Titans of Chaos (The Chronicles of Chaos) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "It was our fault..." (more)
Key Phrases: morality strands, upper senses, azure beam, Miss Windrose, Argent Nautilus, Dark Mistress (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Orphans of Chaos, Nebula Nominee 2005, A Locus Year’s Best 2005
 
“I don’t know if John Wright’s intent for Orphans of Chaos was to write a Harry Potter for grownups. But that’s what he’s accomplished. . . .highly enjoyable.” --SFsite
 
“An exciting, unusual, and very satisfying ride through the author’s imagination, and the results are certainly going to make Wright even more of a hot property. If it wasn’t as well written as it is, it would still be a nice antidote to the generic fantasy that lurks behind most new covers lately, and it’s a lot more than that as well.” --Chronicle
 
“In the first installment of the Chronicle of Chaos series, common associations of high school with prison prove spectacularly well founded. . .Wright’s growing fandom will revel in his overlapping frames of reference.” --Booklist
 
“Wright has written a modern-day fantasy that borrows from many traditions and mythologies and has the feel of an epic. A solid selection for most libraries.” –Library Journal
 
“Formidably erudite, a stylist capable of moving prose poetry and hilarious rodomontade and many measures between, a master of exceedingly complex plotting, and astonishingly fecund with ideas. These qualities are abundantly present in Orphans of Chaos. . . . Orphans is thus an excellent book, a splendid exercise in high-concept metaphysical romance.” --Locus
 
“Start of a complex mythology-based series from the author of the astonishing far-future Golden Age trilogy . . . . Fascinatingly, dazzlingly, almost pointlessly erudite fantasy that trends inexorably toward science fiction; addicts will pounce.” –Kirkus, starred review
 
“Wright’s myth-infused fantasy looks like something older Harry Potter fans might enjoy with its creaky British boarding school setting and its five ageless orphans—Colin, Quentin, Victor, Vanity, and Amelia each with a supernatural gift. . . . Those who like sophisticated fantasy with a mild erotic charge will be most rewarded.” –Publishers Weekly

Product Description

Titans of Chaos completes John Wright's The Chronicles of Chaos. Launched in Orphans of Chaos--a Nebula Award Nominee for best novel in 2006, and a Locus Year’s Best Novel pick for 2005--and continued in Fugitives of Chaos, the trilogy is about five orphans raised in a strict British boarding school who discovered that they are not human.
     The students have been kidnapped, robbed of their powers, and raised in ignorance by super-beings. The five have made incredible discoveries about themselves. Amelia is apparently a fourth-dimensional being; Victor is a synthetic man who can control the molecular arrangement of matter; Vanity can find secret passageways through solid walls; Colin is a psychic; Quentin is a warlock. Each power comes from a different paradigm or view of the universe. They have learned to control their strange abilities and have escaped into our world: now their true battle for survival begins.
       The Chronicles of Chaos is situated in the literary territory of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, and Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, with some of the flash and dazzle of superhero comics.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (April 17, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 076531648X ISBN-13: 978-0765316486 Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #780,022 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
It was our fault. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
morality strands, upper senses, azure beam, reentry heat, swift god, internal nature

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Miss Windrose, Argent Nautilus, Dark Mistress, Great Weapon, Lady Phoebe, Los Angeles, Union Jack, Headmaster Boggin, Miss Daw, Grendel Glum, Lady Cyprian, Queen Elizabeth, Lady Tritogenia, Lord Mayors, Thousand-Dimensional Object, Vanity Fair, Vanity Island, Isle of Man, Wright Vanity, Amelia Armstrong Windrose, Colin Iblis, Lord Dis, Lord Trismegistus, Nice Guy, Victor Triumph

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright

Discusses:

• swift god
• Miss Windrose
• Headmaster Boggin

Fugitives of Chaos by John C. Wright

Discusses:

• morality strands
• upper senses
• azure beam

Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright Discusses: swift god Miss Windrose Headmaster Boggin Fugitives of Chaos by John C. Wright Discusses: morality strands upper senses azure beam Loading...

