Heads and Tails, 30 Mar 2008
I am a tentative fan of Pelevin's work. This book contains all that his readers expect of him and, for this reader, some of the problems that were present in his previous novels.
I love the cultural reference points which are at times flippant but almost always build to create very precise and apt analogies. I was particularly impressed by Pelevin's continuous reference to Bulgakov's 'A Dog's Heart' (which has some close plot similarities with 'The Sacred Book . . .').
Especially towards the end, however, I felt that the philosophical aspects of the book became too dense and were, to put it simply, confusing. I hold similar reservations concerning Pelevin's earlier novel 'The Clay Machine Gun.'
I enjoyed this book on the whole, however, and would certainly recommend it to readers with an interest in philosophy.
Maybe this is a bit of an anal point, but I was interested in how the title has been translated. On the cover the book is titled 'The Sacred Book of THE Werewolf' whereas on the title page inside the book the second pronoun is missing. Obviously Russian is a language without pronouns so I was wondering where this confusion arose. Re-reading those sentences, I realise how ridiculous this sounds. Oh well.


pelevin does it again, only weirder!, 26 Feb 2008
This book is similar to The Clay Machine Gun, in that it focuses on metaphysics, indeed, it seems to be one long metaphysical conversation at times. It is written with Pelevin's usual poetic gift for prose and it adds occasional touches of humour which are in tune with the story's sexual overtones. But I should stress that although the story is about a millenia-old prostitute, the tone is rarely tawdry. It is essentially a love/reality transcendence tail (tee hee) albeit involving a werewolf and a foxy distant Chinese relative. The tone is fairly dark at times, but this may largely be due to the presence of Nordic mythology motifs, which, if you've read the Edda, are obviously nuts!
I would also urge you to purchase it, if merely for the fact that his publishers might get round to printing his other books if this sells well!

Also, the other review for this book is actually about Numbers, which hasn't been published yet, so don't expect any bankers and Pokemon. This is about werewolves, werefoxes and the FSB, fun!


Pelevin at his best, 22 Feb 2006
I read this book in Russian and think it's Pelevin's best novel. The story is very original and "post-modern": the main character is a "New Russian" banker whose life revolves around the number 34. His girlfriend thinks she is the Pokémon Meowth and his hitmen are two Chechen brothers affiliated to a secret Sufi sect. Pelevin displays his amazing ability to blend social satire, mind-blowing action, and Russian mysticism. Moreover, the novel does not suffer from over-sophisticated metaphysics that characterized some of Pelevin's previous books (in particular, Buddha's Little Finger). A must read!

Heads and Tails, 30 Mar 2008
I am a tentative fan of Pelevin's work. This book contains all that his readers expect of him and, for this reader, some of the problems that were present in his previous novels.
I love the cultural reference points which are at times flippant but almost always build to create very precise and apt analogies. I was particularly impressed by Pelevin's continuous reference to Bulgakov's 'A Dog's Heart' (which has some close plot similarities with 'The Sacred Book . . .').
Especially towards the end, however, I felt that the philosophical aspects of the book became too dense and were, to put it simply, confusing. I hold similar reservations concerning Pelevin's earlier novel 'The Clay Machine Gun.'
I enjoyed this book on the whole, however, and would certainly recommend it to readers with an interest in philosophy.
Maybe this is a bit of an anal point, but I was interested in how the title has been translated. On the cover the book is titled 'The Sacred Book of THE Werewolf' whereas on the title page inside the book the second pronoun is missing. Obviously Russian is a language without pronouns so I was wondering where this confusion arose. Re-reading those sentences, I realise how ridiculous this sounds. Oh well.


pelevin does it again, only weirder!, 26 Feb 2008
This book is similar to The Clay Machine Gun, in that it focuses on metaphysics, indeed, it seems to be one long metaphysical conversation at times. It is written with Pelevin's usual poetic gift for prose and it adds occasional touches of humour which are in tune with the story's sexual overtones. But I should stress that although the story is about a millenia-old prostitute, the tone is rarely tawdry. It is essentially a love/reality transcendence tail (tee hee) albeit involving a werewolf and a foxy distant Chinese relative. The tone is fairly dark at times, but this may largely be due to the presence of Nordic mythology motifs, which, if you've read the Edda, are obviously nuts!
I would also urge you to purchase it, if merely for the fact that his publishers might get round to printing his other books if this sells well!

Also, the other review for this book is actually about Numbers, which hasn't been published yet, so don't expect any bankers and Pokemon. This is about werewolves, werefoxes and the FSB, fun!


