As Mother India approaches her centenary, nine people are going about their business-a gangster, a cop, his wife, a politician, a stand-up comic, a...
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Dec 16, 2009
Res
rated it: 
The one set in a near-future India, where a non-natural object is found in the asteroid belt which is older than the solar system and contains pictures of three humans currently alive. Leadership and scientific struggles at the nation's largest power company; a religious revolt; a Muslim government minister brought down by his passion for an artificial third gender called nutes; AIs thousands of times more intelligent than humans, outlawed and hunted down by a police branch called Krishna Cops.
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Dec 16, 2009
Rob
rated it: 
When you pick this up and hold the hard cover in your hands, its heft is a little intimidating. When you put it down 597 pages later, you’ll wonder how he managed to keep it so focused, how he kept it from wandering all over the place. Not that it doesn’t have a tremendous scope (borders on “epic” but I feel I must reserve that adjective for a space opera review) but McDonald keeps it moving at an aggressive pace. Every back alley detour and out-of-town foray is very deliberate and very much par
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Nov 01, 2007
Logan
rated it:
A unique science fiction tale of India at its centenary told through the inter-locking tales of nine extremely different characters. There is Mr. Nandha,the Krishna cop tasked with exterminating artificial intelligences (or aeais as the book terms them) who break beyond their programming restrictions to a higher threshold of intelligence. There is Shiv, a gangster fallen on hard times forced to work for genetically-engineered titans. There is Tal, a nute (or neutral-gendered person) drawn int
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Nov 28, 2008
Eric
rated it: 
This is one substantial story - both in sheer mass of the book, and in the plot itself. McDonald tells the story of India, 50 years into the future. I find his speculation on what may happen to India is believable, and his spec fic elements are plausible. The culture of India seems particularly suited to McDonald's storytelling style - he brings together all of his plots coherently, finding a certain underlying theme to the chaotic and disparate subplots he's working with.
The tale i More...
The tale i More...
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Sep 18, 2011
Guy
rated it: 
My first book by Ian McDonald, and it was good, but not great. Set in India in 2047 it is in a way like India itself: very large, multi-faceted, crowded with too many characters and a confusing mixture of languages, rich with dazzling inventiveness, but lacking the developmental follow-through required to really profit from its genius.
McDonald writes lovely prose, but needs to work on his plotting: the plot lines of the nine main characters, despite the promise of an "ensembl More...
McDonald writes lovely prose, but needs to work on his plotting: the plot lines of the nine main characters, despite the promise of an "ensembl More...
Aug 28, 2011
Matt
rated it:
I respect what Ian was trying to do with this novel, I really do, but his ambition, I think, exceeded the execution to the point of muddling ambiguity. Mr. MacDonald's a wordsmith, there's not doubt about it, and some of his descriptions are small morsels of pure prose desert. He is truly a master of the language and plays with it beautifully. The issue, however, is that one will read pages, perhaps a chapter, and realize how very little actually occurred in the scene and how little it contribut
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May 07, 2011
Pat
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I seem to read a lot of Ians (Ian McDonald, Ian Rankin, Iain M. Banks, etc.) which has nothing to do with this book, but was worth noting... River of Gods is a tricky book. The opening was catchy, and the first little nibble was quite delicious, and then once I got into the real "meat" of the story things slowed down considerably and I found myself wondering if I was going to bother finishing it. Not that it's a bad book, at all, I read it through and the end picked up speed again, bu
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Apr 25, 2011
Emily
rated it:
In August in 2047, in the city of Varanasi in the country of Bharat in central India, nine people converge on one singular event that changes everything for mankind. For some, it's an asteroid containing the alien relic the Tabernacle. For others it is chasing down AIs. And for others, it is about finding themselves in the midst of a water war when the monsoon rains no longer come and the Ganga runs dry.
The good: River of Gods does very interesting things with the arc of the growth More...
The good: River of Gods does very interesting things with the arc of the growth More...
