Friday, May 31, 2013

Deathworld by Harry Harrison

You know those pulp sf stories you discovered when young?

And then got your kids to read because you knew they'd just love them?

And then were surprised by their comments about the plotting, motivation, and thinness of some of the characters? Which were right on target?

Yeah ... that's what we've got here with Rose's review of Deathworld. Which made me laugh several times.
Still, what is character development in the face of carnivorous plants, poisonous animals, murderous bacteria, and the perpetual threat of volcanic eruptions? I’m not going to read a book called Deathworld for characters talking about their feelings.

2 comments:

  1. One of my favorite books as a teenager. I reread it a couple years ago and it mostly hold up for what it is. Still you don't really see much character development from Harrison. Yet you get fun things like this book and the very enjoyable stainless steel rat series.

    I also remember as a teenager as a teenager being intrigued by the philosophy in Deathworld II. Not so much when I reread it. Wow was that part of it stupid sophisms with just as bad of a philosophical understanding of the new atheists.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rose is working on her review of Deathworld II. I will be curious to see what she says about that philosophy. I mostly recall enjoying the way that world's inhabitants habitually did everything backwards ... technologically anyway.

      Delete