The Wreck of the River of Stars
by Michael Flynn
Our Price: $10.00
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.07 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Michael FlynnEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-05-16
ISBN: 076534033X
Number of pages: 534
Publisher: Tor Books
Book Reviews of The Wreck of the River of Stars
Book Review: A Space Drama, Not A Space Opera
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a hard book to pin down. It is obviously a SciFi book, but it does not fall neatly into any of the sub-genres of SciFi. It is about a luxury `sailing ship' that is converted to energy drive and becomes a tramp cargo vessel with a crew of rejects. A major mechanical problem dooms the ship and sets up a contest between the individuals who want to use the `sails' to save her and those who don't or are ambivalent about the whole thing. Overlaying all this is sexual tension in about all the combinations you can think of. All of the crew members carry various scars and problems and this contributes to the drama.
There is no `Faster Than Light' travel, no `instantaneous' communication or other standard SciFi devices. Flynn paints a realistic version of what a space ship in the Universe of Newton and Einstein would encounter. The play between the characters is slow paced and spot on; you know some of them are doomed, but who and how is all part of the drama.
At first I was a bit put off by this book, but as I read I became more and more involved in the various inner lives of the characters and took a genuine interest in who survived and who didn't. I really admire Flynn for writing such an unconventional SciFi novel and I highly recommend it. If you are looking for space opera, this is not it, but if you like good character driven literature you'll probably like this even if you aren't a SciFi fan.
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Literature & Fiction Books
Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott
Scribner; Published: 1986-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.11
Price in other shops:
The Killing Groundby JACK HIGGINS
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD; Published: 2007; Hardcover; Book
Saving Fish from Drowningby Amy Tan
4th Estate; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Life Expectancyby Dean Koontz
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Constant Princessby Philippa Gregory
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005; Hardcover; Book
Wolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1)by Conn Iggulden
Harper; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Saharaby Clive Cussler
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2005-03-21; Paperback; Book
Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy)by C. S. Lewis
Voyager; Published: 2005-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.64
Price in other shops:
The Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towersby J. R. R. Tolkien
Harper Collins Publishers; Published: 2001; Paperback; Book
Red Marsby Kim Stanley Robinson
Trafalgar Square; Published: 2001-06; Paperback; Book
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Forest of Time and Other Storiesby Michael Flynn
Phoenix Pick; Published: 2010-11-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.99
In the Lion's Mouthby Michael Flynn
Tor Books; Published: 2012-01-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.78
Price in other shops:
The January Dancerby Michael Flynn
Tor Books; Published: 2008-10-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.74
Price in other shops:
Up Jim Riverby Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 2011-02-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.19
Price in other shops:
In the Country of the Blindby Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 2003-03-14; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.85
Firestar (Firestar Saga)by Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 1997-03-15; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops:
Rogue Star (Firestar Saga)by Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 1999-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.70
Price in other shops:
Lodestar (Firestar Saga)by Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 2001-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.89
Falling Stars (Firestar Saga)by Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 2002-03-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $34.95
Eifelheimby Michael Flynn
Tor Science Fiction; Published: 2009-08-04; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.50
Price in other shops: