Eyes of the Calculor (Greatwinter Trilogy)

Book Description

In Sean McMullens glittering, dynamic world, two thousand years in the future, things are unexpectedly changing everywhere. As catastrophe looms and civilization begins to crumble, the Dragon Librarians of Australica have just one means left to hold their world together: kidnap every numerate person on the continent and rebuild their out-of-date human-powered computerthe Calculor.

Customer Reviews:

Australian SF Reader.......2007-08-01

In the final Greatwinter book the emerging technology is zapped by Mirrorsun, EMP-style. This forces fallback to the old human powered/slave conscript calculors full of scientists and mathematicians.

With no Call, the aviad societies are now a lot more vulnerable to human expansion, not being able to move around in safety in Call times. The aircraft no longer work, so the horses available in Australia become an important resource the North Americans want to gather.

Multiple threads in this book.

Interesting but confused.......2005-08-10

I really wanted to like this book. The American airlord society that McMullen introduced in the second book was a fascinating read, and the connection with the Australian cultures was sure to be interesting as well.

But then it all went crazy. The cetaceans apparently evolved into a superior civilization in a couple weeks and then subjugated humanity via the sexual fantasies of a geek programmer (I'm not kidding). Then the two main characters become certifiably crazy and in the end, evil (fascinating in itself, but only barely believable). The worst thing though is that the story at times becomes totally unreadable because everyone seems to betray everone at least once - and often in the space of a single paragraph without much further explanation.

At times you really have to read things several times over to make out whats hapening, and while this might be praise in some cases, it ain't here.

As it is, you won't regret reading it - it still is a great book - if you liked the ones before it. But you sure wish he had restrained himself in some case or edited some areas more.

If you are looking for something original in the Sci Fi genere, here it is!!.......2005-06-30

Sean McMullen is a fellow Aussie but I won't let that cloud my judgment. The book is a page turner from the begining. It is fast paced and broad in scope. Sean has a rich imagination and has created a fascinating and very dangerous post apocalyptic (is there such a word?) Australia.

This is one of a 3 part series. The other two novels are equally as good and if you read the first one you will have to get the others.

Also read "The Centurians Empire" and "Voyage of the Shadowmoon" by the same Author.

Stands Alone.......2004-03-30

For some reason, I didn't discover this was actually the last in a trilogy until halfway through the book, when it became clear that there was a complicated plot that had occured earlier. However, this did not at all stunt my enjoyment of Eyes of the Calculor, but perhaps it did limit it.

McMullen definately has his own magnificent and very readable style, combining a sense of humour with wonderfully endearing yet complex characters, politics, religion and society, magic, technology and science, all set just under two thousand years in the future. The plot is complicated enough to allow an immediate re-reading, and many "Oh!" moments, where everything clicks into place.

Although Eyes of the Calculor was fabulous as a stand alone book, I recommend it be read in sequence, in order to clean up issues of history and organisation of the society (which is quite complicated and worth understanding).

If you're looking for something light and funny and completely new and unlike most other science fiction, this is the book (and series) for you. 4.5 stars.

Hurray for Librarians!!.......2004-01-12

Another wonderful story in the Greatwinter Trilogy, but unfortunately, it's the last one. McMullen is one of the freshest, most original authors to come along in a long time. All three of these books were written for the intelligent Sci-Fi fan who was looking for something more then the usual space opera junk and war novels that seem to dominate the market right now. Please don't read "Eyes of the Calculor" first, as it is the last book of a series that began with "Souls in the Great Machine" and continued with "The Miocene Arrow". These novels tell an original story of a futuristic earth in which machines are forbidden, librarians rule and death is a daily occurence. However, such a simple sentence does not do justice to the fascinating and imaginative world that McMullen created, from the deserts of Australia, to the isolation of the Rocky Mountains, McMullen has created cultures and personalities that are wholly original. Best of all, the tale does not take itself too seriously, and the author writes with a wonderful sense of humor which brings his characters alive in a way that only the best science fiction books can.

If you are like me and have been longing to read an innovative work that brings you back to that time in your life when Science Fiction was new and exciting, then this is the series for you. Why this series did not get more attention is only indicative of the sorry state that Science Fiction currently finds itself. I believe part of the problem stems from McMullen's Australian origins, but the real reason is that most book stores would rather carry yet another Star Trek Novel, or a Robert Jordan prequel then look for exciting, original material. I look forward to reading other works by McMullen (also only found on Amazon, if I may plug this website) and hope that more authors like McMullen are inspired by his effort. Keep up the good work.

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Eyes for the Calculor (Greatwinter Trilogy Ser.)
Sean McMullen
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTYXUA

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Viking-Age Rune-Stones: Custom and Commemoration in Early Medieval Scandinavia

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Delighted!

