Customer Reviews

Migration of the Kamishi

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Gaddy Bergmann's book Migration of the Kamishi was a wonderfully refreshing read in regard to the post-apocalyptic genres of books. So often I find the age of technology and the dismal imagery of a world none of us wish to live in, but in Bergmann's book I found I wouldn't mind living on through the aftermath.

His writing is a far off dream wavering in the winds of time. His characters are realistic in spite of what seems like a far fetched future. I'm reminded of the nature of life's "full-circle" when I read his work and am able to make peace with the possibility of the future he presents. I found the quietude and joy I search for when wanting a book to take me on a journey . Bergmann transported me to just that place; a world where only a very talented author can take you.

I would highly recommend this book to someone who wants something different by an author who dares to take a different view of what may come of our future world. It was an adventure I'm looking forward to continuing with Bergmann as he releases his second book in the Feral World Series - Trials of the Warmland.

Bergmann sets his scene from the beginning--humanity living close to nature, our descendants returned to hunter/gatherer status. This he does through a scientific knowledge of the animals he portrays, most of them the same ones that live wild in this country today. Bergmann's premise is plain: this future mankind, forced to start over again, has purposely rejected the climb to civilization. Through written and oral tradition set down by the Bebel--the future Bible--Bergmann's characters remain in what we would deem a primitive state in an attempt to avoid the near-ecological disaster that the contemporary world is busy creating.
But Bergmann doesn't fall into the trap of idealizing his creations. His characters bleed, and many of them die, by the hand of man and by the claw of nature. Indeed, the hardiest environmentalist among us, who may fantasize about the simple idyll of hunter-gatherer life, will think twice after reading this. Bergmann's scientific eye refuses to paint too rosy a picture of his future landscape, and humans are seen as a part of the food chain, just like everything else.
The fantasy/science fiction epic springs to mind when reading it. The characters are on a quest to find the mythical Warmland, and they encounter new friends and myriad dangers along the way. This is one of the oldest ways to tell a story, to develop a character through his interactions with his environment, but Bergmann treats it in a different way. The long quest is made up of anecdotal incidents, a near-deadly encounter with a big cat here, a failed hunt there, that flesh out this story. Bergmann makes the mundane interesting, and while deep thoughts and character arcs are present, one finds one cares about the characters based on the everyday moments of their lives. This makes it, perhaps, a post-modern epic, and a welcome change from the heavy-handed quest stories that so often appear these days.
Also part of the typical modern epic is the concept that the landscape itself is a character, and Bergmann creates this very well. Future America is red in tooth and claw, unforgiving yet also nurturing, much like watching a nature program on TV. Who among us doesn't end up rooting for either the tiger or the deer? In this world, as on the nature programs, as in real life, there's no knowing at the onset who will rise victorious from battle or the hunt.
This book is the first in a trilogy, and as such can only be partly judged on its own merits. There were character arcs with no climax, encounters I saw coming that didn't materialize, mysteries I didn't feel were adequately solved for me, and the characters had a certain awkwardness of language from time to time that bothered me. Despite its minor flaws, however, it held my attention, and those who pick it up will doubtless want to buy the next book to see what happens to the characters.

Migration of the KamishiThis is such a beautifully written novel. It has the perfect combination of man's, interaction with nature, Biblical story, and Indiana Jones type action adventure with just the right amount of romance splashed in. I loved this book and can't wait to get started on the next installment.

Nature got even with the world where even weapons of mass destruction could not overpower the asteroid. The cities we used to travel to are now in rubble. The animals we used to see in zoos and farms are now roaming free, larger, and more dangerous. Similar things can be said of the people and tribes the main characters run into, yet this novel has managed to create a believable and hopeful environment.

I really enjoyed the way the author described both the land and nature. Much of the flora and fauna were Darwinistically modified as would be expected and there are no "Terminators" or "Thunderdome" just what nature had to recreate. Obviously there is no supermarket around the corner so the characters have to kill to eat because even the vegetarian approach will just not supply the demand. Although I'm one to cringe at the slaughter of any animal no matter how necessary for survival, I found the characters' approach of being apologetic and thankful to the animals for sacrificing themselves very touching.

