Customer Reviews

The Starchild Trilogy

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4 star:		(1)
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I just finished the last book of the STARCHILD TRILOGY by Pohl and Williamson last week. I thought the first book REEFS OF SPACE was the best.

Some of the things I liked about REEFS OF SPACE:

The Plan Of Man - A super-computer which runs all human affairs. Citizens must constantly check-in at computer terminals for orders ie. before beginning work, after completing each task, before leaving a room, after entering a room etc.

Risks - People who have performed badly, underachieved, or been caught performing unplanned actions or having unplanned thoughts.

The Collar - An explosive collar worn by the Risks which can be detonated at anytime The Plan Of Man sees fit. It also explodes automatically if tampered with.

The Body Bank - If a Risk continues to screw up or underachieve there is still one way he can contribute to society by providing body parts for transplanting onto or into those citizens who need them in order to remain useful to society.

The JunkMan - A man built by using body parts and made to look exactly like one of the donors at The Body Bank in order to take his place so that this donor could escape, the only person ever to do so.

There was some cool scientific stuff too; jetless drive, Hoyle theory, simbiotic relationships. But all that mumbo-jumbo means little to me. Just call me Olaf Simpleton because it was the simpler concepts which I found entertaining and interesting.

One thing left me cold....At one point in the story someone says that they've known several people who were sent to The Body Bank, but they've never known anyone to recieve a body part from there. Nothing else was ever mentioned about that.

=============================Book II=============================

The first book of THE STARCHILD TRILOGY (The Reefs Of Space) I gave four stars. This book (STARCHILD) is not quite as good as the first one. I can't give it 3-1/2 stars so I'll round up and settle with giving it four stars also.

In THE REEFS OF SPACE you're shown how The Plan Of Man super-computer affects and controls every aspect of daily life for the citizens of Earth and it's colonies. You also get to experience what it's like to wear The Collar and a really good tour of The Body Bank. In STARCHILD The Collar is still a big part of the story, but only brief mention is made of The Body Bank. This second book of the trilogy also gives an up close and personal view of The Plan Of Man super-computer. You get to see how it needs human extensions of itself, humans who can be completely trusted. You're shown what it takes to become a companion of the computer; the education and training involved, the surgical modifications needed, and the sacrafice of "self" and the leaving behind of all that had been a part of your previous life, including loved ones. You also get to see what it's like to live out on the reefs as free men, out of the reach of The Plan Of Man. The climactic ending is great.

If you intend reading the entire trilogy I suggest you stop after this book, I could hardly finish ROGUE STAR(the third book). You DO need to read the first book(The Reefs Of Space), but I'd say the conclusion of STARCHILD is adequate enough to wrap up the series.

=============================BOOK III============================

This trilogy got progressively worse for me. The first book (REEFS OF SPACE) I really liked and it was my favorite, but by the time I reached the final pages of the third book (ROGUE STAR) I didn't really know where the authors were heading with it and I really didn't care.

I felt they had abandoned some earlier concepts a little too early, and perhaps could have pursued and developed other story-lines further. I hate when that happens! Abandoning one really cool concept or story-line for a lame one. I couldn't buy into that "infant star has a crush on a beautiful woman" thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. It ate her boyfriend and that's why it has feelings for her. Still not sold.