Customer Reviews

The Golden Globe

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I find John Varley frustrating because he writes so slowly. Well, maybe not. But his books come out with huge gaps between them, which is too bad because they're all good. (Yeah, I know, another of my favorites is Harry Turtledove, who probably writes too much. Maybe these two should exchange some blood or something.) This book returns to the universe of "Steel Beach" and has some slight character overlap (Hildy Johnson, the Heinleiners) at the end. But it's a fundamentally freestanding story set in a very interesting place. The leading character, "Sparky" Valentine, is believable for those of us who've been around theatre, and has just the sort of brilliantly one-sided personality that makes for lively reading. Varley does a first-rate job of getting inside Valentine's head -- even to producing such actorly malapropisms as "coriolanus force." Well worth the money and time.

A new novel from John Varley is a cause for celebration, as well as a reminder that it's probably time to get your booster shots renewed--every five or six years is their typical spacing nowadays. The wait is well worth it, however: _Globe_ is thrilling, richly-detailed, inventive, memorable... and occasionally science fiction. Only occasionally.

Even though it's set in John Varley's universe, where one's body is as easy to change as one's makeup, and humans live almost everywhere in the solar system because they were kicked off the Earth, this book is much less involved with the ramifications and repercussions of nifty technologies than some of his previous stories and novels are. Instead, Globe is more concerned with characters. Most of them are the main character. Kenneth Valentine, alias K.C., alias Sparky, alias Dodger, alias Carson Dyle, alias Eustace McGargle, is one of the more memorable figures you're ever likely to find in science fiction, an actor/businessman/actor/con-artist/actor, and _Globe_ is a tale of the Stage Life. From frantic backstage disaster-recovery to stupid omnipotent studio heads, the book shows off the extremes encountered in the life of a star of stage and screen. There's a fair number of future features tossed in for verisimilitude, but most of this book could have been a work of regular old fiction, a journey told in flashbacks and side-jaunts leading to Sparky's Performance of a Lifetime.

Along the way, we encounter the Bank Examiner swindle, the ghost of Jimmy Stewart, a formidable hit man from a planet of psychopaths, and the most enviable piece of furniture since Terry Pratchett's Luggage. It's a fantastic story, and one that's over much too soon--in fact, too soon for its own good. The last hundred pages feel rushed, as if an editor were holding Varley to a page limit (or, more likely, as if Varley was bound and determined to get this book finished and published and out of his In Progress pile already... maybe he realized he was approaching his next vaccination appointment). Still, what's here is wonderful enough to ease regrets over what is missing. Highly recommended.

At first read, I didn't like this book as much as I did "Steel Beach". I'm not sure why, but I suspect it was Varley's decision to have this book entirely narrated by a male character. I've become so impressed by Varley's heroines, including Hildy Johnson, the narrator of "Steel Beach," that I guess I just started expecting them. Ken Valentine, aka Sparky, just wasn't doing it for me.

On second- and third-reads, however, darned if the little bugger didn't start to grow on me. Sparky's an actor, who really does see life as a stage and himself merely a player. He's a damn good player, but still. When we first meet him, Ken/Sparky is hiding out in the far reaches of the solar system, doing third-rate community theater and running cons. Almost simultaneously, he learns his oldest, dearest friend - and the best director in the system - is staging "King Lear" back on Luna; that the long arm of the law is onto him; and that the Charonese Mafia, a race of super-devoted assassins, has put out a hit on him. Seems like a good time to hit the road, and Sparky does, starting him on a long journey back towards Luna.

Along the way, we learn in flashbacks about Sparky's history as a child star, his abusive actor father, who seems eerily invested in living his life through his son, and the events which sent him into exile. We pass through several other worlds, such as Pluto, Oberon II (which bears some resemblance to Gaia from Varley's "Titan" series), and, of course, Luna. It's on Luna that Sparky runs into Hildy Johnson, and a post-Glitch Luna CC, picking up where "Steel Beach" left off.

