Customer Reviews

Replay (Fantasy Masterworks)

5 star:		(326)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Let me begin by stating that I'm not a huge fan of the science fiction or fantasy genres, but there are some books whose unique plots immediately draw my attention, and beckon to be read. This is one of those books.

Jeff Winston dies, for the first time, within the first couple pages of the novel, and from there we go with him as he learns of his unique condition, or ability, if you will, to relive life over and over again. Jeff transcends time and space, taking his "aged" and experienced mind with him to his more youthful body, and he uses his wisdom and foreknowledge to exact changes in his life, and therefore the lives of those around him. He is given a second chance...and a third, and a fourth, etc. But what changes will he make, and are they really for the better?

The plot thickens when Jeff learns that he is not the only one with this unique asset. Another person, a woman, is also living her life in "replays." Pamela is an artist and a housewife who wants to use her knowledge of the future to attempt to exact changes for the greater good, whatever that may mean. However, she finds that her intentions, though benevolent, bring with them a complex web of consequences.

Together, the soul mates Pamela and Jeff share lifetimes of love and joy, an opportunity that many would eagerly vie for. They gather wealth and knowledge, they travel to various reaches of the globe, they form meaningful relationships with a wide variety of people, and they seemingly ascertain everything anyone could possibly want. But the lessons learned are still the same at the end of many lifetimes as they would be, it would seem, for one lifetime.

This book will run you through a wide gamut of emotions, making you laugh one moment while you cry the next, and when you turn the last page you'll wish it wasn't over. Ken Grimwood forces his readers to evaluate their lives and ponder their existences. Though we may not all have the opportunity to live several lifetimes, we do have time to exact our own changes here and now. Replay is a novel I will be reading and rereading over again, and one I will be giving to friends and family to read as well. Don't pass up this brilliant, unforgettable work.

I first read "Replay" when it was new, back in the 1980s. I remember picking it up on a whim at a now-defunct bookstore in the middle of London, and taking it home with me. I'd just suffered a breakup with a girlfriend, and was entrenched for yet another lonely and dull Saturday night in.

I thought.

Well, I kept reading, and reading, and reading. And just couldn't put the damned thing down. It was early the next morning, and I'd finished the thing in one sitting, and...it was WEIRD. It was almost a chemical reaction, like something had gone "clonk" in my brain. I know precisely what people here mean when they liken it to a religious experience (and I'm not even remotely religious.)

I've lent this book to SO many people over the years; purchased copied for others. It's almost a litmus test...you can tell a lot about a person by their reaction to it.

I met someone at a party once, and the title came up in casual conversation. The reaction was like "lighting the blue touch paper"...the room IGNITED. This book is so loved, it's almost eerie.

A friend of mine, a fellow screenwriter, casually dropped it into a conversation with me, and we ALSO went nuts over this. The feeling is evangelical...you just WANT this book to be read by others! (A friend of mine in Scotland just got a copy through Amazon as a referral from me...hi, Lee!)

As a coda, I'd like to add that this book *IS* currently in the early stages of development as a movie at Warner Brothers, but from what I've heard about the script drafts to date, the producers seem to have cut a lot of the guts and heart from the story. I feel myself, and other "Replay" fans, could be very disappointed with the results.

This is *my* favourite book ever, period. (And I'm so picky, I can't even compile a list of my top 100 movies!) Buy it now!!!!

This is an indispensible book for anyone who has ever considered the possibilty of living their life over, and who hasn't? Jeff Winston, the novels middle-aged protagonist, is stuck in an unsatisfied career as a broadcast journalist with a marriage on the brink of collapse. Dying seemingly of a heart attack in 1988 he awakes back in 1963 in his old college dorm, to "replay" his life over again, with the foreknowledge of his previous life, and thus the potential to make amends for past mistakes. Yet when he reaches 1988 for the second time he again dies and has to live his life over and over.... His early replays are characterized by largely hedonistic pursuits; making unimaginable riches gambling on the sports events, sleeping with beautiful women, and driving fast cars etc. Feeling the dissatisfaction at these self serving activities, he takes on an altruistic stance in his later replays; preventing major accidents and wars, with, much to his dissmay, disasterous consequences.