Pelevin at his best, 22 Feb 2006
I read this book in Russian and think it's Pelevin's best novel. The story is very original and "post-modern": the main character is a "New Russian" banker whose life revolves around the number 34. His girlfriend thinks she is the Pokémon Meowth and his hitmen are two Chechen brothers affiliated to a secret Sufi sect. Pelevin displays his amazing ability to blend social satire, mind-blowing action, and Russian mysticism. Moreover, the novel does not suffer from over-sophisticated metaphysics that characterized some of Pelevin's previous books (in particular, Buddha's Little Finger). A must read!

Entertaining, 18 Jan 2008
This is a little pretentious but a very enjoyable, primarily for trying something different. Keeps air of mystery and suspense throughout and the end isn't a wash out. Well worth the read.

Some labyrinth!, 17 Nov 2007
I know the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, and I have - very rarely - looked in on chatrooms - rarely, because the chat in the ones I have visited is usually so inane. The book does mirror the inconsequentialness of some of these chatrooms; but if there is some method in the madness of this version of the myth, I'm afraid I just didn't get it. My mind not only does not work this way, but can't understand a mind that does. So I've got lost all right! My fault, no doubt.

Mind-blowing, 07 May 2007
This is intense, surreal and absolutely original. It's written in the form of a chatroom, a wonderfully vibrant hybrid of play, epistolary novel and screenplay. It immediately spirals you into a claustrophobic world of philosophic thriller where a number of trapped characters try to figure out a way to escape their maze -- but then they get more and more lost in, and also mesmerised, by their labyrinth. Some of them fall in love, others discuss myth and the meaning of perception -- this is very Russian and reminds me of Tarkovsky sci-fi films ('Solaris', 'Stalker'). The helmet of horror itself is described in such hyper-real hallucinatory detail that it really is the stuff of nightmare and dream, but also strangely plausible. I was riveted by this book and it's been resonating with me for weeks.

Heads and Tails, 30 Mar 2008
I am a tentative fan of Pelevin's work. This book contains all that his readers expect of him and, for this reader, some of the problems that were present in his previous novels.
I love the cultural reference points which are at times flippant but almost always build to create very precise and apt analogies. I was particularly impressed by Pelevin's continuous reference to Bulgakov's 'A Dog's Heart' (which has some close plot similarities with 'The Sacred Book . . .').
Especially towards the end, however, I felt that the philosophical aspects of the book became too dense and were, to put it simply, confusing. I hold similar reservations concerning Pelevin's earlier novel 'The Clay Machine Gun.'
I enjoyed this book on the whole, however, and would certainly recommend it to readers with an interest in philosophy.
Maybe this is a bit of an anal point, but I was interested in how the title has been translated. On the cover the book is titled 'The Sacred Book of THE Werewolf' whereas on the title page inside the book the second pronoun is missing. Obviously Russian is a language without pronouns so I was wondering where this confusion arose. Re-reading those sentences, I realise how ridiculous this sounds. Oh well.


pelevin does it again, only weirder!, 26 Feb 2008
This book is similar to The Clay Machine Gun, in that it focuses on metaphysics, indeed, it seems to be one long metaphysical conversation at times. It is written with Pelevin's usual poetic gift for prose and it adds occasional touches of humour which are in tune with the story's sexual overtones. But I should stress that although the story is about a millenia-old prostitute, the tone is rarely tawdry. It is essentially a love/reality transcendence tail (tee hee) albeit involving a werewolf and a foxy distant Chinese relative. The tone is fairly dark at times, but this may largely be due to the presence of Nordic mythology motifs, which, if you've read the Edda, are obviously nuts!
I would also urge you to purchase it, if merely for the fact that his publishers might get round to printing his other books if this sells well!

Also, the other review for this book is actually about Numbers, which hasn't been published yet, so don't expect any bankers and Pokemon. This is about werewolves, werefoxes and the FSB, fun!


Pelevin at his best, 22 Feb 2006
I read this book in Russian and think it's Pelevin's best novel. The story is very original and "post-modern": the main character is a "New Russian" banker whose life revolves around the number 34. His girlfriend thinks she is the Pokémon Meowth and his hitmen are two Chechen brothers affiliated to a secret Sufi sect. Pelevin displays his amazing ability to blend social satire, mind-blowing action, and Russian mysticism. Moreover, the novel does not suffer from over-sophisticated metaphysics that characterized some of Pelevin's previous books (in particular, Buddha's Little Finger). A must read!

Entertaining, 18 Jan 2008
This is a little pretentious but a very enjoyable, primarily for trying something different. Keeps air of mystery and suspense throughout and the end isn't a wash out. Well worth the read.