"Golden Globe" is more personal than "Steel Beach", more focused on the particular life of the narrator rather than the general society of the Eight Worlds. There's still plenty of Varley's fantastic imagination on display, however, and tons of his trademark humor and cynicism. The more I read this book, the better I like it!

...and, considering that John Varley at his worst is pretty amazing, you must definitely buy this book. If you're a Varley fan who doesn't own it, you probably haven't bothered reading the reviews, because you know what he can do.

For those poor uninitiated souls unfamiliar with Varley's work, this book is an excellent place to start. It's the tale of former child star, current itinerant actor/con artist Kenneth "Sparky" Valentine, as he makes his way through the solar system. There's something of the guided-tour aspect present in this book as with many of Varley's other works...but his Eight Worlds universe certainly warrants such exploration. We see a natural moon being cannibalized to create an artificial satellite, the Amish community on Luna, the inner workings of a media powerhouse, AIs that are something more than their creators intended (or would perhaps want), a travel accessory that is second only to Terry Pratchett's Luggage.... All seen from the viewpoint of the well-drawn (which is not to say entirely reliable) Valentine.

Varley's work is always a delight. This book is no exception, and it's cohesive narrative makes it one of his technical best.

Ever since I first read The Barbie Murders (now tragically out of print) in the early 80s, I've gobbled up everything Varley. His no-nonsense vision of a future where biology has been brought to heel is so seductive and convincing, I think it might have been an early influence on my career path (I'm a molecular biologist). Though The Golden Globe was no less compelling than his other books, I'm tempted to knock a star off my rating for a lack of new Varleyesque ideas. The lack of new stuff is almost made up for by Sparky Valentine's novelty - what a cool character! I was actually a little turned-off by Sparky in the first part of the book - he seemed sort of too cute or contrived or something. But it quickly becomes evident that the cutesyness is a thin veneer over an extremely sophisticated character. I missed the Varley world enough after finishing the Golden Globe that I went back and re-read the Gaea trilogy - which still feels amazingly current, despite being nearly 20 years old. Varley is one of the true visionaries of the hard-core sci fi world.

I've been a John Varley fan from way, way back. In particular, I've read every single Eight Worlds story that's ever seen print, including all the hard-to-find short stories. When I saw this at the bookstore, I leapt at the chance to buy it right that minute.

Alas, I was disappointed. In retrospect, it wasn't so much that it was a bad novel, per se, though it certainly had more than a few hack plots, but that I've come to expect so very much more from Varley. Varley has always been one of the Big Vision writers, of the sort that Heinlein (who he's unfortunately started to emulate in style), Egan, and Niven are (or were). When I crack open a Varley book, I expect to have my sense of wonder expanded. I don't expect cutsey comments, from the protaganist to the type-setter, about the way that italics are used. I want new vistas, not "Gangsters in Space". I want to read about new social and political solutions, not warmed-over Libertarianism with a Heinleinian gloss. In short, I want something better than I got.

With the exception of the segment of the book set on Oberon II (an artificial world being made from the Uranian moon Oberon where, among other things, the buildings move around over time), most of the science fiction concentrated on themes that have been done (and often done to death). Again, if this were another writer, I might be more forgiving, but dammit, John Varley is better than this and I've learned to expect more.

I'd certainly recommend picking this up. Aside from the central character's sometimes over-the-top rougishness, it's a solid piece of science fiction, but it's also run of the mill in most respects.

Varley? Heinlein? Who cares!

The Big Three of the Golden Age of Sci Fi were Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein. Have you re-read any Asimov or Clarke lately? Me neither. I tried, but.... Good in their time, but in hindsight the technology of Asimov and the vision of Clarke just fall flat (except for 2001).

In retrospect, however, the works of R.A. Heinlein are still relevant. Of all the Golden Age biggies, he was the most human, and his characters and the situations they encounter continue to compel and instruct, and remain relevant to everyday life.

