Ancient Appetites [Import] [Paperback]

Oisin McGann (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday (July 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385610866
• ISBN-13: 978-0385610865
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,036,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Completely mad, wildly enjoyable story, May 26, 2009

By 

J. Shurin "carnivore" (London) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ancient Appetites (Paperback)

This bonkers young adult fantasy is an absolute hoot.

The setting, for no apparent reason, is a quasi-Victorian Ireland in which feral machines roam the wilderness and the aristocratic class is composed of semi-vampiric immortals. McGann doesn't bother with detailed world-building - bits just... appear... to support the story. It is well-done and consistently fun.

McGann is open in his belief that the story is everything, and it shows. There's action from start to finish - the result is the sort of breathless adventure that relies on a frantic pace to maintain the suspension of disbelief.

A good yarn, full of surprisingly empathetic characters and well-integrated progressive adult themes. I'd give this to a precocious young adult reader in a heartbeat (or an adult reader that just likes a good read...)

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for fans of YA SciFi, January 17, 2010

By 

Ellz Readz "Ellz Readz" (Eastern US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ancient Appetites (Paperback)

My thoughts... This is the kind of book that no matter you age, grabs you and doesn't let go until the end. The 18 year old hero finds himself in bad situation when he has to prove his innocence in his brother's death while trying to avoid the family business. While the story does not come out and say that the Wildenstern Family are vampires, they certainly have some traits such as long life spans and rapid healing, especially with gold. Also, the country is full of engimals, which are a cross between engines and animals. All the characters in the story are fun and very imaginative.

Ancient Appetites takes place in a post-famine Ireland in an alternate reality. McGann did a brilliant job making this land believable and even a bit creepy. There are several themes that set an undertone for the book including social class, race, sexuality, and women's rights. I think this book would be perfect for boys who like to read YA. There is plenty of action, mystery and cool, inventive machines.

The cons...I would have liked to learn more about the engimals. They were an exciting part of the story.

Cover LOVE? While the cover is shiny, it didn't do it for me. This would be something that I would not even pick up, but I am glad I read it. Just goes to show you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than average YA fiction, January 26, 2009

By 

SQT "SQT" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ancient Appetites (Paperback)

Let me just start by saying this book is a heart-breaker for me. An absolute heart-breaker. Why? Because it's not available in the U.S. yet.

I got this book from the publisher and didn't think too much about it until I started reading it. I was immediately interested in the book because of the intriguing cover. I don't know if many of you do this, but when I like a book I tend to look at the cover more closely, and that's when I noticed the price was listed in pounds.

Uh oh, this book has only been released in Ireland and the U.K. so far and I haven't been able to find out if there is a U.S. release date yet. I mention this because I know there are a lot of adults who read YA fiction and I think they would love this book. I know I did.

I don't always head to the YA section of the bookstore first. In fact, I didn't pick up Harry Potter until the books had already become a full-fledged hit. But "Ancient Appetites" seemed immediately interesting to me. Maybe it was the tagline beneath the title, A story of murder, betrayal and other family traditions......

You could describe Appetites as an alternative history of sorts. Set in the mid 19th Century, "Ancient Appetites" follows the story of the Wildenstern family. Easily the wealthiest and most powerful family in Ireland, the Wildensterns have kept their power and wealth by ruthless tactics. So coldblooded is the family that according to the "Rules of Ascension" a family member may assassinate another if it is in pursuit of gaining control of the family-- the tradition stemming from the belief that such raw ruthlessness is the quality needed in a strong Patriarch.

Nate Wildenstern gets caught up in family politics and revenge when he returns from a sojourn in Africa to hear that his oldest brother Marcus is dead and that the family suspects that Nate was responsible. Unlike most families, Nate isn't punished or banished for the suspected murder of his brother, but rather rewarded for it. But Nate knows he didn't kill his brother and he's determined to find out who did.

Appetites also has a terrific mix of historical and fantasy elements to it. The social sensibilities are definitely in keeping with Ireland of the 1800's. Women are expected to know their place, much to the chagrin of Nate's sister Tatiana and sister-in-law Daisy. But the technology has an interesting twist with the existence of "engimals;" creatures that are a literal mix of engine and animals that can be anything from a toaster to a motorcycle (or velocycles as they are referred to in the book). The Wildenstern family also enjoys incredible health and long life due to a mysterious effect called the aurea sanitas that the upper classes jealously guard through careful familial breeding. The phenomenon of the aurea sanitas ends up having a curious connection to the engimals and hints at a time when the world may have been a place of much more advanced technology.

I can honestly say I loved "Ancient Appetites" from beginning to end. McGann writes an easy to read book that still has depth and complexity. One caveat though, it is listed as YA fiction but I wouldn't read it to young children. It touches upon subjects such as homosexuality that you may not be quite ready to explain to your 6-year-old.

I don't know yet whether or not this book is headed for an American release, but I certainly hope so. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some sequels as well.