Customer Reviews

Operation Luna

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved Operation Chaos, and really looked forward to this book, but it didn't enthrall me the way the original book did. It just seems like things never take off, and I was never thrilled the way I was by the first book. The climactic "quest" (admittedly a poor choice of words, but I have none better) doesn't capture the imagination like the descent into Hell of the original, and climax seems short and unsatisfying. Not a bad book, and adequately readable, but it just isn't what it's predecessor was!

This book is a sequel to Operation Chaos, which was written 30, and some parts over 40, years ago! It is set in a contemporary universe where magic (or goetics as they call it) works. It is a scientific culture, and the laws of physics apply. Familiar and strange principles combine to create some hilarious sections. One does tend to question the presence of streets in a world where everyone flies around on brooms and carpets. The main characters are Steve Matuchek and his wife Virginia. Steve, an engineer and werewolf, gives a first-person account. Virginia, a beautiful and powerful witch who is the real brain of the pair, has no qualms about using her looks and sex appeal as well as her skills. She even travels to another universe to find a tax attorney. She and Steve must deal with good, evil and mischievous spirits, rival practitioners, NASA, the FBI and the IRS. Also in the mix is their daughter, Valeria, who was 3 years old when she was taken to hell (alive!) She is now 15, gorgeous, nubile, a budding witch and ready to play an active role. There is an overly talkative sword, an ancient dwarf and other interesting characters and scenes in a humorous treatment of the serious subject of space travel development and the evil attempts to stop it; brilliant!

I was delighted when I heard that a sequel to _Operation Chaos_, a collection of loosely-related stories set in a techno-magical alternate Earth, had come out. Unfortunately, I can't recommend _Operation Luna_ as I would its prequel.

A lot of great elements are there: mankind's effort to reach the moon, our familiar protagonists from _Operation Chaos_ (Steve Matuchek, werewolf engineer, and Virginia Graylock, witch extraordinaire), a garrulous enchanted sword (named Fotherwick-Botts) from the Norse era and his forger, a dwarven smith who adjusts poorly to modern life, Coyote's schemes and uneasy dreams....

Alas, despite the attempts at levity, the story never really comes together. Steve Matuchek wasn't the best choice of a narrator. While he's definitely involved in the action in _Operation Chaos_, here he's relegated to reporting on everyone else's actions since, due to his lack of magical expertise, he can't actually get involved. As a result, a lot of potential suspense (will Virginia succeed in her quest for Mimir's knowledge? will their daughter Valeria survive her desperate attempt to foil the IRS?) trickles away. Another problem is that the evils and dangers confronted are rarely convincingly dangerous. Occasionally Anderson throws in social criticism of our world as it is (in contrast to this magical alter-Earth), but there isn't enough of it to fully convince, and it sits uneasily with the lighter tone of most of the story.

All in all, while it's a light and often entertaining tale, _Operation Luna_ fails to live up to the wit, fine worldbuilding and daredevil adventures of its prequel.

I had been looking forward to Poul Anderson's _Operation Luna_, a sequel to _Operation Chaos_, a fix-up of stories in F & SF from the 1950s and 1960s. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend it in hardcover and possibly not even in paper. First, while not absolutely required, I think that reading the earlier book would be extremely helpful (and a new pb edition is out). Second, Anderson made a decision to bring the story forward to an equivalent of our "now". The three 1950s stories take place either in that universe's equivalent of WWII (called that in the first story, but now called the Caliph's War (WWI is now the Kaiser's War)) or a little bit later. The last story in the fix-up has elements of the late 1950s and late 1960s. But while no year is mentioned, this novel takes place in some age resembling our present. Problem is the protagonist's daughter has aged only 10 or so years and it simply doesn't work for someone more concerned about continuity instead of plot. Third, the first part of the book is clunky like a square wheel trying to set up the storyline, throw in how that universe works versus ours, describe what has happened since _Operation Chaos_, etc. Fourth, we know more than the characters do, a distraction for us. Fifth, while there are a number of in the sf field jokes and puns, some of the points concerning our world are mean-spirited without a specific reason. I finished it, but I consider it to be fairly minor league Anderson.

Anderson is one of the most prolific SF writers. His output, not surprisingly, is uneven. At its best, his work is very entertaining. His writing style, however, can be cloying and his characterizations thin. This is not one of this better efforts. Operation Luna is the belated (by decades) sequel to an entertaining series of linked stories published in book form as Operation Chaos. Where the older book had clever plotting and considerable humor, the plotting of this book is plodding and the writing often cliched. Readers who enjoy this type of romantic fantasy should find a copy of Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions, his best effort in this genre.

This book is a wonderful sequel to one of the neatest books of all time, "Operation Chaos." Our heroes return to us enough older that they'll use a mirror to peek around the corner at their foes, and still bold enough to charge the guns if that's what it takes to do the job. In a universe where "Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology," courage and intelligence count. There are also some utterly delightful japes here that had me in stitches more than once. I came away from the bound galley I got to read richly rewarded for my time spent. I have also sworn an oath that when this book finally comes out, at least one copy is *mine*.

Once again we have a joyful and entertaining novel from one of the last remaining masters from the Golden Age of SF. Close on the heels of STARFARERS comes this long-awaited sequel to his highly enjoyable OPERATION CHAOS. Set in the late 60's of his alternate universe were magic works, this novel deals with a Space Race with magic as the means vice straight technology. Along the way, Anderson takes some well-aimed shots at NASA, the IRS, and the government. A good read, particularly if you enjoyed OPERATION CHAOS.

And in my opinion most people will have a lot of fun reading Operation Luna. The key is to remember this is basically a very lightweight, very silly lark of a book.

At first I was put off by what appeared to be libertarian preaching, but after some reflection came to realize even that was over-the-top parody. A beautiful mother-of-three is willing (if necessary) to allow her raven familiar to pluck out her eye as payment to the Norse God tax consultant? Just to thwart the IRS? Not very bloody likely!

If you approach this as a charming little bit of fluff, you probably won't be disappointed. That was the basis for which I gave the book five stars. If it had attempted to be in any way serious, one star would have been my ranking.

A friend recommended this book to me because I like werewolves. The book isn't solely all about werewolves but its a wonderful universe where science melds with magic. The setting is dynamic and as realistic feeling a science-fiction fantasy can get. The characters are unique with personalities and likable. I don't want to give away too much about the book itself and ruin it for future readers, so I'll just have to say I love this book and it's predecessor. They're definitely books I will read again and again.

An amusing, lightweight fantasy. Perhaps the slightly unbelievable part being that the two supernatural secret agents are basically married and boring suburbanites. Think Disney movie, when they were actually good, for the feel.



Magic is technology, otherwise things are as they were in that period of time. The husband and wife team must save the magical space program with some travel of their own.