Product Description
DEATHWORLD centers on Jason dinAlt, a professional gambler who uses his somewhat erratic psionic abilities to tip the odds in his favor. He is challenged by a man named Kerk Pyrrus (who turns out to be the ambassador from the planet Pyrrus) to turn a large amount of money into an immense sum by gambling at a government-run casino. He succeeds and survives the planetary government's desperate efforts to steal back the money. In a fit of ennui, he decides to accompany Kerk to his home, despite being warned that it is the deadliest world ever colonized by humans...DEATHWORLD!DEATHWORLD is one of the classics of the Golden Age of science fiction, born in the pages of Astounding Science Fiction under the editorship of John W. Campbell, Jr. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Didn't want to downgrade the book due to the formatting
This book is an old favorite, and a classic space adventure. The characters are interesting and the storyline unique for its time. Other reviews go into great depth on the storyline and characters...this review addresses the formatting for the Kindle.

There are what appears to be three carriage returns after each paragraph. The white space is so great it interrupts the reading flow.

Still a great story, but its a hard read.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE CLASSICS
I highly recommend this one.Classic SiFi at it's best.Great character development, interesting story line, funny at times and believable.Harrison is one of the best, and this forgotten classic should get more attention from the next generation of readers.Read all three in order.It is more fun that way.

Forgotten Classic
Do yourself a favor and pick up this book online through Amazon used books or Ebay, you will not be disappointed. This is the type of science fiction book that authors don't write anymore. Imaginative, witty, humourous, and packed with enough adventurous situations to fill a hundred lesser books. The main character Jason din Alt is a jack-of-all trades type character, similar to the Rat in Harrison's other well known novels. This book will always hold a place on my bookshelf!

not so great
i read this book when i was in the eighth grade and i liked it a lot. when i got to high school i made my little brother check it out of the library for me so i could read it again. i liked it again. now i'm twenty-five, and i checked it out of the library at college, and i didn't like it very much at all. i remembered a lot more than i realized, and i was surprised to find out just how much i could recall about the book once i got going, but it is really very poorly written. i guess i liked the ideas when i was a kid, but the dialogue is unbearable--everybody talks like a soap opera actor, it's not believeable at all. i finished book one but i couldn't really get started on book two.

Hard to put down
I first across this book in 6th grade, and have now purchased it several times in my life to replace all the copies that have gone missing.It is now relatively hard to find, so snap it up if you can.Three great stories, always good dialog, tons of (relevant) humor.I can't believe Harrison hasn't written dozens of screen plays, as these books are very easy to imagine as being made into movies.
If you enjoy the action-adventure oriented brand of Sci-fi, as opposed to the flying dragon type of thing, you will love this book.
Just imagine Ben Afflick in the lead, and you will have a great mind trip.Impossible to put down. ... Read more

Product Description

Students entering college may think they know just about everything, but…

Whether it's their first year or fourth, college students (who think they already know everything) can always use powerful and proven tips on how to make the most of their experience. In 1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know, Harry H. Harrison Jr.'s latest dose of trademark wit and wisdom provides practical advice ranging from class enrollment, living on campus, study habits and more, that every student-and parent-will benefit from...like buying their books before exams start!

Customer Reviews (16)

Special Gift from Grandma
This is a remarkably readable book for young people ready to enter college.The advice is concise, but often presented in a humorous fashion.Because it isn't a wordy tome, the book invites readers to read just a little bit more, and the topics covered are important for consideration.

The fresh advice covers topics today's high school students probably haven't though about, and it may surprise them to learn that there are often a variety of ways to address a problem.

The format invites scanning, and that approach will provide insight into issues that weren't encountered at home or in local schools.All the rumors about the freshman fifteen, roommate problems, teachers' expectations, being home sick, making new friends are covered.The advice is to the point and worthy of consideration.

1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know is a great gift to a grandchild who will soon be attending college.

Orders from Amazon come quickly, and the books are available as needed.

I wish I had known
As an adult college student getting ready to graduate, I wish I had found this book earlier.I work as a tutor and have shared this book with several other students who all found it helpful.College is scary and this book breaks it down in common language about what to realistically expect.Parents, read this book, have your college-bound student read it, and then discuss it. It covers everything from academics to drinking and could be a good way for parents to approach their children about some things they may not know. Much of it is couched in humorous terms but the message still gets through. Many college students think they already know everything but if you send this book to school with them, I'm pretty sure they'll open it more than once during their college career.

Eh...
If you like being bossed around then this book is for you. I'm going to college and I had some Amazon gift certificates to spend. I had about 5 dollars leftover and I saw this in the clearance section so I said, hey why not. I'll tell you why not: EVERY single sentence in this little book starts with: YOU NEED TO KNOW. Hey now, I'LL decide what I need to know!! The author comes across as a know it all and although I'm only about 15 pages into the book, I'm already sick of it. It actually has some good tips but they get kinda lost in the the annoyingly bossy tone the author uses.

Excellent, but a couple of reservations
This book has a lot of excellent, practical tips on college life. I just had a couple of reservations.

First, Harrison overemphasizes college as job training. He says, don't listen to that nonsense about college being a time for personal exploration. "At up to $50,000 a year, it's job training." (p. 74) College should be job training and personal exploration and intellectual and social development.

