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A Red Sun Also Rises
A tale of good and evil, where neither is what it seems!
Aiden Fleischer, a bookish priest, finds himself transported to an alien world. With him is Miss Clarissa Stark, a crippled hunchback of exceptional ability, wronged by an aristocrat and cast out from society.
On the planet Ptallaya, under two bright yellow suns, they encounter the Yatsill, a race of enthusiastic mimics who shape their society after impressions picked up from Clarissa's mind. Creating a faux London, the alien creatures enroll Clarissa in their Council of Magicians and Aiden in the City Guard. But why does the peaceful city require guards? After a day that, in earthly terms, has lasted for months, the answer comes, for on this planet without night, a red sun also rises, and brings with it a destructive evil.
The Blood Gods! Hideous creatures, they cause Aiden to confront his own internal darkness while trying to protect his friend and his new home.
With a sharp eye for period detail and a rich imagination, Mark Hodder establishes a weirdly twisted version of Victorian London on a convincingly realized alien world, and employs them to tackle a profound psychological and moral question. A Red Sun Also Rises breaks new ground by combining the sword & planet genre with Victorian steampunk while adding an edgy psychological twist.
Aiden Fleischer, a bookish priest, finds himself transported to an alien world. With him is Miss Clarissa Stark, a crippled hunchback of exceptional ability, wronged by an aristocrat and cast out from society.
On the planet Ptallaya, under two bright yellow suns, they encounter the Yatsill, a race of enthusiastic mimics who shape their society after impressions picked up from Clarissa's mind. Creating a faux London, the alien creatures enroll Clarissa in their Council of Magicians and Aiden in the City Guard. But why does the peaceful city require guards? After a day that, in earthly terms, has lasted for months, the answer comes, for on this planet without night, a red sun also rises, and brings with it a destructive evil.
The Blood Gods! Hideous creatures, they cause Aiden to confront his own internal darkness while trying to protect his friend and his new home.
With a sharp eye for period detail and a rich imagination, Mark Hodder establishes a weirdly twisted version of Victorian London on a convincingly realized alien world, and employs them to tackle a profound psychological and moral question. A Red Sun Also Rises breaks new ground by combining the sword & planet genre with Victorian steampunk while adding an edgy psychological twist.
271 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Mark Hodder
70 books504 followersBritish author living in Valencia, Spain.
Burton & Swinburne Novels:
THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING-HEELED JACK (Winner of the Philip K. Dick Award 2010)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CLOCKWORK MAN
EXPEDITION TO THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON
THE SECRET OF ABDU EL YEZDI
THE RETURN OF THE DISCONTINUED MAN
THE RISE OF THE AUTOMATED ARISTOCRATS
Other Novels:
A RED SUN ALSO RISES
THE SILENT THUNDER CAPER
A DARK AND SUBTLE LIGHT
Novels in Collaboration with Michael Moorcock:
CARIBBEAN CRISIS/VOODOO ISLAND
THE ALBINO'S SECRET (forthcoming)
THE ALBINO'S HONOUR (forthcoming)
THE ALBINO'S EYE (forthcoming)
As Editor:
SEXTON BLAKE AND THE GREAT WAR
SEXTON BLAKE VERSUS THE MASTER CROOKS
SEXTON BLAKE'S ALLIES
SEXTON BLAKE ON THE HOME FRONT
SEXTON BLAKE'S NEW ORDER
Burton & Swinburne Novels:
THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING-HEELED JACK (Winner of the Philip K. Dick Award 2010)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CLOCKWORK MAN
EXPEDITION TO THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON
THE SECRET OF ABDU EL YEZDI
THE RETURN OF THE DISCONTINUED MAN
THE RISE OF THE AUTOMATED ARISTOCRATS
Other Novels:
A RED SUN ALSO RISES
THE SILENT THUNDER CAPER
A DARK AND SUBTLE LIGHT
Novels in Collaboration with Michael Moorcock:
CARIBBEAN CRISIS/VOODOO ISLAND
THE ALBINO'S SECRET (forthcoming)
THE ALBINO'S HONOUR (forthcoming)
THE ALBINO'S EYE (forthcoming)
As Editor:
SEXTON BLAKE AND THE GREAT WAR
SEXTON BLAKE VERSUS THE MASTER CROOKS
SEXTON BLAKE'S ALLIES
SEXTON BLAKE ON THE HOME FRONT
SEXTON BLAKE'S NEW ORDER
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 31, 2022
Quite spectacular, but I found it difficult to finish. I must be getting old...
March 17, 2015
If you enjoy the planetary adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs or Otis Kline then this book is right there with them. Lots of action, fair maidens, and mad scientists on a strange planet with strange inhabitants, then this is one not to miss.
February 5, 2013
4.5 Stars
“Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”
—Saint Augustine
A Red Sun Also Rises is a very enjoyable read by Mark Hodder. I was already a fan of Mark Hodder before reading this book. I really enjoy his steampunk style as well as his Burton & Swinburn series. This book is much like his other in that it is steeped in steampunk, twisted with some science fiction, and finally mixed up in history to give it a unique flavor and style. Even though I really did enjoy this book, the characters, and the overall story, it is the deeper themes that make this one special. Red Sun Also Rises tackles the biggest question of all, what is good? What is evil? Does one beget the other? Does that mean that God is inherently evil as well?