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Mar 18, 2011
Patrick J.
rated it:
I love this book. I was incredibly confused when I started reading it, due to the changes in view point every chapter and all of the Hindi words and phrases. I was flipping back to the glossary once or twice per page at first. Not to mention some of the odd technology. In any case, once I got into the flow and I could tell where things were headed I couldn't put it down. I want to go as far as to say this book is brilliant, but I'm probably not the best judge since I am biased toward Sci-Fi
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Feb 12, 2011
Klytia
rated it:
Bharat, India, 2047. Tutti gli aspetti tecnologici della società sono controllati dalle intelligenze artificiali, le aeai, la cui capacità di diventare senzienti è limitata dal provvedimento Hamilton; i Dataraja, potentissimi hacker, sono però in grado di aggirare la legge creando aeai di intelligenza pericolosamente superiore; a loro si oppongono i Krishna Cops, un corpo di polizia specializzato nell’eliminazione delle aeai fuorilegge e che utilizza avatar con le sembianze e i poteri delle divi
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Dec 25, 2010
Patricia
rated it:
India is a river, constantly moving, changing, bewildering, giver of life and taker of life. It is most likely that a westerner or non-Indian Asian, perhaps even Indians themselves, cannot truly comprehend the depths of India. In the West, we regard Mesopotamia as the cradle of civilization, but that is western civilization. In Mesopotamia, we learned how to stand still. We stopped roaming around gathering food and started planting and reaping. India contemplated the mind and spirit and grew the
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Aug 16, 2009
Paul
rated it:
Nominated for the 2005 Hugo Award for best novel (losing to Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell), River of Gods is an ambitious look at 2047 India by Ian McDonald.
As India approaches its 100th birthday, it has balkanized into a number of semi independent nations. Technology runs high here, higher than in some parts of the world. Artificial Intelligences reach for above-human sentience even as "Krishna cops" try and prevent them from doing so. The lack of a More...
As India approaches its 100th birthday, it has balkanized into a number of semi independent nations. Technology runs high here, higher than in some parts of the world. Artificial Intelligences reach for above-human sentience even as "Krishna cops" try and prevent them from doing so. The lack of a More...
Nov 28, 2008
Noah
rated it:
First, a warning: There is a goddamn glossary in the back of this book. I did not realize this until I was about 300 pages in. A lot of the Hindi words became clear through contextual clues, but some stuff I still am not sure about. I didn't bother to consult it (once I learned of its existence) because I was more than happy to just let the atmosphere wash over me and try to absorb meaning as I went.
Anyway, this is a hell of a book.
It's an absurdly rich portrait of In More...
Anyway, this is a hell of a book.
It's an absurdly rich portrait of In More...
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Jun 15, 2011
Rafal
rated it:
Wizja niedalekiej przyszłości, wspaniale nakreślona, oparta na kanwie dopracowanej, wciągającej i obfitującej w niezwykłe zwroty akcji fabuły. Idealnym dopełnieniem tej doskonale zaplanowanej opowieści o świecie, w którym sztuczne inteligencje stawiają swoje pierwsze i kolejne kroki ku autonomii, są nietuzinkowe postaci, które przeżywają swe małe prywatne dramaty, walczą ze słabościami, kochają i cierpią - pierwiastek ludzki ma niebanalne znaczenie w "Rzece bogów". Wszystko to, razem w
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May 18, 2010
Evan
rated it:
I doubt it's intentional, but Ian McDonald seems to be translating the great treasures of magical realism into scifi, and doing it masterfully. Where Desolation Road reads rather like One Hundred Years of Solitude set on Mars, River of Gods feels like someone gave Salman Rushdie a time machine so he could rewrite Midnight's Children a hundred years later. The result is something completely new, and breathtakingly imaginative and ambitious. The plot reads like magical realism, but McDonald has
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Sep 10, 2010
CScott
rated it:
Ian McDonald creates a vivid and dark future India in this -punk sci-fi novel.
He follows nine different characters, from a politician to a street-punk to a reporter and an AI programmer, through crowded, twisting streets that almost mirror his crowded, twisting plot.
A lot is going on in this book, and none of it seems to be related until the end, when everything comes together a la Guy Richie.
Ostensibly, there is an ancient alien artifact in space, but after the first couple ch More...
He follows nine different characters, from a politician to a street-punk to a reporter and an AI programmer, through crowded, twisting streets that almost mirror his crowded, twisting plot.
A lot is going on in this book, and none of it seems to be related until the end, when everything comes together a la Guy Richie.
Ostensibly, there is an ancient alien artifact in space, but after the first couple ch More...
