Customer Reviews

A Lion on Tharthee

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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A Lion on Tharthee is probably one of the best science fiction books I have read. I believe this book is very under rated or at least under read since I have never meet anyone who has read it (other then by my recommendation). I am rating the book a nine, but then again I have never given a ten. The story theme is of mankind's first encounter with another race in the near future (+100 years). While lightly technical (and accurate), it mainly concentrates on character development and human (and non-human) interaction. The story is engaging with a number of unanticipated twists and turns as the tactics and politics of individuals and cultures shape events. Overall this book presents one of the most mature, sophisticated and believable accounts of two cultures meeting that I have read.

An excellent first contact story set about 100 years in the future. Very good hard science fiction.Now if only they would put the prequel, Saturnalia, back into print.

I have read both of Grant Callin's books (Saturnalia, and Lion on Tharthee). The first (Saturnalia) is an absolute joy to read and unbelievably humorous. I caught myself laughing outloud on several times during my read, and in fact have read the book again and got the same laughs. This is the only SF book that has done this to me. An absolute joy to read. Lion on Tharthee is a continuation of this story and is nearly as entertaining as the first. Saturnalia is going to be difficult to find, but if you run across it, just get it ok? Its out of print, has a real hoky cover, but it will be a treasured read, guaranteed.

As far as I can tell, this author published 2 books - Saturn Alia and this book - and if you enjoy space opera/first contact type stories, you likely cannot go wrong here. It is useful to read Saturnalia first. While Saturnalia pretty much avoids the entire issue of WHAT the aliens are, this book doesn't and cannot, and you are dealing with a novel with essentially anthropomorphic aliens, down to the emotional level. There are differences, but this isn't ALIEN aliens, whose motives elude human novelists who deign to describe them.

That said, one is dismayed that the author never published more - I read his two books last night and tonight, and am a bit saddened that there is no more to read in this universe than the 2 above.

While not quite the rip-roaring pulp SciFi adventure that the first in the series was, this tale has charm all it's own.

Mankind found clues and solved the riddle of the gift from aliens - and now they have to get there. Travel beyond the bounds of the Solar System is possible, but economically ruinous. The independent space station and the Earth must join forces to travel out - to a starship!

This novel contains lots of high finance, political squabbling made interesting by the character studies of the main players, plenty of adventure and tension, and an alien race that shows just how different a culture can be - and still seem 'all too human'.

and have re-read it many times. After years of search, I bought the prequel, Saturnalia, from Amazon. I count both volumes as relatively "hard" science fiction, but the tone is mostly light even when the action is serious. Told from the point of view of the strong-jawed Dr. Whitedimple, we are privy to his doubts, disappointments, screw-ups, and victories. Suitable for teens and adults.

A classic to me, anyway. A Lion On Tharthee is not as focused as Saturnalia, since it represents an epic feel, and many of the crewmates are given the short shrift because of the probable publsiher limitations on the size.

Still, Callin's technical wizardry (as a Boeing engineer) and his love of his characters shows through again.

I'm probably the only person on Earth who has Callin's summary for his 3rd book in the series (which was never written, but is/was intended as the finale), but for now, the world will have to stick with the two, unfortunately.

To enjoy the whole of A Lion on Tharthee, it would take a man experienced in many fields, as this book not only is a good SF story, but also drives you from a plausible 100-year-away future to a complete A-Z project management history, to interface between species, through so many fields, that the author seems to master all. Great reading.