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Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard Hardcover – December 29, 2015

by Lawrence M. Schoen (Author)

4.3 378 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Barsk

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The Sixth Sense meets Planet of the Apes in a moving science fiction novel set so far in the future, humanity is gone and forgotten in Lawrence M. Schoen's Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard

An historian who speaks with the dead is ensnared by the past. A child who feels no pain and who should not exist sees the future. Between them are truths that will shake worlds.

In a distant future, no remnants of human beings remain, but their successors thrive throughout the galaxy. These are the offspring of humanity's genius-animals uplifted into walking, talking, sentient beings. The Fant are one such species: anthropomorphic elephants ostracized by other races, and long ago exiled to the rainy ghetto world of Barsk. There, they develop medicines upon which all species now depend. The most coveted of these drugs is koph, which allows a small number of users to interact with the recently deceased and learn their secrets.

To break the Fant's control of koph, an offworld shadow group attempts to force the Fant to surrender their knowledge. Jorl, a Fant Speaker with the dead, is compelled to question his deceased best friend, who years ago mysteriously committed suicide. In so doing, Jorl unearths a secret the powers that be would prefer to keep buried forever. Meanwhile, his dead friend's son, a physically challenged young Fant named Pizlo, is driven by disturbing visions to take his first unsteady steps toward an uncertain future.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Weird, wise, and worldly, Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard is a triumph.” ―Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Red Planet Blues

“The second you encounter the arboreal uplifted elephants who speak with the dead, you know you're reading a work of singular imaginative power. It's a delight from beginning to end.” ―Walter Jon Williams, Nebula Award-winning author of the Metropolitan series

“A captivating, heartwarming story in a unique and fantastic world... as rich and mysterious as Dune.” ―James L. Cambias, author of A Darkling Sea

“A heartfelt and wonderfully weird book: a space opera about kindness and memory.” ―Max Gladstone, author of the Craft Sequence

“A masterful, onion-layered tale of pariahdom, treachery, and genocide that ultimately reveals the true deathlessness of hope and love.” ―Charles E. Gannon, author of Fire With Fire

“Combines excellent characters and a fascinating world. What really makes it work is how he deftly weaves together startling SFnal ideas with character-based intrigue. You'll really care for these characters, even as you find them believably alien. I found it a compulsive page-turner and immensely enjoyable.” ―Karl Schroeder, author of Lockstep

“Powerful. Grand in scope, yet deeply intimate. Schoen gives anthropomorphism some serious spirituality. It got inside my head in the way that only an exciting new idea can.” ―Howard Tayler, Hugo Award-winning creator of Schlock Mercenary

About the Author

LAWRENCE M. SCHOEN holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics. He's also one of the world's foremost authorities on the Klingon language, and the publisher of a speculative fiction small press, Paper Golem. He's been a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the Nebula Award. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books; First Edition (December 29, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0765377020
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0765377029
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.04 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.94 x 1.24 x 8.69 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,247,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,924 in Space Fleet Science Fiction
- #11,356 in Exploration Science Fiction
- #25,796 in Space Operas

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4.3 378 ratings

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Lawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, is a past Astounding, Hugo, and Nebula, nominee, twice won the Cóyotl award for best novel, founded the Klingon Language Institute, occasionally does work as a hypnotherapist specializing in authors’ issues, and is a. cancer survivor.

His science fiction includes many light and humorous adventures of a space-faring stage hypnotist and his alien animal companion. Other works take a very different tone, exploring aspects of determinism and free will, generally redefining the continua between life and death. Sometimes he blurs the funny and the serious. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife and their dog.

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378 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and satisfying. They describe the plot as intriguing and thought-provoking. The concepts are clever, imaginative, and original. Readers appreciate the great characters and well-developed story. The writing quality is described as top-notch with clear prose. The pacing is described as fantastic and gradual.

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Readability Story quality Thought provoking Character development Writing quality Development Pace Contacting the dead

31 customers mention "Readability"31 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it engaging and a satisfying page-turner that keeps them hooked. The story is described as interesting and amazing, with a joyful ending.

