Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Other (Childe Cycle) by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0-8125-1599-4 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 1995 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.4 (5 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A slight anti-climax, but readable
Comment: To the best of my knowledge, Dickson never followed this book up and thus never really completed the Childe Cycle, which is an incredibly disappointing thing because it was heading toward an ending of some sort. However, I'm not sure if Dickson knew what kind of ending he was going to go with, since he totally stopped the series' momentum after the Chantry Guild (not the most exciting book to begin with) and started to backtrack and discuss the life of Bleys Ahern. This book picks up where "Young Bleys" left off and parallels more or less The Final Encyclopedia. Fortunately for the reader, Bleys is an interesting character in that he's supposed to be the villain but he's not truly evil, he has his own viewpoint which he intends on pursuing as far as he can take it. So exploring his personality in greater detail was a smart idea to some extent but Dickson seems to be just treading water, keeping the story light on any sort of action and high on political manipulation. The only problem is that with Bleys around it basically chucks all suspense out the window because he succeeds in everything he tries, once or twice in the story Dickson pulls out an "aha-ha!" moment but there's not exceptionally memorable that happens. He introduces one interesting subplot where Bley's Uncle Henry, a decent warrior in his own right, decides to take along to save his nephew's soul from Satan. This hints at a confrontation that never really occurs and the book is the worse for it. Also, it was hinted in the Final Encyclopedia that something not so good happened to Bleys' brother Dahno, but nothing is noted about that either. So instead the book just sort of chugs along in a connect the dots fashion, with Bleys moving from one planet to another, forming a plan and enacting it and then forming another plan somewhere else and doing the same. The one honest to goodness action sequence drags, much like it did in The Chantry Guild, by going on for way too long until you're not sure what the point is anymore. Otherwise it's all talk, talk, talk, more often than that expository in nature. So while the book is readable and entertaining to some extent, this almost total lack of drama or suspense very much hamstrings the book and destroys whatever momentum it has, you keep turning the pages through essential inertia and not because of the burning need to see what happens next. Worst of all, the book continues the annoying Dickson trend of simply ending with almost nothing resolved, doubly frustrating because Dickson never went further than this book with the Cycle. In the end, people who want to read for pure enjoyment should stick with the first few books in the cycle, up to the Final Encyclopedia. Those who want to see what kind of potential this series had should move on to the rest and wonder about what might have been.
Rating: 2
Summary: A Disappointment In The Childe Cycle
Comment: Gordon R. Dickson's Childe Cycle, sometimes called the 'Dorsai novels' is truly one of the great works of Science Fiction. The early novels begin an exciting series that continue through Dickson's masterpiece 'The Final Encyclopedia.' The next two novels in the series, 'Young Bleys' and 'Other' fall far short of the series' first novels. 'Other,' in particular lacks much of the kinectic drive the was a prevalent device in the other Dorsai novels. All of the novels take place in a wonderfly drawn universe of many worlds and cultures. What made the first novels of this series work was the amazyingly complex combination of fast-paced adventure and well thought out interworld politics. While 'Other' holds the political intrigues in abundance it sorley lacks the excitment and exhileration of the other novels. 'Other' does have it's good points however; it is full of the multi-dimensional characters that are a Dickson trade mark and has just enough reference to the events of 'The Final Encyclopedia,' (the two novels take place simultaniously,) that it is not a complete waste of time. This is one for die-hard fans only and not a great introduction to the series.
Rating: 4
Summary: a needful development of the villain of the series...
Comment: ....who in the other books was a mysterious if cardboard bad guy. In OTHER you find out more about who he is and why he's a match for Hal Mayne.
 |
Title: The Final Encyclopedia (Sf Series , Vol 2) by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0312861885 Publisher: Orb Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1997 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
 |
Title: Lost Dorsai (Dorsai/Childe Cycle) by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812504046 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 15 June, 1993 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
 |
Title: Soldier, Ask Not (Tor Science Fiction) by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812504003 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 1993 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
 |
Title: Dorsai Spirit: Dorsi! and the Spirit of Dorsai by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0312877617 Publisher: Orb Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
 |
Title: Necromancer (Childe Cycle) by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812545303 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
