The Sirens of Titan

HILARIOUSLY MEANINGFUL

The Sirens of Titan is the best Vonnegut book I've read by far. It tells of Malachai Constant, the richest man on Earth, and his adventure through space. This science fiction story is just great in every way imaginable. The characters are deep, the plot is meaningful, and the theme will blow your mind away. Vonnegut's 'The Sirens of Titan' questions the whole reason of mankind's existence on earth, and adds a completely unique theory to how and why we came to arrive on our planet. It will definitely get you thinking.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A good introduction to Vonnegut

I had never read any Vonnegut until a friend told me I had to read this book and loaned it to me. I thought slaughterhouse five was some kind fo slasher movie. Anyway, I started this and was completely surprised. Vonnegut tells this strange science fiction story well. He's got a great imagination. The way the story wraps around on itself is amazing. The ideas he came up with to make the story work are very creative. I haven't read anything else of his yet, but I look forward to trying.
The same friend gave me 'Visions of Reality' by David Gregory, which, in my experience, is as close as current writers get to this sort of wildly creative Science fiction.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Masterpiece.

Once you start this book, you will want to read directly through to the finish in one sitting. Vonnegut creates entire worlds through writing, and entirely new creatures. This book can be best descibed as a 'Sci-Fi-Drama,' because it intertwines human emotion into a science-fiction atmosphere. After you finish this book, you will take at least twenty minutes to sit back and contemplate life. Believe me. I did.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Favorite book

This is my favorite book of all time, with Catch-22 a close second. The writing here and the story are unmatched, even by his Vonnegut's other works. If you don't read it you are missing out on a little piece of literary heaven.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Rather Advanced Vonnegut, But Oh So Clear

Sirens of Titan is a joy to read. If Slaughter House 5 is an attempt to offer hope in the light of war, to offer life back to those who for no good reason were deprived of their life in WWII, then Sirens of Titan is a meditation on God and human destiny. Who said God bears any resemblence to the Christian God? If our God is merely our creators, well what if our creators more resemble the product they created? That product would be us, our species, life on this earth, which encompasses life, death, suffering, and general disregard of life at the unit of an single creature. Not to mention numerous flaws in our character, judgments, and perceptions. This the parable Vonnegut offers in this book. His meditation is as wonderous and as uncomfortable as life itself: who ever told you (or us) that we are in charge? And who cooked up this concept of a benevolent God, a concept seemingly created in utter disregard for the world we exist in and observe, none observing more closely than Vonnegut.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

interesting and enticing

Sirens of Titan is a fascinating book involving twists in a highly original plot and tremendous characters. Kurt Vonnegut always seems to make a point to make the reader think, and in this novel, he did just that. His intentions were to have the audience take themselves out of the regular world through dark humor and deep themes. The title itself does not exactly reflect the plot of the book, but it highlights it in a significant way that only increases the level of originality in the voice of Vonnegut. The novel had a peaceful ending that may or may not totally satisfy the reader. It leaves a lot to the imagination while still subtly dropping an ironic and comical theme on the life and reason behind the human race. Sirens of Titan is a sci-fi novel that keeps the reader intrigued by varying perspectives, subplots, and ingenious characters that all come together in a way that allows the book to truly speak for itself.

GREAT.

Without question one of the best books I've ever read. Vonnegut's outdoes himself again and again, this being no exception. This will take the area of your brain devoted to human curiosity and inject twenty ounces of heroine directly into it quickly and violently. The ending will just blow you away. Not a single complaint, worth reading again and again.

Great Book!

Could not put this book down! The exciting plot will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Vonnegut does it again

