The Echo Maker
by Richard Powers
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.97 You Save: $13.03 (87%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Echo Maker
Book Review: A challenging but brilliant novel
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm fascinated by the diversity of responses to this book. It clearly is one of those novels you either love or hate. Put me on the 'love' side. Powers is a demanding author, and not all of his works fully reward the effort. This one, however, rewards it and more. As others have pointed out, 'Echo Maker' is about nothing less than the Big Ideas of self, identity, brain/mind, memory and emotion. Powers doesn't seek to answer a single question. But he does a hell of a job setting them out before us in a rich, provocative way.Book Review: the reason people aren't reading any more
Summary: 1 Stars
No wonder people don't read. This is a National Book Award winner? I stuck with it. I usually abandon these bad books after a while. But I stuck with it. Poor choice. I should have trusted my instincts. I have never given a bad review before. I only comment on things I enjoy. But I have to stop people from reading this mess. It's possible it could have been good. It has a decent hook. However, none of the characters is remotely interesting. You just want to smack them all real hard. Don't read it. Please don't read it.Book Review: National Book Award winner? Gimme a break!
Summary: 1 Stars
The characters are not even a bit likable. My heart sank every time I reached a Dr. Weber section--pages and pages of utterly boring pseudoscience. When I started fantasizing about punching Kopy Karin in the face, I knew it was time to put the book down. What messages Powers was trying to relate, I cannot say, but I can say this: By the book's end, I no longer cared what happened to buffoonish Mark, tree-hugging Daniel, or those godforsaken cranes. Okay, I'll be honest--I never cared in the first place.Book Review: I loved it
Summary: 5 Stars
We all have different tastes for sure and see things differently which ironically has a lot to do with this book, in my opinion. I have always loved the talks of conscienciousness and although it isn't a deep thought provoking book on such, I found it to be a very enjoyable and thought provoking book. There are many authors who I dislike to read but I do realize that they have followings and understand that it's all in the eye of the beholder ;)
I will be a follower of this author.
Book Review: Hated it!
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this book based on the strength of Powers' last novel, The Time of our Singing, which I loved. What a mistake! Though I appreciate the author's committment to perseving nature and his beautiful language, the story was ill-concieved and the plot was maddeningly slow. The only character I enjoyed was Mark - his confusion was touching and witty. Everyone else smoldered in self-pity and constant whining. The end was a complete letdown. I would NOT recommend this book.