In the vastness of space, the crimes just get bigger and Slippery Jim diGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat, is the biggest criminal of them all. He can con humans, aliens and any number of robots time after time. Jim is so slippery that all the inter-galactic cops can do is make him one of their own.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Harry Harrison is one of the established greats of SF The Stainless Steel Rat is his most popular creation 'The Rat can hold his head up high amongst the most elevated superhero company; Bulldog Drummond, James Bond and Flash Gordon' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Rather like the old 'Batman' television series, veteran sci-fi writer Harrison's 'Stainless Steel Rat' books work as both entertaining pulpy adventure stories, and tongue-in-cheek parodies of themselves. Featuring a hero who is more resourceful than McGuyver, the books spanned the 60's and 70's before being revived quite recently with 'The Stainless Steel Rat goes to Hell'. 'For President' and 'Saves the World' were the high spots - the series eventually met with dimishing returns, and started to repeat itself. The original 'Stainless Steel Rat' was a short story - after repeating it in mildly-edited form as a 'prologue', the book follows our hero (James Bolivar DiGriz, aka Slippery Jim, aka the Stainless Steel Rat) through a short adventure through space in pursuit of a stolen battleship. With the first part of the book given over to an introduction of the main character, it seems more rushed than the later books (many of which are, annoyingly, out-of-print). It's less obviously comedic, too, and the vision of the future is sketched with enough vagueness that it hasn't dated too badly, either.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By P. Chambers
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Normally I am not a fan of sci-fi. Most of the sci-fi I have read takes itself wayyy too seriously and requires readers to be absolutely fascinated with technology, technology, technology. For those of us, however, who are more interested in people, personalities and motivations, and who appreciate a snappy, clever writing style, The Stainless Steel Rat makes a surprisingly good read. The main character, Slippery Jim DiGriz, is one of those "likeable bandit"-type characters whom you want to root for even though they are technically breaking the law. I am thinking of, for example, Butch Cassidy (played on screen by Paul Newman in 1972), "The Grey Fox" (played by Richard Farnsworth around 1982), and the George Clooney character in the 1998 movie "Out of Sight." These characters, like Slippery Jim, are daring, sassy and iconoclastic in their lawbreaking careers, and all of them revel in a justifiably high opinion of their own professional competence at what they do. Yet they also have a lot of warmth and personal charm and happen to place a high value on human life. They are thieves, not murderers. I really like that. What makes the Stainless Steel rat book particularly entertaining, for me, is Harrison's witty, lively writing style (although he does have a habit of misusing commas--this is why I give the book 4 stars instead of 5), and most of all, the philosophical questions that are (inadvertantly?) posed now and then by the story. For example: Jim changes his identity several times by altering his physical appearance and making up a new bogus personality and personal history to go along with it. Yet his inner self remains the same at all times, which we (the readers) know because he shares his true inner thoughts with us.... Read more ›
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By J. Wehner
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The stainless steel rat is such a good nickname for the main character of this story. I loved the fact that even though it is set in the future the scams that Harry Harrison writes about in the very beginning of the story are so believable. The characters, places and ideas are what make this book a winner how could I give it something less than 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Mass Market Paperback
James Bolivar DiGriz (aka Slippery Jim) is one of my altime favorite characters. Set in the future, this tale of a criminal mastermind loose in an artificially pacified universe will not let you put it down. Great wit mixed with masterful writing, as has come to be expected from a legend of Harry Harrison's calibur, leaves you chuckling and invigorated. The great hook in the first paragraph leads into an unforgettable story of suspense, daring, intelligence, and humor. Get a copy today.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Nemo
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Pretty good. Basically a futuristic take on hiring a criminal to catch a criminal.
The protagonist is a thief, and a good one. He is caught and pressganged into sevice to catch people like himself, only more violent.
Good sci-fi is always a treat.
The protagonist is a thief, and a good one. He is caught and pressganged into sevice to catch people like himself, only more violent.
Good sci-fi is always a treat.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
When Harry Harrison created "Slippery Jim DiGriz" (pun intended I'm certain), he created the mold for any number of book and movie heroes from that day forward.
