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Title: Covenant by James A. Michener ISBN: 0-449-21420-6 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 March, 1987 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.36 (25 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Far from his best
Comment: In books like Chesapeake, Hawaii and Alaska, the pages just fly by. You get so drawn into the tale that you feel like the characters are real people that you know. It's entertainment first, education second.
'Covenant' does not live up to this standard. I found myself simply not caring about the characters, and just waiting (longing) for the end of each chapter. A lot of it is just dull.
'Covenant' is not as bad as 'Mexico' - that was a true shocker - but it is a long way from Michener at his best. Read it if you're a fan, but if you're looking to get into Michener choose another.
Rating: 4
Summary: An epic historical novel
Comment: Sometimes it's nice to read a small book, a quick 150-300 page diversion from the real world. At other times, however, it's nice to read a book with some real "meat" to it. Few big name writers were more adept at producing these meaty books than James Michener, and in the Covenant, he presents one of his biggest, a 1200+ page epic about South Africa.
As usual, Michener is not as interested in adventure or characters as he is with relating the history of a particular region. This is his formula: to cover a region from prehistoric times to the present, watching it slowly get settled and eventually civilized, though this civilization is often with a great price. This is not to say that he doesn't write a compelling story: he does, but he does not use heroes or villains to populate his world.
This is a good book, but a reader new to Michener should learn to try and not get too attached to specific characters, as Michener treats them rather unsentimentally, and they often die in undramatic fashion. Also, although there are some unpleasant people, Michener does not make them truly evil; he usually can show that these characters believe they have justifiable reasons for their actions. Writing as objectively as possible in a novel, he judges no one but rather allows the reader to make the judgements.
Many will be put off by the size of this book, but this is actually a reasonably fast read. In the end, the reader will feel both entertained and educated, and that is perhaps the best that can be asked of from a novel.
Rating: 5
Summary: Monumental
Comment: This most fascinating of books tells the story of South Africa in the form of an Epic. It traces the history of South Africa, from the arrival of the first black Africans, through to the cementing of apartheid (the book having been first published in 1980). To a certain extent, the book traces the history of South Africa through the history of a certain (fictional) family, the Van Doorns. As the story strides through history, we see the various members of the family born, make their mark upon history, and then pass on. Along the way, the story takes many sidetracks, showing the history of other people and groups that also affected South African history, as they also join the narrative.
It's hard to say too much about this book. It is simply monumental in its scope, and yet in execution it is wonderfully simple and easy to read. Having read this book (in two volumes), I now feel a much deeper understanding of the history of South Africa, and the varied people who live there, than I could ever have gotten from a history book. The book is very even-handed, showing the heights and the depths that people of all colors can reach to.
Overall, I think that this is one of the most important books that I have ever read, and certainly one of the most masterfully written. I cannot recommend this book enough!
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Title: The Source by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449211479 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 March, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Caravans by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449213803 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 December, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Chesapeake by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449211584 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 April, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Caribbean by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449217493 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 25 December, 1990 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Poland by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449205878 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 September, 1984 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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