"...Barsk is a fun tale, it never drags, it has great characters, and it has something to say about humanity and what comes after, and that’s more than..." Read more

"...It was a quick and engrossing read for me...." Read more

"...It is charming, and a fun read. Our two heroes are quite a bit alike, and also very different from each other...." Read more

"...Speaking, things get cracking in a hurry, and the last hundred pages are a joyful ride as, straining then breaking the arbitrary 'laws' of speaking,..." Read more

28 customers mention "Story quality"26 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story with its intriguing plot and well-developed characters. They describe it as thoughtful social science fiction writ large with a puzzle-like plot that is firmly rooted in the fantasy genre. The book is described as a great science fiction novel with good twists and turns that keep you reading.

"...As I write this, I've just started the fourth chapter of this amazing story; so I've only met a few characters and only the roughest glimpse of the..." Read more

"...The Elephants' Graveyard is a geo-political, quasi-religious, science fiction novel centering around the home-world of anthropomorphic elephants...." Read more

"This is thoughtful social science fiction writ large with a puzzle-like plot. It was a quick and engrossing read for me...." Read more

"...works because Schoen has some excellent character development and a decent plot, and some plausible explanations for how everything came to be...." Read more

25 customers mention "Thought provoking"25 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and imaginative. They appreciate the clever concepts, memorable characters, and original approach to ideas and themes. The writing is clear and the world-building is creative with attention to detail. Overall, readers describe it as an interesting exploration of the theme "what happened to humankind."

"...These are fully realized societies and civilizations; not 'funny animals portraying human character traits. THESE ARE NOT FURRIES!!!!!!..." Read more

"...tale, it never drags, it has great characters, and it has something to say about humanity and what comes after, and that’s more than I can say about..." Read more

"...- Every little thing throughout the book will connect and make monumental sense later on...." Read more

"...do, and how they each maintain their sense of morality intact, is very endearing. Yes, do pick this up, and you will smile." Read more

14 customers mention "Character development"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's character development. They find it fun and engaging, with a well-developed protagonist and villain.

"...Barsk is a fun tale, it never drags, it has great characters, and it has something to say about humanity and what comes after, and that’s more than..." Read more

"...Interesting universe and races. - Characters are all different and important in some way. -..." Read more

"...mystery takes up the rest of the novel, introducing several fascinating characters both dead and alive, including a number from other mammal species..." Read more

"...But it works. And it works because Schoen has some excellent character development and a decent plot, and some plausible explanations for how..." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality. They find the prose engaging with surprises and suspense leading each chapter. The words are fine and clearly in service of the content.

"...Dr. Schoen doesn’t create scintillating prose, the words are fine but are clearly in service of the story and not an end in themselves, but he has..." Read more

"...The writing is also top notch with surprises and suspense leading every chapter that by the time you are done with the book, you will ask "It's..." Read more

"...It's unique, fascinating, and quite moving. The writing is clear, the concepts are clever,the characters are memorable, and everything is explained..." Read more

"Interesting book, written in such a way that it will draw you in...." Read more

5 customers mention "Development"5 positive0 negative

Customers like the book's development. They say the premise is interesting and well-executed.

"This is an excellent, and most unusual, science fiction novel. The characters are engaging, the puzzles intriguing. It’s a real page-turner...." Read more

"...Simply brilliant. An adult Winnie the pooh, in a way." Read more

"...I loved the main characters. They were developed quite well. Good read." Read more

"Interesting premise and well-executed...." Read more

4 customers mention "Pace"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing. They find it slow, steady, and thoughtful. The book develops at a pace that allows readers to connect with the characters.

"...Pros: - Fantastic pacing. - Interesting universe and races. - Characters are all different and important in some way. -..." Read more

"...It was a quick and engrossing read for me...." Read more

"...The characterization is very gradual but develops at a pace that allows you to connect and understand the character as if you became friends...." Read more

"Slow, steady, and thoughtful, much like the elephant-derived main character...." Read more

3 customers mention "Contacting the dead"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's concept of contacting the dead. They say the character can read minds and talk to the dead, and they appreciate the plausible idea they haven't seen before.

