The ultimax man [Import] [Hardcover]

Keith LAUMER (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 217 pages
• Publisher: Sidgwick & Jackson; 1st UK ed. edition (1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0283985933
• ISBN-13: 978-0283985935
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Tries too hard, November 12, 2006

By 

Neal J. Pollock (VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ultimax Man (Baen, Sci-Fi) (Paperback)

This book is not in the class of Laumer's Retief books. The 1st half is relatively straight-forward but the rest is a hodgepodge of activity--attempting, I believe, to combine SF with mystery. The ending has a twist, but wasn't very satisfying IMHO. Still, there's some innovative thinking and a good quote: "What one doesn't understand seems arbitrary and meaningless."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book-drive read or lazy afternoon, January 7, 2003

By 

Christopher Bielanski (Lost Wages, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimax Man (Mass Market Paperback)

Simple enough premise about an everyman, abducted by a human-appearing agent and trained to utilize his mind to its fullest. The alien-turned-handler finds the tables turned on him as he realizes he has created an intellect and power superior to his own mind and technology. I first read this book when I was 15 and for years found it not even listed in Laumer's biblio. I would recommend locating this book for any Laumer fan due to its rarity, and definitely loan it to any avid sci-fi middle schooler.

3.0 out of 5 stars Problems with Act II, December 14, 2007

By 

Hinkle Goldfarb (R.R. 1 Highway 162, Butte City, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ultimax Man (Baen, Sci-Fi) (Paperback)

The other reviewers have provided good synopses of this book. I had the curse of reading the first half in Analog, where it went by the title "The Wonderful Secret." The serial version ended with Dammy stealing the space vehicle to head out to the stars. Years later, when I finally read the entire book, I was disappointed that the second half really did not go anywhere, and I also found the stream-of-consciousness narration difficult to follow. Overall, an interesting book, with a humanistic premise that we're all capable of being the best in the Galaxy (or at least "Class 2, Special") and capable of kicking anyone's tail feathers who messes with us.