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Pavane

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( 3,547 ratings, 360 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Pavane by Keith Roberts is an alternative history novel set in a world where the Spanish Armada triumphed, leaving England under Catholic control. The narrative explores a series of connected stories in a 20th century dominated by the Catholic Church, focusing on the lives of individuals navigating a steampunk-like society where technology and progress have been suppressed. The book intricately weaves personal tales with a broader socio-political canvas, delivering a unique blend of historical speculation and rich storytelling.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate alternate history tales with a rich tapestry of interwoven stories. Set in a world where the Catholic Church dominates and suppresses technological progress, it provides a captivating exploration of how society might evolve under different circumstances. Its beautifully crafted narrative offers a unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, and historical speculation.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The definitive alternate history - an engrossing future that never was.

* #35 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written. * 'A striking work of the imagination' Anthony Burgess * 'Keith Roberts's evocative prose, sharply drawn characters, and unique concepts make him, to my mind, the finest British SF writer of his generation. No alternate history novel of the past thirty years comes close to equalling Pavane' George R. R. Martin * 'Robert's gift in Pavane is to make us see both the delights and the horrors of this simpler alternative; to see this alternate world as a complex, functioning reality' Brian Aldiss and David Wingrove, Trillion Year Spree.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Pavane begins in 1588 with a pivotal moment in history: Queen Elizabeth is felled by an assassin's bullet. Within a week, the Spanish Armada has set sail, resulting in a victory that alters the course of history.

Fast forward to 1968, England remains under the dominance of the Church of Rome. The world is starkly differentβ€”bereft of telephones, television, and nuclear power. As Catholicism and the Inquisition tighten their grip, rebellion begins to simmer.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Pavane by Keith Roberts has been praised for its rich, detailed alternate history and evocative storytelling. Set in a world where the Spanish Armada succeeded, the book explores a uniquely dystopian Britain under the long-lasting rule of the Catholic Church. Critics commend its imaginative world-building and complex characters, though some note its episodic structure may not appeal to everyone. The novel is often regarded as a classic in alternate history and speculative fiction genres.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781857989373

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 November 2000

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Gollancz

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 251g

Pages: 288

About the Author

SALES POINTS * #35 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written. * 'A striking work of the imagination' Anthony Burgess * 'Keith Roberts's evocative prose, sharply drawn characters, and unique concepts make him, to my mind, the finest British SF writer of his generation. No alternate history novel of the past thirty years comes close to equalling Pavane' George R. R. Martin * 'Robert's gift in Pavane is to make us see both the delights and the horrors of this simpler alternative; to see this alternate world as a complex, functioning reality' Brian Aldiss and David Wingrove, Trillion Year Spree.

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