The novels break-neck speed sometimes stretches the credulity of the readers imagination and it's difficult at times, to fully garner the passing of centuries squeezed into it's three hundred pages. Still that alone couldn't prevent this reader from gulping down it's contents in two mesmerized sittings, when I myself, lost all concept of time. More than just a merely satisfying read, Grimwood here explores some profound territory with regard to time and aging, foolishness and wisdom. Themes from the book, even now three weeks ago having read it, reoccur in my daily thoughts. More than any pulpy self help book, or brow-scratching french novel, this book will make the reader sit up and more fully realize the precious sanctity of this life and the precious little time we have in which to live it.

I love time travel books and this is one of the best ones I've read. Some details in the character's lives are slightly dated because it was written in the 80s, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. Hopefully Grimwood will write a sequel in the future. Even though the ending was decent, I wondered what happened to the main characters after they returned to their normal lives and if there were any other people that went through the same ordeal.

Before you begin to read this review, let me warn you that it is going to be quite lengthy, but well worth it. First of all, if you've read most of the over 200 reviews which are posted on this site, you'll notice that 99% of them have given "Replay" five stars. That alone should tell you enough about how well received this book truly is. Many of the reviewers have reread this novel several times, as I have also. It's truly rare when you find a novel that you look forward to reading again and again. Not just because it's a good book, but it's a very entertaining, thought provoking and fun novel to read.

WARNING: This is the only caution I will give on reading this novel. Ask yourself this question, how many books have you read that you wanted to instantly go out of your way to purchase as many copies as possible of it just so you could spread the news of just how great the novel was. After you've read Ken Grimwood's "Replay" you will more than likely be moved to do so.

Ken Grimwood's World Fantasy Award Winning novel "Replay" originally published in 1987 by Ace books, is a novel you will never forget. As many other reviewers have noted, it changed their lives. It didn't change my life at all, but it will make you think about your own life and how you've lived it so far. The book will cause you to be thankful for the simple things in life and what we daily take for granted. It's not a book which deals with a religious outlook or tries to preach on another level of enlightenment, but it is a tremendous story of what you would do if you could go back in time and right a wrong, or choose another path in your life. The novel is very easy to read and hard to put down. It doesn't explain any of the circumstances with technical complexity, but it is very thought provoking and simply put, a lot of FUN to read. It truly is unforgettable.

Grimwood does a very good job of making the main character's experience, your own experience. The main character, Jeff Winston, keeps dying on the same date and keeps coming back to start his adult life again at a recurring point in his previous life's time line - with his memory of the previous experiences intact. Each life Jeff lives is different and unique, some are poignant, some are romantic and some are a living nightmare. He becomes wealthy beyond his dreams in one replay, becomes a loving and caring father in another, while being an over zealous playboy in yet another. After living several lives, he realizes the best things in life have always been available to him. There is some well placed humor throughout the book, and some very heart retching tender moments too. My only concern with the novel is there is very little mentioning of the Vietnam war throughout the book. What was very much in the news then, and still is, has become very much a part of our history. However, with Grimwood's incorporated references to the past 25 years, you barely notice that the war is not an issue in the novel. The Kennedy assassination, Apple computers, Star Wars, the Iran hostage crisis, the Tylenol scare, the space shuttle disaster are all very much a part of the story.

Once you've read this novel you'll be asking yourself, why hasn't this been made into a feature film? Many reviewers have mentioned that the Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day" played off of the novel "Replay." That's like saying the TV show "Friends" was patterned after "Gone With The Wind." Bill Murray relives the same day every day in the same place, Jeff Winston in "Replay" relives 25 years of his life several times and does it in many parts of the world. There's just not that much to compare the two stories with. So why hasn't "Replay" been made into a movie? In 2000, Warner Brothers and Revolution Studios began to start early pre-production on this film, which was to star Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. However, the project has stalled since then. I have checked several movie source web pages (AVI) and the project is no longer on the active list with either of the two studios. Hopefully, it will move into the production stage again soon. This would be a tremendous film with low costs on special effects, if any at all. The story is so strong, I'm surprised that it wasn't completed years ago. After all, a strong well written story is the basis for every feature film. This one is a sure winner!

