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A History Maker
 
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A History Maker (Paperback)

by Alasdair Gray (Author), Alasdair. Gray (Illustrator)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Hardcover £13.99 £13.99 24 used & new from £0.95
Paperback £6.99 £5.49 26 used & new from £1.65

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Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New edition edition (26 Oct 1995)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 014024803X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140248036
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.8 x 1.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,046,960 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #35 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > G > Gray, Alasdair
    #40 in  Books > Fiction > Cult Authors > Gray, Alasdair

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Product Description

Product Description
A tale of border warfare, military and erotic, set in the Ettrick Forest in the 23rd century. Wat Dryhope, son of the Ettrick chief, is unhappy with his clan's violent and permissive lifestyle. Only when challenged by the seductive Delilah Puddock does he learn to embrace the traditional values.

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
5 star:
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4 star:
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3 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Limbs are hacked off and people make love., 7 Mar 2001
By twistedmouth@hotmail.com (Glasgow, Scotland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A History Maker (Hardcover)
Gray grabs hold of the Scottish Literary Tradition and with Science Fiction in the other hand he squashes them together. This works very well, surprisingly, and the novel still has a broad range of issues and emotions that you would expect from such a fine author. Sometimes, the novel is annoyingly clever.

It is set in a future where wars are tribal and are leagued and bound by rules, although still bloodthirsty and violent. A glance in the veterans club is proof of that. There is little hope for Wat Dryhope, the novel's anti-hero, as he tries his best to stop the senseless killing. No one listens to him and those that do misinterpretate him. Even the armless, legless, eyeless veterans oppose his peaceful stance.

But this book is more than just a diatribe about war. The Public Eye, which is everywhereTV, is nasty and cruel, and promotes bloodthirsty battles for their pulling power. However, declining audience numbers call for drastic measures, and they call for even more blood, for even bloodthirstier battles than the one Wat was the unwitting hero of. All in the name of family entertainment. On Wat's peace mission he meets his father, sleeps with his sister and falls foul of a sinister bitter plot to cause global disaster and give birth to a televised dark age.

In this novel limbs are chopped off and people make love. Televised wars meet the Ettrick shephard, an unlikely combination it is true. Gray is a great writer and like his many other books this is very good.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars full marks for creativity, 24 Jul 2006
This review is from: A History Maker (Paperback)
I think the synopsis and the previous review have said most of what needs to be said. I shall just add my vote for this book. A humorous and creative sci fi yarn about the future. Very unusual, but a quality read, which was refreshing, and opens new horizons for literature and raises many issues about violence, sex, work, the roles of women and men, the role of the media, sporting/military psychology, sexual freedom and historical interpretation. Telling historical judgements are made. An intelligent author who seems to be able to rise above conventionality.
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