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	79% buy the item featured on this page: Titans of Chaos (The Chronicles of Chaos) 4.0 out of 5 stars (17) $25.95
	7% buy Orphans of Chaos 3.7 out of 5 stars (43) $6.99
	6% buy The Golden Age (The Golden Age, Book 1) 3.9 out of 5 stars (82) $6.99
	4% buy The Golden Transcendence: Or, The Last of the Masquerade (The Golden Age) 4.1 out of 5 stars (26)

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews 5 star:  (7) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (5) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.0 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 13 of 16 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars All Powers Have Their Limits?, April 28, 2007 By  J. Brian Watkins (San Dimas, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       Amazon Verified Purchase It is my considered opinion that Mr. Wright could use a touch more discipline in his writing. His early works, particularly the Golden Age trilogy, were incredible--absolute must reads. He has virtually created a new genre--modern mythology. If it weren't for Google, I'd have been lost in the dazzling, non-stop introduction of characters, themes, and ideas grabbed from history and polished up for a new era. "Titans of Chaos" is the conclusion of the Chaos trilogy of which, the first volume, "Orphans of Chaos," seizes the reader from the beginning with a complex web of characters new and familiar. Five children are coming of age and realizing that they are not British subjects but rather the descendants of gods from various dimensions and realms, each of whom has particular powers that are neutralized in some fashion by a mysterious cabal that wishes to contain the powers these children represent. Though hinting at an epic confrontation of powers, the first volume came to the abrupt end all too common these days as publishers seem to be unwilling to publish one book when they can publish three. So, in the second volume, "Fugitives of Chaos," Mr. Wright has his five protagonists make a break for freedom, which is somewhat complicated by the fact that his characters don't know who they are running from nor where they might run to. The book didn't seem to follow the same path as had been mapped out in the first volume and suffered from certain excesses not relevant here. Yet based upon the strength of prior works, I signed up to get my copy of "Titans of Chaos" hot off the press. It is a much better work than the second volume but seems as though the author tossed off a chapter at a time without any sense of when or how things would wrap up. "Titans" is almost a stream-of-consciousness version of storytelling. Thus, the Chaos trilogy is completely unlike the Golden Age trilogy in which the ending was foreshadowed by a conversation that takes place in the very first chapter of the first book. Much of the power of the Golden Age trilogy was found in the fact that Mr. Wright knew where he was going and it was quite a ride. In "Titans," the development of several of the characters ends as the narrative focuses much more closely on Amelia Windrose. Clues and hints to Amelia's background and purpose never quite pan out and the ultimate battle involved an entirely new character who had not even been hinted at in the first volume--it was also strangely anti-climactic. And why, after the reader has invested so much in these characters, must the author present as the ultimate ending of a story involving the interplay of gods, powers, principalities, etc.--good and evil incarnate--going to end in a tawdry, though (thankfully) implied rather than explicit, episode of adolescent fornication? I am and remain a huge fan of Mr. Wright; however, his gifts as a writer evidence that he is capable of much, much more. Another reviewer has likened the Chaos trilogy to a Harry Potter for adults--yet what is fascinating about the Potter books is that each book adds to the prior, that the author gave out just enough hints in earlier works to make the journey endlessly inventive and interesting; they have a destination. The destination of Chaos promised to be a confrontation between powers that predated the Earth itself, or possibly a discourse on the Promethian gift that so defines humanity. It promised to be more than what it was and that has left this reviewer terribly disappointed. Nevertheless, I recommend this work as head and shoulders above most other offerings of the genre and will eagerly await Mr. Wright's next effort. 