Customer Reviews

Dorsai Spirit: Two Classic Novels of the Dorsai: 'Dorsai!' and 'The Spirit of Dorsai' (Dorsai/Childe Cycle)

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Gordon R. Dickson, like Robert A. Heinlein, is a master storyteller. If you have never read Dickson's Childe Cycle, then buy and read them all. This is a mythic journey and one you shouldn't miss. The Childe Cycle tells the story of the human spirit, the strength of human relationships, reveals our unlimited potential, and takes you on a "hero's journey." Joseph Campbell would have love these books if he had ever read them. Perhaps he did, who can know. Your library will never be complete without these books in your collection. Both authors caused a major paradigm shift in my own life's vision, values, imagination, priorities, and appreciation for science fiction. Come and join in the journey and you will "soar on the wings of eagles.

"Dorsai". Among the fourteen worlds, Dorsai provides one export that is in great demand. The planet consists of the best military mercenaries known in the cosmos. Donal Graeme is about to go off planet with abilities never seen before as humanity has taken a quantum leap up on the evolutionary path. This reviewer read "Dorsai" in the sixties and found it to be a fascinating tale. Though a powerful introduction to the Dorsai culture, the military tactics seem weak in a post Star Wars world. Still Donal is a great character struggling between his differences and his human frailty.

"Spirit of Dorsai": "Amanda Morgan". While the men go off planet to fight, women remain behind to defend Dorsai. Amanda Morgan faces an enemy with one goal in mind, the destruction of the Dorsai culture. "Brothers". Ian Graeme feels guilt for living, grief for his dead sibling, and anger for not being able to keep his brother alive. Preferring to avenge his brother's murder, Ian must first prevent a major catastrophe from occurring. This novella ("Amanda Morgan") and short story ("Brothers") provide more of a historical perspective to the Dorsai, especially Amanda's story furnishing insight into the role of women in the culture.

DORSAI SPIRIT is a compilation of two previous Gordon R. Dickson's books from his Childe Cycle. The stories remain interesting and old fans will rejoice to read them while newcomers will find the tales entertaining. Yet this reviewer wonders why the memories of Mr. Dickson as one of the standard bearers of military science fiction seem weakened at least from re-reading this part of the saga.

Harriet Klausner

You have to read these two or five books depending on how you look at them either before or during or after reading another 5 or 7 books In the Childe Cycle or about the Dorsai. The Whole History of these folks make it a matter of have too.

Thanks so much Gordon

DORSAI SPIRIT(2002) is an omnibus comprised of DORSAI!(1976), which is an expanded/updated version of THE GENETIC GENERAL(1959); and THE SPIRIT OF DORSAI(1979). Here are brief reviews of each of these two stories:

DORSAI!(1976)***** - 250 pages. This is a great Military SciFi story, which covers the early career of the Military Academy trained officer Donal Graeme, who comes from a military family, and from a planet whose main export is military mercenary soldiers. When I get a chance, I want to read the original story THE GENETIC GENERAL(1959), and see what differences accumulated in the 17 years between the release of the two stories. DORSAI! holds up well, but I would imagine that the original would be out-of-date by now, mainly due to the unforeseeable advancements of computer technology since 1959.

THE SPIRIT OF DORSAI(1979)*** - 180 pages (but little white space). Contains two shorter background stories of Dorsai characters... one from the early history of the planet, and another from later history... for some reason, the prologue, interlude, and epilog, which are provided to tie the two stories together, are descibed in italics - making them difficult to read.

Dickson was a great story teller. He wrote some of the best and some of the worst fiction ever. The Childe Cycle was a great idea but was flawed in the telling. Dickson was a plup fiction writer. So his books tened to be fun and have great ideas but they were often unbelievable or had flaws that would be unacceptible today. If you read the series you will read some great books but be aware that the series has some flaws.