Quick Review: The Deathworld Trilogy, Harry Harrison (spoilers)

[jeriendhal]

It was my intention to write a longer review of this, covering each novella in detail, but the motivation is lacking. So, here's the Reader's Digest version

Book One:

"Hi, I'm Jason dinAlt, psychic gambler."

"Hi, I'm Kerk from the planet Pyrrus. Otherwise known as Ohgodohgodohgod everything is out to kill us world."

"Sounds nifty, hows the weather?"

"It sucks, and so do the earthquakes and volcanoes."

"Kewl, I think I'll take a vacation there, mostly because your daughter Meta is cute."

Jason goes to Pyrrus, learns to shoot like a six year old, and figures out that the city dwellers are doomed if they don't clean up their act. The book ends without definite resolution, just suggestions for modifying the problem, which is kinda impressive for 1961.


Book Two

"Haha! Fear me Jason dinAlt, for I am Strawman Argument Man!"

"You said "man" twice."

"Shut up! I'm always right. Anyway, I'm here to kidnap you to execute you publically for fleecing a casino."

"You're shitting me, right?"

"That would imply I've got a sense of humor, which I don't."

Jason manages to crash his kidnapper's spaceship on a primitive world. He starts social climbing his way up the ladder, violating the Prime Directive all the way, despite Strawman's multiple betrayals.

"Hi Meta, nice of you to show up for the climax."

"Hi Jason. Who's this guy?"

"Since he's the closest thing to an intellectual on this world, I felt kinda obligated to keep him alive just so I had someone to talk to."

"I'm also here to arrest and execute Jason!"

"No." Meta kills him.


Book Three:

Mongol Guy: Grr! We hate cites and technology!

Jason: Great, why don't I let you invade the civilized plains of your world, so we can mine the bits that you abandoned?

Mongol Guy: Ha! We beat them easily! Now we have to administer it... um, and eat up the great food... and... Damnit! Quit enjoying yourselves and get back to your damned yurts!

Comments

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

heh. Cute. Read the first one in ASF, the second one somewhere, maybe ASF. Never got to the third.

Wondered at the time the first one came out how much it was based on the problems Israel was having at the time.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

I supposed it could be interpreted that way if you squint right. Mostly the problem was biology on the planet's part and plain blindness on the Pyrran's, given that their culture had been honed to survival instinct and nothing else.

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

I think (and this is from long ago) what led me to that point of view was two things: the extreme proficiency of the settlers and the fact that the final resolution was basically that the better the settlers got at fighting the native flora and fauna, the better the native life got at attacking them. At the end - and at the beginning of part 2 - the settlers are trying low-impact living - as, I believe, a break-off group had been trying during the first story. But the nature of the squint could have been operating, too. ;-}

[allah-sulu.livejournal.com]

The first one was a bit long for not bothering to come up with a conclusive ending; it serves mainly to introduce Jason dinAlt and the Pyrrans.

The second novel reminded me of at least one Stainless Steel Rat novel, and a couple of David Weber novels (all of whom did the same thing, but better). It was a good read, mind you, but it felt like territory I've seen covered so many times before (and Strawman Argument Man barely even had one dimension to his character).

I thought the third one was the best. I liked the ending, even though it's not the first time I've seen a sci-fi story use that "lose by winning" strategy, with specific reference to the Chinese historical ability to outbreed and assimilate all invaders. The trilogy as a whole was an interesting, quick read; but dinAlt seems like a poor man's Slippery Jim diGriz (and just awakening my interest to re-read those books again). Oh, speaking of which, I downloaded some comic book adaptations of the first few Stainless Steel Rat stories; interested?

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Actually I think I've got those issues in my comic book boxes up in the attic.

BTW Your book is in Tracy's car. Have your wife remind her to give it back to you.

[allah-sulu.livejournal.com]

OK. Or feel free to pass it on to someone else, if you can think of anyone else who'd enjoy it. I got it for free at The Book Thing in Baltimore, so I'm more than happy to see it circulated rather than gather dust on my shelf.

[allah-sulu.livejournal.com]

Jeriendhal, meet Yendi. He just posted something interesting about additional Deathworld novels (albeit in Russian). Oh, and I finally finished the other books I picked up after I finished the Deathworld trilogy, and made a belated start on Unexpected Diversions. So far, so good.