Some labyrinth!, 17 Nov 2007
I know the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, and I have - very rarely - looked in on chatrooms - rarely, because the chat in the ones I have visited is usually so inane. The book does mirror the inconsequentialness of some of these chatrooms; but if there is some method in the madness of this version of the myth, I'm afraid I just didn't get it. My mind not only does not work this way, but can't understand a mind that does. So I've got lost all right! My fault, no doubt.

Mind-blowing, 07 May 2007
This is intense, surreal and absolutely original. It's written in the form of a chatroom, a wonderfully vibrant hybrid of play, epistolary novel and screenplay. It immediately spirals you into a claustrophobic world of philosophic thriller where a number of trapped characters try to figure out a way to escape their maze -- but then they get more and more lost in, and also mesmerised, by their labyrinth. Some of them fall in love, others discuss myth and the meaning of perception -- this is very Russian and reminds me of Tarkovsky sci-fi films ('Solaris', 'Stalker'). The helmet of horror itself is described in such hyper-real hallucinatory detail that it really is the stuff of nightmare and dream, but also strangely plausible. I was riveted by this book and it's been resonating with me for weeks.

Not impressed, 30 Mar 2008
The synopsis alone is enough to dissuade me from buying this book, and I've a research degree in mythology and psychology. It's a passion with me.

For a start, the malignant figure isn't, in tradition, Asterisk (that's a keyboard symbol or a cartoon ancient Gaul.) He was Aster, potential ruler of Crete after the death of Minos.

To read this story in the best form, turn to Mary Renault's The King Must Die. I've had my copy since schooldays, almost fifty years ago and wouldn't part with it even now.

Why two stars? I'm feeling charitable.

Lost in cyberspace, 01 May 2007
A clever enough book, perhaps a little to clever for it's own good. It recreates the challenge of the labyrinth in cyberspace, but unfortunately the sense of danger or ultimate goal lacks. It needed the identifiable hero and goal to be identified at the outset to work as myth, but we are never sure of who is who or what the goal is.

Compelling but confusing, 31 Dec 2006
Don't expect to understand this book on the first or even the second reading. It twists and turns and you can never completely see what's going on, much like the many labyrinths within its pages. It's post-modern in the best sense of the word, taking the idea of the Minotaur as guardian of the labyrinth and basically running with it. Pelevin has a lot of fun playing with language and perception, although these aren't the only issues discussed within the book.

Buy this if you're a fan of intelligent and offbeat writing.

Twisting and turning - an intriguing, complex tale, 09 Nov 2006
The Canongate Myth series continues with a retelling of the story of Theseus, the Minotaur and the labyrinth. So far this series has seen authors drawing upon the original source of the legend, and weaving their own narrative threads. The Odyssey was retold from Penelope's point of view, whilst the story of Samson focused on a shorter slice of the overall myth. Victor Pelevin took the challenge of the Cretian horror of the half man, half bull Minotaur, and rather than retelling completely reinvents the story.

There are certain continuities. Theseus, the Minotaur and Ariadne are named characters, albeit only the latter enjoying anything like a major piece of the action. Living up to her mythical namesake she spins the thread of the narrative, guiding us around Pelevin's post-modern take on the labyrinth. The major continuity is the concept of the labyrinth, a trapping, twisting, contained environment. This twenty-first century retelling sees the reader take the role of a passive observer to a chat room conversation.

The initial bursts of conversation between the trapped residents of the labyrinth are confused, but gradually a fuller picture of the reality of their imprisonment emerges. Each resident is lodged in a nearly-identical cell, with their own personal labyrinth located beyond the door to their cell. The identity of those responsible for this confinement is not revealed, and the novel instead deviates into an explanation of the nature of the world they now inhabit.

The chat-room format lends an urgency and pace to the novel, which means it can be devoured. It may need re-reading, as you find yourself skipping some of the lengthier, but vital, `posts' that build up the crucial metaphysical and philosophical messages. At times it is unclear to the point of being unintelligible, but the fast nature of the prose ensures that this confusion doesn't lead to a frustration with the novel.

Don't expect a classic rendering of the original tale. There is no tearful departure from Greece, no heroic slaying of the beast. Instead Pelevin has taken the baser, more fundamental concepts of the myth and woven a new tale that delivers a profound philosophical tract along with a fascinating read.

Original, 09 Aug 2006
Victor Pelevin once again questions existence in this original twist of the minotaur myth. Written as a conversation in a chat room Pelevin manages to mix modern day youth culture with an age old myth. Both surprisingly easy to read yet full of depth, meaning and ambiguity. Knowledge of, or specific interest in Theseus and the Minotaur is not a pre-requisite for enjoying this novel.