jdhacker's reviews
1293 reviews
The Rolling Stones, by Robert A. Heinlein
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The Rolling Stones was a fun re-read, especially after the recent re-read of The Cat Who Walks Through Walls (which was less fun).
I don't think this is technically classified as part of Heinlein's juvenalia, but it probably should as its pretty straightforward, light, and easily accessible.
The titular Stones are a family ala Lost In Space (thought significantly less lost, and if anything even more capable) adventuring around the solar system (mars, luna, the asteroids) essentially on a lark. Dad (a maybe sometimes professor? a scriptwriter who doesn't want to be one anymore? someone with a military and/or professional space man past?) figures dragging the family around the solar system is a good way to train and keep an eye on his genius, overachieving sons so they don't run off on escapades of their own. Those sons, Castor and Pollux, are some of the call-backs we get later in TCWTW, as is grandma Hazel. I find the Hazel here significantly more fun, interesting, and less off-putting than Hazel from the end of the World-As-Myth. Here she's at least believable as the matriarch of a family of geniuses, and isn't quite as broad ranging a polymath as she is later. This is also the origin, in some ways, of the World As Myth as the Galactic Overload is created here, by the family, as an ongoing antagonist in the scripts they continue to write to support themselves. We even get a weird hint at one point that perhaps the Overload is already real and interacting with this world.
Anyway, definitely worth the quick read, especially as it lacks some of the normal Heinlein trappings many people find objectionable. A straightforward, fun, swiss family robinson style adventure in space.
I don't think this is technically classified as part of Heinlein's juvenalia, but it probably should as its pretty straightforward, light, and easily accessible.
The titular Stones are a family ala Lost In Space (thought significantly less lost, and if anything even more capable) adventuring around the solar system (mars, luna, the asteroids) essentially on a lark. Dad (a maybe sometimes professor? a scriptwriter who doesn't want to be one anymore? someone with a military and/or professional space man past?) figures dragging the family around the solar system is a good way to train and keep an eye on his genius, overachieving sons so they don't run off on escapades of their own. Those sons, Castor and Pollux, are some of the call-backs we get later in TCWTW, as is grandma Hazel. I find the Hazel here significantly more fun, interesting, and less off-putting than Hazel from the end of the World-As-Myth. Here she's at least believable as the matriarch of a family of geniuses, and isn't quite as broad ranging a polymath as she is later. This is also the origin, in some ways, of the World As Myth as the Galactic Overload is created here, by the family, as an ongoing antagonist in the scripts they continue to write to support themselves. We even get a weird hint at one point that perhaps the Overload is already real and interacting with this world.
Anyway, definitely worth the quick read, especially as it lacks some of the normal Heinlein trappings many people find objectionable. A straightforward, fun, swiss family robinson style adventure in space.
The Adept, by Katherine Kurtz, Deborah Turner Harris
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I ended up with this book along with a number of others from a relative's collection.
From the description, I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it was definitely not what I got.
I suppose I anticipated a bit more of the 'mystic detective' trope, ala Carnacki or so many other examples from weird and pulp fiction. And that's certainly present in a way...but there is an awful lot of almost Victorian/Romantic-esque nobility/rich person stuff here. Much like a lot of classic literature from that era, I find it a little off-putting. Its hard to feel sympathetic to or identify with people so wealthy they have no actual responsibilities or demands on their time. Even artists who benefit from their patronage (which are present here) feel similar to me. Combined with the fact that we get *VERY LIMITED* magic or mystical secret society action until about the last 50 pages of this book. In fact, there's very little action of any kind til that point. Until then, there's a lot meandering not really training, not really teaching, a new protege...a lot of description of rich people's homes and cars and oh so important activities, a *little* investigation...and that's about it. There's also some really heavy christian overtones to the magic, which I wasn't anticipating, but the author goes out of their way to let us know it doesn't *have* to be that way. Unless someone tells me the subsequent books have a pretty hard shift in tone and pacing, I'm out for the rest of the series.
From the description, I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it was definitely not what I got.
I suppose I anticipated a bit more of the 'mystic detective' trope, ala Carnacki or so many other examples from weird and pulp fiction. And that's certainly present in a way...but there is an awful lot of almost Victorian/Romantic-esque nobility/rich person stuff here. Much like a lot of classic literature from that era, I find it a little off-putting. Its hard to feel sympathetic to or identify with people so wealthy they have no actual responsibilities or demands on their time. Even artists who benefit from their patronage (which are present here) feel similar to me. Combined with the fact that we get *VERY LIMITED* magic or mystical secret society action until about the last 50 pages of this book. In fact, there's very little action of any kind til that point. Until then, there's a lot meandering not really training, not really teaching, a new protege...a lot of description of rich people's homes and cars and oh so important activities, a *little* investigation...and that's about it. There's also some really heavy christian overtones to the magic, which I wasn't anticipating, but the author goes out of their way to let us know it doesn't *have* to be that way. Unless someone tells me the subsequent books have a pretty hard shift in tone and pacing, I'm out for the rest of the series.