“I instantly recalled Clarissa’s insistence that evil did not spring from specific circumstances but existed independently of them, as a causeless force. She’d once asked, “Do you not think it time you gave the Devil his due?” But no, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. The Bible says of Lucifer:Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. In other words, the Devil was a faulty product of a supposedly flawless progenitor. What, though, if Clarissa had been wrong in attribution only? What if evil came not from one of God’s own creations but, as the Quintessence had just suggested, from a source equal to and separate from the deity?”
The story itself is creative in the way that it is told to us. The overall plot revolves around what may be “The Bermuda Triangle.” Aiden Fleischer and Clarissa cross over from a remote island to that of a different planet all together. There they meet fantastical creatures and machines and face countless dangers from the new environment, as well as from dangers within themselves. All the while deep and philosophical conversations and situations move the story forward.
I loved the growth of both of our protagonists. Although, it is obvious the way some things will unfold, it does not matter as these are two very identifiable and likable people.
Mark Hodder’s writing style is equal to his wonderful imagination. Humor and wit fill the pages right alongside the science and the philosophy.
“The Aristocrats had taken on outlandish names: Colonel Momentous Spearjab; Mademoiselle Crockery Clattersmash; Sir Gracious Whipstripes; The Right Honourable Stirpot Quickly; and Lady Falldown Bruisebad. The Shunned—who were now, extraordinarily, referred to as “the Working Class”—went by the less extravagant appellations of Timothy Almost, Nicely Lookout, Sally Furniture, Dentworth Frosty, Jane Cough-Cough, and Harry Flopsoon.”
There is a great deal to like in this book for readers of science fiction, fantasy, and even general fiction too. I highly recommend it!!!
“Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”
—Saint Augustine
A Red Sun Also Rises is a very enjoyable read by Mark Hodder. I was already a fan of Mark Hodder before reading this book. I really enjoy his steampunk style as well as his Burton & Swinburn series. This book is much like his other in that it is steeped in steampunk, twisted with some science fiction, and finally mixed up in history to give it a unique flavor and style. Even though I really did enjoy this book, the characters, and the overall story, it is the deeper themes that make this one special. Red Sun Also Rises tackles the biggest question of all, what is good? What is evil? Does one beget the other? Does that mean that God is inherently evil as well?
“I instantly recalled Clarissa’s insistence that evil did not spring from specific circumstances but existed independently of them, as a causeless force. She’d once asked, “Do you not think it time you gave the Devil his due?” But no, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. The Bible says of Lucifer:Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. In other words, the Devil was a faulty product of a supposedly flawless progenitor. What, though, if Clarissa had been wrong in attribution only? What if evil came not from one of God’s own creations but, as the Quintessence had just suggested, from a source equal to and separate from the deity?”
The story itself is creative in the way that it is told to us. The overall plot revolves around what may be “The Bermuda Triangle.” Aiden Fleischer and Clarissa cross over from a remote island to that of a different planet all together. There they meet fantastical creatures and machines and face countless dangers from the new environment, as well as from dangers within themselves. All the while deep and philosophical conversations and situations move the story forward.
I loved the growth of both of our protagonists. Although, it is obvious the way some things will unfold, it does not matter as these are two very identifiable and likable people.
Mark Hodder’s writing style is equal to his wonderful imagination. Humor and wit fill the pages right alongside the science and the philosophy.
“The Aristocrats had taken on outlandish names: Colonel Momentous Spearjab; Mademoiselle Crockery Clattersmash; Sir Gracious Whipstripes; The Right Honourable Stirpot Quickly; and Lady Falldown Bruisebad. The Shunned—who were now, extraordinarily, referred to as “the Working Class”—went by the less extravagant appellations of Timothy Almost, Nicely Lookout, Sally Furniture, Dentworth Frosty, Jane Cough-Cough, and Harry Flopsoon.”
There is a great deal to like in this book for readers of science fiction, fantasy, and even general fiction too. I highly recommend it!!!
March 26, 2013
Now how to explain this book...I do not think I will able too. It's an adventure that you just have to read to truly get.
We have a hero and a heroine. Aiden, a priest who is not good at being a priest, and Clarissa, who is so smart but disfigured and therefore she has to beg for bread. But then she starts to work for Aiden, and they discuss religion. A theme through out the book, what is good and evil? Anyway the weirdness has not even started, that starts when he becomes a missionary and we end up with this Alice in Wonderland kind of story. A freaky new world, complex and just really weird. Now I will tell you no more as the worlds needs to be explored on its own. And then you will come to realize things evolve.
There is a lot I would like to say, but just think of two people put in a new world. A world that makes no sense at all, and take it from there. You will experience a world like no other.
Also throw in some politics, philosophy, religion, and of course steampunk.