Jan 04, 2011
Brian
rated it:
Well, I've been searching for new sci-fi that captures my attention and distracts me from the real world and makes me feel sort of smart that I am interested in continuing to read about it and maybe has some occasional nanotech or AI maybe taking over the world combined with alternate universe possibilities, a variety of characters ranging from interesting to mundane, sexy to just plain gigantic, and perhaps the occasional draw-me-in plot line and raunchy sex scene. And also, I would like to la
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Jan 30, 2012
randy
rated it:
Okay, this is what fiction should be like.
What a wonderfully inventive book.
This is a story of India at 100 years old. It is a story of a billion and half people and at least a billion gods. It is not an easy read, but it is worth every second of it.
Imagine if when humanity creates artificial intelligence that the AIs take on the characteristics and avatars of gods. Sounds intriguing? Well this is the book for you.
There are at least 8 distinct points of view More...
What a wonderfully inventive book.
This is a story of India at 100 years old. It is a story of a billion and half people and at least a billion gods. It is not an easy read, but it is worth every second of it.
Imagine if when humanity creates artificial intelligence that the AIs take on the characteristics and avatars of gods. Sounds intriguing? Well this is the book for you.
There are at least 8 distinct points of view More...
Sep 10, 2011
Christina
rated it:
Hmm. Okay. I'm always pleased when it's clear that the author has the end in sight from the very beginning & weaves each scene & character with purpose & direction.
The bits & pieces in the beginning were intriguing. Things started to come together, & I was getting excited and anticipating the big revelation & pay off. In these types of books, I can't wait to see where every little detail fits into the masterpiece.
Well, it fell flat for me. Some books/authors 'show' the More...
The bits & pieces in the beginning were intriguing. Things started to come together, & I was getting excited and anticipating the big revelation & pay off. In these types of books, I can't wait to see where every little detail fits into the masterpiece.
Well, it fell flat for me. Some books/authors 'show' the More...
Jun 15, 2011
Broodingferret
rated it:
I've not read any of McDonald's stuff before, but if River of Gods is typical of his work, then I'm definitely going to pick up more of his books. His prose is vivid and gritty, both smoothly sculpting and relentlessly hammering imagery together into a sharp and realistic view of mid-21st century India. His grasp of narrative pacing is excellent; both plot and character development move at a nice clip throughout the novel, and the story never drags. He's also evidently well-versed in the vari
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May 22, 2011
Nick
rated it:
Pros: it satisfies my indophilia, has cool hard scifi elements/ speculation, emphasis on pop culture/culture which generates that "lived in future" feel which a lot of cyberpunk attempts. Speculation about artificial life was the most interesting to me, but not enough time was dedicated to it. Awesome universe building.
Cons: Occasional bad sexual references, static characters, lots of characters.
Other comments: Some of the Indian plot elements confused me. The way " More...
Cons: Occasional bad sexual references, static characters, lots of characters.
Other comments: Some of the Indian plot elements confused me. The way " More...
Oct 12, 2009
Michael
rated it:
Ambiguous.
That's the best way to describe how I felt on finishing this book. Obviously, I enjoyed it for the most part, otherwise why would I give it four stars? That said, the last section was a letdown.
Why?
(1) It felt overly hasty, like the strands of plot were all drawn together too quickly given the pace and depth with which the book was building.
(2) It felt overly hasty, part II. Was it just me, or did there seem to be an inordinate amount of More...
That's the best way to describe how I felt on finishing this book. Obviously, I enjoyed it for the most part, otherwise why would I give it four stars? That said, the last section was a letdown.
Why?
(1) It felt overly hasty, like the strands of plot were all drawn together too quickly given the pace and depth with which the book was building.
(2) It felt overly hasty, part II. Was it just me, or did there seem to be an inordinate amount of More...
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Jul 02, 2010
Robert
rated it:
I am sorry I could not keep all the characters straight without generous hints from the author or turning back a few pages. I asked myself 1/2 way through if I could explain the cast to someone else and only felt I knew about 1/2 of them, and their names were a mystery. You know all the characters will have a connection by the end but it remained unclear to me where it was going for long stretches. I like an unfolding mystery but City of Gods is an onion with many many layers.
The wri More...
The wri More...
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Aug 08, 2008
Alex
rated it:
Interesting concepts, but dramatically overwritten and hard to follow because he's colored his prose a deep purple. See what I did there? I totally used a silly turn of phrase to make a simple statement more confusing. Gosh I'm so clever.
That's kind of how his writing style feels.
That's kind of how his writing style feels.