"...Frank Herbert, and George Lucas, but there’s also a plausible idea about contacting the dead that I’ve never seen before...." Read more

"...with unusual abilities like Lirlowil, who can read minds and talk to the dead; whose skin color is white instead of the usual gray...." Read more

"...The elephants are somewhat special in that they can talk to the dead...." Read more

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stephen wise
BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2016
Verified Purchase

Okay, two things first off. I'm acquainted with the author from chatting with him online from time to time. Secondly, I've read some of his 'Amazing Conroy' stories and enjoy his writing style.

Now, with those out of the way...oh, I suppose there is a third thing. As I write this, I've just started the fourth chapter of this amazing story; so I've only met a few characters and only the roughest glimpse of the plot that moves the story.

Even if none of the above were true, though, I am completely in love with this book! In the three and a fraction chapters that I've read, Mr. Schoen has introduced at least that many mind-shattering concepts.

1)It is so far into the future, humankind is only a memory, if even that.

2) Every character is a breed of animal that has been 'uplifted' or otherwise gained sentient status.

3) Fants, sentient elephants, are the key characters in the story; supported by various other animals.

4) These are fully realized societies and civilizations; not 'funny animals portraying human character traits. THESE ARE NOT FURRIES!!!!!! (not that there's anything at all wrong with furries. This simply isn't that.)

5) Concepts like a Fant knowing when it's time for him to die; and journeying to a place to accept that death.

6) Concepts like Speakers; who have the ability to communicate with either the spirits of the dead, or, at the very least, form 'mental constructs' of their memories of such people.

7) Children not raised by their parents but essential feral; roaming freely as they will. Or at least with a bare minimum of adult guidance.

I'm sure I've missed a few.

I was hooked into the world, and people, building with the first few chapters. Really, with the intro piece explaining the rules regarding Speakers before the story gets underway.

As stated before, I'm only a very short ways into the book, and I already felt compelled to leave a review.

So, if you enjoy world-building, this book is for you. If you want characters that immediately grab your interest and hold it, this book is for you. If you want mystery and wonder, this book is for you.

If you're just looking for anthropomorphic animals as humans, this probably isn't the book for you....but I'd recommend getting it anyhow.

So, in short, BUY THIS BOOK!!!!

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James Van Lydegraf
SF with some big ideas
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
Different writers bring different strengths to their work. Dr. Schoen doesn’t create scintillating prose, the words are fine but are clearly in service of the story and not an end in themselves, but he has something that in the world of Science Fiction is more important, original ideas. There’s stuff in Barsk that echoes things by people like David Brin, Frank Herbert, and George Lucas, but there’s also a plausible idea about contacting the dead that I’ve never seen before. Barsk is a fun tale, it never drags, it has great characters, and it has something to say about humanity and what comes after, and that’s more than I can say about most books.

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Colin Greeley
BARSK: The Elephants' Graveyard Deserves Applause
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2016
Verified Purchase
If you wanted another Frank Herbert like sci-fi, Lawrence M. Schoen is your author to quench that thirst.

Quick Summary: BARSK: The Elephants' Graveyard is a geo-political, quasi-religious, science fiction novel centering around the home-world of anthropomorphic elephants. Jorl, a newly donned Aleph of his race, believes he's apart of something greater set in prophecy by a long dead matriarch. A plot is threatening to dismantle an ancient compact between his people and the greater alliance of other anthro animals around producing a drink known as "koph", which allows certain beings to summon the dead. What will become of Jorl's world, and can he put a dent in prophecy?

Pros:
- Fantastic pacing.
- Interesting universe and races.
- Characters are all different and important in some way.
- Plot twists that aren't forced and you really won't see coming. (First time in a long while that I enjoyed a plot twist at all.)
- An interesting spin on many older sci-fi ideas. You can compare to many, but find few, completely copied ideas. (Fresh.)
- Grounded in reality, yet walks the line of surrealism.
- $17 is a good price for a nice hardcover edition, and I recommend you get hardcover for any book worth your time.
- Build up can give you a false sense of security and sweep you off your feet quickly.
- Every little thing throughout the book will connect and make monumental sense later on. This is how you're supposed to bring up older information and make it important again.