Unfortunately, Ken Grimwood passed away in 2003 at the young age of 59. He was working on a sequel to "Replay" when his death occurred. Ironically, he died from the same thing which killed Jeff Winston in "Replay.' A heart attack. I don't know if a sequel could've held a candle to "Replay.' After all, how do you improved upon perfection. "Replay" is still in print, but only in the shape of a trade paperback from Arbor House. Thank goodness for places like Amazon.com, where you can still purchase the mass market or trade paperback book. You may even have some luck searching for this novel at used books stores.

I cannot recommend "Replay" highly enough. Is it the best book I've ever read? I can only tell you, it is the only novel I have ever read five times and enjoyed it more each time. So if that's your standard for a best book, then I wold have to say yes in a very big way! So why not treat yourself to a wonderful story which will make you think, cry and laugh. After all, over 200 readers have experienced this joy, why not you?

First, I'd like to say that a friend bought this book for me a couple of months ago, but I was slow to read it because our taste in books does not always dovetail. However, I picked it up on a sleepless night, found it fascinating, powerful, resonating.

I won't rehash the plot, others posting here have done an admirable job. However, there has been a lot of comparison between Replay by Ken Grimwood and the movie Groundhog Day (and other, newer movie/tv/book plots). We're all entitled to our opinions. For those who enjoyed Replay, hurrah! For those who didn't enjoy it, didn't get it, no harm, we can't all have the same tastes. But for those who couldn't or wouldn't enjoy it because they found Groundhog day more fun or comic or less dark - or found Replay less satisfying than the Bill Murray movie because the ending wasn't what they would have liked - I am saddened those readers missed the point of the book because they were so busy totting up a mental scorecard. I doubt Grimwood created Replay for the purpose of measuring it against any other story, past or future, but for his own need to answer that age-old question: If you could live your life again, what would you do? Groundhog Day is an enjoyable premise - if limited - about a protagonist who repeats the same day until he creates the "perfect" day - but it left me wondering - perfection in whose philosophy? Certainly perfection based on a very narrow bandwidth of criteria. Don't misunderstand; Groundhog Day is hugely entertaining, but these are two different stories that deserve to be reviewed on their own merits.

Replay is not concerned with perfection. It deals with a flawed human - Jeff Winston - who is given the opportunity to play out his life many different ways. In each life his character is flawed and human; it's not what he achieves but the journeys that are so compelling. Is he a boring character? Generally, yes, but aren't we all? Do we all live our lives with a view to entertaining others 24/7, as if someone were reading our life story and judging our most minute actions? He is who he is, not who the reader wants him to be.

Other reviewers have maligned the character because essentially he is not a person of destiny - he doesn't satisfy the sci-fi genre mythos of the becoming of a hero - like Luke Skywalker, an ordinary farmboy, becoming a savior of a Republic. But, after all, most people of destiny do not start their lives with their final, future achievements firmly etched in their minds. Why, then, read a book about a protagonist who is not a hero? The relative mediocrity of Jeff's lives is what makes Replay so fascinating - each life left me with a desire to see what he would do next time, to wonder: Is this the life where he will be larger-than-life? Or, will he stumble, make fatal mistakes this time? He's an ordinary person, muddling his way thru again and again. His foreknowledge gives him an advantage in some ways, but also stunts him in other ways.

To class Replay as a sci-fi novel is oversimplification, does not acknowledge it's place as literature. I find one characteristic of literature is that it serves as a springboard for more in-depth learning or the breaking of misconceptions. The famous quote in Replay "You and I, Arjuna, have lived many lives. I remember them all. You do not remember" is from the Bhagavad Gita, or "Song of God." Replay - along with other books such as The Legend of Bagger Vance - has sparked my interest in that religious and philosophical tome, and I've started reading it. I don't expect enlightenment, just maybe a different, evolving view.