We have a hero and a heroine. Aiden, a priest who is not good at being a priest, and Clarissa, who is so smart but disfigured and therefore she has to beg for bread. But then she starts to work for Aiden, and they discuss religion. A theme through out the book, what is good and evil? Anyway the weirdness has not even started, that starts when he becomes a missionary and we end up with this Alice in Wonderland kind of story. A freaky new world, complex and just really weird. Now I will tell you no more as the worlds needs to be explored on its own. And then you will come to realize things evolve.
There is a lot I would like to say, but just think of two people put in a new world. A world that makes no sense at all, and take it from there. You will experience a world like no other.
Also throw in some politics, philosophy, religion, and of course steampunk.
May 3, 2014
This is a bit unusual book.
You get a Victorianesque adventure mixed with science fiction and a dash of romance.
Furthermore there is an intelligent story with complex concepts - the name Charles Darwin should give you a hint.
For me it was definitely not a book easy to devour. I needed time to get an real understanding of the concepts behind.
If possible I would have rated it with 4.5 stars.
You get a Victorianesque adventure mixed with science fiction and a dash of romance.
Furthermore there is an intelligent story with complex concepts - the name Charles Darwin should give you a hint.
For me it was definitely not a book easy to devour. I needed time to get an real understanding of the concepts behind.
If possible I would have rated it with 4.5 stars.
February 13, 2013
A Red Sun Also Rises:
5*
A corking tale of derring do on an alien world.
I love Mark Hodder and this might be my favourite of his to date. I was expecting another steampunk tale, but this is high Victorianesque, inter-planetary SF. It has more in common with HG Wells than Burton & Swinburn.
A Red Sun Also Rises is a first-person narrative, told by Aiden Fleischer, a weak and hopeless sort; a failed vicar turned useless missionary, who becomes a true and selfless hero on an alien world – A world whose civilisation has been, accidentally and unwittingly, completely re-modelled by his companion and former servant, the terribly crippled Clarissa.
It’s a terrific story; unique and completely, wonderfully bonkers. The world-building is especially good, complete and well-imagined. The characterisation is superb, the aliens especially, with their caricature Bertie Wooster speech and absurd, Dickensian names - Colonel Momentous Spearjab, Mademoiselle Crockery Clattersmash, Lady Falldown Bruisebad - The good humour and likeability of all the characters is what sets this above others in this genre for me. There are deeper themes, too, a dose of subtle philosophy as Fleischer’s questions his faith, his quest for good in an evil world as he searches for God in the evil around him.
I loved the smooth, neat, completely surprising ending – leading into a sequel? I hope so.
5*
A corking tale of derring do on an alien world.
I love Mark Hodder and this might be my favourite of his to date. I was expecting another steampunk tale, but this is high Victorianesque, inter-planetary SF. It has more in common with HG Wells than Burton & Swinburn.
A Red Sun Also Rises is a first-person narrative, told by Aiden Fleischer, a weak and hopeless sort; a failed vicar turned useless missionary, who becomes a true and selfless hero on an alien world – A world whose civilisation has been, accidentally and unwittingly, completely re-modelled by his companion and former servant, the terribly crippled Clarissa.
It’s a terrific story; unique and completely, wonderfully bonkers. The world-building is especially good, complete and well-imagined. The characterisation is superb, the aliens especially, with their caricature Bertie Wooster speech and absurd, Dickensian names - Colonel Momentous Spearjab, Mademoiselle Crockery Clattersmash, Lady Falldown Bruisebad - The good humour and likeability of all the characters is what sets this above others in this genre for me. There are deeper themes, too, a dose of subtle philosophy as Fleischer’s questions his faith, his quest for good in an evil world as he searches for God in the evil around him.
I loved the smooth, neat, completely surprising ending – leading into a sequel? I hope so.
January 17, 2013
A man without faith. A woman without hope.
My name is Aiden Fleischer. I was forced from my home, moved among the victims of Jack the Ripper, was tortured by a witch doctor, and awoke on another planet. Throughout it all, my assistant, Clarissa Stark, remained at my side.
On Ptallaya, we were welcomed by the Yatsill. The creatures transformed their society into a bizarre version of our own, and we found a new home beneath the world’s twin suns. But there was darkness in my soul, and as the two yellow globes set, I was forced to confront it, for on Ptallaya …
A RED SUN ALSO RISES
… and with it comes an evil more horrifying than any on Earth.
Upon their arrival on Ptallya, Aiden and Clarissa meet a strange race called the Yatsill. These enigmatic creatures have the power to telepathically mine thoughts. They use Clarissa as a subject for their powers, and very quickly begin to establish a new order based on her memories of home. A slightly surreal parody of London society springs up almost overnight. This new regime is made up of Aristocrats and the Working Class.
Everything initially seems quite idyllic, but as time passes this new society begins to fall apart. The Yatsill are reticent to discuss certain aspects of their culture and there seem to be secrets everywhere. It’s up to Aiden and Clarissa to uncover the truth about their new home. What follows, reads like a marvellous slice of golden age science fiction.
What really sold this book for me was the attention to all the little details. One of the best things about the change that comes over the Yatsill, is the new names that they come up with for themselves. Hodder is obviously having a great deal of fun with this particular element of the story. The names are all verging on the absurd, and it’s great to discover them all as each one is slightly more odd than the last. One of my personal favourites was Tendency Clutterfuss. Best character name ever? Could well be.
