Barry B. LongyearRecensioni

Contains the story, Enemy Mine

As much a sociological tract as a novel, still it's by Barry B. Longyear so "Slag Like Me" is bound to be interesting and worth reading.
From the context of today and the Biden administration's policy of an open southern border, the premise of "Slag" has become even more relevant.
How do people treat other people, especially different other people? What should government's response be? (Government involvement always worsens any problem or perceived problem, but that is my position and not necessarily author Longyear's. It's also an obvious fact, made more obvious daily.)
The story is set in a future Los Angeles, where every kind of person, every ethnicity, every orientation, already resides, so its premise is entirely plausible.
Not Barry Longyear's greatest book -- that might still be "Infinity Hold" -- but still of interest and, as I already said, worth reading.
Author Longyear makes clear he owes a debt to the book "Black Like Me," also worth reading.

Esta novela corta de ciencia ficción era un tratado contra la xenofobia, oculto tras un escenario de pura ciencia ficción. Dos facciones en guerra. Los humanos y los draconianos. Uno de los humanos, Willis Davidge, un piloto de caza galáctico, naufraga junto a un draconiano, Jeriba Shiga, otro piloto, en un planeta con un ecosistema realmente hostil. Para poder sobrevivir deberán de olvidar sus diferencias y colaborar en su mutua supervivencia. Pero las cosas no serán tan fáciles y los prejuicios raciales aflorarán, en más de una ocasión poniendo en tela de juicio la supervivencia de los dos personajes.

I really enjoyed this book. In part because it's not what you think it's going to be when you first start reading it... how good can a book about prisoners dropped onto a planet to fend for themselves be? It's great to see the group come together and work on forming a functional society.

Turns out this is a book in a series and I really want to get the other two and read them as well.

It's pretty good for an almost 40-year-old fixup novel.

It's also an interesting read for me personally. Longyear's book on writing was a book I read pretty early on in my writing life, and a lot of the stories that were used in this novel were also used as writing examples. Made for a lot of "Oh, so that's how that story went" (the rest of those tales show up in It Came from Schenectady, btw).

Part of Longyear's cycle about a planet settled by traditional circus people. The concept of traditional circuses lasting long enough to get into space may have seemed more credible when Longyear wrote in 1980 than it does now, though eve then they were fading. However, credibility really is not the point of these stories, which depict a quasi-anarchist society based on (at least ceremonial) haggling and its attempts to fend of the larger, more powerful and more conventional neighboring galactic federations.

Read prior to 2004.

Read prior to 2004.

Warning: I am going to violate my own no snark rule and be super-blunt and tell you exactly what I think about this book.

It was hard to believe that Barry Longyear, the author of “Infinity Hold” and “Sea of Glass”, both of which I LOVE (love love), penned this banal, super-white-bread tale of dinosaurs arriving in their spaceships to reclaim the Earth they left so long ago. It read like the script of one of those cheesy ‘Amazing Stories’ or ‘Outer Limits’ television shows from the 80s. The illustrations were pretty awful, too. The dinosaurs looked like creepy anorexic chickens and the human protagonist was a strange boxy capsule with legs. Don’t get me started on the two-dimensional, clichéd, 80s characters. Of course the humans win, despite the Nitolan’s overwhelming superior technology (or telekinesis, I couldn’t really understand), because the dinosaurs don’t understand humor… Wait, What?

The generous white borders around the text, the illustrations, and blank pages still barely make this story long enough to be a book. Rightfully, it belongs in an anthology. A really dated anthology that no one will ever read again and ends up gathering dust on a shelf in Goodwill. Seriously Longyear, did you really write this?

In 2115 Bando Nicos is a twenty-seven year-old inmate of "The Crotch", the Union of Terran Republics' prison for incorrigibles in Greenville, Mississippi. Like many other prisons, The Crotch is shut down and the entire population deposited on the planet Tartaros, named for the lowest level of hell, the galaxy's dumping ground for the unwanted. Soon after they are abandoned in the sandy desert of Tartaros, the seventeen thousand-plus population is reduced to three thousand. The remaining "sharks" decide they must band together if they want to survive, and elect a leader who makes Bando the first police officer of the newly-christened Razai gang. With the help of pre-teen killers, homicidal maniacs, and political dissidents, Bando makes up the brutally simple Law of the Razai as they travel in search of a place of refuge. In between trials and fights for survival against the gangs already in residence, Bando and his compatriots must think about the meaning of justice, and Bando examines his own heart to see if he is worthy of the trust placed in him.

This edition contains all three books in the series: INFINITY HOLD, KILL ALL THE LAWYERS, and KEEP THE LAW, and features a lengthy introduction by the author (in which he hints that there may be more Tartaros books in the future).

I actually read this when first published in the magazine and it's one of the few short stories I actually liked, enjoyed, invested in the characters. Years later when movie came out I put off seeing because did not see how movie could possibly do the story justice (too much just from protagonist view and didn't think Hollywood would do the intensity justice or worse would turn it into space battle blowup stuff). Surprise, in cable re-runs years later caught movie and it was actually very well done although the briefer story made things much clearer.

