Customer Reviews

The Bug Wars

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Robert Asprin writes comedy, right? I had made the unfortunate mistake of bottlenecking this author's style - and I did love the Myth series of books - but he covered a serious science fiction drama with an impeccable portrait of war, and a species constrained by a sense of honor and dignity. The writing in this book was surprisingly sensitive and heartfelt, and the characterizations were wholly satisfying. This was a good read, on many levels.

This book is simply the best Sci-fi novel I have ever had the pleasure to read, hands down. It combines the sophistication and imaginative futuristic weaponry with the traditional imperialism of a race versus another, with insects as humans simply to make it that much more weird and exciting. My father read this book to me before I could even read it myself (I don't recommend this considering it would scare normal kids beyond words) but it really is a good book for anyone to read over the age of about 13. action-packed, suspensful, intruiging, creative, mysterious and fast-paced, this book is not only one you can't put down, but is one you will most certianly pick up again in the future.

I'm a big fan of Asprin's work, so I may be a bit prejudiced. Unlike his other work it is barely humerous at all but still very captivating. I loved this mix of Action / Adventure and Millitairy Science Fiction. The aliens are really alien, and very cool.

(Sophisticated? Hell yeah, like a magnum blazing in the full moonlight).

The bug wars is an excellent novel, succeeding on wo fronts. First, it paints a realistic and unromanticized picture of a military campaign. Second, it produces an excellent description of a totally alien society and mindset, without the use of human comparisons. Either of these alone would be difficult. However, I agree with the reviewer who said that the story isn't really over. I myself would like to see a sequel wherein the Tzen encounter humans. I would be interested to read what they would think of us, and how they would react to our civilization.

It's been a while since I read this book, but I remember I enjoyed it quite a bit. One of the more interesting aspects of some Science Fiction books is the opportunity to look into Alien minds. Asprin gives as a look into the minds of a Warrior Lizard race. It seem odd to me that a previous reviewer has complained that the actions and thinking of the Lizards is illogical. THEY ARE ALIENS!!! JEEZ, if they thought like us, what would be the point of the book.

I first got this book back in the late 70's and was amazed; hey, it's sic-fi, bugs vs. lizards, and lots of bloodshed, what more could a teen look for in a book (ok, a pretty maiden would have been nice but didn't expect it with bugs and insects). Seeing this in a used book store I had a flashback and decided I wanted to see how well this one had aged.

This one's not the simple shoot 'em up you'd expect, instead it's more of a look at culture; mainly the lizards caste society with speculation and observation of the federation of bugs. There is an interesting piece where the main character speculates on intelligent mammals, something the scientific caste has speculated on but the lizards have a hard time considering due to mammals being their food of choice. The story is told from the lizards perspective with the focal point being Rahm, a member of the warrior cate, takes us thru the different campaigns and between times. While Rahm rises in rank in each campaign he's always close to the action going from team leader to being responsible for the campaign. An interesting piece that's hidden in the book is that both the bugs and the lizards are the result of an earlier space going society that has failed atleast in that portion of space. There are no space combats (space is nothing more than something where the transport sits while forces deploy), the first campaign the lizards us flyiers at first and after that everything is a ground campaign, either clandestine or active opertations.

It was interesting to go back and re-read a book I loved long ago. While the book didn't age my expectations did. The actions weren't as big or grand as I remembered but rather more of a action/response with observation. Rahm is an interesting character that's rich with his intelligence but limited with his emotional capabilities, guess its from being a lizard. While I was heavily in love with this one as a teen, the fascination was weaker this time, partually because my tastes have changed, partially because other books have done as good a job or better at exploring cultures (sorry, my favorite is CJ Cherryh for that). I did love how Mr. Asprin explored a caste society, showing rivalry with a culture but feel he failed to truely enable the bugs or explain how either culture could survive much past their current war (we're told of only three castes for lizards, warrior, technician, and scientist and that they use controlled breeding. What happens to a society like that that no longer has something to conquer). I'm giving the node to this one as 4 stars mainly because it was entertaining and thought provoking, but its a weak 4 star recommendation.

This was an action packed fun book that I enjoyed immensely. I wish there was a sequel or prequel.

I just finished reading this book and loved it! It was borrowed from a schoolmate and so I don't still have a copy. Like stated, I loved the book but found it sligtly disturbing. It outlines, from the first person viewpoint, the history of one battle in the exsistance of a reptillian race called the Tzen against a coalition of insects classified as Leapers, Wasps, Ants, and Swimmers. What disturbs me about the book is the sheer illogical implications of much of the battles. One example is the killing of one excellent Warrior for a token offense to gain honor, of all things. In another case, one of the best warriors is made to bleed to death to deliver her report instead of being medically treated and allowed to recover before being interrogated. As to the end of the book, it seems that the Tzen simply would rather have their warriors butchered by the enemy instead of advancing their technologies to provide a clear margin of superiority--against a group of peaceful scientist-warrior insects for heavens sake! Like I said, the book is excellent, but very disturbing indeed.

Interesting look at this warlike reptilian society, but it tends toward the bland side, in somewhat the fashion that an Enterprise crewed entirely by Vulcans would. And, because there is no real beginning or end, and no point, this is really more of a sketch than a novel. However, I'd like to read the novel that this is the center portion of.

"The Bug Wars" are superb! I initially picked the book up at the local bookstore, as the title "The Bug Wars" indeed intrigued me. So I said, what the heck, I'm buying the book.

The story is divided into three books, all contained in the paperback (so think about it, you are actually getting three books for one?). Each book tells part of the military life of the narrator, a Tzen (reptile) known as Rahm. Rahm starts off as a commander of a flight squad, and then in the next book he is another position, and in the final book he is yet another.

Aside from that, we see Rahm go through changes in ways he thinks. He is an older Tzen, seeing new changes in his Empire as the days go on and we see how he treats them. The book is also loaded with action and some thrills. It keeps you interested.

Final analysis: Buy the freakin' book. It took me three days to read the 217 page story while reading another book at the same time.