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Jul 30, 2010
Ryun
rated it:
A full two years after its original publication in the UK (and subsequent Hugo and Arthur C. Clarke award nominations), Ian McDonald’s RIVER OF GODS is finally in print in the U.S., thanks to Pyr Books, and it’s one hell of a novel.
Easily trumping any speculative fiction from the past couple of years, RIVER OF GODS is an exuberant leap into the future of India through the eyes of nine disparate characters. As their stories mingle and merge, McDonald not only weaves a tremendous yarn More...
Easily trumping any speculative fiction from the past couple of years, RIVER OF GODS is an exuberant leap into the future of India through the eyes of nine disparate characters. As their stories mingle and merge, McDonald not only weaves a tremendous yarn More...
May 27, 2009
Dev
rated it:
Excellent.
Read this purely because it was a Hugo or Nebula nominee (I forget which) and they've never led me astray yet (though I had enjoyed McDonalds' Desolation Road, so I wasn't exactly going in blind.)
McDonald tells us a series of stories that all end up crossing over one another, and all are set in a future India. Its a nice mix of cyberpunk and delving into the wierdnesses of the hybrid Indian culture. The big overarching plotline starts out as The Cyberpunk Plot(t More...
Read this purely because it was a Hugo or Nebula nominee (I forget which) and they've never led me astray yet (though I had enjoyed McDonalds' Desolation Road, so I wasn't exactly going in blind.)
McDonald tells us a series of stories that all end up crossing over one another, and all are set in a future India. Its a nice mix of cyberpunk and delving into the wierdnesses of the hybrid Indian culture. The big overarching plotline starts out as The Cyberpunk Plot(t More...
Jul 12, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
Well, this book certainly is interesting. Set in a future India, it starts by following several seemingly unconnected characters whose stories rapidly converge to tell the story of a world in which AI soap stars, parallel universes and genderless designer humans co-exist alongside India's slums, caste system and multiple religions.
The setting of India is a perfect choice for this style of sci-fi story, mixing the grit and dirt of poor and tradional with the leaping technology and sty More...
The setting of India is a perfect choice for this style of sci-fi story, mixing the grit and dirt of poor and tradional with the leaping technology and sty More...
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Jan 07, 2012
Isabel
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'What is going on here?'Mr Nandha demands as he walks through the scrum of police, Ministry warrant card held high.
'Sir, one of the factory workers panicked and ran out into the alley, straight under,' says a police sergeant. 'He was shouting about a djinn; how the djinn was in the factory and was going to get all of them.'
You call it djinn, Mr Nandha thinks, scanning the site. I call it meme. Non-material replicators; jokes, rumours, customs, nursery rhymes. Mind-viruses. Gods demon More...
'Sir, one of the factory workers panicked and ran out into the alley, straight under,' says a police sergeant. 'He was shouting about a djinn; how the djinn was in the factory and was going to get all of them.'
You call it djinn, Mr Nandha thinks, scanning the site. I call it meme. Non-material replicators; jokes, rumours, customs, nursery rhymes. Mind-viruses. Gods demon More...
Oct 24, 2011
Daniel
rated it:
In "River or Gods", McDonald conveys all the wonder and chaos of the Indian subcontinent, infusing it with tales of rogue AIs and political conflicts on the eve of the Singularity.
I became aware of McDonald with last year's The Dervish House, which I loved. I felt it captured perfectly the spirit of Istanbul, its ancient dignity and grandeur, and the Muslim philosophy that underlies it. But until I read "River of Gods", I had no idea how much of an accomplishment More...
I became aware of McDonald with last year's The Dervish House, which I loved. I felt it captured perfectly the spirit of Istanbul, its ancient dignity and grandeur, and the Muslim philosophy that underlies it. But until I read "River of Gods", I had no idea how much of an accomplishment More...
Aug 28, 2011
Niall519
rated it:
Definitely one of the best things I've read this year. I can see why it picked up the awards that it did.
Like many SF stories that use either a broad brush, or disparate colours being blended together, I think it slows and gets a little muddied at the end; but the mixing process to get to that point is delightful to behold. For some reason it reminded me of Strange Days in feel while reading it, rather than Blade Runner (or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep for that matter). I'm no More...
Like many SF stories that use either a broad brush, or disparate colours being blended together, I think it slows and gets a little muddied at the end; but the mixing process to get to that point is delightful to behold. For some reason it reminded me of Strange Days in feel while reading it, rather than Blade Runner (or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep for that matter). I'm no More...
