Unimpressive, kind of boring, and doesn't even really fit with the universe that well. (If you're going to hold folks to that sort of thing...)Unimpressive, kind of boring, and doesn't even really fit with the universe that well. (If you're going to hold folks to that sort of thing...)...more
Came across this while knee-deep in Wing Commander gaming. Some obvious cues borrowed across. (Militant sapient felids much?) When I cracked the coverCame across this while knee-deep in Wing Commander gaming. Some obvious cues borrowed across. (Militant sapient felids much?) When I cracked the cover, I expected volume one of a trilogy or some other enumerated series of novels. Instead I found a bunch of short stories bound together. At the time I remember being disappointed but upon further consideration, this seems to have been a wise choice. The stories are each quick-moving and easy to digest. It's a good book to keep at the bedside for when you're between novels. That said, because these tales are disparate shorts, there is no time for each character to develop. I suppose the point is to give the reader exposure to the Kzin (fair enough) but I found myself a couple times wondering why we should care much about the Kzin.
Probably the best book ever forced upon my via curriculum. This one stuck with me, struck a chord; vivid imagery, visceral reading. Sick-to-your-stomaProbably the best book ever forced upon my via curriculum. This one stuck with me, struck a chord; vivid imagery, visceral reading. Sick-to-your-stomach visceral sometimes. Definitely an important piece of literature....more
I am positive that you can find a better novel than this one to use when introducing symbolism and extended metaphDear High School Curriculum Writers:
I am positive that you can find a better novel than this one to use when introducing symbolism and extended metaphor to developing readers. "Christ-figure" is the most over-used of these extended metaphors; over-used to the point where its offensiveness ceases to be about the in-your-face religious aspect of it and becomes instead about the simple over-use of the symbols. If you want to "go there" with symbolism and metaphor and have high school age kids the ways in which literature can illuminate our experience not by representing it literally but by unhinging from it, try helping these students discover Garcia-Marquez or Allende.
And that's just assuming you want to stay in the "safe" territory of the Western hemisphere.
If I recall correctly, my mom picked this one up for me from a bargain basket somewhere. As I was working through the Weis/Hickman DragonLance books aIf I recall correctly, my mom picked this one up for me from a bargain basket somewhere. As I was working through the Weis/Hickman DragonLance books at the time, I think the connection was made there. This was ... well, an average fantasy effort that seems (in retrospect) like the author's attempt at dissecting the genre's popularity through its own narrative. (Or some such pretentious thing.)
While it wasn't all together bad, it was also not particularly memorable....more
I like to think of this book as the anti-Independence Day. Childhood's End is a pretty typical piece of Clarke fiction -- that doesn't make it bad jusI like to think of this book as the anti-Independence Day. Childhood's End is a pretty typical piece of Clarke fiction -- that doesn't make it bad just that you have a pretty good idea going into it of what you're going to get. That said, I would venture to say that it's probably best served up to some mid-to-late-teens burgeoning sci-fi fans that are in need of a twist to the Asimov, Bova, and Pohl that they've likely been reading....more
I'll admit it. At age 14 when I first bought this, I thought I was getting some sort of compendium of alien species as described by abductees and otheI'll admit it. At age 14 when I first bought this, I thought I was getting some sort of compendium of alien species as described by abductees and other close encounters. A sort of creative non-fiction. Instead I got a compendium of creatures from science fiction. Still good but imagine my disappointment?
That said, the artwork in this book is fabulous. It's a neat little companion book for sci-fi fans; it has wonderful illustrations of all the various organisms that have been portrayed in some of sci-fi's classic and canonical works. And along with those illustrations? Little one-page write ups on their biology, social structure, etc....more
This is one of those books where you see the truth in those "don't judge by the cover" cliches. I picked this one up through some sci-fi book club thaThis is one of those books where you see the truth in those "don't judge by the cover" cliches. I picked this one up through some sci-fi book club that I had joined. "Get 10 for a dollar each!" Since I'd been playing a lot of Wing Commander on my PC at the time, this novel's cover really spoke to me. Too bad the story seemed thin and barely engaging.
Also: I think this was the first time I'd ever encountered a writer that used "effing" instead of just ... you know ... CURSING....more