this book by recommendation and it wasn't something I would have immediatley picked for myself. Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2007 by Ms. J. Nash
One for the Pulper
Absolute drivel. Unreadable. Awful clunking language and abysmal dialogue. I keep vowing never to order from others' Listmainia. Books like this are the reason why.
Published on 31 July 2007 by Dr Enoch
Awe inspiring debut
At first I was a little apprehensive but after having the book recommended so highly to me I thought I should give it a go!! I bought a copy and finished it within a week. Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2006 by S. Hartland
Disappointment
Good word of mouth, moderate scenario ... and after that a decline. Uncomfortably eratic writing with clunky characterisation. A stumbling plot that lurches with irrationality. Read more
Published on 30 July 2006 by Mrs. Sally Debell
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