Customer Reviews

The Deceivers

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've previously read a few of Bester's stories. THE STARS MY DESTINATION, THE DEMOLISHED MAN, and some of the shorter pieces...I thoroughly enjoyed them all, with STARS probably being my overall favorite.

THE DECEIVERS was written later in his career, and it's my belief that THE DECEIVERS is one long in-joke, filled with cryptic goodies and extremes which probably only Bester and his closest supporters took any real enjoyment in. My feeling is THE DECEIVERS was much less written for the audience at large, and much more written for an aged author who was trying to keep himself entertained.

On one level, the text seems to be written with great ease and intricacy, but at what expense? It's a campy, oblique love story set in an elaborately expanded solar system, with tricky gibberish and painful future slang tossed in. I feel like Bester must've had an absolute blast writing this book. And in the process, I think he alienated the more casual reader.

I read it. I finished it. I can't say that I enjoyed it. In fact, there were a few moments where I asked myself, "Why am I reading this?" Libraries were invented for books like this one.

THE DECEIVERS is a very deliberate work of fiction, but more valuable as a performed effort of an accomplished afficianado than as accessible entertainment for the masses.

I agree with most of the other reviews: it is a fun Bester book (not as depressing as "Golem 1000", for example) but it is not in the same league as "The Demolished Man" or "Tiger, Tiger". Why 4 stars, you ask? Well, considering the quality of Bester's works, even his worst is still better then most of the pure-fun SF you can read from other authors.

I don't have too much to say about this book, except that it is deffinately worth reading. I've seen most of the concepts preseted in this book (chemically altered super genius, shapeshifting aliens, human/alien marriages, etc.) but everything a new twist, a special touch that makes this a fun and interesting read. It only took me a day to read, so one doesn't have to commit much time or effort to this book. For that reason, I'd recommend this book to anyone, not just fans of Bester or sci-fi in general.

While it's not "The Stars My Destination," this book still soars from its compilation of "Besterisms": an intriguing plot; unusually-named characters with an array of equally unusual (but charming) eccentricities; and the late author's natural gift for masterfully playing the English language like a Stradivarius. Definitely recommended!

I found this book to be a fun read! Things happened! It was a real mind-bender, in the way that "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" can blow you away. It had a lot of twists and turns and surprises. Also, it felt good to hold in your hands--I mean, the book was bigger than your usual paperback, and it just had that right "feel." Really, if you want to pull a surprise on a friend, get this one as a gift--it's full of great surprises!

Vintage did an amazing job reprinting The Stars My Destination and The Demolished Man, and giving us the amazing short story collection Virtual Unrealities and Bester's unfinished materwork Psychoshop (finished by the great Roger Zelazny).

Now some too-hip-to-live imprint of Simon & Schuster with the dopey name of "iBooks" has decided to cash in on Vintage's classy endeavor by foisting Bester's later, lesser work on an unsuspecting buying public. Do yourself a favor and stick with Bester's best, which Vintage has already done. Publishing this crap just soils Bester's memory -- he should be remembered for his older work, and let his newer work die.

I liked the set up to this one but in the end it devolved into an odd gangster novel. The big ideas were not there in the end and the tying up of loose ends were gobbly gook. Nevertheless the potential and charm were there making this a solid B novel. My expectations were quite high and thus the 2.5 star rating.

Rouge Winter, hair to the Maori crown, battles the minions of the evil Duke of Manchoo across the solar system. Sounds campy? intentionally so. But Bester has succeeded too much and this book became more than a homage to the pulp days - it IS pulp.

not his best, but how could it be?charming later bester book is interesting particularly for its echoes of earlier works.cool cover!

although not bester's best work, this novel of adventure and intrigue does justice to the author's memory--and features a lovely tribute to Bester from his long-time agent. To my mind, a better book that was originally credited when it first appeared.