The Viking-Age Rune-Stones: Custom and Commemoration in Early Medieval Scandinavia
Birgit Sawyer
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0199262217

Book Description

There are over 3,000 runic inscriptions on stone made in Scandinavia in the late Viking Age. This book is the first attempt by a historian to study the material as a whole. The analysis reveals significant regional variations that reflect the different stages in the process of conversion to Christianity and the growth of royal power. Many monuments were declarations of faith or manifestations of status; but virtually all reflect inheritance customs found in later Scandinavian law codes. The results of this analysis make a significant contribution to understanding developments in other parts of the Germanic world, as well as Scandinavia. The inclusion of a digest of the data-base on which this book is based will facilitate further study of this rich vein of evidence.

Customer Reviews:

Delighted!.......2007-04-12

Rarely does a book come out with such good work on the subject, due to its lack of commercial "sex appeal" for buyers.
Heck, this is not an 8th grade level book and you will need some knowledge beforehand to make your own decisions about its subject matter.
But a splendid book over all, a MUST have for serious Nordic study's I just wish the author had the time (and funding) to write much more on the area!

Nordic Religions in the Viking Age (The Middle Ages Series)

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An exposition of an obvious, but neglected idea.
The interaction between cultures in Northern Europe

Nordic Religions in the Viking Age (The Middle Ages Series)
Thomas DuBois
Manufacturer: University of Pennsylvania Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0812217144

Book Description

The popular image of the Viking as a horn-helmeted berserker plying the ocean in a dragon-headed long boat is firmly fixed in history. Imagining Viking "conquerors" as much more numerous, technologically superior, and somehow inherently more warlike than their neighbors has overshadowed the cooperation and cultural exchange which characterized much of the Viking Age. In actuality, the Norse explorers and traders were players in a complex exchange of technology, customs, and religious beliefs between the ancient pre-Christian societies of northern Europe and the Christian-dominated nations surrounding the Mediterranean.

DuBois examines Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, and Mediterranean traditions to locate significant Nordic parallels in conceptions of supernatural beings, cults of the dead, beliefs in ghosts, and magical practices. These beliefs were actively held alongside Christianity for many years, and were finally incorporated into the vernacular religious practice. The Icelandic sagas reflect this complex process in their inclusion of both Christian and pagan details.

This work differs from previous examinations in its inclusion of the Christian thirteenth century as part of the evolution of Nordic religions from localized pagan cults to adherents of a larger Roman faith.

Thomas DuBois unravels for the first time the history of the Nordic religions in the Viking Age and shows how these ancient beliefs and their oral traditions incorporated both a myriad of local beliefs and aspects of foreign religions, most notably Christianity.

Customer Reviews:

An exposition of an obvious, but neglected idea........2003-01-04

Dubois has one good idea, that pre-Christian religions in Scandinavia influenced each other. This should be obvious - people travelled a lot in that time, as traders, raiders and mercenaries. Sami and Norse intermarried. However, few scholars have mentioned this before, so Dubois does fill a need.

He also manages to avoid the "all pre-Christian Germanic heathen religions are the same" trap, another point that should be obvious, but that is often glossed over. However, Dubois doesn't emphasize that quite as much. This is a pity, since a good, scholarly comparative work on this subject is much needed.

For some reason, this has become an instant Asatruar classic. So, if you are Asatruar, you probably need to own this. If not, borrow a copy from the library. There isn't enough non-obvious thought here to justify owning it.

The interaction between cultures in Northern Europe.......2000-07-14

This book covers the interaction between the varioius Nordic cultures, the Finns, the Sami and continental Europeans during the period from about 800 to 1300 CE. It covers the ancient pagan religions and their relationships and the relationships between the Christian converts of the north and other Europeans.

The chapters are as follows

Preface: Introduction: Communities of Belief

1 : The Cultures and History of the Viking Age North

2 : Religions in the Viking Age: Contexts and Concepts for Analysis

3 : Gods, Guides, and Guardians: Spiritual Aids

4. : Visitors from Beyond: Death, Afterlife, and the Problem of Ghosts

5. : Concepts of Health and Healing

6. : The Intercultural Dimension of the Seidr Ritual

7. : The Coming of the Cross: Religious and Artistic Effects

8. : Achieving Faith: Christian Themes and Pagan Function

The author covers the relationship between the pagan religions of the people of the North, the shamanistic beliefs of the Sami and the Christian beliefs of Europe and the newly converted Norse.