In addition to the amusing names, the Yatsill all start speaking terribly proper English. There is a colonel who is part of the Yatsill military who is all bluster and outraged exclamations. I have to admit a certain fondness for phrases like ‘tally ho‘ or ‘by jove‘. That sort of language always reminds me of George MacDonald Fraser’s iconic creation, Flashman. It’s very strange to hear that particular lexicon coming out of the mouth of an alien-being, but within the confines of this story it totally works.
It’s nice to see the evolution of the relationship between Aiden and Clarissa. On Earth, they are very much bound by the constraints of Victorian society, but once they find themselves elsewhere things change quite dramatically. Aiden is also forced to face his inner demons, and starts to better understand himself and the nature of humanity. I wasn’t expecting quite this level of introspection in the characters, but it works well and helps flesh out the context of the main narrative.
It struck me that this novel positively revels in the unexpected. Each time I thought I had an inkling about where the plot was going next, my suspicions proved to be entirely incorrect. I do like when a book defies my preconceived notions and takes me somewhere unexpected. I’ve not read any of Mark Hodder’s other novels, but based on my experience with this one I’ll have to remedy that situation quick smart.
My name is Aiden Fleischer. I was forced from my home, moved among the victims of Jack the Ripper, was tortured by a witch doctor, and awoke on another planet. Throughout it all, my assistant, Clarissa Stark, remained at my side.
On Ptallaya, we were welcomed by the Yatsill. The creatures transformed their society into a bizarre version of our own, and we found a new home beneath the world’s twin suns. But there was darkness in my soul, and as the two yellow globes set, I was forced to confront it, for on Ptallaya …
A RED SUN ALSO RISES
… and with it comes an evil more horrifying than any on Earth.
Upon their arrival on Ptallya, Aiden and Clarissa meet a strange race called the Yatsill. These enigmatic creatures have the power to telepathically mine thoughts. They use Clarissa as a subject for their powers, and very quickly begin to establish a new order based on her memories of home. A slightly surreal parody of London society springs up almost overnight. This new regime is made up of Aristocrats and the Working Class.
Everything initially seems quite idyllic, but as time passes this new society begins to fall apart. The Yatsill are reticent to discuss certain aspects of their culture and there seem to be secrets everywhere. It’s up to Aiden and Clarissa to uncover the truth about their new home. What follows, reads like a marvellous slice of golden age science fiction.
What really sold this book for me was the attention to all the little details. One of the best things about the change that comes over the Yatsill, is the new names that they come up with for themselves. Hodder is obviously having a great deal of fun with this particular element of the story. The names are all verging on the absurd, and it’s great to discover them all as each one is slightly more odd than the last. One of my personal favourites was Tendency Clutterfuss. Best character name ever? Could well be.
In addition to the amusing names, the Yatsill all start speaking terribly proper English. There is a colonel who is part of the Yatsill military who is all bluster and outraged exclamations. I have to admit a certain fondness for phrases like ‘tally ho‘ or ‘by jove‘. That sort of language always reminds me of George MacDonald Fraser’s iconic creation, Flashman. It’s very strange to hear that particular lexicon coming out of the mouth of an alien-being, but within the confines of this story it totally works.
It’s nice to see the evolution of the relationship between Aiden and Clarissa. On Earth, they are very much bound by the constraints of Victorian society, but once they find themselves elsewhere things change quite dramatically. Aiden is also forced to face his inner demons, and starts to better understand himself and the nature of humanity. I wasn’t expecting quite this level of introspection in the characters, but it works well and helps flesh out the context of the main narrative.
It struck me that this novel positively revels in the unexpected. Each time I thought I had an inkling about where the plot was going next, my suspicions proved to be entirely incorrect. I do like when a book defies my preconceived notions and takes me somewhere unexpected. I’ve not read any of Mark Hodder’s other novels, but based on my experience with this one I’ll have to remedy that situation quick smart.
July 12, 2014
Mark Hodders books are always interesting and you just zip along within the world he creates in the story. This one was a little more complex to read then most of his books as the premise was rolled out over the first third of the book. But after that it was full Steampunk ahead
June 12, 2020
This novel reads like a high school English Literature homework assignment for creative writing that ended up too long.
January 28, 2013
A Red Sun Also Rises is a cracking planetary romance that involves many of the tropes of Victoriana adventure-romp, whilst also managing to involve an intelligent plot and complex concepts.
Much of the start of the book has an HG Wells feel. The tale begins with the story told by Aiden Fleisher, who whilst as a parish vicar in England, develops a friendship with crippled engineering genius Clarissa Stark. When Aiden is forced to leave his parish and become a missionary in Papua New Guinea, Clarissa goes with him as sexton, and together the two of them have significant difficulties in attempting to persuade the indigenous tribes to convert to Christianity.
After a voodoo type ritual, they find themselves transported on the alien world of Ptallaya. This is a strange place, a planet lit by double-yellow- suns called The Eyes of the Saviour, and populated by the Yatsill, a telepathic alien race who, rather like parrots, mimic things they see. We spend much of the book at this point travelling, hunting strange living things with the Yatsill, hallucinating on strange foods and being immersed into the Yatsill culture, which gives us a strange insight into this unusual world.
