Here is a true literary event–the long-awaited new novel by Carlos Fuentes, one of the world’s great writers. By turns a tragedy and a ...
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reviews
Oct 12, 2011
Citlalli
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Este libro realmente me dejó gratamente sorprendida. Resultó ser muy diferente de lo que esperaba, ya que creía que el foco de la historia sería el aislamiento de México de los medios modernos de comunicación. Después de leer las primeras 30 páginas pensé que iba a odiar este libro (debido a que todos los capítulos son cartas que los personajes se escriben entre sí) y que me iba a costar mucho trabajo terminarlo, pero ¡oh sorpresa sorpresa!... conforme fui avanzando le fui agarrando el sabor; y
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Feb 05, 2009
Carlos Fuentes, author of more than 20 books (including The Old Gringo and The Death of Artemio Cruz), knows politics intimately: he served in various government positions in Mexico and as Mexico's ambassador to France in the mid-1970s. The Eagle's Throne, a brilliantly scathing satire on presidential succession, is among Fuentes's best work. Inspired by Machiavelli's The Prince and other texts, Fuentes personalizes power plays through letters in which characters scheme, betray, plot murders, r
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Dec 25, 2007
Nick
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An absorbing yet playful novel that weaves in and out of the minds of Mexico's most privy political actors. Dark and sleazy.
Aug 04, 2009
Shannon
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I had a really hard time getting into this book and keeping all of the characters straight. I just couldn't find enough to keep my interest to the end so did not finish it. Friends of mine who did finish it liked it more than I did although most felt that the book fell short. One friend from my real life bookclub loved it, and loved the inter-connectedness of the characters and pretty much everything about it.
Sometimes I wonder if it is a problem with translation when I am not enj More...
Sometimes I wonder if it is a problem with translation when I am not enj More...
Oct 06, 2009
Lamski Kikita
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If you are a fan of Mike Rowe's "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery channel, after finishing this book you would be tempted to send the following note to him "Politicians have the dirtiest job that ever existed." I doubt he would want to do an episode on that, though.
Mexian Political Fiction at its best: mysterius, secretive, scandelous, sexual, dirty, disgusting; full of betrayal, hidden agendas, love triangles, strong opinions, crazy predictions, and conspiracy theories. More...
Mexian Political Fiction at its best: mysterius, secretive, scandelous, sexual, dirty, disgusting; full of betrayal, hidden agendas, love triangles, strong opinions, crazy predictions, and conspiracy theories. More...
Oct 18, 2008
Connect-ion
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This November Carlos Fuentes turns eighty and never does his literature seem more relevant than today. It is often said in the circle of art criticism that time is the test of a work’s genius. Fuentes’ novels stand that test and border the line to prophesizing.
During election season while politicians sling political speeches across your heartstrings I encourage you to read a bit of Carlos Fuentes and learn the way of a politician’s heart. The Eagle’s Throne is characterized as political More...
During election season while politicians sling political speeches across your heartstrings I encourage you to read a bit of Carlos Fuentes and learn the way of a politician’s heart. The Eagle’s Throne is characterized as political More...
Jun 01, 2008
Michael
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I got through about 50 pages before putting this one down. I'm sure Fuentes has some fascinating lights to shine on the area of Mexican politics (which is certainly ripe for literary analysis), but I found the medium in this instance to frustrate more than entice. The book takes as its setting a Mexico in 2020 that has lost all electronic means of communication because its Miami-based satellite has encountered a mechanical failure (brought on by Mexico's political demands on the US). On that
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Oct 02, 2010
Tim
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I really wanted to like this book. I'd read and enjoyed several novels by Fuentes over ten years ago, such as "the Hydra Head", but hadn't read anything by him for a long time. This book has good patches of writing, but never coheres into a convincing whole - not helped by the epistolary form. In the end, disappointing, and maybe one of my three stars is for old times' sake.
Apr 27, 2011
مينا
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كرسي النسر، كرسي الرئاسه .. في إطار خيالي القصد منه الإسقاط على الواقع، يبدأ فوينتس روايته حيث العام 2020 .. خلاف سياسي مع أمريكا يؤدي إلى انقطاع كافة وسائل الاتصال، فتبدأ الروايه المكونه من 70 رساله .. هناك العديد من الشخصيات التي احتفظت كل منها بصوت خاص و روح واضحه في النص زادت من جماله، و إن كانت البنيه الروائيه للأشخاص لم تظهر إلا في الجزء الأخير من الرواية ..
الرواية إسقاط على نظم العالم الثالث كله ..
رواية بها قليل من الأدب كثير من السياسه .. لكنها ممتعه More...
الرواية إسقاط على نظم العالم الثالث كله ..
رواية بها قليل من الأدب كثير من السياسه .. لكنها ممتعه More...