Constant Malachi, the richest man in America¿s twenty second century, is one day invited to witness the materialization of Winston Niles Rumfoord and his hound Kazak. Early on it is explained that while traveling space on his private space craft, Winston and his dog flew into a space time anomaly and were transformed into a wave phenomena. Throughout the whole novel Rumsfoord and Constant travel between Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Titan, one of Saturn¿s moons. Because Rumfoord has been transformed into a wave phenomenon; he can see the past and future. He tells Constant about a Martian invasion and how they must unite the world to combat the invasion. The truth is that Rumfoord himself started the Martian civilization and is using the invasion and Constant to setup a new religion on the planet. In my opinion the main character, Constant Malachi, is well developed character. Vonnegut makes Constant believe that someone has been watching over him for some time. Vonnegut portrays Constant as the protagonist and allows Rumfoord to manipulate him. Constant loses his fame and is transformed into a Martian invader who has no memory of his previous life. Rumfoord¿s main goal throughout the novel is to become the religious leader of his new church in order to be the most influential man on Earth. Like other Vonnegut, the story contains a main theme that overlaps throughout the whole novel. One example is the ability to see the past and future. I highly recommend this novel. The plot and characters are fantastic. It¿s one of Vonnegut most thought provoking books about religion. However, unlike many Vonnegut classics it lacks in the comedy department. People who like Vonnegut books for their style should definitely read this book. The book is not a satire and provides almost no laughs for unlike Slaughter house five that makes war look funny. ¿Sirens of Titan¿ makes war a serious matter and leaves no room for Vonnegut¿s beloved pictures of satirical commentary.

A mind Opener - A Satirical slam on evolution and our existence alone!!!

I don't know what some of these other people were looking for when They read this book... But, This story still runs through my everyday thought, EVERYDAY! Malachi Constant, The son of an american, monopolizing sole-propieter, becomes a symbol of someone we despise as part of our human race for selfless acts, yet self-indulging acts such as irresponsibility and self-destruction. Follow his adventurous mid-life travels as he is made an example out of in the public eye Or, does he make an example out of us?......? READ THIS BOOK!.. or else...

Not Quite a Vonnegut

I only read three other Vonneguts but this one seemed very different. It has less humor and more serious topics that I would have never expected from Vonnegut. One of teh things that I dislike in a book but seem fitting in a Vonnegut was loose ends of unexplained events and irrelevence. This book had less of that but it also made it distinct amoung Vonneguts. But it also lacks the total unexpectancies that I love about Vonnegut. There are also no characters to really connect with. A bit of a dissapointment.

a touching tale of what life is all about.

as an avid fan of vonnegut, i knew this was to be one of his best (if not his best) works and saved it as one of the last to read. it is by far my favorite. i never show emotion when reading, but i laughed and wept outwardly. a phenominal book, i told anyone who would listen about it.

Atypical

I didn't like this book, I don't know if I just tried to read it too quick or something, but one of the two kurt Vonnegut books I didn't end up liking (The other being dead eye dick) I really want to give this 2.5, cause it was kind of disappointing but still mildy interesting.

Really enjoyed it

This book was the first book I have ever read by Kurt Vonnegut, since then I had read three others like Welcome to Monkey House. I can't say I really undrstood this book but it stil turned me on to Kurt Vonnegut

One meaninguflly funny book

Sirens of Titan is by far the best Sci-Fi book I have ever read. Vonnegut combines the conventional elements of a Sci-Fi with his own clever, and outragiously funny, unique style of writing. Throwing a bit of philosophy and coding it with the fundamentals of religion makes Sirens of Titan an enjoyable book from page one until the end.

A Delightful Space Romp

Vonnegut's particular asset is the wildness of his imagination: there is nothing so ridiculous that he cannot make use of it. And, though one doesn't have to regard him as an infallible prophet, he has put his finger on an essential problem of our times.

My Favorite Vonnegut

I love all the Vonnegut books, but this one tops them all. Every word has a purpose, and this work is nothing short of a masterpiece. Smart, funny, sad, inciteful, and just a pleasure to read. This book honestly tops my all time favorites.

vonnegut is a funny man

in the sirens of titan vonnegut tells a tale of Malachi Constants and his journy to mars where he discovers what he really loves. This is One of Vonneguts most dark humored work of all time.

Vonnegut's Best Kind

I've read all of Vonnegut's novels and I think they are best categorized under three different kinds. There is the social-satirical like mother night and hocus pocus, boderline science fiction like player piano, and, my favorite, the schizophrenic, science fiction, social-satire all rolled into one like Slaughterhouse-five and Sirens of Titan. Though Sirens of Titan is not as good as Slaughterhouse, it is a great, great book. If you read two other Vonnegut novels (because Slaughterhouse-five should be the first) they should be Player Piano and Sirens of Titan.

My favorite Vonnegut novel

I have read this book several times, and I still finish it with a lump in my throat. I believe that, out of all of his novels, the author truly hits the nail on the head with his depiction of life's frailty, beauty, and irony. I love all of Vonnegut's books, but something about this one follows me wherever I go. When a novel can stay with you and influence your daily life, then you know you've found a masterpiece. Well done!