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Liked It “This was a very good vampire story. George Martin does a great job in describing his characters. I had a good image in my head of who these characters really were.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“This was a very good vampire story. George Martin does a great job in describing his characters. I had a good image in my head of who these characters really were.”
Kari K wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Plot Summary: 19th century Southern U.S. Fantasy plot weaving in threads of Slavery, Steamboats, Vampires, Friendship. Can't say much or will give something away.
Diane H wrote this review Tuesday, April 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Main Characters: Abner Marsh- a physically ugly man with a strong sense of honor, friendship, loyalty, kindness. Joshua York- a vampire who dreams of peace between humans and vampires. The character of both men is CENTRAL to the plot and is what made me love the book so much.
Best About the Book: The writing! The descriptions, even while long at times, were necessary to making this book come alive. The reader can SEE everything that is happening and has such a sense of each character. The characters themselves feel REAL. I honestly cared deeply for both Abner and Joshua. The painful unfolding of events kept me turning pages. I don't cry during books. Ever. Except during this one. Twice.
Worst About the Book: A little slow at times because of very descriptive writing, but I found the tradeoff to be worth it. If George R.R. Martin had skimped on the details (both character and setting) I would NOT have gotten so involved in this story.
Summary: I read this from the library and have it on my w/l so I can own it and read it over again. Slowly. This book really sucked me in, it came alive for me and I know I will NEVER forget Abner or Joshua. Beautiful book.”
“Abner Marsh an ugly, wart faced fat Steamboat captain is lickin his wounds after a major winter storm destroys all of his boats except for a little steamboat that wouldn't sustain Ferve River Packets (delivery company) very well. Marsh's dreams sunk with his ships when the storm hit; the dream of racing the 'Eclipse', the fastest boat on the river. Suddenly a stranger named Joshua York meets him in St. Louis and offers him money, money for half his company. Marsh doesn't bite though as he is an honest as he is fat and ugly. He tells York how it is and refuses to cheat him. However, Joshua York doesn't just offer him money, he also offers Marsh his dream back, the grandest steamboat that will have sailed on the Mississippi River and fast enough to beat the Eclipse. Marsh accepts and his boat the 'Fevre Dream' is built and it is even grander than what Marsh could have imagined. However, when Joshua York refuses to come out during the day and makes unscheduled stops that takes up valuable delivering time, Marsh's crew are muttering among themselves and Marsh has questions of his own.
Jon Snow wrote this review Wednesday, February 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
GRRM does an excellent job in character building and you can really imagine an ugly, fat steamboat captain. Having used a real life setting made life easier for GRRM but that doesn't discount the amount of work that was invested in getting accurate historical details. He doesn't just describe the setting well but also of the lesser characters and the steamboats they use.
Not very scary when it comes to horror books but that made me enjoy the book more. I was sad when it was coming to an end as there was no other way to end the story in my minds eye. I can see a sequel to this book but GRRM will need to finish A Song of Ice and Fire first, and perhaps Martin's best book outside of that series.
- "Interview with A Vampire meets Buffy: The Vampire Slayer".
Sleeping-with-books.blogspot.com”
“Martin really tells a good tale. I liked it. It reads like a classic. Kins of a historical feel to it. In some of the reviews I have read here people compare this book to Mark Twain, Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, all great authors and so is George Martin. I like his Fire and Ice series better, but that certainly is not a bad thing, just a preference. The book is a good solid vampire tale. I really liked the friendship & loyalty that Joshua York and Capt. Marsh came to have. They became true friends despite their differences. I will certainly read more of George Martin...no matter what the genre, stand alone or series.
Kimmay wrote this review Thursday, October 16 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I also liked that it had some "historical words" in this book that i had never heard of and it caused me to google them which led me down a path of reading some historical stuff about that time period that i probably would have never encountered otherwise. It was quite interesting. So Kudos to you George Martin.
I HAVE to add this, if you go to George Martin's web site add click on the pictures of him, there is a picture of him that SOOOO looks like what i imagined Capt. Marsh would look like, it was very eerry and cool to see that he looked like what he described one of his characters to look like and what i envisioned, Ha! He looks like a steamboat captain, with the hat and everything. :O) I found that amusing so I had to share. Just gotta love Martin. :O)”
“Love Martin. This is so very different from A Song of Ice and Fire, but still quite enjoyable.”
Andrea B. wrote this review Saturday, August 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Fevre Dream, unlike Martin's epic Song of Ice and Fire series, is a standalone novel, set in our world - or our world with vampires. Set in the Southern US during the final years of slavery, the story echoes some of the work of Anne Rice in setting. However, it is better written, less predictable, and has a slightly different take on vampires, their origins and qualities. The book is definitely thrilling and gripping and dramatic, and filled with convincing detail about the heydays of river steamshipping. If I were a great believer in auteur theory, I might point out that George R R Martin seems to favour characters who are confident to the point of arrogance, which can be their downfall. The story never gets boring, and never offers any comic relief. This is a story which takes itself seriously, and is well-written enough to earn the reader's complete engrossment in it. The great writing, the completely authentic historical detail, the serious, but engrossing tone, and the larger-than-life characters showcase George R R Martin's writing in a novel which is completely different and separate from Song of Ice and Fire, but carries itself with the same confidence and bravado which sustains that long series of books. Well worth a read, and not just for Martin fans.”
Robert H wrote this review Sunday, July 20 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This was one of my favorite books my year after college. Well written, tight, evocative prose about vampires being ferried down the Mississippi on a riverboat - What's not to love?”
Richard J wrote this review Sunday, June 29 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Very different in setting from Martin's fantasy novel, but still filled with great characters and a simpler, but still interesting, story. Superb research, as always, and great Craft.”
Sara E wrote this review Friday, June 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Best vampire book ever.”
Shane J wrote this review Friday, March 21 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
