Customer Reviews

The Man From P.I.G.

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A magazine story published as a (very short) paperback. This is the same story as found in "The men from P.I.G. and R.O.B.O.T." If you like Harry Harrison, you'll like it (and if you don't, you'll never get as far as this review).

The Man from P.I.G. is a strange little semi-spoof of the intergalactic space opera. Harrison is almost invariably terrific at space opera (and strange semi-spoofs thereof), and this book is no exception.

A remote planet has problems with 'ghosts' - lethal ones. Expecting the space marines, the Mayor is disappointed when a bucolic hillbilly with a ship full of pigs lands instead. However, as Harrison explains at well-relished length, the pigs are more than up for the task.

The book - a slightly extended version of a novella first published in a magazine - is quick and slightly dirty. It follows a simple problem/solution format, with every problem solved by the judicious application of pig. Harrison is clever enough - and funny enough - to keep this going, but were The Man from PIG any longer, it would cease to be amusing.

The overall plot, the mystery and its inevitable resolution - they're all actually fairly meaningless, with twists and turns introduced at random by Harrison. The book is an extended joke about how pigs can solve any problem. A funny joke (fortunately) but not a particularly deep one.

The book is also noteworthy for the John Schoenherr art. Known for his spectacular work on Dune and other SF classics, Schoenherr gives the... pigs... a hilarious sort of majesty. It is an inspired pairing of artist and material, and elevates the book from an idiosyncratic novelty to a must-have.