Slippery Jim, or The Stainless Steel Rat, is a self reliant individual (well, at least with his gadgets) who strives to live outside the bonds of his highly documented, low privacy society. Sometimes this means being a thief, and sometimes a hero, but it always means clever solutions to well constructed problems, along with some adventure, colorful personalities, and extremely amusing asides, philosophies, and escapades.
The Stainless Steel Rat series of books are not great literature, but they did entertain me as much as anything I've ever read, and caused me to follow Harrison's writing through his other works (the ones that aren't about Slippery Jim). This first effort kicks things off in grand fashion, and shouldn't be missed by fans of sci-fi, humor, clever spy/thief stories, and farce. Very clever writing by a very clever man.
Slippery Jim, or The Stainless Steel Rat, is a self reliant individual (well, at least with his gadgets) who strives to live outside the bonds of his highly documented, low privacy society. Sometimes this means being a thief, and sometimes a hero, but it always means clever solutions to well constructed problems, along with some adventure, colorful personalities, and extremely amusing asides, philosophies, and escapades.
The Stainless Steel Rat series of books are not great literature, but they did entertain me as much as anything I've ever read, and caused me to follow Harrison's writing through his other works (the ones that aren't about Slippery Jim). This first effort kicks things off in grand fashion, and shouldn't be missed by fans of sci-fi, humor, clever spy/thief stories, and farce. Very clever writing by a very clever man.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
"The Stainless Steel Rat" is very good reading.
This is the first book in the "Stainless Steel Rat" series. Let us just say that the right criminal might, just might, make an interesting law and order agent.
Read this book.
This is the first book in the "Stainless Steel Rat" series. Let us just say that the right criminal might, just might, make an interesting law and order agent.
Read this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Product of it's times
Enjoyable main character but feels dated. A lot of the tech is clunky. Character attitudes and motivations are a product of the 1950'/60's.
Published 5 months ago by Gwynarra
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the first of all the Stainless Steel Rat books
In the old days, rats were plentiful- they lived in barns, were fairly easy to catch. But modern society only a stainless steel rat- a rustless rodent- can slip between the cracks... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Larry
5.0 out of 5 stars
The audiobook revived my love for this story
I just listened to the audiobook of The Stainless Steel Rat, and remembered why I have loved this story and character for years. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jennifer L. Bales
5.0 out of 5 stars
Try this in audio!
"At a certain stage, the realization strikes through that one must either live outside of society's bonds or die of absolute boredom. Read more
Published on December 17, 2010 by Katherine Hooper
4.0 out of 5 stars
A bit dated.
This book, originally published in 1961, shows some signs of its age; it is in a style very reminiscent of the pulps of that era of science fiction, in which character development... Read more
Published on June 12, 2009 by James Yanni
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Funny SCI-FI
"Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series is a mix of James Bond, Buck Rodgers and Arthur Dent"
Published on November 15, 2007 by Kristy Caley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic likeable master-thief in comic but workable SF environment
Slippery Jim Degris is a bit of a James Bond stereotype, sure, but Harrison is well aware of the conventions and is celebrating them. Read more
Published on October 6, 2007 by Trevor Kettlewell
4.0 out of 5 stars
Super Reader
The Stainless Steel Rat is a character that is most definitely in the Arsene Lupin mold, although perhaps not quite so flash. A rogue and a super-thief if you like. Read more
Published on August 26, 2007 by Blue Tyson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shocker
This book was referred to me by an old friend, so as a courtsey I picked it up and read it...WOW. It was great, I've always seen myself in a life of crime, and this book really... Read more
Published on September 24, 2006 by N. Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply one of the best "fun" sci-fi series
The Stainless Steel Rat is simply one of the best sci-fi series ever.
It combines a loveable criminal, and beautiful psychopath, and lots of fun technology in a... Read more
It combines a loveable criminal, and beautiful psychopath, and lots of fun technology in a... Read more
Published on October 11, 2005 by T. L. White
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