I would have liked a more in depth discussion of the ancient pagan, shamanistic and medieval Christian beliefs but the author does give us tantelizing tid bits. For example, I was unaware that the Cross had sush an important part in Medieval Christianity including visions of the Cross speaking, the Cross as an anulet of protection and other functions that it does not have in present day Christiantiy. The relationship between pagan beliefs and Christian beliefs was interesting in as much as they existed simultaneously.

It is not a book to read for discovering the beliefs and details of the religions covered but is very interesting in its discussion of the cultural interactions between the groups discussed. There were trade relations and hostile raiding relations between the groups and this was also reflected in their religious relations. Groups of Christians fought other Christians and the same with the non-Christians. The author gives an interesting picture of the era.

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Nordic Runes

A good beginners book on rune reading

Nordic Runes: Understanding, Casting, and Interpreting the Ancient Viking Oracle
Paul Rhys Mountfort
Manufacturer: Destiny Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Runes Workbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Learning the Wisdom of the Staves

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Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic

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Runecaster's Handbook: The Well of Wyrd

ASIN: 0892810939
Release Date: 2003-05-05

Book Description

A comprehensive and practical guide to the ancient oracle based on the runic alphabet of the Norse

• Reveals the symbolism and divinatory significance of the 24 rune "staves"

• Provides clear instructions on how to craft your own rune stones

• Explains the role of runes in the Norse wisdom tradition and its influence on such works as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings

Nordic runes are a potent and profoundly transformative magic system that gives contemporary readers access to the ancient wisdom tradition of Northern European cultures. The runes have deep resonances within the pagan Norse world of gods and goddesses, giants, dwarves, warriors, and wizards, which have greatly influenced the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, among others. Norse tradition attributes the discovery of the runes to the "All-Father" Odin--a god of inspiration and secret wisdom and the mythical prototype for runecasters, who established the pattern for gaining his knowledge.

Nordic Runes addresses three major areas: Runelore, the history of this 2000-year-old Norse oracle; Runestaves, the meaning of the individual runes of the Elder Futhark alphabet and their powerful mythological, magical, and practical lessons for daily life; and Runecasting, a comprehensive guide to the oracular application of the ancient runes, including their crafting, divination, and self-development. As Nordic Runes shows, the runes do more than simply reflect the path of fate; they help develop and enhance intuition. By learning to cast and interpret the runes, the user becomes receptive to the energy currents in material reality and empowered in the arts of its transformation.

Customer Reviews:

Nordic Runes.......2007-02-13

This is a very adequate book for people new to the runes, and in fact, I would even recommend it for those who have limited experience. The author gives solid, traditional descriptions of the runes and does a good job of explaining where he derives his meaning from by presenting the rune poems and applicable lore. In that regard, it is an excellent teaching tool for anyone who wants to delve into the primary sources.

The problem that I have with this book is that the author breaks no new ground whatsoever, aside from a few spreads he explains in the final section. Thus, for those with even a little experience, everything you'll find should be old hat. As a previous reviewer stated, reversed runes are explained very poorly.

A good beginners book on rune reading.......2003-07-01

The Author has established a niche for his trilogy on divination techniques from the ancient Celts, Norse, and western Europeans and he has kept within that niche with this book. It does not provide an elaborate discussion of the history of the runes and the different systems in use. He takes the Elder Futhark, using dagaz and othila as the twenty-third and twenty-fourth runes, respectively and provides the pronunciation guides, poetry, lore, and more needed to develop an understanding of each of the individual runes. I have a fair-sized collection of rune reading books but the spreads and casting techniques provided in "Nordic Runes" were new to me.

Two problems: (1) reversed runes are not well explained initially, however, the Author clarifies them in the spreads and casting section; (2) the Author denies any significance to the aettir - i.e. he believes that their order does not have any hidden meaning.

For folks new to rune work, the final chapter provides an overview of the major books and authors from the past 20 years.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Church History, published by American Society of Church History on September 1, 2000. The length of the article is 893 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Nordic Religions in the Viking Age.
Author: Trygve R. Skarsten
Publication: Church History (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2000
Publisher: American Society of Church History
Volume: 69 Issue: 3 Page: 645

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Thomas A. DuBois. Nordic Religions in the Viking Age.(Book Review): An article from: Scandinavian Studies

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Thomas A. DuBois. Nordic Religions in the Viking Age.(Book Review): An article from: Scandinavian Studies
Stephen A. Mitchell
Manufacturer: Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Scandinavian Studies, published by Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study on March 22, 2003. The length of the article is 532 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Thomas A. DuBois. Nordic Religions in the Viking Age.(Book Review)
Author: Stephen A. Mitchell
Publication: Scandinavian Studies (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2003
Publisher: Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study
Volume: 75 Issue: 1 Page: 113(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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