8 of 11 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Capital closure!, April 21, 2007 By  K. M. "literary devotee" (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       Amazon Verified Purchase This final volume in the Chaos Trilogy is a wonderful extra-dimensional Toad's wild ride for adults. TITANS OF CHAOS is absorbing fun. Our heroes -- Amelia, Victor, Colin, Vanity and Quentin -- markedly mature (in comparison with the previous books) as they fight fantastic battles against armies of Amazons, sirens, nymphs, mechanical steeds, and maenads under the command of lord speedy himself, Trismegistus, a.k.a., the Olympian, Hermes. Before the bloody wars commence however, the five "young people" hide away to explore and expand their individual paradigms and powers, and Wright's imagination carries us along on a nimble romp through ways to bend "reality." Among the joys: soaring with Amelia on her "superwoman" flight; the reader's freedom-seeking spirit is unleashed too. Great entertainment also is the group's impromptu space adventure; they (especially Amelia) hope to plant a Union Jack where no one has trod before. However.... TITANS OF CHAOS just bursts with the flowering of the titans' superhuman talents as the author spares no effort to describe the added geometries, spirits, physical properties, secret passages, and moral webs they perceive and harness in our humdrum 3-D world. This is gorgeous mind candy. TITANS OF CHAOS finishes as satisfyingly as one may dare to hope. While ORPHANS OF CHAOS gripped the reader with the dizzying audacity of new concepts and a horde of gods' identities, and FUGITIVES OF CHAOS filled in some blanks and kept a forward momentum, TITANS OF CHAOS thrillingly fulfills the promises implicit in the previous books. This trilogy isn't for every science fiction or science fantasy fan, but it is a full-bodied accomplishment that some will truly adore. Enjoy the saga in its entirety now. 5 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars If you liked the first two, you're going to buy it anyway..., May 21, 2007 By  Thomas F. Gibson (Monteagle, TN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Reviewing the third book in a trilogy is a bit of an exercise in futility, but here goes... The first half of this book is plotless wandering through what are known in the Role-playing game world as "Mini-quests", but it picked up my interest again about halfway through, just in time to lose it again on a climactic battle that is a study in the definition of the word "Overblown". But,if you read the first two, then you just GOTTA know what happens to Amelia and her friends, so go ahead and get it, you don't really have a choice.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars War epic? Teen sex comedy? Miss Manners for minor gods? They go to Mars. They go to Hollywood. They fight a zillion-page-long battle with every nasty and annoying thing that the bad guys can throw at them. Read more Published 23 days ago by Michael Lichter 3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite perfectly chaotic... The title of this book is an apt one, for it is indeed a very chaotic book. The finale of a trilogy, this book tries to wrap things up nicely, but it wasn't as enjoyable a read... Read more Published 1 month ago by Mike 5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Mythology reimagined for the 21st century The final installment continues right were the second novel left off and is by far the most action packed book of the trilogy. Read more Published 6 months ago by Matthew Nigrelli 5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible trilogy concludes... The cover of this book touts it as "The Fantastic Climax of The Chronicles of Chaos." Most series, in their final book, spend a decent portion on the final build to the climax,... Read more Published 11 months ago by Zachary Jones 4.0 out of 5 stars Decent wrapup to a decent series All in all the final book of the Chaos Chronicles fulfills its responsibilities to wrap up the long convoluted plot laid out in the first two books. Read more Published 14 months ago by Bobby M 3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting if you don't get lost I generally enjoyed John Wright's Chaos series of books. The final book "Titan's of Chaos" I was quite excited to read as the first two books had built up an excellent set of... Read more Published 15 months ago by S. Dorr 5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular! I have just finished a week-long reading marathon with this series. I picked up "Orphans of Chaos" and wouldn't rest until I finished through to this latest installment. Read more Published 16 months ago by Rachel Floyd 3.0 out of 5 stars Super Reader Not so much at the end, though. The crazy stuff that happens in here with all the various different types of Chaos and Olympian and other assorted superpowers... Read more Published 20 months ago by Blue Tyson 4.0 out of 5 stars Good Finale As others have mentioned. The end of the Chaos series is a little weak. Things are mostly wrapped up at the beginning of this book, though it continues, it starts to feel... Read more Published 20 months ago by Molenir 5.0 out of 5 stars Fine Finale This is a fine finale to the Orphans of Chaos teen and young adult trilogy. Published 21 months ago by Douglas Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (April 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076531648X
• ISBN-13: 978-0765316486
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #780,022 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All Powers Have Their Limits?, April 28, 2007

