Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Links to the book review pages
Post Reply
Omphalos
Alien Overlord
Posts: 5680
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 4:24 pm
Location: The Mighty Central Valley of California
Contact:

Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Post by Omphalos »

Image


Ray Bradbury has always had a special place in my heart. All the good reviewers will tell you, "when writing a review of a particularly good author, try not to call him or her 'lyrical.' That word lost its special meaning in book reviews dozens of years ago." And they are pretty much right. I do see that word used a lot in book reviews, and I always roll my eyes, becase they very often don't mean it, or it doesnt really apply. But with Bradbury, I'm pretty hard pressed to find another adjective that I think sums up the style of his prose. Lyrical pretty much fits perfectly. Dream-like is another that I like to use with this particular work. Dream-like in the sense that the language exposes individual character's states of mind, sort of, and makes for ironic conversation between the characters that is pretty dense, even if it is well metered and (gasp!) lyrical. Bradbury is one of the best writers in the genre, and probably one of the most prolific as well. He has put out hundreds of short stories, dozens of scripts for stage and screen (large and small) and is well known for this book, and the two fix-ups Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Martian Chronicles. This one is an absolute classic of the genre, and is deservedly taught in high schools around the world. Five out of five stars.

Fahrenheit 451 is the story of Guy Montag, who is employed as a fireman in a future North American dystopic society. Firemen in this world are not charged with fighting blazes, but instead are issued trucks with kerosene tanks and high pressure nozzles. Their job is to find hoards of books, which are for the most part banned, and.....Please click here or on the book cover above to be taken to the review
Something is about to happen, Hal. Something wonderful!

-James C. Harwood, Science Fiction Writer, Straight (March 5, 1956 - May 25, 2010)



The Omphalos Umbrella Page
User avatar
Eyes High
Momma Eyes
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:39 pm
Location: between the worlds of men and make believe

Post by Eyes High »

I read this one in college. Had to give a 15 min oral report on it. Loved it so much that I went over my alotted time. You are right about Bradbury.

Can't believe I didn't see this thread earlier.
I shall lift up my eyes unto the glory of the Lord.
Image

Safety's just danger out of place.
GamePlayer
Posts: 1156
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 1:38 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Post by GamePlayer »

Good book. I didn't read this one in school, I read it years later, just after college. I always loved the Montag for some reason. Some say he never comes across as enough of a sympathetic character, but it's more about his mindset. Bradbury does such a great job of taking us through the facade that is his life and his world that you can't help but feel for him and what the world has become. Anyone who has lived and come to learn that what they do isn't what they thought they did in this world can relate to this story. And those of us who haven't can consider ourselves fortunate :)
"What are we to call him, this Player of Games?"

"The books of Kevin J Anderson and Brian Herbert lie in a realm of uncertainty between self-conscious absurdity and genuine failure"
User avatar
The Phantom
Posts: 597
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by The Phantom »

i read it back in highschool and did a comparison paper on it with "A Handmaid's tale"

I think i'll pick it up sometime and give it a re-read
Post Reply

Return to “Book Reviews”