Never afraid of risks, award-winning author John Varley took readers and critics by storm with his previous novel, Red Thunder. Now, Varley takes a...
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Jan 04, 2008
Daniel
rated it: 
I hadn't realized how much I have missed reading Varley until getting into this.
The title, and the premise as described on the jacket, didn't do anything for me, but as I have always enjoyed a John Varley book I decided to read this as well, and am glad I did!
Varley has a way of engaging the reader, bringing us into his story, rather than keeping us as observers.
This is not Varley's best ... there are a number of "problems" I had with it, and it was More...
The title, and the premise as described on the jacket, didn't do anything for me, but as I have always enjoyed a John Varley book I decided to read this as well, and am glad I did!
Varley has a way of engaging the reader, bringing us into his story, rather than keeping us as observers.
This is not Varley's best ... there are a number of "problems" I had with it, and it was More...
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Sep 05, 2007
Tracey
rated it: 
Howard Christian, an eccentric multi-billionaire (think Bill Gates crossed with Howard Hughes) has a new interest: cloning mammoths. However, his newest find, a male Columbian mammoth frozen in the Arctic, has a surprising companion - a human male... with a wristwatch and an aluminum attaché case.
Howard hires Matt Wright, the finest mind in mathematics to explore the mysteries of the attaché case, as it seems to be a time machine. Along the way, a few more mammoths pop up, and a rom More...
Howard hires Matt Wright, the finest mind in mathematics to explore the mysteries of the attaché case, as it seems to be a time machine. Along the way, a few more mammoths pop up, and a rom More...
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Mar 18, 2009
Paul
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Multi-billionaire Howard Christian is an eccentric sort who likes to actually play with his toys. His latest obsession is to clone a woolly mammoth. During an expedition in northern Canada, an intact, but mummified mammoth is found. Huddled in the mammoth's fur is a Stone Age man approximately 12,000 years old...wearing a wristwatch.
Matthew Wright, science prodigy, is brought in to figure out what is in the metal suitcase clutched in the Stone Age man's arms. It's some sort of time m More...
Matthew Wright, science prodigy, is brought in to figure out what is in the metal suitcase clutched in the Stone Age man's arms. It's some sort of time m More...
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Jan 30, 2012
Dave
rated it: 
Tom Clancy says John Varley is the greatest American writer.
Meh. The story starts like this: a frozen, relatively intact mammoth is unearthed in Canada and a billionaire wants it so that he can clone it as a chimera with modern elephants. Then the team finds a man and a woman near its hindquarters, dressed in animal
hides and with bad teeth and long hair. A truly amazing find, but worrisome because it brings up native american claims to the remains. But the More...
Meh. The story starts like this: a frozen, relatively intact mammoth is unearthed in Canada and a billionaire wants it so that he can clone it as a chimera with modern elephants. Then the team finds a man and a woman near its hindquarters, dressed in animal
hides and with bad teeth and long hair. A truly amazing find, but worrisome because it brings up native american claims to the remains. But the More...
Dec 07, 2011
Graham
rated it:
This is a very DUMB book. Varley wants to rant about animal rights and circus acts. Cobbles a re-hash of Jurassic Park and (yet another) tired temporal paradox theme. Populates the book with totally charm-less characters in unbelievable relationships having sex outdoors while animals and thermal imaging thugs look on.
oh- there's a Bond villain who lives in a Sky scraper with a giant revolving eagle taller than the statue of liberty that shoots laser beams out of its eyes.
An More...
oh- there's a Bond villain who lives in a Sky scraper with a giant revolving eagle taller than the statue of liberty that shoots laser beams out of its eyes.
An More...
Apr 18, 2011
John
rated it: 
Yet another Varley romping adventure:
"We sat in Howard Cristian's mint-condition 1936 Duessenberg coupe.
'I don't know what people have been telling you Mr. Christian. I wrote a bestseller on the nature of time. I do not know how to build a time machine, and I don't know who told you I could!'
'Yes, Matt, I understand. I don't want to contract you to build me a time machine.
'I already have one. It's broken. I want you to fix it.'"
More...
"We sat in Howard Cristian's mint-condition 1936 Duessenberg coupe.
'I don't know what people have been telling you Mr. Christian. I wrote a bestseller on the nature of time. I do not know how to build a time machine, and I don't know who told you I could!'
'Yes, Matt, I understand. I don't want to contract you to build me a time machine.
'I already have one. It's broken. I want you to fix it.'"
More...
Aug 19, 2010
Jacqueline
rated it:
The book falls into the realm of magical realism or realistic science fiction because only one aspect of this book focuses on the alteration of reality. Which is, time travel.
The book takes place in Los Angeles where a eccentric maga-millionaire, Howard Christian, has hired leading scientists, including child-prodigy Matt and elephant trainer Susan Morgan to help him in his quest to procure a living Mammoth. Presumeably from the "old-fashioned" way of finding viable Mammoth DNA More...
The book takes place in Los Angeles where a eccentric maga-millionaire, Howard Christian, has hired leading scientists, including child-prodigy Matt and elephant trainer Susan Morgan to help him in his quest to procure a living Mammoth. Presumeably from the "old-fashioned" way of finding viable Mammoth DNA More...