Cons:
- Not necessarily a con, but a warning. If you don't like Frank Herbert's writing style, for whatever reason, chances are you won't like Lawrence's. (God knows why you wouldn't.)
- Characters switch perspective almost each chapter, so be warned if you're not used to this type of writing. (Cloud Atlas had me prepared for this.)

I'd recommend this book to any science fiction lover out there. Grab yourself a copy today!

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Marshall Vaughan
This is thoughtful social science fiction writ large with a ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is thoughtful social science fiction writ large with a puzzle-like plot. It was a quick and engrossing read for me.
I came away appreciating the story itself, but glowering at the centrally-located elements of convenient MacGuffin throughout.

Unfortunately for the ambition of this book, Barsk presented too small a window for me. I was looking through a keyhole at a zoo, with large animals moving past to unseen destinations. I lingered at my keyhole looking for signs of action, but instead I caught the zookeeper hiding peanuts -
catching only glimpses of what was really going on. Interesting, but not what I was looking for. Some readers might remain content with glimpses of intriguing things, but I was let down by the series of claustrophobic interactions as the central puzzle revealed.

I may read it again to see if my impressions are a bit harsh, because Barsk does have depth enough to merit more consideration.
In all: tightly plotted, but disappointingly narrow. It will surely speak to some.

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L. Pope
Lawrence Schoen took his extensive training in psychology and extended that into a thoughtful and very engaging novel which woul
Reviewed in Canada on January 12, 2016
Verified Purchase

This is a fabulous story. It incorporates many ideas and thoughts from classic fairy stories, right up to and including the most recent ideas from holographic consciousness.

I am a firm believer in the intelligence and consciousness of the animals around us and do not believe that we are being anthropomorphic when we allow then to express their own personalities and emotions. It was a pleasure to read a book that allows the animals to decide their own fate - and with the recent discoveries on genetic snipping tools - it is all one step closer to being science fact.

Lawrence Schoen took his extensive training in psychology and extended that into a thoughtful and very engaging novel which would make a perfect book for young syfy readers as well as any adult reader.

The book asks may penetrating questions of the reader about power, politics, belief, specism, the very nature of us all. I loved it.

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Steffen
Erfrischend, wenn auch nicht sehr vielschichtig
Reviewed in Germany on January 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
Ein neues und spannendes Setting, schön erzählt. Dafür kann man gut hinnehmen, dass die Geschichte nicht sehr vielschichtig istund die Auflösung etwas deus ex machina an sich hat.

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Kindle Customer
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
Great imagination

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MISS ANNE CLEASBY
Weird but enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
I wasn't sure what to make of this book initially, but by the end of page 3, I was hooked. Great characterisation and worldbuilding.

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Amazon Customer
A beautiful tale
Reviewed in Canada on March 15, 2017
Verified Purchase
I couldn't put this book down for an instant. Every single character felt vividly human despite so clearly being not so!

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Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard Hardcover – December 29, 2015

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5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS BOOK!!!

4.0 out of 5 stars SF with some big ideas

5.0 out of 5 stars BARSK: The Elephants' Graveyard Deserves Applause

3.0 out of 5 stars This is thoughtful social science fiction writ large with a ...

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Lawrence Schoen took his extensive training in psychology and extended that into a thoughtful and very engaging novel which woul

4.0 out of 5 stars Erfrischend, wenn auch nicht sehr vielschichtig

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

4.0 out of 5 stars Weird but enjoyable

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful tale

BUY THIS BOOK!!!

SF with some big ideas

BARSK: The Elephants' Graveyard Deserves Applause

This is thoughtful social science fiction writ large with a ...

Lawrence Schoen took his extensive training in psychology and extended that into a thoughtful and very engaging novel which woul

Erfrischend, wenn auch nicht sehr vielschichtig

Five Stars

Weird but enjoyable

A beautiful tale