Kim Stanley Robinson is a brilliant writer, as evidenced by his Mars trilogy. This book however, hardly seems to have been written by the same person. The premise is clever, but the execution of that premise is poor. ( )

While it dragged on at parts, It was still good overall. It might've just been the epub edition that I was reading, but the paperback seems to be much better organized with maps and timelines, so I'd recommend reading that. It also divides the novel into multiple 'books', which makes it easier to keep track of the transitions in the writing style.

I think that the book is more enjoyable if you have previous knowledge of Islamic and Chinese culture, since the book doesn't really explain much of it. I feel that 'Dar Al Islam' as a whole is underdeveloped compared to China.

I think once you understand how the book is written and the characters developed (Characters whose names start with the same letter are that person reincarnated), its much better.

**Spoilers**

My biggest issues are with some of the events, like the Kerala and his nation of Travancore. I just find it hard to believe that he managed to conquer and unite India and Arabia all the way to Constantinople just because he has Steam Engines.

Also, I don't think a 67 year long War is sustainable. From the descriptions it sounds like a super World War 1. People were getting tired of the war after only 4 years, it just seems unlikely that a population will tolerate a stagnant war for 16 times as long.

Somewhere in the last pages, there's the line about how the Ka's change the world, but the Ba's keep it running that I really liked. I really liked the ending, even if it seemed like the author just shouting his views on history to me for a large part of it. ( )

Abandoned after about 60 pages, after first part.

Frustrated by slow and then radical turn of story, with author seemingly abandoning protagonist, first for a another character, and then for an entirely different setting and set of characters.

Liked prose, and characters well enough (even if they weren't brilliantly written), but so turned off I will likely not plan to try the author's Mars Trilogy anytime soon, if ever.

I'm frankly shocked that editors let an apparently good author put this out in this state.

Detail [SPOILERS]:

Author abandoned protagonist, apparently killing them off, with no conclusion, closure, resolution, or clarity with what happened. Frustrating to invest in characters, and then have this happen. Also, protagonist (Bold) slowly robbed of agency, as driving force of story became another character, who was a bit unsavory, and basically took over the story. Death/reincarnation sequence particularly difficult and frustrating. Not really enlightening, but instead confusing. Unclear of it was just random images, real religious imagery, or symbolism going on, and frankly at that very point after suddenly losing the protagonist I was frustrated and not really caring about the plight of the secondary character in the afterlife.

Put the book down at first page of second part when author basically started the story over with new setting and characters. No thanks. I won't subject myself to frustration and disappointment for another part after investing my time.

Also: I endured entirely awful and graphic depictions of castration with the hope that it would still be a good book. I'm sorry I did.

[Edit: spelling] ( )

Año 1349. La peste negra ha invadido Europa y los cadáveres se amontonan en las calles de los pueblos, aldeas y ciudades, porque nadie ha sobrevidido para enterrarlos. En poco más de un año, Europa quedará despoblada y el cristianismo empezará a convertirse en una anécdota de la historia universal.
Frente al ocaso europeo, el Islam y China se yerguen como las únicas grandes civilizaciones planetarias, que se disputan el dominio del mundo, mientras la India lucha por mantener su independencia, encontrando un aliado inesperado en la original organización política de los indígenas americanos.
A través de los ojos de B. y K., que van reencarnándose sucesivamente en soldados, mujeres, reyes, esclavos, eunucos o alquimistas, presenciamos siete siglos de una historia alternativa, en la que se forja de forma paulatina un nuevo orden político, social y religioso.

A sweeping alternative saga assuming that 99% of western Europe was wiped out by the plague and only China, India, and the Muslims remain. Everything changes--from the Renaissance to the "discovery" of America. There are 10 chapters and the same 2 characters appear in each chapter, only they have been reincarnated as somebody or something else. I found the pace of the book good, except in the middle with the philosophical and religious musings where it bogged down. Also the time in the bardo awaiting reincarnation got to be old after awhile. I'm not into sci/fi or fantasy at all, but this is a very good book and made me stop and ponder. My only complaint is that it is a tad too long--remove those musings and it's the "perfect" book! 784 pages ( )