Isle of Woman

A lot has been said about this book already, I just wanted to add that it is a fun approach to a "pre-historical" novel. Don't try to take it too seriously. Just enjoy it as a novel.

A series of twenty snapshots of the lives of Blaze, Ember, and their families, Piers Anthony's 'Isle of Woman' interweaves fantastic fiction with exciting history. These identities of Blaze and Ember reappear at different times, in different places, from the beginning of human development to the immediate future. Thus as the characters meet, separate, partner with others, raise their families, and eventually reunite septuagenarians, the reader progresses from mankind's earliest art and tools to the many guises of civilization. A concept this grand in scope demands such an innovative device, and it is used effectively. In this way, with familiar protagonists, even the shortest of chapters becomes effective.The centerpiece, in which Blaze finds a wife for his son, is set around 6500 BC in Catal Huyuk, and other of Anthony's settings are still more unconventional. Elaine Morgan's infamous "aquatic ape" hypothesis illustrates biological evolution, the Sahul Shelf the land bridges of old. Neandertal man, too often mercilessly mocked, is instead portrayed with sympathy; Malthus, not Marx, alerts us to future dangers. Indeed, the unfortunate path man seems to be treading is this novel's very message. The author sees catastrophe over the horizon, primarily ecological, and this warning recurs throughout both implicitly and explicitly.'Isle of Woman' is not history as we know it. This is history as it might have been, replete with suppositions, scant evidence, and even suggestions. It is also history as it ought to be: it informs, it entertains, and we can learn from it.

I first picked up this book in my school library thinking it would amuse me for at least 1/2 an hour. I was wrong, I sat in the library for 2 hours before I realized I had missed 2 classes. The book is so absorbing and wonderfully told that I become so involved with the characters that I got teary eyed at the end. What facinated me even more is the history, while I realize that the book has a lot of inaccurate information it can really fascinate people by making them think, could this be true (does anyone REALLY know what happened to the neanderthals?) A must read for any age

Piers Anthonys depiction of life evolution is a great example of his dedication to the entertainment of his readers. As an avid fan I have read almost all of his novels. And I do mean novels! Mr. Anthony has an uncanny ability to draw his readers into the worlds he creates. The emotions and reactions I felt were as if I were there in real life. This series is a wonderful example of Mr. Anthonys ability to draw a reader in and make them feel the emotions and thoughts of his charaters. Overall, a very exceptional book that I highly enjoyed reading!

Ember and Blaze met at the beginning of time and fell in love. They couldn't marry each other because they were members of the same tribe, so they both married other people and had families. Ember, Blaze and their kin are reborn every chapter, each in another point in history. But all the while, they feel a strange longing for each other. And in the furture from today, they finally meet again. Piers Anthony brings a reader all around the world throughout the centuries, and into the personal lives of the characters associated in the story. As teenage girls, we found this story to be well-written and detailed in all aspects of life. We recommend it to all mature readers