Customer Reviews

Psychoshop

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

 

 

As a long-time fan of both Alfie Bester and Roger Zelazny, I was delighted to find this posthumous collaboration. "Pschoshop" is, I think, true to both authors' bodies of work. After all, Bester's influence on Zelazny is evident in a a number of works, most notably "Eye of Cat" with its dazzling experimental typography so reminiscent of what Bester had done in "The Demolished Man" and "The Stars My Destination". What parts belong to which writer? I really would not care to guess. Their styles blend too well for that to be clear. "Psychoshop" is not the equal of the finest works of either Bester or Zelazny -- a level that few other writers can match -- but it is amusing and bright and energetic and engaging and makes a satisfactory last gift from these two wonderfully creative authors.

As a fan of Bester, I eagerly snatched up the latest offering. The book offered quite a surprise. I immediatley noticed a diiferent direction from Bester and about the middle of the book I found myself losing intrest.The characters seemed rather typical.I kept with it, however, and was pleased to find a transcendental world forming at the end. The finished product somehow reminded me of "The Illuminati".Psychoshop is not classic Bester but it is a good book none the less.

Having never before read either Bester or Zelazny (I left my sci-fi roots at Asimov's door long ago) I had no comparison to their other works. As such, this book was a seamless story of amusement and intrigue. The characters are witty and mysterious, and the plot is extremely clever. I would highly recommend it. As an added benefit, it also has one of the most beautiful love poems I have ever read.

It's not The Demolished Man, it's no The Stars My Destination, but it's certainly Bester. I don't have any prior Zelazny experience to help determine what was his and what was Bester's, but there are noticeable style and pacing changes throughout the book. But don't let that stop you. Any Bester fan will find plenty to keep things interesting, and I personally find Psychoshop much closer to his first novels than his later works (Golem 100, The Computer Connection, etc.) which most readers tend to find inferior. Oh, and as an added bonus, keep your eyes open for the Burning Man ...

I picked this book up because I thought the title and the cover seemed pretty interesting. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, which is rare for me because I prefere TV. Yet i sat there for a few long sessions and finished the book. I think the books views and their meddlings in history are very well thought out. The plot twists are superb and the fight scene is fantastic. I really enjoied this book.

This book blended the two author's styles nicely. It was a lot of fun on the second read, trying to pick which part was written by whom. The fight scenes were pure Zelazny. Wonderfully crafted by a skilled fencer & Aikidoist.

This book is like almost any work of Phillip K. Dick...incredibly insane, but as hard to stop reading as it is to stop smoking... The problem is that I just keep getting this nagging feeling that the book would have been better if Alfred's insanity would've finished it...instead, you can clearly tell Zelazny's parts because they're just too sane--I'd have liked for Alfred's insanity to culminate in the incredible ending that it already has.

The book deserves ofcourse 5 stars ,but since each of the giants wrote better on his own - let there be four.

It's almost blesphemy ,but I think the book would have come out better if Bester would be alive to finish it on his own. Not that the late Zelazny ruined it or something ,it's just that opposite to a few other reviewers ,I could tell when Bester stops and Zelazny takes over. It's not a bad change ,bad there's a change. of pace .of style. of plot direction.

As it came out at last ,it's a wonderfully written ,humoristic (not really FUNNY but light-hearted) ,with that Bester quality of PKD chaos ,but not as gloomy ,and zelazny's action ,and a number of sub-plots converging at the last possible point. Overall one of the best half-light reads i've had.(half-light 'cause Bester's style is more heavy ,but not domminant).

Very recommended.

This book is very fast pased and gets interesting from page one. The characters are not what you expect. And eveery time you see them in a new light