A submersion and ‘rebirth’ of Clarissa in the pools of the Cavern of Immersion means that the Yatsill absorb her life experiences. Consequently, they all speak a rather class-conscious English language peppered with Hear Hear!’s and ‘Harrumphs!’, rename themselves with inappropriate English-sounding names (so that aliens such as Tsillandra Ma’ra become Crockery Clattersmash) and rapidly build Yatsillat, a caricature of Victorian London (one depicted so well on the UK cover) with British idioms such as teashops and the House of Lords. Like writing often found in HG Wells’ novels, it is funny and yet also rather biting, a satire of British Victorian class and society.
However, things are changing. Whilst Aiden and Clarissa begin their exploration of Ptallya beneath the light of double suns, Yatsill stories tell of the coming of a red sun, and with it a time of evil, one dominated by the Blood Gods...
Summarising this book as a planetary romance may give some readers an impression of frenetic activity with little depth, a legacy of Edgar Rice Burroughs and other Golden Age pulp writers. perhaps. Whilst there is a definite speed to this novel, this is also an intelligent book, with complex ideas riffing off past genre tropes. Like in HG Wells’ stories (First Men in the Moon, for example) or perhaps CS Lewis’ Perelandra space opera novels, although on the surface there is an exciting and quite breathless plot, the real interest in the book is in the sidetracks along the way, rather than the endpoint.
The tone of the novel is suitably appropriate. Like writers in the time of the Victorian British Empire, there’s a lot of imperialistic mannerisms that Mark has used that capture a sense of time and place that so many similar novels need to grasp, yet don’t.
The book is actually more of an exploration of the concept of evolution, as Mark clearly points out in an interview given at the end of the book. The alien people, plants and animals live in a complex interconnected life-cycle pattern, which is altered as a consequence of unintentional interference.
There’s also a lot of discussion of rather esoteric issues, such as the ideas of faith and absolute evil, as Aiden clearly struggles with some of his basic beliefs before reaching a satisfactory conclusion for himself. This initially rather naive character has a number of rites of passage so that by the time he reaches the end of the novel, he has grown and matured as a result of what happens.
The ending is a conclusion of sorts, although it is clear that other books could follow. This is, for now at least, standalone and not part of a series.
Although the book is similar to the author’s own Burton & Swinburne Adventures, it is not as much of a steampunk tale as the other novels. But overall this is a really entertaining book, by turns, engagingly amusing and then exciting, managing to juggle the scientific romance style of HG Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs with a knowledge of contemporary SF ideas.
One of the better Victoriana fantasies I’ve read.
Much of the start of the book has an HG Wells feel. The tale begins with the story told by Aiden Fleisher, who whilst as a parish vicar in England, develops a friendship with crippled engineering genius Clarissa Stark. When Aiden is forced to leave his parish and become a missionary in Papua New Guinea, Clarissa goes with him as sexton, and together the two of them have significant difficulties in attempting to persuade the indigenous tribes to convert to Christianity.
After a voodoo type ritual, they find themselves transported on the alien world of Ptallaya. This is a strange place, a planet lit by double-yellow- suns called The Eyes of the Saviour, and populated by the Yatsill, a telepathic alien race who, rather like parrots, mimic things they see. We spend much of the book at this point travelling, hunting strange living things with the Yatsill, hallucinating on strange foods and being immersed into the Yatsill culture, which gives us a strange insight into this unusual world.
A submersion and ‘rebirth’ of Clarissa in the pools of the Cavern of Immersion means that the Yatsill absorb her life experiences. Consequently, they all speak a rather class-conscious English language peppered with Hear Hear!’s and ‘Harrumphs!’, rename themselves with inappropriate English-sounding names (so that aliens such as Tsillandra Ma’ra become Crockery Clattersmash) and rapidly build Yatsillat, a caricature of Victorian London (one depicted so well on the UK cover) with British idioms such as teashops and the House of Lords. Like writing often found in HG Wells’ novels, it is funny and yet also rather biting, a satire of British Victorian class and society.
However, things are changing. Whilst Aiden and Clarissa begin their exploration of Ptallya beneath the light of double suns, Yatsill stories tell of the coming of a red sun, and with it a time of evil, one dominated by the Blood Gods...
Summarising this book as a planetary romance may give some readers an impression of frenetic activity with little depth, a legacy of Edgar Rice Burroughs and other Golden Age pulp writers. perhaps. Whilst there is a definite speed to this novel, this is also an intelligent book, with complex ideas riffing off past genre tropes. Like in HG Wells’ stories (First Men in the Moon, for example) or perhaps CS Lewis’ Perelandra space opera novels, although on the surface there is an exciting and quite breathless plot, the real interest in the book is in the sidetracks along the way, rather than the endpoint.
The tone of the novel is suitably appropriate. Like writers in the time of the Victorian British Empire, there’s a lot of imperialistic mannerisms that Mark has used that capture a sense of time and place that so many similar novels need to grasp, yet don’t.
