Inventive, episodic novel that pulled me in with the action yet had just enough make-you-think stuff to keep it being just a sci-fi action novel. ReadInventive, episodic novel that pulled me in with the action yet had just enough make-you-think stuff to keep it being just a sci-fi action novel. Read this many years ago in the Science Fiction Book Club version, and grabbed this Kindle version out of nostalgia -- and am glad I did....more
Perhaps my expectations were too high, based on Terry Pratchett's recommendation in "A Slip of the Keyboard", but this seemed like a one-joke comedy, Perhaps my expectations were too high, based on Terry Pratchett's recommendation in "A Slip of the Keyboard", but this seemed like a one-joke comedy, and that joke was a bit sophomoric. I ended up abandoning it a bit past the half-way point, as I didn't care much about what was happening and I wasn't finding it humorous or even mildly entertaining....more
An enjoyable page-turner, though as is often the case, Stross can't just tell a story in a single voice/tense, often pulling me out of the story as I An enjoyable page-turner, though as is often the case, Stross can't just tell a story in a single voice/tense, often pulling me out of the story as I see "the man behind the curtain" at work. All in all, a good installment in the "Laundry" series, though not the best....more
Zelazny's poetic style is a natural fit for the short story, and when he's running on all cylinders there are few better at it. (Maybe Harlan Ellison,Zelazny's poetic style is a natural fit for the short story, and when he's running on all cylinders there are few better at it. (Maybe Harlan Ellison, but he's also more likely to be depressing.) This collection provides a nice variety of stories, styles, and lengths; and only one or two of the stories tended toward mediocrity, while the rest ranged from excellent to amazing.
A must-read for Zelazny fans, and a should-read for fans of science fiction and fantasy short stories....more
A decent installment in the "Laundry" series with a monster somewhat reminiscent of a Terry Pratchett twist on a legend, if Terry Pratchett tended as A decent installment in the "Laundry" series with a monster somewhat reminiscent of a Terry Pratchett twist on a legend, if Terry Pratchett tended as much to "the dark side" as, say, Stephen King. Nothing earth-shaking here, but a nice little novella that kept me turning the (virtual) pages....more
Decided to set this aside for now -- just not in the mood to read that many "classic" SF stories.Decided to set this aside for now -- just not in the mood to read that many "classic" SF stories....more
As is often the case with short story collections, some were very good, some were good, and some were so/so. As is often the case with a Harlan EllisoAs is often the case with short story collections, some were very good, some were good, and some were so/so. As is often the case with a Harlan Ellison collection, half the fun is in his commentaries about the stories....more
For me this was a one-trick-pony novel that probably should have been a short story, or maybe a shortish novella at most. It might have gotten away wiFor me this was a one-trick-pony novel that probably should have been a short story, or maybe a shortish novella at most. It might have gotten away with it if the writing was more interesting and the humor funnier (and more of it), but I generally just got bored, and halfway through the first "coda" started skimming to the end (i.e. I skimmed at least the last 20% or so)....more
A couple good stories that are excellent examples of the genre at the time they were written, a couple okay stories, and a couple "eh" stories.A couple good stories that are excellent examples of the genre at the time they were written, a couple okay stories, and a couple "eh" stories....more
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