Naked Came the Robot is the craziest book I have ever read. It's simply insane. It's barely linear, barely sticks to the plot, which is a robot-run world is being invaded by alien robots and must fight them off with the help of human, Henry. Whose mother is made into a robot, with his permission. Coin operated sex with robots is one of the more normal things in this book. There are talking protoplasms, a general with turtle flappers for arms, a colonel who's a lobster (who is subsequently eaten), a robot best friend named Hugo, an old man wearing a red bra and panties and surrounded by teddy bears found in a looney bin, armed Amish, underground freeways, the nuclear deterrent between the US and the Soviets (this was first published in 1969), a world now run by the Economy rather than the military, wizards, talking roaches, references to Crane and Carrol and Dante, etc., a scene from hell, and more. It's nuts. Somehow a story emerges and somehow a story is told, but it's the telling that's entertaining, not the storyline itself. I'd give it a five on originality and about a two on actual writing, as it appears to have been written by a college English major undergrad. So three stars it is. If you want something crazy and witty and entertaining, it's recommended. If you want serious sci fi, avoid it like the plague.

Outstandingly original concept and entertaining stories. First of a series of excellent books.½

Some books are bad. Some books are great. And some books...are special.

The God Box is special.

It's a fantasy; the story of Korvas, who has been (among many other things) a crooked rug-seller in a great city. His first-person recounting of his adventures while on the run from the bloodthirsty Captain of the city guard and his men is extremely funny, exciting, and in the end, deeply touching. I never fail to have a lump in my throat and a warm feeling as I finish the last page - and I read the book at least a couple of times each year.

As a fantasy, The God Box is top-notch. It has a sheer emotional depth that's simply exceptional. The setting, too, is refreshing and vivid. And it's all packed into a book that's far smaller than 90% of the monster-sized fantasy tomes which are the staple of modern genre fiction.

The story flows well; it's told in first person by Korvas himself to a (literally) captive audience, and a very engaging tale it is.

But it's the idea of the god box itself which really stays with me - and with other people I know who've read the book. It is based, I believe, on a concept that originated in rehabilitation therapy for addicts; addiction recovery is a frequent theme in much of Longyear's later work, since he had to struggle with the issue himself. But The God Box was the first novel in which the subject came up, I believe, and it's handled with a very light touch.

I don't want to spoil the concept of the god box in this review. But as Longyear presents it, it's a fascinating idea: you ask the box for you what need, and give it what you don't want. Fear, for example.

And the funny thing is that it really works! No, I'm not saying that it's really magic (it is in the book, of course). I'm a rock-ribbed atheist, myself, so I'm not going to go all mystical on you. But when I am feeling particularly stressed, or afraid, or sad, I visualize a god box. I give it some of the emotions that causing me pain, and ask it for whatever I need to cope. And to my amazement, I feel an astonishing feeling of calm and peace come over me. I'm not the only one who has experienced this, by the way.

It's just a creative use of imagination and visualization, of course. Perhaps there's a touch of self-hypnosis involved. But who cares? The key thing is that it works.

The God Box was out of print for many years, and it never gained the popularity it deserved. But it's back in print now - unfortunately only in paperback. I'd gladly buy a hardcover edition.

It should also be noted that there's another book with the same name, by a writer named Alex Sanchez. I haven't read it, and have no idea what it's about.

I can't recommend Barry Longyear's The God Box highly enough. It's a real gem, and is a must on any fantasy reader's bookshelf - and should be on the reading list of anyone who likes lively stories, imaginative ideas, and interesting philosophy.

Now this is what science fiction is supposed to be. Funny, clever, intelligent stories. They're all too rare these days!

Circus World is a collection of linked short stories in the classic SF style. They share the setting of [b:City of Baraboo|1009457|City of Baraboo|Barry B. Longyear|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180202545s/1009457.jpg|995583] and [b:Elephant Song|95242|Elephant Song|Wilbur Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171299520s/95242.jpg|91830], which were published after it but are set before. This is vintage Longyear, light, amusing, clever, and very enjoyable.

It's the story of a world settled by the survivors of a crashed traveling circus starship. As such, it's particularly recommended for science fiction fans and those who love circuses.

In general, Circus World is somewhat reminiscent of the Hoka stories by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson - the humor is nowhere near as broad, but the tone, theme, and styles are somewhat similar. If you like Circus World, you'll probably also like the Hoka books (which I'll review later).

The mystery and science fiction writer Fredric Brown also included old-time carny (carnival) themes in some of his stories in both genres (he worked as a carny for a while), so fans of Circus World are likely to enjoy his books as well.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That the Legislative Assembly of the Government of the United States of Earth, in all related matters that shall come before it, will decide all such matters in accordance with the Manifest Destiny of Man, that He shall reign supreme in this and in any and all other galaxies of the Universe.