The Lost Era: The Buried Age, by Christopher L. Bennett
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The Buried Age gives us the story of Picard's life between the captaincy and loss of the Stargazer, up until the very beginning of TNG. Fantastic premise, great backstory that ST fans would love to have. Sadly, the execution is spotty and the story itself runs a lot longer than it needs to for the amount of plot we get.
The beginning of the book, detailing the loss of the Stargazer and survival of its crew is fantastic. As is the end up the book detailing Picard's taking command of the Enterprise. Characterization is spot on, we get some important plot elements, and it moves along at an acceptable pace. Following the loss of the Stargazer, Picard temporarily leaves starfleet. I don't love this as a plot point given his later anxiety over this same decision post-Wolf 359, but his shift back to working in the field of archeology still feels in character. There's definitely fat to trim in this section, as well as throughout his ensuing romance with an alien of a previously undiscovered race while researching a galaxy wide extinction event in pre-history, but it still moves along okay.
I think the real failing is somewhere between 2/3rd and 3/4s of the way through the page count. There's been a big twist with the archeological research and romance, most of the main and sub-plots are suitably resolved, we've hit climax, passed on into denouement...and yet the story keeps going? There's significant chunk there were it could have skipped straight to setting us up for the start of TNG with no significant impact on the story, but it just, keeps, going. Imagine if after the end of the of a well crafted episode of trek, before the credits, you had about 15 minutes of additional filler. Between that and fat trimming for earlier, this could easily have come in 50-100 pages shorter, which leaves the impression that maybe the author was padding it.
The beginning of the book, detailing the loss of the Stargazer and survival of its crew is fantastic. As is the end up the book detailing Picard's taking command of the Enterprise. Characterization is spot on, we get some important plot elements, and it moves along at an acceptable pace. Following the loss of the Stargazer, Picard temporarily leaves starfleet. I don't love this as a plot point given his later anxiety over this same decision post-Wolf 359, but his shift back to working in the field of archeology still feels in character. There's definitely fat to trim in this section, as well as throughout his ensuing romance with an alien of a previously undiscovered race while researching a galaxy wide extinction event in pre-history, but it still moves along okay.
I think the real failing is somewhere between 2/3rd and 3/4s of the way through the page count. There's been a big twist with the archeological research and romance, most of the main and sub-plots are suitably resolved, we've hit climax, passed on into denouement...and yet the story keeps going? There's significant chunk there were it could have skipped straight to setting us up for the start of TNG with no significant impact on the story, but it just, keeps, going. Imagine if after the end of the of a well crafted episode of trek, before the credits, you had about 15 minutes of additional filler. Between that and fat trimming for earlier, this could easily have come in 50-100 pages shorter, which leaves the impression that maybe the author was padding it.
Space Viking, by H. Beam Piper
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was worried in the first 10-15 pages, it was feeling a little clunky, but after that it moved along at a pretty fast clip.
A don't want to call this entry in H. Beam Piper's Federation timeline a standard 60s space opera, though I did think that's what I was in store for. As we follow the main character Trask from an initial revenge tail into a more 'rebuilding of civilization' yarn we also get into a lot of politics. While not as intricate, if for no other reason than being much more brief, than Herbert's Dune in universe political discourse I think fans of the latter will find something to enjoy here. Otherwise, just enjoy the good old fashioned space combat or world building stuff if those are your bag.
I know there's a lot of criticism of Piper and his views on libertarianism, democracy, feudalism, and authoritarianism. Besides taking that sort of thing with a grain of sale when reading stories from this era, it is explicitly mentioned in the end of the book that perhaps all currently known forms of government are doomed to failure until we're able to come up with something radically different. Until then, keep refining and hope they last a little longer and work a little better each time. I feel that's perhaps more demonstrative of the overall point, rather than a false dichotomy between pre-existing systems.
Random side note, there is a *very* similar ship name here to what is used in The Expanse. Curious if anyone else noticed or knows if this was an inspiration?
A don't want to call this entry in H. Beam Piper's Federation timeline a standard 60s space opera, though I did think that's what I was in store for. As we follow the main character Trask from an initial revenge tail into a more 'rebuilding of civilization' yarn we also get into a lot of politics. While not as intricate, if for no other reason than being much more brief, than Herbert's Dune in universe political discourse I think fans of the latter will find something to enjoy here. Otherwise, just enjoy the good old fashioned space combat or world building stuff if those are your bag.
I know there's a lot of criticism of Piper and his views on libertarianism, democracy, feudalism, and authoritarianism. Besides taking that sort of thing with a grain of sale when reading stories from this era, it is explicitly mentioned in the end of the book that perhaps all currently known forms of government are doomed to failure until we're able to come up with something radically different. Until then, keep refining and hope they last a little longer and work a little better each time. I feel that's perhaps more demonstrative of the overall point, rather than a false dichotomy between pre-existing systems.
Random side note, there is a *very* similar ship name here to what is used in The Expanse. Curious if anyone else noticed or knows if this was an inspiration?