Feb 13, 2010
Neil
rated it:
John Varley has taken some time off from his Eight Worlds series of late. It's been rumored by Mr. Varley's fans that the wonderful Steel Beach and it's sequel The Golden Globe will have a sequel called Iron Town Blues. But this book will have to wait.
This time-travel tale brings a mammoth child into the 21st century. Due in part to the efforts of a physicist, Matt Wright, who is continually plagued by being unable to articulate his theories (conveniently for technobabble-worn reader More...
This time-travel tale brings a mammoth child into the 21st century. Due in part to the efforts of a physicist, Matt Wright, who is continually plagued by being unable to articulate his theories (conveniently for technobabble-worn reader More...
Nov 01, 2010
Mckinley
rated it:
He's an award-winning author (Nebula and Hugo) who I've never read before. I'd have to say this was fun and entertaining, not too deep but fast paced with interesting characters.
There's Howard Christian, a multi-zillionaire who has financed the discovery of a fully intact frozen woolly mammoth. He is also a collector and since the discovery of the mammoth wants one for his circus. His idea is to clone the mammoth using elephant surrogate mothers.
So he hires Susan Morgan, the More...
There's Howard Christian, a multi-zillionaire who has financed the discovery of a fully intact frozen woolly mammoth. He is also a collector and since the discovery of the mammoth wants one for his circus. His idea is to clone the mammoth using elephant surrogate mothers.
So he hires Susan Morgan, the More...
Feb 05, 2009
Over the past three decades, Varley has won almost every SF award. Called "The New Heinlein" and described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "a far better science fiction writer than [Michael] Crichton," Varley has written a captivating time-travel thriller. Although he delves deeply into scientific and metaphysical principles, Varley never loses sight of his characters, who, like the engaging baby mammoth Fuzzy, keep the book alive. Besides its great humor, intelligent prose
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Aug 11, 2009
Nicholas
rated it:
Varley, Varley, Varley. I love you, I do, but sometimes you confuse me. I loved the world, and I thought the jumps in time and speakers was interesting, but it wasn't enough. I felt the ending was a bit predictable, and, although the characters were good I wanted more of them. So much time was spent making this interesting, believable world that I wanted to see more of the characters playing house together.
Mammoth isn't amazing, but it isn't bad by any means. My only complaints are More...
Mammoth isn't amazing, but it isn't bad by any means. My only complaints are More...
Oct 15, 2010
Steven
rated it:
This was a great book. I really enjoyed it.
The story kept twisting and turning, giving me surprises every time, which was great. It starts with the title and the cover: "Mammoth," and a big picture of a woolly mammoth. My first thought was this was a book version of a Saturday Monster Movie, with a frozen mammoth like I've seen hundreds of times before. But then the back cover text provides the first twist: with that frozen mammoth is a dead human, frozen along side for 12,00 More...
The story kept twisting and turning, giving me surprises every time, which was great. It starts with the title and the cover: "Mammoth," and a big picture of a woolly mammoth. My first thought was this was a book version of a Saturday Monster Movie, with a frozen mammoth like I've seen hundreds of times before. But then the back cover text provides the first twist: with that frozen mammoth is a dead human, frozen along side for 12,00 More...
Apr 10, 2011
Jim
rated it:
I've enjoyed John Varley's books and short stories throughout the years, but never really made an effort to read everything. I'm going to hunt down a few more missed gems after reading this fun, engaging book.
Varley manages to skip over any heavy science explanations for time travel, and even gives himself an "out" from the whole time paradox issue by going the tiniest bit spiritual, for a sentence or two. The characters drive the story, and the whole thing is done before More...
Varley manages to skip over any heavy science explanations for time travel, and even gives himself an "out" from the whole time paradox issue by going the tiniest bit spiritual, for a sentence or two. The characters drive the story, and the whole thing is done before More...
May 31, 2011
Algernon
rated it:
[7/10] A good story, it reads more like a thriller than a genre book. It has some speculations on time travel and the nature of reality, but they feel a little shoehorned into the story.
I liked the main characters: the slightly addled mathematician, the spirited elephant handler, the nerdy billionaire. I picked this up mainly to read about mammoths and the book did the job in an antertaining way. The storytelling is functional, without many wow elements or impressive metaphors, but also wel More...
I liked the main characters: the slightly addled mathematician, the spirited elephant handler, the nerdy billionaire. I picked this up mainly to read about mammoths and the book did the job in an antertaining way. The storytelling is functional, without many wow elements or impressive metaphors, but also wel More...
Aug 21, 2010
Robert
rated it:
A mammoth is found frozen in the ice and whats more a man is found frozen next to him, wearing a watch! When I read this in the book jacket at the library I knew I had to check this one out. And after reading it I am glad that I did. When I was about 100 pages or so from the end I could tell exctly where this was going to end. And the author led me very predictably straight where I thought he would go. Only to get sucker punched right towards the end of the book. Nice move on the authors part. I
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Jun 21, 2009
Christina
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Nov 30, 2011
Andreas
rated it:
A time machine is found next to a preserved mammoth in northern Alaska. A scientist and an elephant keeper are accidentally sent back in time, returning with a few mammoth. There is a a tycoon and there is a troubleshooter.
