The Floating Gods [Paperback]

M. John Harrison (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Pocket (February 1, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671415131
• ISBN-13: 978-0671415136
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,157,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep & Satisfying, July 29, 2004

By 

Silas Traitor (The South, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Floating Gods (Paperback)

Street by street, a plague of despair and lethargy is slowly consuming the city of Viriconium. Neither cause nor cure is obvious. Is it the art dealer Paulinus Rack, warping the artists of the Low City into sentimental hacks for the rich of the High City? Is it the Barley Brothers, the two drunken idiots who may or may not be gods? Or is it the murderous little dwarf, "from the north or the sky," remaking a small quarter of the city for his own hidden reasons?

As the third book in the Viriconium saga, The Floating Gods takes a different approach to themes it holds in common with the first two books in the series: the culmination and demise of art and science, a threatening invasion, and transformation. Our protagonist is a painter instead of a warrior. As with all of Harrison's work, The Floating Gods is exceptionally well written, short, and satisfying to no end; the kind of book that benefits from multiple readings. I heartily recommend the entire Viriconium series.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beware - this book has another name, August 22, 1998

By 

Dan Sumption "www.sumption.org" (Sheffield, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Floating Gods (Paperback)

Any UK fans of M.John Harrison beware - this book was sold in the UK as "In Viriconium", so you may already have it. Don't be like me and splash out $27 on another copy!

That said, if you don't have this book you should get it - it is among the best novels I have ever read, and exists in a world between fantasy and reality, where you have to keep pinching yourself to be sure of where you are.