Nov 23, 2008
Jayaprakash
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In the near future, the Mexican president defies the US and in response, the US pulls the plug on Mexico's telecommunications network. Reduced to communication via snail mail, or tape in some cases, the movers and shakers of Mexico's political world scheme and counter-scheme to decide who will be the next to ascend the eagle's throne, the seat of the President. Essentially an epistolatory thriller, and a dashed gripping one, this novel glimpses a different, more humane perspective in its final c
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Sep 20, 2008
John
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This fiction book based on the political maneuvering, deceiving and scheming associated with a presidential succession in Mexico kept me engaged throughout. However, it was much more than a political thriller. Its characters were interesting and the vehicle for its brutal and entertaining depiction of the realities and decision-making not only of politicians but people in general. Also, the pessimistic generalizations about society and politics in Latin America, specifically about corruption was
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Dec 04, 2011
Lourdes
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Me gustan muchos los libros en los que Fuentes se centra en política, a pesar del estilo epistolar de éste.
Jul 22, 2009
Greg
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The premise of the book is very shaky, but Fuentes' writing makes you forgot that quickly. The letters reveal all sorts of twists and turns as the characters scheme for the Mexican presidency. Ultimately a sad book, and the last chapter particularly so.
Jul 20, 2010
Bfor
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Excellent idea, although a slave to its own format. I thinking knowing anything about mexican politics might have helped me read between the lines here.
Apr 23, 2008
Kelli
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I have not finished this book yet, but I want to start over again this summer. It is quite interesting, and poses some interesting theories and scenarios. Basically, Mexico pisses off an oil-rich country and they cut off their communications satellite, leaving them without any electron communications. If it is controlled by a satellite, it is gone. Can you imagine? I haven't finsihed it so I can't offer the best review, but I would recommend it based on what I have read.
Oct 26, 2009
Joana
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"As you know, realpolitik is the arsehole through which we expel what we´ve eaten - whether it´s caviar or cactus; duck à l'orange or a taco de nenepil. Principles, on the other hand, are the head without the anus."
Jan 10, 2012
Luis
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Excelente obra de ficción política. Sin duda muestra todo lo surreal que puede llegar a ser el ejercicio político en México. Obra sumamente recomendada.
Jun 06, 2011
Mohamed
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The storyline using only letters between novel's characters is a good idea but sometimes it turned to diaries. Anyway it's a good lesson in politics and Mexico history more than a good novel.
Feb 14, 2011
Laila
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Almost didn't finish this but I'm glad that I did. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, especially if you are not interested politics, Mexico, power struggle etc. There were a lot of characters to keep straight so I only got clear pictures of some of them. I found the format of the book frustrating at times (all written in letters to other characters) but I think the author pulled it off quite nicely.
Dec 17, 2009
Carlos
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A decent story, but much of the satirical value of the book was lost on me because I am not versed in Mexican political history. I felt that Fuentes phoned this one in. The Death of Artemio Cruz is an example of how great of a satirist he can be. This book was not even close. I also felt that the narrative style (i.e. the book consists letters from each character to the others) was too constraining and distracting.
Jul 12, 2008
Bryan
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Awesome book! Thanks Spencer. Anybook that so aggressively deals with politics in Latin America while inextricably tangling those politics with desire is an fun read. Oh, and Fuentes is also brilliant enough to incorporate some of the most important philosophical trends in Western history ranging from Plato (on the rhetoric of letter-writing) and even Derrida.
Feb 12, 2012
Jaza
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This was my first Fuentes book and I thought it was brilliant. Maybe it's too latin american, I'm not sure if non latin americans will appreciate it as much as I did. But still it's quite recommendable.
Jan 02, 2012
Hjalmar
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Superb idea: no phone, no email possible somewhere in 2020+ in Mexico. The rest is a book made of letters (of course all confidential) that describe the intricacies of the ascension of a young wulf with long teeth to the presidency of the Mexican Republic!
A delight to read.
A delight to read.
Apr 22, 2011
David
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To understand the complexity of Mexican politics, this book is a must. Fuentes ties together a variety of families all with incidious backgrounds and plays upon the weeknesses of the Presidency. He continues this theme in his most recent book, Destiny and Desire.
Sep 15, 2008
Meg - A Bookish Affair
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I can't say that I really enjoyed this book. The premise is that in a fit of anger, the U.S. turns off the satellite communications to Mexico forcing Mexico to resort to conducting all business through letters. The book follows a series of letters written between various residents of Mexico.
Apr 27, 2011
Ginger
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This book was written as a series of letters.. I think the format made it less enjoyable for me. I didn't feel the characters were very well developed. I had a hard time getting into this book. I had to start reading it several different times before I finished it.
Jan 02, 2008
Lizzie
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I enjoyed reading this book but found some of the political intrigue a bit tedious. The interweaving plots are fascinating, and Fuentes creates the separate voices with ease. I am glad that I read this book but shy away from recommending it.
