The Masters of Solitude

This has always been one of my favorites. A sort of scifi/fantasy cross, with more of a fantasy feel to it. In a post-apocalyptic world, the somewhat primitive 'Covens' are denied aid by the technologically advanced 'City'. Good characters, excellent development of the coven society, good plot. Definitely worth reading. Great book, terrible cover.

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The Masters of Solitude by Marvin Kaye and Parke Godwin is a classic science fiction with a bit of fantasy that isn’t very well known; it explores a post-apocalyptic world of magic users and a city of technology that has turned its back on them

There are books everyone knows about, and there are books no one has heard about. The Masters of Solitude is definitely in the latter category, but it really doesn’t deserve that category! It’s a hybrid of sci-fi and fantasy and set in the future. The story follows some of the people that live in tribe structures, who have religious beliefs that seem to be rooted in the pre-Christian religions, and I have to say it was interesting the way the authors portrayed them running show more into the Judeo-Christian rooted religion for the first time. I read it a while ago and the thing that stands out the most is that it was an amazing read, so the details might be scarce, but you really should read it if the setting doesn’t bother you.


Title: The Masters of Solitude
Authors: Marvin Kaye and Parke Godwin
Length: 397 pages (hardcover)
Genre-ish: Classic Sci-Fi with a bit of magic
Rating: ★★★★☆ - if you’re tempted to try some classic sci-fi, read this!
Setting: Set in a post-apocalyptic far future where the cities have force field type stuff around them and are generally completely removed from the tribal people living outside of them, who have several interesting psychic abilities.
Premise: As I said above, the story follows several of the tribal people as they are forced to explore further around them and run into plague lands and an isolated group with beliefs obviously based on the Judeo-Christian belief system of today.

Strengths:

Very skilled writing and plot work
Makes you think, because they don’t tell you more than what is relevant to the characters
Interesting philosophical thoughts on rural vs city and pagan vs Judeo-Christian and good practice at understanding a completely alien perspective
Interesting and complex world and magic system (in the form of some psychic abilities)

Weaknesses:

Not an easy read, you really do need to be able to concentrate and get entranced to catch on to what the characters already know
A bit alien at times (purposeful of the authors I’m sure) making it hard to identify with the characters
Not that happy of an ending (mostly because there isn’t really an ending, there is a second book apparently)

Summary: I went through a fair number of online reviews to remind myself of the plot and one of the most common things I read was that people couldn’t really remember all that happened in the book but they remember that they really liked it, and that is exactly my feeling as well (though I did read it at least three years ago now). If you like books that make you think and make your brain feel bigger when you read them, then this is an excellent book to read. It’s not that long, but the authors do an amazing job of putting the reader in a very alien perspective.

More reviews at http://www.onstarshipsanddragonwings.com/ show less

I rarely talk to anyone who has read this book. I think it must be one of those undiscovered jewels I come across too rarely. A post apocalyptic novel that is different from the rest. There is a sequel, "Wintermind" which I haven't read yet. This book stands on its own.The rural communities are low tech & have some psi powers, organized into covens. High tech is left in the world, but is all but inaccessible to most. A young man, in good standing, is sent on a quest to gain the city's support for his community. The politics, setting & results are very interesting, twisted & full of more than a few surprises.It's one of those books that is good to re-read occasionally. It's a journey of discovery, not just for the young man on the quest, show more but for the reader, as it brings up some interesting contrasts between what we have now, city vs rural living & what could happen in the future. I wore out my paperback copy years ago & got a hardback. Re-reading as of 8Sep09 in preparation to finally read "Wintermind". It's been too long since I last read it. Many details have departed the sieve I call a memory.It was good. Very well written & interesting, but I knocked it back to 4 stars. It's not quite a 5 star book like "The Hobbit" or "Lord of Light". Close though. Well worth the read. On to "Wintermind"! show less

Probably one of the better science fiction books that nobody's ever heard of. I'd strongly suggest reading it if you can find a copy of it.

The only thing keeping me from giving it a full score is the rather...sudden way the big reveal happens at the end. It doesn't end in a way that's entirely satisfying, but there's supposedly a sequel.

More reviews at: http://www.onstarshipsanddragonwings.com/2011/03/21/masterofsolitude/

The Masters of Solitude by Marvin Kaye and Parke Godwin is a classic science fiction with a bit of fantasy that isn’t very well known; it explores a post-apocalyptic world of magic users and a city of technology that has turned its back on them
There are books everyone knows about, and there are books no one has heard about. The Masters of Solitude is definitely in the latter category, but it really doesn’t deserve that category! It’s a hybrid of sci-fi and fantasy and set in the. The story follows some of the people from these tribe structures, who have religious beliefs that seem to be rooted in the pre-Christian religions, and I have to say it show more was interesting the way the authors portrayed them running into the Judeo-Christian rooted religion for the first time. I read it a while ago and the thing that stands out the most is that it was an amazing read, so the details might be scarce, but you really should read it if the setting doesn’t bother you.

Title: The Masters of Solitude
Authors: Marvin Kaye and Parke Godwin
Length: 397 pages (hardcover)
Genre-ish: Classic Sci-Fi with a bit of magic
Rating: ★★★★☆ - if you’re tempted to try some classic sci-fi, read this!
Setting: Set in a post-apocalyptic far future where the cities have force field type stuff around them and are generally completely removed from the tribal people living outside of them, who have several interesting psychic abilities.
Premise: As I said above, the story follows several of the tribal people as they are forced to explore further around them and run into plague lands and an isolated group with beliefs obviously based on the Judeo-Christian belief system of today.
Strengths:
Very skilled writing and plot work
Makes you think, because they don’t tell you more than what is relevant to the characters
Interesting philosophical thoughts on rural vs city and pagan vs Judeo-Christian and good practice at understanding a completely alien perspective
Interesting and complex world and magic system (in the form of some psychic abilities)
Weaknesses:
Not an easy read, you really do need to be able to concentrate and get entranced to catch on to what the characters already know
A bit alien at times (purposeful of the authors I’m sure) making it hard to identify with the characters
Not that happy of an ending (mostly because there isn’t really an ending, there is a second book apparently)
Summary: I went through a fair number of online reviews to remind myself of the plot and one of the most common things I read was that people couldn’t really remember all that happened in the book but they remember that they really liked it, and that is exactly my feeling as well (though I did read it at least three years ago now). If you like books that make you think and make your brain feel bigger when you read them, then this is an excellent book to read. It’s not that long, but the authors do an amazing job of putting the reader in a very alien perspective. show less

geef dit boek 3 sterren, omdat het me toch wel een beetje vermaakt heeft. niet dat het nou echt een superboek was, maar echt slecht was het ook niet.

future fantasy of covens and kriss on outside vs. atheistic intellectuals in city