Customer Reviews

Logos Run

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Logos Run (2006) is the second SF novel in the Runner series, following Runner. In the previous volume, Jak Rebo, Lanni Norr and Bo Hoggles deliver Tra Lee to CaCanth on Thara, where he becomes the Inwa. Then Jak visits his home village.

In this novel, Rebo is hired on Thara by the spirit of Milos Lysander to escort Logos -- a wearable artificial intelligence -- to Socket to reestablish the star gate system. Norr and Hoggles go along with him, Lanni because she is falling in love with Rebo and Bo because he loves Norr. First, they will take the starship Shewhoswimsthevoid to the planet Derius.

In Tryst on Thara, the night before they leave, the trio attends the Circus Solara. Norr becomes upset with the cruel way that the ringmaster treats a L-phant and confronts the circus performer. The other troupe members defend their leader and both Rebo and Bo are dragged into the conflict. The audience cheers on the trio as they fight the circus troupe.

In Seros on Anafa, the Techno Society is still seeking Logos. Omar Tepho hires the sensitive Dyson to channel the disincarnate spirit of Jevan Kane. The former Techno operative has big plans for Logos. He also doesn't want to leave Dyson's body.

Tepho sends Shaz - the combat variant -- with the assassin Du Phan after the sensitive Norr. They use the Society star gate to travel to Thara. Shaz infiltrates the Runner Guild facility in Tryst and searches for Logos in the room occupied by Rebo, Norr and Hoggles. When he finds nothing, Shaz awaits the return of the trio.

Returning to their room, Norr suffers another manifestation by the spirit Lysander. Taking over her body, he warns Rebo and Hoggles of Shaz's presence. However, they cannot see the combat variant and Shaz quickly decides to let them live until he can follow them to Socket. He departs the room, leaving Rebo and Hoggles asking Lysander who and what had been there.

In this story, the starship shuttle arrives on Thara, but no passengers depart. Rebo and his friends hang back while the other travelers crowd aboard. They board last so they can be the first to enter the starship.

The Circus Solara also boards the starship shuttle. Rebo thinks that their presence is a coincidence, but he takes action to counter possible moves by the irritated circus troupe. Initially, the trio seize the water supply on the ship. Later, Rebo shoots a sniper trying to shoot him.

This story takes Rebo, Norr and Hobbles to Derius and beyond. They face three murderous brothers on the ship, find that the star gate in New Wimmura on Derius is down, and travel toward Feda to continue their journey. Eventually they discover that Logos intends to go to Haafa before traveling on to Socket.

Rebo, Norr and Hoggles have several adventures in their quest. They almost die on Derius. Later, Norr is shot and almost dies. Overall, their journey is very hazardous.

Highly recommended for Dietz fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of adventurous quests, technological artifacts, and true romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

In the very far distant future, an interstellar civilization developed that spread throughout the distant star systems. Humanity advanced because of star gates which allowed instant travel from one planet to another no matter what star system they were in. The star gates went offline after revolution decimated whole systems and the long slide into barbarianism has begun. Few star gates remain operational with most of those run by the mysterious Techno Society whose leader is Omar Tepho.

Runner Jak Rebo, sensitive Lonni Nor, heavy worlder Bo Hoggless and sentient A.I. Logos are on the planet Thara keeping a promise to a dead man, Lysander who in an early age was the Emperor Hios. His corrupt rule instigated the revolution and now he wants to make amends by having Logos install itself on the plant Sprocket so that the AI can start reseeding the star gates to enable civilization to climb back to its former glory. Tepho wants control of the star gates and as the heroes travel from planet to planet for reasons known only to the crafty Logos, Tepho and his minion are either there or one stop behind them.

Williams C. Dietz is one of the grandmasters of space opera. LOGOS RUN is full of action adventure, intrigue and surprises as the protagonists strive to do what is best for humanity by not letting the star gates fall into hands where they would be used to rule over mankind. Logos almost steals the show as he has his own agenda and manipulates those around to help him carry out his plans. The well thought out storyline is populated by interesting characters representing a civilization on a downward spiral.

Harriet Klausner

If you enjoyed the first book in Dietz's new 'Runner' series, LOGOS RUN is a pick for you: prior readers will easily segue into the sequel to RUNNER, which continues the story of Jak Rebo, an interstellar courier to whom time and place is a snap and Earth a myth. Humanity is scattered amongst the stars - and the only intelligent life there - and interstellar couriers like Jak make a living delivering between systems. Now Jak possesses a sentient computer, Logos, who wants to reactivates star gates to change the world... fast action, solid characterization and an even continuation of a fine tale and universe makes LOGOS RUN a top pick.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I must say it was a very appropriately titled book. The characters are always on the move. This is a very enjoyable "Space Opera" series because (while it has a very rich plot) it is paced like an action novel. I look forward to the next installment.

I am enamored of the use of the spirit world in this novel and the first in the series, "Runner". Nice touch adding the bad guy as an intrusive spirit. I'm looking forward to the next in the series. I'd like to see the golden child reappear. I've enjoyed these books immensely and I've been reading this stuff since 1962.

There is no doubt that Dietz is one of the best. However this combination of science fiction and fantasy is really a lot of fun.

This parallels an old Gamma World Campaign -- variants on humanity, sensitives, dis-incarnates, genetically engineered beasts and mechanimals, and ancient computing weapons/devices barely understood/exploited by current humanity. While the original Gamma World was confined to a single planet, the twist of autonomous AI-driven stargates and starships easily fits into the milieu. What really made it feel like roleplaying fiction was the early encounter against the bandits, a typical fodder random encounter (with PC's using guns, warhammer, and staff), in the early chapters. Plus Dietz has a habit of referring to characters by their character class.

Also off-putting was the tendency of the author to refer to Rebo/Lonni/Hoggles as a 'threesome', and it took me a long time to figure out they weren't in some strange post-modern marriage arrangement. Apparently this is a sequel to Runner, but nowhere is there a 'book two' mention on the cover or previous author works, so I ended up buying it second-hand after reading the back cover. The back story is typical of what a game-master will feed players, minus the introduction of the characters to each other (easily overlooked if they were 'married', which is what threw me).

Overall, you like it if you enjoy reading about space-faring adventurers who meander looking for new experiences (circus, wilderness adventures, tomb robbing, ocean sorties, etc.) while seeking a stated yet tenuous goal. Hunted by a big bad antagonist and controlling a sentient artifact that can change the universe, the RPG-like main party still hits multiple side-quests. Ending was abrupt, like the playing session's main adventure is over now, standard let's level-up offscreen procedure.

Three stars, OK, parts of the action were exciting, but Rebo as a character lives up to the anagram of his name -- 'bore'.

I didn't care for this quite as much a Runner. It's a decent read, but lacks the depth and direction of it's prequel. While there is an overall purpose to Rebo's mission, it seems a little aimless to me. Overall it's readable, but not stellar.

This was a great followup to the original Runner book. Kept pace throughout with the characters, action and introduction of new worlds, but the ending was a bit abrupt. I haven't checked to see if Dietz published anything after this, but I could see at least another book in this series rather than the abrupt ending. Still a great read.

If you liked Logos, you'll probably like Logos Run, the sequel, but not as much. The writing doesn't seem as polished, the plot, not as tight, and I didn't like the ending much.

Either the "runner" series is over, and had a terrible ending, or there will be more books and most of the interesting story arcs have been concluded. The fact that I can't tell is one reason I wasn't pleased with the book. The fact that in either case I didn't like it is maybe more telling.