Book Details
“Pale Roses” by Michael Moorcock | The Time Traveler’s Almanac collection
Editors: Ann VanderMeer, Jeff VanderMeer
Total Pages in the collection: 960
Published: March 18, 2014 by Tor Books
My Review
So we start off with a smexy scene, and once we’re through with that, we get into the story of Werther and how he’s a apparently different from other people in the world (he’s born naturally, from the womb, while others are manufactured so to speak).
I swear this would’ve been a lot more enjoyable of some of the wording was just cut out, but I did like the exploration of the theme of immortality, and how it is not all it’s cracked up to be. Also prominent in this story is the idea of finding love or a soul mate.
That’s all I got this week folks. I think there’s probably a pretty jewel beneath these layers of “Meh.” But your dear Alesha is just too tired to keep digging.
Tim? H.M.? DJ? What say you? 🙂
My Rating:
2 out of 5
About The Time Traveler’s Almanac
The Time Traveler’s Almanac is the largest and most definitive collection of time travel stories ever assembled. Gathered into one volume by intrepid chrononauts and world-renowned anthologists Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, this book compiles more than a century’s worth of literary travels into the past and the future that will serve to reacquaint readers with beloved classics of the time travel genre and introduce them to thrilling contemporary innovations.
This marvelous volume includes nearly seventy journeys through time from authors such as Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, William Gibson, Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, Michael Moorcock, H. G. Wells, and Connie Willis, as well as helpful non-fiction articles original to this volume (such as Charles Yu’s “Top Ten Tips For Time Travelers”).
The Time Traveler’s Almanac Review Group
This review is part of an on-going review series. We’re trying to review a short story per week from The Time Traveler’s Almanac. Please join us and share your thoughts! My partners in crime on this reading adventure includes the following authors and bloggers. Check out their reviews as well:
Well I think I have that diamond among the ruff! Albeit, a small diamond.
Those first two parts with the Mistress and auditor made no sense what so ever, and I’m still questioning the point of having the auditor and time travel in the story. And the plot was not straight forward at all, vague, and took a bit of digging to find. What I did like was the strangeness of the story, and how that and Moorcock’s prose and description, stretched my imagination.
The characters were among the strangest of things there, but the focus on the sex, the over the top nobility talk, and Wether’s “O me miserum” attitude, made it feel like I was almost reading a story with characters from some ancient satirical poetry – like it was Catullus or Martial.
I have to agree that this one took a lot of digging and it was not my favorite read. Some parts, like DJ said, really stretched the imagination and were wonderful to read. Others: difficult to wade through. I still don’t know what the auditor is doing in this story. It’s a tough one. Sorry I was late to the game, but I posted my review. I had to really think about it. lol