Replay has joined other thought-provoking novels on my bookshelf, hopefully to be re-read and enjoyed many times.

I first bought & read a hardcover copy of this book back in the early 90's. Within the year I read it a second time just to see if my very real initial enjoyment of it was just a fluke, decided it wasn't, loaned it to a friend, and never saw it again. Two years ago when I loaned & later gave my copy of "Jumper" by Steven Gould to my teenage stepson, he enjoyed it so much he asked me to recommend any other books I could think of that were even slightly similar in theme. Replay immediately came to mind but I wasn't sure it was still available & didn't take the time to find out. Needless to say, I've just rediscovered it & plan to order two copies shortly. If you're looking for lots of technical complexity in a novel you should move on; if you want a hard to put down, easy to read, thought provoking parable of how we all can take the simplest things in life for granted, it's a great book. I'm looking forward to reading it a third time and getting an extra twist this time by hearing my stepson's comments.

This book unlike any other encourages the reader to really examine his or her life in a totally unique situation. What would you do if you got a second, third or fourth chance to live your life over. The heartbreak of losing children, wives, fortunes made and lost and ultimately of being bored with quite literally "nothing new under the sun". Even though I read this book when it was initially released in hardcover, have read it 8-10 times since, have 2 first edition copies and numerous paperback copies, I still find the concept of replaying your life one of the most fascinating and compelling ideas ever envisioned. Hardly a week goes by when I'm not thinking of this idea. This book brings home the reality of winning the "Grand Lotto", what would you do with all that wealth, and in this case a whole new life or series of lives. An outstanding read! This is the book you've looked your whole life to find

Like most of the other reviewers I felt this was one of the most haunting stories I have ever read. Not just for the characters and their situations, but for the subtle point made that different choices will lead to very different consequences in our lives, and we may not even realise it at the time. I can think of a couple of times in my life when casual choices led to the life I have had, and I can imagime huge consequences if I had made the opposite choice.
Another point that really hit home personally is that I am exactly the same age as Jeff Winston. I was 18 in 1963 and 43 in 1988. If I had died in 1988 and returned to 1963 I would have had exactly the same real life events to contend with. I know what it was like to live thru that 25 year period and the actual events that he experienced and took advantage of were very real to me. Blew me away, and this was after reading this novel for the first time last year! I don't know if someone, say, age 30 right now could get the same impact, but I hope that doesn't keep anyone from reading this novel. It's well worth it.
The only small criticism I can think of is a lack of impact in any of Jeff's lifes of the Vietnam War on him. I suppose that would have complicated the story line too much, but it was such a big part of all our lives from 1965 to 1975, and beyond, that it seems odd not to come across more about it.
But that's a very small thing. Overall this book left me with a real sense of an epic sweep of time, and a real feeling of having lived may lifetimes myself through the characters. If you have any interest at all in alternate history or time travel stories, you really should read this novel!

I read this book in the late 80's and it has been in my
thoughts ever since. Many times I have thought, if I make this
decision now, would I make it different if given the chance?

I moved several times and lost the book, but as mentioned, I
never forgot the premise of being able to replay part of your
life and what would you do different.

I could not remember the Title or the author and spent many hours
in the library searching various themes such as reincarnation,
time travel, etc. but could not locate the book.

Then, in the late 90's, with the Internet, I began another search
and found it on Amazon. I immediately orderred and upon receipt
read again with great joy. This time I gathered even more
insight into what the book was about, SECOND CHANCES. Think about
it. If you could go back 25 years what would you do different?
That boggles the mind.

I put the book in a safe place and have just pulled off the shelf again and read for the third time. Again, a tremendous thought provoking read.

This has to be one of the best books written for those that reflect on their lives, what they have accomplished, what they want to accomplish, and how to go about it.

I have raised my children telling them, Each choice you make in life, no matter how small or large has a consequence. It may be good or bad, but there is always a consequence.

A great book!