Customer Reviews

Shadow Hunter

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

 

 

I'm surprised to be the first person reviewing this book because it's been out for five years and was quite well-received when it was released, both in the sci-fi and environmental communities. The politics and "atomsphere" do occasionally outweigh characterization in this novel, but they don't detract from the author's purpose, which is to get the reader to think about the ways in which humans live in community with each other and with the larger world. Clearly influenced by the ideologies and thinking of the Deep Ecology movement, Baker imagines a blasted, divided world in which all of "nature" has joined together in a last desperate attempt to bring human civilization into equilibrium with the rest of the natural world. A very engaging read, and one that will leave you thinking about real ideas and humanity's place in the natural order of things. This book is ideal for the sci-fi reader looking for something to read on his or her next hiking or biking trip, or anyone else with an interest in futurology and the outdoors.

To find a book that was written in 1994 and having only one other review on Amazon.com is, indeed, a surprise. Particularly since it was a well-received novel. I’ll not stoop to repeat what my fellow reviewer (June 17 1999) has said, since he sums up well the strengths of Shadow Hunter, and you’ve plenty of time to read just two reviews!

Will Baker broke the mould with this book – a mixture of political comment and science fiction. His images are deep and lasting, though at times his narrative and introversion is a little too long and tortuous. Nevertheless, Shadow Hunter is a great read for those who like something out of the ordinary. It’s well worthy of four stars which, unfortunately, is more than can be said for the sequel, ‘Star Beast’. If you can get hold of a copy of Shadow Hunter, you should do so before it completely disappears. You’ll find it well worth the effort.

This book delves into a variety of things: Science Fiction, Nature, Pyschology, and Economics, as well as blends between those subjects. It does this very well. But I, personally, have not been excited by three of those four subjects, so for me, the book was fairly boring. It was well-written, but the page-turning aspect, as well as getting a 'feel' for it and sinking into it, and identifying with the main character...simply didn't happen.

A good book, but just not for me. It may be for you.