Customer Reviews

Quicksand (Daw Books, No. UW1245)

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

 

 

Brunner is an excellent writer - realistic settings, well described, believable characters, interesting ideas. In this novel, however, the plot does not work. As a reader, one has the impression that after 200-odd carefully written, comparatively slow moving pages, the author felt, for whatever reason, that he should come to an end. He abruptly did so, in a quite unconvincing way. Thus, forget about the final few pages. The rest of the novel is well worth reading.

I just found an old copy of this book and being a Brunner fan I had to read it. The story itself is an interesting one, as a psycologist has to question everything he has learned, including his own sanity to work out the puzzle of a woman who does not fit anywhere.

The story rambles along, I found it a bit slow. What was interesting is that it is like a testing ground for other Brunner novels. I can see shades of _Times without a number_ and _Children of the Thunder_ in this book. I am not sure which books came first, but the other two carry their ideas across better.

Once again, Brunner is guilty of pulling the rabbit out of the hat with his endings. The ending is not so much of a twist but more a totally different road!

Not Brunner at his best, but a good one to get if you like Brunner's stories, similar to the early pencil sketches of a painter.

Brunner has always tended to be the Jeremiah of the field, but (for whatever reason) often tempers his novels with an (often contrived) upbeat ending. Not here. _Quicksand_ evokes the tone of a Philip K. Dick work, but is driven home with the sharp focus that makes Brunner such a pleasure to read. It's a shame this one is hard to find - it exceeds _Stand on Zanzibar_ in many aspects. And no, you CAN"T have my copy

I agree with all of the other reviewers main points. This book has an interesting concept, it is well written, and I found myself thoroughly involved with the character of the doctor. But the ending... I liked the twist, but the final events had the effect of ruining the tale for me. Overall this is an interesting earthly sci-fi tale that punishes you for caring about the characters.