The book is actually more of an exploration of the concept of evolution, as Mark clearly points out in an interview given at the end of the book. The alien people, plants and animals live in a complex interconnected life-cycle pattern, which is altered as a consequence of unintentional interference.
There’s also a lot of discussion of rather esoteric issues, such as the ideas of faith and absolute evil, as Aiden clearly struggles with some of his basic beliefs before reaching a satisfactory conclusion for himself. This initially rather naive character has a number of rites of passage so that by the time he reaches the end of the novel, he has grown and matured as a result of what happens.
The ending is a conclusion of sorts, although it is clear that other books could follow. This is, for now at least, standalone and not part of a series.
Although the book is similar to the author’s own Burton & Swinburne Adventures, it is not as much of a steampunk tale as the other novels. But overall this is a really entertaining book, by turns, engagingly amusing and then exciting, managing to juggle the scientific romance style of HG Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs with a knowledge of contemporary SF ideas.
One of the better Victoriana fantasies I’ve read.
October 9, 2013
Aiden is a young minister, a quiet bookish man who becomes involved in an adventure beyond belief when he goes to a missionary post. Not only is he faced with monsters and freakish creatures, but he is transported to another world. By his side is the crippled and disfigured Clarissa who is brilliant and acts as his sextant. Together, the two are subjected to multiple dangers and they must fight and help each other to survive. The world-building of Hodder is intricate and complex. There are multiple lands in this world and each has creatures remarkably different from the other. While some creatures appear monstrous, they may have a civility to them that belies their appearance. Others act as horrific as they appear. The complexity of philosophy and the true connection between the worlds is confusing and somewhat convoluted. This is a difficult story to follow but the ingenuity of the author is apparent. Making correlations to our own misguided beliefs is an undercurrent that may fascinate those looking for a deeper meaning.
December 15, 2012
Those familiar with my love if the Burton and Swinburne will guess that I might just enjoy this too. Red Sun is a different animal compared to the steampunk adventures of the dynamic duo of the Albertan era; it's a homage to the pulp planetary romances and the likes of Edgar Rice Burroghs. I like this book a lot, it's a first person tale of someone coming to grips with themselves and funding a place for themselves. Aiden is not always the most likeable of characters but he and his sometime servant the crippled Clarissa are at all times believable characters. The setting and it's bizarre inhabitants are fascinating and so well envisioned that I would recommend it on that alone. I will be posting a longer review at my blog after the weekend but I would encourage fans of pulp style stories to give it a try ...
December 21, 2012
All to often, I build my expectations for a book so high that I come away a little disappointed. To my great relief, Hodder’s “A Red Sun Also Rises” met my expectations — and exceeded them.
The story is brilliant. I liked the character of Fleischer and I like the thought of a hunchback, Clarissa Stark, helping the pastor develop a spine. Fleischer struggles with his life, his faith, and finally with reality itself, and his human frailty and subsequent growth really pulled me in to the story. The characters were nicely developed and the world of Ptallaya was freaking brilliant.
I don’t think that I have read anything quite like it. I highly recommend it and give it 5 stars out of 5. Having said that, it should get extra points for sheer WTF moments, characters, and story. It’s a must-have for your library.
The story is brilliant. I liked the character of Fleischer and I like the thought of a hunchback, Clarissa Stark, helping the pastor develop a spine. Fleischer struggles with his life, his faith, and finally with reality itself, and his human frailty and subsequent growth really pulled me in to the story. The characters were nicely developed and the world of Ptallaya was freaking brilliant.
I don’t think that I have read anything quite like it. I highly recommend it and give it 5 stars out of 5. Having said that, it should get extra points for sheer WTF moments, characters, and story. It’s a must-have for your library.
June 13, 2013
Hodder does a masterful job of "sword and planet" fiction. So skillfully done that it actually gets a little in the way of my enjoyment of the novel--seems I'm not a huge fan of sword and planet. Plus, the completely alien race (reminiscent of Burroughs' alien rulers of Pelucidar) actually make it harder for my empathy with the characters to kick in. The protagonists are well characterized and his prose is spot on as always...but I never manage to develop the love of these characters the way I do in the Burton&Swinburne series. I do find the take on good/evil eye opening and different. A reveal I find completely plausible rather than turning a page and going "oh, I can't swallow that as the big reveal about good/evil". A solid read, but doesn't make my favorites list.
September 14, 2021
Not my style of writing. It was a very complicated alien world. I got the gist of it, but kind of skimmed over the details. It made some sense in the end, but I did not find myself really loving the story. There were too many things happening in the alien world. Trying to understand an alien world is challenging when that world undergoes more changes while you're there that the aliens themselves don't even understand. I guess that makes sense from the main character's perspective (a human), because he seemed just as confused. I kind of liked how the aliens adopted a very British style of speech and used expressions they didn't quite understand.
December 8, 2012
Frankly, this is a massive disappointment after the first two in the previous trilogy. I was hoping for much better. Unfortunately, this is dire. I hate the language which is sub P G Wodehouse and the cod psychology is deeply annoying. The plot reruns Cycle of Fire by Hal Clement.
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2012/1...
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2012/1...