So, John Varley "filed the serial numbers off and repainted" Heinlein's _Double Star_? Who cares? He took an already complex character and made him more complex. He constructed two parallel story lines, presented in media res and in flashback, that twine together in a most satisfactory manner. There's lots of fun, and Shakespeare, along the way ("Classicists Unite! You have nothing to lose but your TV!") Some fight scenes, vicious luggage (bet that trunk never gets lost at DFW), practical space travel, fight scenes, mystery, acting, fight scenes, cute dogs, love, and finally war. And all from an optimistic pessimist's point of view against the vast sweep of space and the human spirit. What more can you ask for from a sci fi novel?

This just lends more credence to the peculiar theory that RAH and John Varley share more than just a literary style and a point of view. Is this perhaps part of the Masquerade?

The allusions to Shakespear's works and parody of early Hollywood studios make this an unusual and delightful romp through futuristic solar system. The tongue-in-cheek dialogue kept me chuckling throughout the book. I hope J. Varley writes a sequel.

This novel is either part of John Varley's Eight World's stories, or the second book of another wonderful trilogy. Varley is always unclear on where his novels fit in similar or slightly different universes. He continues to come up with characters that are familiar to movie goers. This time he submits a supposedly invisible character named Elwood P. Dowd, which happens to be the name of the illusionary character portrayed by James Stewart in the 1950 movie, Harvey.

This novel tells the story of Sparky (Kenneth) Valentine on the run from the authorities in Luna for the murder of his father, John. He is also persued by Isambard Comfort, a member of the mafia on Pluto's moon, Charon. This tale takes 70 years before it culminates in a trial on Luna by the recently mentally challenged Central Computer. Remember what happened to this computer at the end of Steel Beach? Also do you remember Hildy Johnson? Well, she's Back!

Since Sparky and his father are Shakespeare actors, the novel has the flavor of Dan Simmons's novels Ilium and Olympos, which relied heavily on Shakespeare and Homer works. I think this kind of writing is very difficult to research and to intertwine into a novel. Well done, John Varley. This novel is different in the fact that there isn't a female narrator or heroine. Instead we have a male narrator, although I wouldn't consider him a hero. In the early parts of the book, Sparky is supplementing his acting monies by running "cons". This gets him into trouble with the Charonese mafia and ensues a chase from Pluto to Earth's moon, while Sparky seeks the lead role of King Lear in a play by a old friend, Polly. They starred together when Sparky had a children's hit T.V. show called "Sparky and his gang".

The characters in this book are delightful and refreshing, including Sparky's ultra smart dog, Toby. I love the way Varley brings back old characters in his books. This is easy since medical accomplishments have cured all physical problems except heavy brain damage. It's not uncommon to live 200-300 years in the Eight Worlds books. Since I'm a fan of Varley books, I give this book my highest recommendation.

In the future of Varley's book, almost everyone remembers Sparky
Valentine. Even if they aren't old enough to remember the glory years of the kid's show, "Sparky and His Gang" they remember their parents talking about it or watching old recordings. Many also remember something about allegations of a terrible crime, and may assume that Sparky is deceased, since they haven't heard anything about him in years.
But wait, here we have Sparky's autobiography, his epic story beginning
with his roots in a fifth generation theatrical family, his rise to riches, his fall from grace, and on and on through his long years of seedy outer-planet theatres, Punch & Judy shows and scams; hunger, keeping one step ahead of various planetary jurisdictions, then eventually running afoul of a dreaded crime syndicate.

This is rich, wonderful novel blends Shakespeare and Howdy Doody,
Jimmy Stewart and Errol Flynn; a heady mix of popular culture and future
history. The solar system is recovering from a mysterious invasion which
destroyed all human life on earth, but allowed off world colonies to survive.

Long time science fiction readers will appreciate the way Varley's story
incorporates one of the field's most influential and well-remembered icons.