Pit Planet [Hardcover]

David Dvorkin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2003

James Benton is surprised at the role the mineral jacksonite has played in his life. He's not alone: jacksonite has had an immense influence on everyone in the galaxy. It could be said that jacksonite has made the current galactic civilization possible. Now jacksonite has brought Benton to Colliery, the only world where the mineral is found, the headquarters of the immensely powerful and wealthy Jacksonite Corporation. He will know this world, and liberate it -- and in process liberate something deep within himself. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

James Benton is surprised at the role the mineral jacksonite has played in his life. He's not alone: jacksonite has had an immense influence on everyone in the galaxy. It could be said that jacksonite has made the current galactic civilization possible. Now jacksonite has brought Benton to Colliery, the only world where the mineral is found, the headquarters of the immensely powerful and wealthy Jacksonite Corporation. He will know this world, and liberate it -- and in process liberate something deep within himself. . . .

From the Inside Flap

"In his lively new novel, Pit Planet, David Dvorkin takes us on a headlong trip not only between planets, but over, under, and through worlds of greed, sex, politics, intrigue, and adventure, of miners and mindpickers, cavesnakes and triple-crossers. Pit Planet is an absorbing mix of hard science and action sf, with the unmistakable Dvorkin touch."
- Connie Willis, author of Doomsday Book

"Like the great classics by Asimov, Bester, Clarke, and Heinlein, David Dvorkin's Pit Planet is intelligent, thought provoking, exciting Science Fiction entertainment at its finest. . . . a wonderful reading experience. Truly enjoyed it. The sections underground strongly reminded me of the sense of wonder I experienced the first time I read William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land. Cheers for Benton! Pit Planet packs a powerful punch."
- C. Dean Andersson, author of the Bloodsong Saga

"Pit Planet is a pit bull of a novel! It grabs hold and won't let go!"
- Nina Romberg, author of Shadow Walkers

"David Dvorkin reminds us that human nature will follow us into the future. A compelling exploration of the causes and consequences of monopoly."
- Wil McCarthy, author of The Collapsium

"David Dvorkin's Pit Planet is a box of puzzles. Each time a question is answered, a new question is revealed. A fun story with an intriguing and believable cast of characters."
- John Stith, author of Redshift Rendezvous

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wildside Press (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592248314
• ISBN-13: 978-1592248315
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,814,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic sci-fi story!,, July 18, 2003

By 

Travis Baumgart (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pit Planet (Hardcover)

A classic tail of Good vs. Evil with some unique twists that keep you turning pages to find out what's next! The environments are rich, and the characters are easy to identify with. I only want to know one thing...After single handedly collapsing an evil, omnipotent, intergalactic empire...did Jim get the girl?

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put it Down, March 9, 2007

By 

D. Weber "Book Lover" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pit Planet (Hardcover)

There is only one problem with this book. I could NOT put it down once I started reading it. Definitely not a book to start reading if you're going to be interrupted.
Every time I thought I was coming to a stopping place so I could take a break, another little plot twist or something unexpected popped up, and I had to read "just a little bit more".
The adventure of traveling across space gives Jim Benton a chance to visit the reclusive planet Colliery. There he will spend a brief time helping the Jacksonite Corporation with computer programming to make their mines safer and more efficient. Colliery is the only place in the galaxy where jacksonite can be found, and the Corporation owns and runs the planet exclusively for the purpose of mining the mineral which is so vital to the galaxy.
Pit Planet is (technically speaking) a science fiction novel, but the human strengths and frailties are universal, to any era and any location, from earth to Farandhazy and beyond. Love, hate, revenge, betrayal, generosity, endurance, fear, greed, space travel - this book has it all and it is believable. Genuine emotions and human behavior penned by the skilled hand of David Dvorkin make this book a classic in any generation.
With many books (and movies) I anticipate the events and their conclusions long before I get to the climax. With Pit Planet, every time I anticipated the next event, I was wrong. This book kept me guessing from one page to the next, right up to the end.
The only negative thing I found in this 256-page book was a typo on page 199, and that's hardly Dvorkin's fault. But how often can one read an entire book, be totally enthralled, and find only one little flaw? ("Nit-Picking"...)
I will close with one suggestion: Please, Mr. Dvorkin, write a follow-up. I want to learn what happens on Colliery ... And does Jim ever learn what happened to his parents? ... And ...

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic sci-fi story!, July 15, 2003

By 

Travis Baumgart (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pit Planet (Hardcover)

A classic tail of Good vs. Evil with some unique twists that keep you turning pages to find out what's next! The environments are rich, and the characters are easy to identify with. I only want to know one thing...After single handedly collapsing an evil, omnipotent, intergalactic empire...did Jim get the girl?