January 10, 2021
She was, at most, five-foot-two, obviously a vagabond, hunchbacked, with crooked legs and swarthy sun-browned skin. Her jet black hair - with streaks of white growing from the temples - was swept back from a deep widow's peak and fell in waves to her twisted shoulder blades. The dress and jacket she wore might have been fashioned from old potato sacks. However, by far the most remarkable thing about her was that the upper part of her face was concealed behind tight-fitting black-lensed leather-bound goggles.
There are two things that jumped out at me from this book and they are both positives.
Firstly, Mark Hodder is a master of painting a picture and building otherworldly settings. The mental pictures conjured up whilst reading where vivid and had a depth of detail that was truly astonishing.
Secondly, he is also very good at Victorian Steampunk literature.
The story is about a priest, Aiden Fleischer, with a lack of faith and his assistant, Clarissa Stark, as described above. When Reverend Fleischer is forced from his parish, the pair find themselves in London at the time of the Jack the Ripper killings. Soon after they find themselves on missionary work in the remote Southern Hemisphere village of Koluwai from where they are mysteriously transported to another world.
The story is fascinating and looks into what it is to be human, what faith is built on, what it is to be good and evil, and how human interference can lead to delicate natural cycles being upset.
I enjoyed this and will be searching out his earlier Burton & Swinburne series of Steampunk Detective stories.
There are two things that jumped out at me from this book and they are both positives.
Firstly, Mark Hodder is a master of painting a picture and building otherworldly settings. The mental pictures conjured up whilst reading where vivid and had a depth of detail that was truly astonishing.
Secondly, he is also very good at Victorian Steampunk literature.
The story is about a priest, Aiden Fleischer, with a lack of faith and his assistant, Clarissa Stark, as described above. When Reverend Fleischer is forced from his parish, the pair find themselves in London at the time of the Jack the Ripper killings. Soon after they find themselves on missionary work in the remote Southern Hemisphere village of Koluwai from where they are mysteriously transported to another world.
The story is fascinating and looks into what it is to be human, what faith is built on, what it is to be good and evil, and how human interference can lead to delicate natural cycles being upset.
I enjoyed this and will be searching out his earlier Burton & Swinburne series of Steampunk Detective stories.
December 29, 2016
The greatest brilliance to this book is the title, but I could have done without the cover.
That weird dapper creature on the front gave me hope and promise of an alien steampunk reality that didn't exist in the first three chapters. Instead of starting off in an outlandish world as you'd expect, you get backstory set in a 1800s household with a conflicted vicar. He and his broken -yet brilliant- companion discuss intently the origins of evil. So instead of aliens and strange places, you get a sermon.
Once the characters are on the planet though, everything plays beautifully. There are no elongated passages of trivial expose. You learn about the place organically through the experiences of the characters. One trains to be part of the city guard and another becomes a leader of the new city. Then what you thought you knew gets flipped on its head with new meaning, over and over again as the layers peel back (or split open as the case may be). One race leads to another race, and the whole chain comes full circle.
That's the bulk of the story without me telling you too much. Of course, the author has to put in his characters conclusions about evil, a very humanistic conclusion too at that, but I didn't understand the need to even have it in there. It was very telling (as opposed to showing).
Perhaps if the book hadn't spent all of its time smacking me over the head with its message, I would have loved it. Well, it would also have had to fix that highly dissatisfying ending. That was the worst use of the Bermuda Triangle I've encountered in a while.
That weird dapper creature on the front gave me hope and promise of an alien steampunk reality that didn't exist in the first three chapters. Instead of starting off in an outlandish world as you'd expect, you get backstory set in a 1800s household with a conflicted vicar. He and his broken -yet brilliant- companion discuss intently the origins of evil. So instead of aliens and strange places, you get a sermon.
Once the characters are on the planet though, everything plays beautifully. There are no elongated passages of trivial expose. You learn about the place organically through the experiences of the characters. One trains to be part of the city guard and another becomes a leader of the new city. Then what you thought you knew gets flipped on its head with new meaning, over and over again as the layers peel back (or split open as the case may be). One race leads to another race, and the whole chain comes full circle.
That's the bulk of the story without me telling you too much. Of course, the author has to put in his characters conclusions about evil, a very humanistic conclusion too at that, but I didn't understand the need to even have it in there. It was very telling (as opposed to showing).
Perhaps if the book hadn't spent all of its time smacking me over the head with its message, I would have loved it. Well, it would also have had to fix that highly dissatisfying ending. That was the worst use of the Bermuda Triangle I've encountered in a while.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2018
I admit I haven't read any of Edgar Rice Burroughs books of the Mars series, only seen the movie which I still liked in spite of bad reviews, yet 'A red sun also rises' gave me a real feel of deja-vu. It was like, this story has been written before and everybody knows it but nobody cares. Well neither do I. I liked it a lot mainly because I enjoy Hodder's writing style, the time period even if it is set on another planet and because it is an adventure story placed in a weird new world where everything seems to make sense.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
September 12, 2022I just couldn't at this time. I lasted a little over 1/4 of the book and it didn't catch my attention. To much just describing stuff. From reading other reviews, it appears that the actual story was just getting ready to start, but I just don't have the patience. I'd rather read something else.
