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390th out of 444 books
—
431 voters
Mammoth
by
John Varley
Never afraid of risks, award-winning author John Varley took readers and critics by storm with his previous novel, Red Thunder. Now, Varley takes another leap into the great unknown with Mammoth...
In a barren province of Canada, a mammoth hunter has made the discovery of a lifetime: an intact frozen wooly mammoth. But what he finds during the painstaking process of excav...more
In a barren province of Canada, a mammoth hunter has made the discovery of a lifetime: an intact frozen wooly mammoth. But what he finds during the painstaking process of excav...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
June 7th 2005
by Ace Hardcover
(first published 2005)
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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 moderately easy to predict the outcome, but a...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 moderately easy to predict the outcome, but a...more
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 romance develop...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 romance develop...more
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 machine, invo...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 machine, invo...more
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 they continue to clear away material and fi...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 they continue to clear away material and fi...more
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.
And to top things off -...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.
And to top things off -...more
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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.'"
Wow... Ok... Varley can write.
You want an adventure story that'...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.'"
Wow... Ok... Varley can write.
You want an adventure story that'...more
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 from frozen anci...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 from frozen anci...more
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 readers), and an e...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 readers), and an e...more
I enjoyed this time-travelling adventure, still musing about the star-rating it deserves. Was it really a four-star read, or was it just so much more fun than my current book club selection, which is boring me mightily? I think I’ll leave it at the 4 stars.
A billionaire who is obsessed with prehistoric animals is having a frozen mammoth excavated from the barren wilderness of Nunavut with plans of cloning it. As the excavation advances, it becomes obvious that there is also a person frozen into...more
A billionaire who is obsessed with prehistoric animals is having a frozen mammoth excavated from the barren wilderness of Nunavut with plans of cloning it. As the excavation advances, it becomes obvious that there is also a person frozen into...more
Feb 05, 2009
Bookmarks Magazine
added it
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, spiritual discover
...more
I usually love Varley's work, but this one isn't great, at least not as an adult novel. The characters are, as others have said, very flat and cartoonish, and the whole thing just feels sloppy, like the story was cobbled together after being edited in parts, and no one bothered to go over it again after it was all put back together. I know Varley can write a fantastic story about time travel (Millennium is one of my favorites), so I'm not sure what happened here. His writing style is still enjoy...more
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 points I'm a...more
Mammoth isn't amazing, but it isn't bad by any means. My only complaints are points I'm a...more
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 12,000 years, wearing a w...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 12,000 years, wearing a w...more
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 you know it, leaving a...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 you know it, leaving a...more
[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 well pac...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 well pac...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
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 imperfect humans l...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 imperfect humans l...more
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 everyon...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Now THIS is well-written time-travel fiction! PLUS amazing action scenes that leave your heart pounding.
What if a frozen mammoth were found up north -- with a frozen man huddled up against him, sitting on a BRIEFCASE? This sci-fi thriller combines time travel and cloning with plot twists and love. The only reason I don't give it five stars is that the relationships develop a bit too quickly -- but they have to, to keep up with the plot. A great read from a master of action sci-fi, John Varley.
What if a frozen mammoth were found up north -- with a frozen man huddled up against him, sitting on a BRIEFCASE? This sci-fi thriller combines time travel and cloning with plot twists and love. The only reason I don't give it five stars is that the relationships develop a bit too quickly -- but they have to, to keep up with the plot. A great read from a master of action sci-fi, John Varley.
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 best elephant traine...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 best elephant traine...more
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.
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
It started slowly, almost painfully, and I considered it to be - at best - a 3-star book. However, by the time the two main characters were established, their relationships and the taut storyline took over. The story involves billionaire Howard Christian, who is determined to have a Mammoth, at any cost. He employs the genius scientist Matt Wright and elephant trainer Susan Morgan to help. It is Matt and Susan who make the difference in the book, as Howard was an acquired taste, to say the least...more
This book is ridiculous. The characters are paper dolls they're so flat. And the passages that sound like a children's book and end up being from the heroine's website are flat and confusing for most of the book. Nonetheless, I love me some time-travelling mammoths! I read sf for crazy plots and a veneer of plausibility, which this has. Couldn't put it down.
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.
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.
By the time you get 50 pages in, you know how the book will end, and the only question is how it will happen. The answer is with mediocre writing and awkward "romance".
"I want you to make love to me," she said. "But I guess it would be too dangerous. There's things out there, hunting. We need to stay alert."
"I want you to make love to me," she said. "But I guess it would be too dangerous. There's things out there, hunting. We need to stay alert."
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).
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.
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