The characters were each likeable and earned both my interest and sympathy by their individual tales. Blake went from Prince of the Kamishi to a Wandering Kamishi. He suffered horrible losses which no one would be able to forget or move on easily, yet one would have to admire his persistence and optimism as he moved forward and refused to dwell on his losses.

Manosh is more of an "everyman" or "Shleprock". Although he did not lose as much as Blake, he wanted to move forward as well, but at more of a revenge level. It was hard not to pity some of his views about what and where the past or future should be and how it affected his social interactions.

I really admired Lana's survivor ability the most, because although she encountered similar loss as Blake, she was a solo act in a Rubbletown similar to the streets of New York after hours.

The author's observations and writing style are similar to Henry David Thoreau's Walden combined with an odessey on par with Frank Herbert's Dune minus the technology. I would definitely suggest this novel/series!

Gaddy Bergmann hits the scene with Migration of the Kamishi, the first novel in the Feral World trilogy. Imagine this: in twenty-two years, the asteroid Apophis strikes the Earth destroying Civilization as we know it. Against all odds, mankind survives and millennia later, in the Fifty-first century, our descendents live in a post-apocalyptic stone age. Bergmann paints us an intimate portrait of post-apocalyptic life, as we follow Blake and Manosh, two Kamishi men on their quest to find the Warmland. And with the earth unencumbered by civilization for thousands of years, you can imagine the feral beasts and trials of nature the men must face on their journey.

Bergmann's writing is beautifully descriptive - Jean M. Auel meets J.R.R. Tolkien - while never shying away from free-flowing action. I describe this book as a post-apocalyptic Clan of the Cave Bear. With a master's degree in zoology from the University of South Florida, Bergmann's science is spot-on. Beasts leap from the page with stunning realism as landscapes engulf all of your senses. Migration of the Kamishi is as much an inner journey as it is a voyage through breathtaking savannahs. Bergmann guides us straight into the heart of a man, revealing the hope and perseverance that truly make us human.

I won't go into the story, as it has been covered by others here. Suffice it to say that I'm a fan of post apocalyptic novels, and this is an interesting take on the genre. But here's where things go south.

The writing simply has to be described as amateurish. Here's an example of one of the author's weaknesses... dialogue. Imagine a conversation between two people. At first they might greet each other by name, but that's probably the last time a person's first name would be spoken. How does the author write dialogue? Allow me to give this as a sample:

John and Mike see each other.

"Hi, Mike," says John.

"Hi, John," says Mike.

"So what is going on, Mike?"

Mike answers, "Not much, John."

See where I'm going with this? Their names get used far too often to be considered normal conversation. Perhaps this is just the way humans converse 3,000 years in the future. Err, no it's not.

Another sticking point is how the author continually places the conversations of two different people in the same sentence, so it doesn't flow as easily as most other books I've read. It's quite annoying.

Possible spoiler. My final gripe is that of the excessive descriptions for mundane, unnecessary things. Example: In the first few chapters there's a description of how a doe is cut up for food. Every detail is there... and who cares? Nothing of value is added to the story. Over and over again are paragraphs of descriptive fluff where real, compelling story should be located.

Overall this is a really interesting story that is poorly executed.

Mr. Bergmann's grasp of the written word is evident as his story unfolds. the characters are intriguing and full of personality. The realism and promise portrayed leds you to want more. the continuing story that unfolds as the main characters journey south was vivid and easy to imagine. reminiscant of Jean M Auels clan of the cave bear, i found myself unable to put it down until the end and waiting despreatly for the next installment to begin.

I bought this because of all the reviews about it. Felt like it was a weak book. After you get past the initial chapters, it almost feels like the characters can't have anything other than hunger affect them. It also felt like a very short book(especially since it's only part one), and maybe it could have been combined to create more of a novel sized book. All in all, i read it as fast as possible to just be done with it.