Steelheart [Paperback]

William C. Dietz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1998

On a planet called Zuul, in the year 2176, a battle is about to be fought. A battle against an alien race who hold all technology to be the ultimate evil. Human, alien, and android alike struggle against them. But to win, they must unite, they need a leader.

Product Details

• Paperback: 323 pages
• Publisher: Ace (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044100542X
• ISBN-13: 978-0441005420
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 3.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,289,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William C. Dietz is the best-selling author of more than thirty science fiction novels some of which have been translated into German, Russian, and Japanese. He grew up in the Seattle area, spent time with the Navy and Marine Corps as a medic, graduated from the University of Washington, lived in Africa for half a year, and has traveled to six continents. Dietz has been employed as a surgical technician, college instructor, news writer, television producer and Director of Public Relations and Marketing for an international telephone company. He writes full-time and lives with his wife in Washington State. For more information about William C. Dietz and his work visit: williamcdietz.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Sci Fi, August 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Steelheart (Paperback)

"Steel Heart" has a very strong setting, in-depth use of characterzation, and a solid story. Unlike the reader from CT, I liked the level detail provided for the minor characters. The only drawback is that the ending is somewhat rushed. "Steel Heart" is not quite as good as "legion of the Damned" and "The Final Battle", but it is still a good read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anarchy and religious zealotry do NOT mix, August 31, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (College Station, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steelheart (Paperback)

Harley Doon is an android trying to survive the colapse of the civilization that he belongs to. He cares nothing about much of anything. The colony that was established on Zuul is rapidly failing because if an environmental collapse.

Harley gets caught up in a quest to save the planet. He is not happy about it. He is forced into a situation where he has to cart a program from a his new arm into the wilds of an unsafe veldt.

The premise and the execution of this book almost work. The characters are REALLY well done. The motivations and reasoning make perfect sense. The ideas are novel. The only flaw is that the war sequence was unneeded. It has been a long time since I have read a better treatment of "The World Needs Saving" scenerio.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Steelheart is one hell of a cyberpunk novel!, July 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Steelheart (Paperback)

STEELHEART is a fresh cyberpunk novel. I thought I was jaded, if not certainly poisoned, against reading anymore diffusive, anal retentive cyberpunk tales. And the title certainly fooled me into thinking that the novel was not a cyberpunk novel. But Dietz had the right blend, and was fresh enough to show it. In addition, he certainly had The right characters that I'd like to see more of in further sequels (including the McCade series) of the planet Zuul as well.

The only reason that I didn't give it a full five-star rating was that I felt that Willie spent way, way, way too much time on the s***heads in the story, especially those alien Zid characters and their associated sociological circles. I would have appreciated, as I'm certain quite a few other readers out there would have as well, to see a more elaborate epilogue/ending/whatever, if not a more detailed summary of what happened to our android and human mummy and daughter heroes. I wasn't especially c! harmed to find out that those insipid teenage Zid characters had survived and subsequently been allowed to reproduce. Sorry, those dips*** Zid teenyboppers didn't cut any ice with me, Willie. Except, maybe, as suckers who'll provide a good example in being zealous overpayers of their IRS taxes!...