Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An alien world that FEELS alien!, October 15, 1997
Many authors have tried to write books set on alien worlds. This author succeeds where others fail. He makes the reader feel as though it is an alien world, and not just a dressed up Earth. This book is set in a world in which humans are threatening the native extraterrestrials through cultural assimilation. This is a similar problem which has been seen with the Native Americans in this country. The author does not preach. His story is not about this assimilation. This is merely the setting. Instead, the story has more to do with a communications device. The device has a lot to do with the difficulty between the indigenous life and the humans. I would recommend reading this book, but it is not for everyone. A.E. van Vogt tends to be difficult to follow. It took me 2 readings to catch all the important details, and even now there are lingering questions in my mind. Nevertheless, van Vogt is entertaining, he makes the reader feel as though he is on an alien world, and, most importantly, this book will make the reader think.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
I'm giving up, March 1, 2004
I've been trying to read this thing for a week now, and I'm giving up. The story is about some alien world, Diamondia, where some energy eating alien species adopted human food and mannerisms some centuries ago but now have started a very bloody war against the half billion humans who now inhabit their planet. Compounding the mix are the Earth Federation and some mysterious telepathic "darkness" that takes over people's brains. Our hero is from the Earth Federation Negotiating Committee who is there to negotiate peace, or let the humans fall to cut expenses. Various factions plot against each other in a confused tapestry of irrational but deadly subplots. Technology on this fictional planet ranges from extremely futuristic to mundane 20th century. Taxies are very much like 20th century earth. Psycho hypnosis projectors are futuristic. We're also supposed to believe that the alien prostitutes are suitable and more fun than human prostitutes. Some allusion is made to conflict between human men or "males" as the author calls them and the women who have not joined the "women's union." I found it confused, dull, and disappointing. Read it if you're a die hard Van Vogt buff or student of 20th century Sci Fi classics.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A hard one for Van Vogt avid readers., January 11, 2001
I'm afraid i did not enjoy this book very much. The MASTER is known in his fluctuating quality of works ,and this one is not of the better ones.Not a bad book at all , BUT - somewhat slow ,the action-level is way down than the usual ,and the book is not as idea-filled as many others. Though written in '72 and being late Van Vogt ,it's not that. After all "Battle of forever" is from '71 ,and demonstrates perfectly the MASTER's simple ,almost naive ,yet ultra-imagenative ,and overwhelming ,never-read-before-and-since ,powerfull style. I would recommend it only to true Vogtians ,that know what he's capable of ,and just have to read whatever he wrote ,like me. Don't worry too much guys ,it's not as bad as "Book of Ptath" ,but no "Silkie" either.
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