Into this deceptively simple idea Varley injects his sharp wit, his well rounded and interesting characters, his irreverent prose. The conclusion is perhaps foregone, but the ride is enjoyable. Varley has a way of making you love his characters, for they are imperf More...
Into this deceptively simple idea Varley injects his sharp wit, his well rounded and interesting characters, his irreverent prose. The conclusion is perhaps foregone, but the ride is enjoyable. Varley has a way of making you love his characters, for they are imperf More...
Sep 06, 2010
Ingrid
rated it: 
This book is probably better suited to a young teenager into mammoths and time travel. Easy holiday read but no depth to the characters and more holes in the plot than a fishing net. Basically multimillionaire business man, funds mammoth dig project, man with watch found next to mammoth... therefore time travel must exist. Millionaire then starts funding 2 parallel programmes, one into cloning mammoths and the other into time travel. Boy meets girl, strange things happen, and predictably every
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Oct 22, 2008
Dale
rated it:
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Jul 27, 2011
Don
rated it:
From my Newsletter #13:
The third book is by John Varley, whom you will remember wrote The Gaean Trilogy, Red Lightning and Red Thunder. This book is called “Mammoth” and is about discovering a frozen woolly mammoth in Canada with a mummified body of a Stone Age man who died around 12,000 years ago wearing a wristwatch. Time travel is involved and this story reminds me of similar stories written by Michael Crichton. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
The third book is by John Varley, whom you will remember wrote The Gaean Trilogy, Red Lightning and Red Thunder. This book is called “Mammoth” and is about discovering a frozen woolly mammoth in Canada with a mummified body of a Stone Age man who died around 12,000 years ago wearing a wristwatch. Time travel is involved and this story reminds me of similar stories written by Michael Crichton. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
Jun 06, 2009
Ringthebells
rated it:
A bit of a rocky start, as I didn't like the first character who was introduced, but I'm glad I kept going—it was an enjoyable time travel story with a few fun twists.
One thing that was a bit disappointing to me—one of the main characters was supposed to be a genius mathematician, but that aspect of his character barely came through. When it comes to creating authentic mathematician characters, John Herbert Varley is no Neal Stephenson. :P
One thing that was a bit disappointing to me—one of the main characters was supposed to be a genius mathematician, but that aspect of his character barely came through. When it comes to creating authentic mathematician characters, John Herbert Varley is no Neal Stephenson. :P
Dec 08, 2011
Bill
rated it:
Iliked the conceit of man going back in time. Always plays well for me. I was somewhat surprised that the choas idea was not brought into the story. I kept waited for some changes to come about because of the buttterfly effect. Still and all, the man with the wrist watch was a really original idea. A good read and a good reference about trainig elephants as well.
May 19, 2011
Dirk
rated it:
It’s been a while since I read a Varley book but I seem to recall them being better than this one. Not that this book sucks, it’s just I was expecting better. Mammoth is basically about the richest guy in the world and his efforts to clone a mammoth. It’s got time travel too, so if you don’t like that sort of thing, avoid it.
May 13, 2009
Barry
rated it:
Though the plot sounds cheesy, this is actually a pretty good book. I'd give it a 4 if it was more meaningful than it is. Good flow, and kept my interest. It's worth reading if you are looking for something fun, and the best part is the science-y stuff thrown in along the way (physics, astrophysics, time).
Aug 08, 2011
Jerry
rated it:
After getting past the "Ice Age" looking creature on the cover (was Ray Romano going to voice the discovered mammoth?), it didn't take long to be engaged with this novel. Scientific fiction is not my usual cup of tea, but this held my interest and was a good summer read.
Dec 12, 2008
Luann
rated it:
This is John Varley's answer to Jurassic Park - including a mammoth theme park and circus! I was immediately interested in reading this when I read the premise: a frozen mammoth is found with a mummified Stone Age man and woman huddled next to it. The man is wearing a wristwatch. Sounds interesting, huh? I recommend it if you like time travel stories with a bit of science, a fair amount of action, a touch of romance, and a cute baby mammoth.
Note: I really liked how the chapter More...
Note: I really liked how the chapter More...
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Dec 03, 2009
Adam
rated it:
A great science fiction adventure! A prehistoric man is discovered in the ice... wearing a wristwatch! How did the time piece get back there? Soon there are Mammoth's running around downtown, and the time line gets all kinds of visitors.
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Sep 02, 2010
Tina
rated it:
I loved this book! Very well-developed plot and cast of characters, but the "star" of the show was one of the mammoths. Excellent time travel plot with good pacing.
Apr 02, 2009
Baron
rated it:
Not on a par with his other work, at least from my perspective. Amusing for me in that it's set in Los Angeles and surroundings.
Jan 06, 2010
Mike
rated it:
Another quick book to read. It seemed real promising and I was excited to turn the pages but ultimatly I was hoping for more.
