Customer Reviews

Stargate

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First off, I should mention that, although the book shares a title with a major motion picture and its spin-offs, that's where the similarity ends. In Gedge's version, a great, star-spanning civilization is being gradually invaded and its member worlds corrupted by an evil entity/force which is impossible to withstand; the only solution is to isolate each infected world. As worlds fall, the survivors desperately search for an answer to the spreading chaos, and the various solutions are both heartbreaking and poignant. The main characters are not mortals; they are starfolk, bound into symbiotic relationships with the stars around which their planetary systems orbit. As such, they are almost unbelievably powerful, but against the Unmaker, even they may not be enough. While there is plenty of tragedy to go around here, in the end, this novel is about hope and the will to live, even against almost insurmountable odds. It's also one of the finest examples of the literary craft in the sc-fi/fantasy genre, and Ms. Gedge is at her brilliant best here. I recommend this book both for its philosophical content and for the skill with which the author presents her characters and their dilemma. It's a marvellous novel on both levels, and one I'm going to be reading and re-reading for years.

An interesting twist on the doctrine of Original Sin. Amazingly fresh concepts and characters with a Götterdämmerung feel to it. I have read it and reread it, enjoying it every time

I love sci-fi, fantasy, humor, everything. I read a lot, and out of all of the books I have read, this is my favorite. I took it out of the library several years ago because it sounded neat. It was fantastic. Some aspects of it are kind of out of the ordinary. For example: humans are not a character in this book. This does not hurt the story line, it helps it! This book is a sci-fi/fantasy mix. It includes the best of both genres. Anybody who is looking for a book that once you start, you can't put down, this is a great one.

One of my favourite books is Gedge's Twelfth Transforming, and I remember enjoying Child of the Morning from the school library.
Stargate is nothing like either of those. It is written in very simplistic form, with little character development and an implausible story - there's no explaining why some of the characters are basically gods and others just rabble or why the gates between the worlds are there.
Worst of all there's no delicious detail like the Twelfth Transforming - in fact Stargate appears to have been written by a totally different author.
My advice is that if you like her Egypt books, don't get this one. My copy is going in the next charity shop run.

Stargate is an awesome book. It is definatly one of my favourite books of all time. In my opinion, it ought to be used in highschool english classes because of its literary value. It covers the topic of corruption so well and the characters are so very well defined, I'd suggest you take notes reading it to get more out of it.

I was actually hoping the movie Stargate would be based on this book, and although I enjoyed the movie and series, would have enjoyed it much more if it *had* been based on this great book.

I read this back in the 80s when I received it as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. Very engaging story. It draws you into the characters and they stay with you many, many years afterwards.

Good story of just what is good, what is evil and how do we go about living our lives with what we learn about good and evil.

Would love to reread this one, if I could find it.

At first I thought by the title that it might have to do with the T.V. series "Stargate SG-1". But right from the beginning I was wrong. However, as I read on, I began to gate travel too, into the hearts of each charater and their love for each other. Their worlds and fear of falling into corruption was over whelming. The ending was to me a beginning of new hopes. I read this book non-stop. Ms. Gedge's gate traveling has certainly left me wanting more.

Pauline Gedge's "Stargate" is fantastic. While I generally do not enjoy fantasy, I loved every minute of this book. The author not only weaves a compelling tale, but delivers a chilling message: fear of corruption can be corrupting in itself. If you have not yet read this outstanding novel, you should do so at the first possible opportunity.

I have read this book many times since I was a young teenager and I keep a copy close. I refer to it almost daily. Left a big impression. Im going to go read it right now.

With worlds falling to chaos all around you, this is not an uplifting read. It is an interesting story with an unusual plot, but has no characters to really feel sympathy or identify with. One really annoying thing about this book is the editing! Did anyone use spell check? If you're a die hard fantasy fan, then read this book. If not, don't.