Red Claw [Paperback]

Philip Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2009

Philip Palmer turns science fiction on its head in this breathtaking thrill ride through alien jungles filled with terrifying monsters and killer robots. Space marines and science heroes! Gryphons and Godzillas! It's all here in this gripping tale of man versus nature.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Philip Palmer's first novel was Debatable Space (Orbit, 2008), but he has previously written for film, TV, and theater. Find out more about Philip Palmer at www.philippalmer.net.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; Original edition (October 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316018937
• ISBN-13: 978-0316018937
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic pulp fiction escapism, December 9, 2009

By 

ScrawnyPunk (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Claw (Paperback)

Red Claw is classic pulp fiction. It is well paced, very enjoyable, and definitely worth reading by any fan of science fiction or adventure (excluding the last 2-3 pages which provide a second ending on a superfluous existential note). As the characters slowly succumb to the ravages of a foreign planet and his own nature, the title refers to Tennyson's famous couplet concerning the loveless savagery of nature: "Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw / With ravine, shriek'd against his [God's] creed."

The story itself is a basic run-for-your-life-and-get-out tale. Take the characters from "Battle Royale," place them in an off-world version of Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lost World," have HAL-9000 direct a constant assault with Terminators and sentient flying scalpels, and you have a feel for the story line. A well-paced escape story is supported by a thorough imagining of alien taxonomy, future governance structures, and an underlying theme of revenge.

Although the story works well as a thriller, the occasional mix of existentialism, environmentalism (No Terraforming!), and rebellion against an autonomous government is a bit tedious. Other than that, it's a great little read. Enjoy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty good, March 8, 2010

By 

Jim Molnar (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Red Claw (Paperback)

I found this book refreshing and enjoyable to read despite the casual sociopathy the author displays in parts. I think it was mostly because of the good writing: witty, ironic, literate, sort of Dr. Who-ish in humor. It's fun to read the writing of someone who actually knows how to write and enjoys the process. Frankly, most SF does not display this quality. Unlike one of the other readers I had no big problem figuring out the terminology or the world that was built to set the story in. I thought the characterization was pretty good. I found this book way better than Debatable Space which for some reason rubbed me the wrong way.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I've read worse, December 18, 2010

By 

Gregory O'brien "Greg OBrien" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Red Claw (Paperback)

The first paragraph of Johannes Stauffer's review sums up Red Claw, with the kid describing a video game. That being said, there are plot holes, fragmented story lines, and characters who are just simply annoying, underdeveloped, and simply unbelievable. Especially the female characters. I can't not finish a book, so I powered through it. Terrible, no. I've read worse. But not on par with Scalzi, Heinlein, Stephenson, etc.