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jennykeery's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ryanseay's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
Unique take on a dystopian future while still using familiar themes and tropes
thomcat's review
3.0
Originally serialized as Time Killer, this is Robert Sheckley's first novel. Making the assumption that there is something after life, he looks at how society changes, from suicide booths to legalized person hunts. Very influential to the television show Futurama, and loosely so to a movie called Freejack.
The exploration of future society is good, and the characters are interesting. One key part of the plot, the time travel mechanism that brings the consciousness of our protagonist to the future of 2110, is never explained. This is a problem when the novel focuses on it towards the end.
I confess I have never seen Freejack, and based on the reviews, probably never will. Sheckley gained a reputation for writing humorous science fiction, and there are hints of that here. I look forward to reading more.
The exploration of future society is good, and the characters are interesting. One key part of the plot, the time travel mechanism that brings the consciousness of our protagonist to the future of 2110, is never explained. This is a problem when the novel focuses on it towards the end.
I confess I have never seen Freejack, and based on the reviews, probably never will. Sheckley gained a reputation for writing humorous science fiction, and there are hints of that here. I look forward to reading more.
jmeyers888's review against another edition
1.0
Started off interesting, but just kept getting worse and worse. Stars just kept falling page after page.
trike's review against another edition
3.0
The story itself is 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️, but Bronson Pinchot’s brilliant performance of the audiobook is multiples of that:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pinchot’s reading is genuinely hilarious, so much so that I went back and re-listened to several passages. Particularly the section that resembles [b:The Most Dangerous Game|157076|The Most Dangerous Game|Richard Connell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554310590l/157076._SX50_.jpg|151586]: it is, hands down, the funniest thing I’ve heard in quite some time, and that’s all down to Pinchot. It never would’ve occurred to me to read that section in a supercilious pseudo-uppercrust accent in a rather Monty Python or perhaps Frasier Crane way. Amazing.
The story itself tackles big existential issues about life and death, in the most offhanded way. It has a very 1950s-cusp-of-the-60s viewpoint, of course, written as it was in 1958 by 30-year-old Sheckley. He misses most of the actual future by a country mile, of course, but the story isn’t about how computers work in 2110. It’s a tidy little treatise on life, death, and life after death, and what technology and society has to say about any of those topics. It’s had an influence on any number of subsequent works, including Futurama lifting Tom’s first day in future NYC for Fry’s experience. Apparently the Beatles were big fans of the first adaptation of it.
I need to go back and watch the 1992 movie based on it, called Freejack. I don’t recall much about that movie other than race cars crashing and Mick Jagger trying to kill Emilio Estevez. The movie takes place in the dystopian future of 2009, so that should be good for a laugh. But for real laughs, listen to this audiobook. It’s a hoot.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pinchot’s reading is genuinely hilarious, so much so that I went back and re-listened to several passages. Particularly the section that resembles [b:The Most Dangerous Game|157076|The Most Dangerous Game|Richard Connell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554310590l/157076._SX50_.jpg|151586]: it is, hands down, the funniest thing I’ve heard in quite some time, and that’s all down to Pinchot. It never would’ve occurred to me to read that section in a supercilious pseudo-uppercrust accent in a rather Monty Python or perhaps Frasier Crane way. Amazing.
The story itself tackles big existential issues about life and death, in the most offhanded way. It has a very 1950s-cusp-of-the-60s viewpoint, of course, written as it was in 1958 by 30-year-old Sheckley. He misses most of the actual future by a country mile, of course, but the story isn’t about how computers work in 2110. It’s a tidy little treatise on life, death, and life after death, and what technology and society has to say about any of those topics. It’s had an influence on any number of subsequent works, including Futurama lifting Tom’s first day in future NYC for Fry’s experience. Apparently the Beatles were big fans of the first adaptation of it.
I need to go back and watch the 1992 movie based on it, called Freejack. I don’t recall much about that movie other than race cars crashing and Mick Jagger trying to kill Emilio Estevez. The movie takes place in the dystopian future of 2009, so that should be good for a laugh. But for real laughs, listen to this audiobook. It’s a hoot.
piscero's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mirandaosmelak's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Good fun to follow, but will it have any staying power? Not sure, probably not as there was not much character work or arc. Had some interesting ideas about afterlife and society though.
Update: I keep thinking about the book, so it does have a staying power.
Update: I keep thinking about the book, so it does have a staying power.
anniemagi's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
jbwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0