Manifest Destiny contains four novellas about mankind's warlike attitude as we expand into the stars, with linking sections taken from the proceedings of the United Sates of Earth's legislature, as it struggles to define Earth's relationship with the other space-faring races of the galaxy. I read the novella Enemy Mine a long time ago. It was definitely before it was made into a film as I remember leaving the cinema complaining how rubbish it was compared to the book, so I must have read it in the early 1980s.

My favourite is the poignant, "The Jaren", while my least favourite was "USE Force" as I am not a fan of military science fiction, and too much time was spent on descriptions of training and battles for my taste, although I warmed to it once Merit was in the Prisoner of War camp and I liked the ending.

I really liked this book. A band of convicts is landed on a prison planet. No guards, nothing but the gear on their backs and a drop-shipment of food and other such survival necessities. Only, the convicts currently residing on the planet know where the new prisoners are to be dropped, and are there waiting. Enter Nicos Bando, unrehabilitatable con, age 27. He's with the new bunch. They get organized just to get out of the drop zone alive. Then they stay fairly organized, and the leader makes Nicos the sole "policeman" of the group. The laws are simple, straight forward, and easy to understand. The punishment for violating those laws are equally simple, straight forward, and easy to understand: if found guilty, you pay resitution (maybe) or you die (usually).

I thought this was pretty awesome: even chaos needs a little organization, even anarchy has a couple of rules. Even prisoners and convicts understand that, when there is strength in numbers, ya gotta keep them numbers all going in the same direction. That takes organization, rules, and enforcement, or survival is no longer an option.

I never read this when it came out. Can't think why, just missed it somehow. Reading the contemporary reviews and blurbs for it (in the 1980s) one sees how much of-its-time it was and so, may be now becoming only of interest to the readers of SF who deal in the historical context of works and how they code the time they were written in.

I'm sure my 20something self would have loved it, but the 40something self finds it to worthy to read now. (But I did finish it.)

O'Hara stood stunned for a moment, then he slapped Sticks on the arm and repeated the gesture on the accountant's arm. "Name? Your bet I have a name. It's to be called The City of Baraboo."
"What a curious name? Does it have a meaning?"
O'Hara slapped the accountant on the back. "I'll say it does! Baraboo, Wisconsin, is where the Big One was born. Big Bertha - Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Combined Shows - the biggest circus the Earth ever saw. And when the City of Baraboo takes to the star road, it will have a show half again as big as RB&BB!"

In 2142 circus is a dying art, and the last show on Earth has ground to a halt on the outskirts of Ottawa. But John J. O'Hara isn't ready to give up, and decides to take his circus off world to play other planets. The circus fixer is a trickster who gets them out of many scrapes as the troup endeavours to make a profit and foil the machinations of a businessman with a grudge against the circus. Lots of fun!

Besides being an awesome science fiction novel, it's a great tale of friendship and loyalty. Quick and enjoyable read with lots of substance.

Alien Nation: The Change brings to mind a recent metafilter comment by one of my favorite Mefits, Greg Nog:

It annoys me to see so many people making the deeply stupid argument that the weight of canon restricts writers. A good, non-lazy writer should be perfectly able to write within the canon they're working with. When someone's writing a novel that's ostensibly about the real world, no one says, "Well, you have to understand that it probably won't be very good; I mean, all the history is so well-established, there's not really room to do anything new." Who in their right mind would point to, say, The Grapes of Wrath, and call it continuity pr0n just because it deals with events that the author himself didn't have control over? "Yeah, it was good and all, but I think Steinbeck was sort of restricted in that he couldn't turn Tom Joad into a samurai with a laser-sword who has a climactic showdown with FDR in the last scene. And also, it turns out that Joad and FDR were secretly brothers, and that both have telekinetic powers."

It's too bad that Greg's advice wasn't around for Barry Longyear when he wrote The Change. This is truly a terrible licensed novel. It's beyond obvious that Longyear was excruciatingly unfamiliar with the universe in which he was writing. Not only is the dialogue off, but he fails to respect even the most basic canon details--like, in more than one instance, a character's full name. Names and biographies are changed freely, for no discernible reason.Perhaps these changes would have made sense if they served a particularly excellent plot, but the story here is all over the place--poorly developed, loose ends abounding. There's a subplot about race that's painfully heavy-handed; though the original series was often allegorical for race and discrimination issues, it never felt nearly this pedantic. And Longyear's overly simplistic message--that we're all the same no matter our color--is weakened by the fact that his female characters are so poorly written and shrill. Every female character, both established and new, seems to suffer from women in refrigerator syndrome. If Longyear himself can't treat established franchise characters with respect, who is he to preach to us about treating our fellow men likewise?This is a really terrible book. If you like Alien Nation, please skip this--you'll be better for it.

The solution you grasp at when faced with a fatal disease might not work the way you intended.

A WWI comrade of Hitler's is called in to do repair work on Hitler's bunker in the last days of WWII. Seems like just a historical story until the unconvincing twist ending.