By	J. Brian Watkins (San Dimas, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

It is my considered opinion that Mr. Wright could use a touch more discipline in his writing. His early works, particularly the Golden Age trilogy, were incredible--absolute must reads. He has virtually created a new genre--modern mythology. If it weren't for Google, I'd have been lost in the dazzling, non-stop introduction of characters, themes, and ideas grabbed from history and polished up for a new era.

"Titans of Chaos" is the conclusion of the Chaos trilogy of which, the first volume, "Orphans of Chaos," seizes the reader from the beginning with a complex web of characters new and familiar. Five children are coming of age and realizing that they are not British subjects but rather the descendants of gods from various dimensions and realms, each of whom has particular powers that are neutralized in some fashion by a mysterious cabal that wishes to contain the powers these children represent. Though hinting at an epic confrontation of powers, the first volume came to the abrupt end all too common these days as publishers seem to be unwilling to publish one book when they can publish three.

So, in the second volume, "Fugitives of Chaos," Mr. Wright has his five protagonists make a break for freedom, which is somewhat complicated by the fact that his characters don't know who they are running from nor where they might run to. The book didn't seem to follow the same path as had been mapped out in the first volume and suffered from certain excesses not relevant here.

Yet based upon the strength of prior works, I signed up to get my copy of "Titans of Chaos" hot off the press. It is a much better work than the second volume but seems as though the author tossed off a chapter at a time without any sense of when or how things would wrap up. "Titans" is almost a stream-of-consciousness version of storytelling. Thus, the Chaos trilogy is completely unlike the Golden Age trilogy in which the ending was foreshadowed by a conversation that takes place in the very first chapter of the first book. Much of the power of the Golden Age trilogy was found in the fact that Mr. Wright knew where he was going and it was quite a ride.

In "Titans," the development of several of the characters ends as the narrative focuses much more closely on Amelia Windrose. Clues and hints to Amelia's background and purpose never quite pan out and the ultimate battle involved an entirely new character who had not even been hinted at in the first volume--it was also strangely anti-climactic. And why, after the reader has invested so much in these characters, must the author present as the ultimate ending of a story involving the interplay of gods, powers, principalities, etc.--good and evil incarnate--going to end in a tawdry, though (thankfully) implied rather than explicit, episode of adolescent fornication?

I am and remain a huge fan of Mr. Wright; however, his gifts as a writer evidence that he is capable of much, much more. Another reviewer has likened the Chaos trilogy to a Harry Potter for adults--yet what is fascinating about the Potter books is that each book adds to the prior, that the author gave out just enough hints in earlier works to make the journey endlessly inventive and interesting; they have a destination. The destination of Chaos promised to be a confrontation between powers that predated the Earth itself, or possibly a discourse on the Promethian gift that so defines humanity. It promised to be more than what it was and that has left this reviewer terribly disappointed.

Nevertheless, I recommend this work as head and shoulders above most other offerings of the genre and will eagerly await Mr. Wright's next effort.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Capital closure!, April 21, 2007

By	K. M. "literary devotee" (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This final volume in the Chaos Trilogy is a wonderful extra-dimensional Toad's wild ride for adults. TITANS OF CHAOS is absorbing fun.

Our heroes -- Amelia, Victor, Colin, Vanity and Quentin -- markedly mature (in comparison with the previous books) as they fight fantastic battles against armies of Amazons, sirens, nymphs, mechanical steeds, and maenads under the command of lord speedy himself, Trismegistus, a.k.a., the Olympian, Hermes.

Before the bloody wars commence however, the five "young people" hide away to explore and expand their individual paradigms and powers, and Wright's imagination carries us along on a nimble romp through ways to bend "reality." Among the joys: soaring with Amelia on her "superwoman" flight; the reader's freedom-seeking spirit is unleashed too. Great entertainment also is the group's impromptu space adventure; they (especially Amelia) hope to plant a Union Jack where no one has trod before. However....

TITANS OF CHAOS just bursts with the flowering of the titans' superhuman talents as the author spares no effort to describe the added geometries, spirits, physical properties, secret passages, and moral webs they perceive and harness in our humdrum 3-D world. This is gorgeous mind candy.

TITANS OF CHAOS finishes as satisfyingly as one may dare to hope. While ORPHANS OF CHAOS gripped the reader with the dizzying audacity of new concepts and a horde of gods' identities, and FUGITIVES OF CHAOS filled in some blanks and kept a forward momentum, TITANS OF CHAOS thrillingly fulfills the promises implicit in the previous books. This trilogy isn't for every science fiction or science fantasy fan, but it is a full-bodied accomplishment that some will truly adore. Enjoy the saga in its entirety now.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you liked the first two, you're going to buy it anyway..., May 21, 2007

By	Thomas F. Gibson (Monteagle, TN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Reviewing the third book in a trilogy is a bit of an exercise in futility, but here goes...

The first half of this book is plotless wandering through what are known in the Role-playing game world as "Mini-quests", but it picked up my interest again about halfway through, just in time to lose it again on a climactic battle that is a study in the definition of the word "Overblown".

But,if you read the first two, then you just GOTTA know what happens to Amelia and her friends, so go ahead and get it, you don't really have a choice.