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THE FALLING WOMAN. [Paperback]

Pat. Murphy (Author)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews) |

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Product Details

Paperback
Publisher: [New York]: Tor, (1986)
ASIN: B000OTQKVK

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful novel recommended to all serious students., June 28, 1999

R. D. Allison (dallison@biochem.med.ufl.edu) (Gainesville, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Falling Woman (Paperback)

This intriguing novel won the 1987 Nebula Award for best science fiction novel of the year. This is actually more of a psychological fantasy rather than a work of classical science fiction, although there are clearly science fiction elements present. A female archaeologist working on a dig in Central America is able to identify with the spirit of an ancient Mayan woman. The attempted sacrifice of this woman is apparently linked to the destruction of the Mayan civilization. The archaeologist's ability to link herself with the early inhabitants of an archaeological site has given her great advantages in her field. The interactions between the Mayan, the archeologist, and the archeologist's estranged daughter result in a healing embrace across time. All serious students of science fiction and speculative literature should read this book.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful book, November 27, 1999

L. Blumenthal "lynn" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Falling Woman (Paperback)

It's hard to tell how this is science fiction, or even fantasy as it's branded on the spine. I rather think it's magical realism.

But whatever it is, it's just a beautiful, mesmerizing look at the world of the ancient Maya and how misunderstood they are by today's anti-spiritual world. Lovely writing, and some amazing craftsmanship went into the making of this novel.

Plus, I learned a great deal more about the Maya.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Falling Woman is a classic, May 31, 2000

Rebecca Brown "rebeccasreads" (Clallam Bay, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Falling Woman (Paperback)

After a long & fruitful life as an archeaologist, Liz Butler remembers that dig, long ago in the ruins of a Mayan city, when the shade of a long-dead priestess toppled her into a pool of twilight Mayan magic. This little adventure leapt off the best-seller shelf of a general store in a tiny town over a decade ago. One of those tourist racks, here this month & gone with the summer except that this one has some gristle, guts & a timely, riveting premise. Notwithstanding a fascinating heroine, hair-raising drama & suspenseful scenes. I'm glad to see it in reprint!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking
Archaeologist Elizabeth Butler has a secret: she can see the shades of people from the past, going about their daily activities. Read more

Published 9 months ago by Kelly (Fantasy Literature)

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Writer
Sit back and enjoy a well-written, well-researched novel. Pat Murphy is an excellent writer. This novel is one of the best in this genre. Read more

Published on September 10, 2008 by Lisa In Berkeley

5.0 out of 5 stars Intuition in Anthropology
"The Falling Woman" by Pat Murphy, � 1986

Definitely an interesting book It is not everyday you get into the mind of a crazy person. Read more

Published on April 9, 2008 by David Brockert

4.0 out of 5 stars Hauntingly beautiful, sombre, yet intense!
This haunting novel is centered around the theme of the ancient Maya human sacrifice of messengers to the gods. Read more

Published on February 9, 2007 by Snowbrocade

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not SF
I read this book because it won a major SF award. I am not really sure that this book qualifies as SF. Maybe if the definition of SF is stretched somewhat. Read more

Published on January 15, 2007 by D. Keeler

1.0 out of 5 stars This Novel is NOT Science Fiction
And is a mundane novel as well. This novel should NOT have won the award for what was called the best science fiction novel. Read more

Published on November 22, 2005 by Antinomian

2.0 out of 5 stars A promising idea that bogs down in melodrama
Elizabeth Butler is a successful archaeologist and a riveting lecturer and author. Her secret - she can see ghosts of those native peoples that lived in her digs in the distant... Read more

Published on January 16, 2005 by Craig MACKINNON

4.0 out of 5 stars This is not Science Fiction.
While this is a solid, oftentimes engrossing piece of supernatural fiction, this is not a Science Fiction novel. Read more

Published on April 7, 2004 by D. Knouse

5.0 out of 5 stars Supernatural, paranormal mystery
Elizabeth is a troubled woman archeologist. She left behind her husband and daughter to pursue a dream. She also sees the shades of the past. Read more

Published on October 25, 2003 by Mary Chrapliwy

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my top ten picks
This is a fantastic book, but falls into the "Speculative Fiction" category as upposed to traditional F&SF, which for me made it all the more endearing. Read more

Published on August 6, 2001 by Darren McKeever

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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
"I dig through ancient trash," I told the elegantly groomed young woman who had been sent by a popular women's magazine to write a short article on my work. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
house mounds, obsidian blade, tomb site, dancing woman

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Los Angeles, Temple of the Seven Dolls, Elizabeth Butler, Parque Hidalgo, Jesus Christ, Long Count, Virgin Mary, Chichen Itzd, Isla Mujeres, Aunt Alicia, Books of Chilam Balam, Mexico City, The Teachings of Don Juan, Tulane University

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Concordance | Text Stats

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 5 books:

The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda on page 127, page 185, and page 285
Folk Culture of the Yucatan by Robert Redfield on page 165
All the Strange Hours: The Excavation of a Life by Loren Eiseley on page 273
The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series, No. 17) by Joseph Campbell on page 193
The Way of the Animal Powers (The Historical Atlas of World Mythology, Vol. 1) by Joseph Campbell on page 151

18 books cite this book:

There and Back Again by Pat Murphy in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Future Primitive: The New Ecotopias by Kim Stanley Robinson in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy by Charles N. Brown on page 268
Nebula Awards Showcase 2006 by Gardner Dozois in Back Matter
Cybersex: Aliens, Neurosex and Cyborgasms by Ruth Glyn Jones on page 160

See all 18 books citing this book

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