The Miocene Arrow [Hardcover]

Sean Mcmullen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 19, 2000

Sean McMullen is one of the hottest new writers working today. He is a three-time winner of the Ditmar Award in his native Australia, and has also won that country's Aurealis Award. His last novel, Souls in the Great Machine, began the steampunk saga of Greatwinter and garnered him much critical acclaim. The Miocene Arrow continues McMullen's story of a far-future Earth flung back to its pre-technological roots.

Ultra-light American diesel gunwings can hold their own against Australian human-powered battle computers and a tram-based net. But they are helpless against the ultimate doomsday machine: The Miocene Arrow.

In a fortieth-century America of ancient kingdoms with opulent courts, hereditary engineering guilds, and rigid class distinction in warfare, a centuries-old balance of power is shattered by a few dozen Australian infiltrators. Against a rich backdrop of war, chivalry, conspiracy, and a diesel-powered arms race, a dangerous secret alliance has formed. Now the unlikely trio of an airlord, an abbess, and a fugitive are joined together in a desperate race against time to stop the Miocene Arrow from being launched--and save the world in the process.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the fourth millennium, war looms between the lands once known as America and Australia. As a new airborne weapon, the Miocene Arrow, threatens to rule the skies, assassins and spies seek to uncover its origins and properties. Set in the same postapocalyptic universe as his groundbreaking Souls in the Great Machine, McMullen's latest effort elaborates on the evolution of a strange and, ultimately, mystifying future. Recommended for most sf collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

McMullen transplants his tales of a postapocalyptic fortieth century from Australia to North America. The mysterious Call, which originated down under in Souls in the Great Machine (1999), profoundly affects the Americas, too, physically and socially. Carefully placed tethers and padded walls in three Callhavens in the former U.S. prevent the meager population from making for the sea every few days. In other regions, the Call comes continuously; nothing larger than a terrier can resist it. The other incontrovertible power in peoples' lives is the Sentinels, orbiting satellites that systematically fire on any land or air vehicle larger than 29-and-a-half-feet long. A highly organized, relatively peaceful society exists in the Callhavens; ritual combat between kingdoms is popular, but all-out war is a thing of the past. Then one quiet night on the very edges of the Callscour, a new factor enters the equation: people seemingly unaffected by the Call or the Sentinels. Their origin, agenda, and minuscule physical differences will soon create devastating havoc. With remarkable imagination and insight, McMullen conjures factions, personalities, and plots, including well-placed glimpses of a lost, past America. A complex and lively story, rich with the action and reaction of human treachery, courage, battle-fueled passion, and quiet devotion. Roberta Johnson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (August 19, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031287054X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312870546
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,805,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sean McMullen-one of the best new SF writers, August 7, 2000

By 

Cody Sherr (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Miocene Arrow (Hardcover)

Sean McMullen is really one of the best new Science Fiction writers, and The Miocene Arrow confirms this. His unusual settings, interesting plots, and rich and 3 dimensional charachters make his books very enjoyable to read.

This book is set in North America in the 40th century, following the downfall of our modern culture in the 21st. He illustrates small enclaves of an intersting culture emerging in small pockets that are isolated from the same forces that caused the destruction of our civilization. Elements from the Australica groups from the first book in this series are involved in schemes to subvert the American enclaves to their own nefarious purposes. For more details, read the book!

It has elements of good epic science fiction, action, and a detailed setting that is interesting and intriguing. He brings full life to his charachters, and spends an appropriate amount of time on each.

The Miocene Arrow is the sequel to Souls in the Great Machine, but would be enjoyable enough without reading the first. The plots are independent, yet TMA is continues with some of the events and charachters from the first book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About Time!!!, June 24, 2003

By 

David "dtstrange" (Pleasant Hill, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Miocene Arrow (Mass Market Paperback)

If you are like me, and have been looking for an exciting, original and interesting Sci-Fi series for quite some time now, then I whole heartedly encourage you to read this book and the others in this series as well. If you are a fan of the various Star Wars books and other soft Sci-Fi, you best go back to scraping your pennies together so you can buy the next Harry Potter book or something as this book won't be up your alley.

The second book of the Great Winter Trilogy should not be read without reading the first, if only for the fact that you will have deprived yourself of some of the character development and the background for this novel. I don't see how this book can stand on it's own. Read, "Souls in the Great Machine" first and you'll enjoy this one all the better.

These books are original, interesting and have a way of hooking you into them. It's been a long time since I've read a Sci Fi book that has been this much FUN to read. Like other reviewers, I don't know why this book is not getting the attention it deserves. Both books are certainly better then anything that has won the Hugo or Nebula in the past 10 years and I encourage anyone with a love of Science Fiction to read McMullen's work. Don't let the fact that he's Australian stop you, which is the only conceivable reason that I can think of that has stopped this series from getting the praise it richly deserves. Oh, that and the fact that most book stores only stock Star Wars and Star Trek knock offs and people who love those books probably wouldn't get McMullen. Read and enjoy.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Future History, October 8, 2000

By 

R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Miocene Arrow (Hardcover)

This is a very good sequel to McMullen's Souls in the Great Machine. That book, set in a very interesting post-apocalypse world, is one of the more imaginative future histories of recent years. This book is a logical continuation of the prior story. Because it builds on the prior book, without introducing any new major aspects of this future history, The Miocene Arrow does not have the same imaginative impact as Souls in the Great Machine. McMullen's ability to construct an interesting and distinctly different future world remains impressive. This is not just a copy of the first book. He is a very competent writer, able to handle multiple plot lines well and good at developing characters. He even handles humor quite well. This book is not a completely self contained story. To really understand this book, you have to read Souls in the Great Machine first. This is not a major defect as both books are very worthwhile. The concluding section of this book implies another book in this series. I look forward to the next installment with anticipation.