I've seen GR reviewers that compared this one to those by Edgar Rice Burroughs or H.G. Wells. But I've read all of Burroughs' books and quite a bit of Wells'. Those books pulled me in to the story much more quickly and I must not have gotten to the parts similar to them.
I've seen GR reviewers that compared this one to those by Edgar Rice Burroughs or H.G. Wells. But I've read all of Burroughs' books and quite a bit of Wells'. Those books pulled me in to the story much more quickly and I must not have gotten to the parts similar to them.
August 22, 2017
An enjoyable read, reminded me a little of older science fiction that I've read - Lewis Carroll particularly, but other books that I'm less able to put my finger on. A little convoluted at times. I enjoyed it, but at times it was just a little too removed from reality to totally capture my attention.
May 21, 2020
I was all snobby. Lol “Burton & Swineburn are soooo much better. Nothing is going to compare. But I have to wait for the next book, so fine.” Oh my gawd. This book was amazing. Hodder takes his amazing world building ability, begins in Victorian England, and continues to an alien world. It completely pulls you in & keeps you there.
June 3, 2017
Amazing story!!
This was an exciting story which started off a little slow, but was well worth the wait! The twists and turns make it an easy read with non-stop action and discovery. So glad it was recommended to me and can't wait to read more from this author!
This was an exciting story which started off a little slow, but was well worth the wait! The twists and turns make it an easy read with non-stop action and discovery. So glad it was recommended to me and can't wait to read more from this author!
August 13, 2018
I was intrigued by the cover art and promises of creatures and strange worlds.
Unfortunately by the time I got to the creatures, I was so goddamn annoyed by the mc and the story that I had to put the book down.
Tragic. The cover looks awesome, though. Kudos to the artist
Unfortunately by the time I got to the creatures, I was so goddamn annoyed by the mc and the story that I had to put the book down.
Tragic. The cover looks awesome, though. Kudos to the artist
February 6, 2019
I love Hodder's writing style, and have enjoyed all of his books so far. This one, taking a much more pulpy tack, is reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs, though with a Victorian flair. Action, adventure, weirdness, and a touch or romance.
A decidedly enjoyable read.
A decidedly enjoyable read.
October 25, 2019
I wish I could give this book more stars.
December 2, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's an exciting planetary adventure full of strange creatures.
September 26, 2020
Reads like the script of a Monty Python or Blackadder movie. I can almost envision a movie where the lead role is played by Rowan Atkinson and the alien Colonel Momentous Spearjab by Stephen Fry. The over-the-top English is hilarious. Between the lines we have a lot of criticism about the class-system, religion and what so on.
January 21, 2014
A Red Sun Also Rises by Mark Hodder
I seldom find a science fiction story that tempts me of late. Since Harry Potter combined aspects of science fantasy and adventure, the attention of authors--or at least what publishers give us--seems to have been diverted from that genre.
I did enjoy the series of Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet galaxy wars, suggested by a student two years ago. The chess game both inside and outside the battleship was as good as Orson Scott Card's two Ender books, Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. Those two series, however, are not new to readers. So I was as surprised as anyone to find myself borrowing Hodder's Sun from the display of new books at my local public library last week, perhaps because of the title's similarity to Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, which I'd read years ago.
The book begins in England, in the summer of 1885, with two main characters, both outcasts in different ways. Protagonist Aiden Fleischer had chosen to be an Anglican clergyman like his father, hoping to find a similar comfort in his work, but discovers he despises being a priest. Clarissa Stark is a deformed woman, her body broken by an autocarriage, who Aiden hires as a housekeeper. Shaken by a chance occurrence and a naive mishap, he flees London to become a missionary in the Melanesian Islands.
After reaching the Melanesian Islands, he and Clarissa Stark find themselves on the planet Ptallaya where the sky holds four small dark moons, two bright yellow suns, and hosts the Yatsill. These somewhat crustacean-like people are eager mimics who quickly reshape their society based on telepathic images of Victorian London received from Clarissa.
Though not front and center, the story is ultimately about good and evil, taking responsibility for facing one's failings and learning courage and commitment. Not unlike The Sun Also Rises, which I reread on finishing this.
I enjoyed being a newcomer to this world, trying to work out how the environment functioned, discovering the welter of life forms, and learning to make familiar all the differences (much like attending a cultural event for a people of whom I had had a deep ignorance). And at various turns of the plot, discovering a new context for previous information which put the lie to my earlier understanding.
A fan of utopian/dystopian novels, I particularly like the various societies, each an offspring of the planet itself, its weather, and the presence of other races. In particular I enjoyed the brief description of Zull culture on page 229, faint memories of which seemed to live on other life forms.
Though relatively short, A Red Sun Also Rises is an ambitious book, worth reading.
I look forward to more by this author.(269 p.)
February 25, 2017
tried 3 x but couldn't get into this despite the Philip K Dick award...but have over 50 books in the to-read pile so, if something doesn't immediately grab me, out it goes
(and, for completeness, I failed to read the 2014 edition by Pyr but with this cover)
(and, for completeness, I failed to read the 2014 edition by Pyr but with this cover)
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