Secondly, Harrison recommends that students live in the dorm (p. 45). That is desirable if the student can afford it and certainly better than having their own apartments. However, some students couldn't afford to attend college if they didn't live at home. They shouldn't take on the financial burden of living in the dorm. (Harrison does say later that living at home is better than racking up high student loans.)

I'm a former college teacher who has done research on why college students drop out.

A good grad gift
Makes a nice little gift for the high school graduate.Filled with practical advice you mom and dad would give you but from an impartial outside source, increasing the chance they'll listen! ... Read more

Product Description
As a former boy, a father immediately understands why his son builds a tower of blocks, calls it a boom crane, and then knocks it down. But why does his daughter build the same tower, call it an ice-cream cone, and then offer a taste? As Harry Harrison, author of the chunky little bestseller Father to Son, would suggest, fathers of daughters should simply enjoy that imaginative treat, and every other she's likely to dream up.

Filled with short, sweet, inspirational words of wisdom, FATHER TO DAUGHTER is a book of guidance for Dads on loving, shaping-and learning to comprehend-their inscrutable little girls. Divided into stages from infancy on up, it offers a pithy lesson on every page. Helpful reassurance: "Tickle her, play with her, give her piggyback rides. She's not breakable." Advice on passing down skills: "Show her how to climb up a tree. Also, how to climb down." Your role: "Be home for dinner on time. This is very important." "Make sure she knows she can call you at any time and you will go get her. This is why the cell phone was invented." Guideposts, both material and spiritual: "Give her a piggybank when she's little. She's never too young to learn the value of saving." And, "Help her understand that there's more to life than wearing the right jeans." And finally: "Prepare for the day when you're not the most important man in her life." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

A better Daddy than a Father!
I bought this book for my Son who is a new Father of a baby girl. I thought the pages were insightful
and I hope he will read it again often. If he finds just one word that fives him hope for this upcoming rollercoaster ride called parent hood that he is on I will be beyond thrilled for them both.

Amazing little book!
Just bought this book for my future son-in-law, who is expecting a little girl in a few months (as a Father's Day gift.) It is full of advice that is so true! I know he's going to love this book, and I hope he'll read it again and again! The author has written a series (mother to daughter, mother to son, father to son.) I'm hoping he'll write one for grandparents next! These make adorable gifts! I wish my husband and I had received these when our children were born!

Awesome book...
Being the father of two young girls, this book came in handy. Kind of like a little hint book to help you through the trials and tribulations of raising a daughter(s). Would also make a great gift to first time dads too!

Inspirational, Not Instructional
My wife and I have both enjoyed reading this book. I certainly don't agree with everything in here, but it's an easy, fun read and there are certainly insightful nuggets. If each of us were to write this book, it would have as many versions as writers. I feel sorry for anyone intolerant enough to condemn the book for not completely agreeing with their values and take on the world. As I mentioned, I don't agree with every point, but it obviously was meant to serve as an inspirational read for dads (and moms) who love their daughters and truly believe they can achieve anything they set out to do.

loved it
I was reading through this book while my husband was trying on suits and found that I loved it. Some of the sayings were really funny and some will make you misty-eyed. But it is a book of sayings, it is not an indepth explanation of how to raise a young woman in this day and age, etc. So, if thats what you're looking for, then look somewhere else. These little sayings and tidbits of advice do stick with you though. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I really liked the book and look forward to purchasing the "Mother to Son/Daughter" when I become pregnant. ... Read more

Product Description
This Halcyon Classics ebook edition contains ten works by eminent science fiction writer Harry Harrison, including three full-length novels (DEATHWORLD, DEATHWORLD 2, and PLANET OF THE DAMNED), as well as 'The Misplaced Battleship,' the first story to include the character of Jim DiGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat.Includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.


Contents:

Deathworld
Deathworld 2
Planet of the Damned
Arm of the Law
The K-Factor
The Misplaced Battleship
Navy Day
The Repairman
Toy Shop
The Velvet Glove
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Classics, but deathworld II is abbreviated
You've got to love the deathworld series, but be aware... deathworld II, while included in this collection, is an earlier version which was abbreviated, if you've read the full novel you will find about 1/3 of this version is cut suddenly short. ... Read more

Product Description
865 A.D. Warring kings rule over the British Isles, but the Church rules over the kings, threatening all who oppose them with damnation. Only the dreaded Vikings of Scandinavia do not fear the priests.

Shef, the bastard son of a Norse raider and a captive English lady, is torn by divided loyalties and driven by strange visions that seem to come from Odin himself. A smith and warrior, he alone dares to imagine new weapons and tactics with which to carve out a kingdom--and launch an all-out war between....The Hammer and the Cross.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Superb
Yes, superb.For boys of all ages.Well, perhaps the more manly, fourteen and older, because it is, as others have pointed out, somewhat brutal.

Humans & Gods Get Mingled.
This alternate history tale is full of attractive ideas, images and characters. A very well documented background reveals Harrison's researches.

The novel shows how myths are created: the chosen Hero, rising from an obscure corner and going step by step on the path Gods or Destiny had forged for him.
At the same time, Shef is not a puppet in their hands, his humanity is present, he is free to choose and he does so, not without paying the price.

The entire early middle age world is reconstructed accurately; its reality is overwhelming. Harrison has profited from his long period living at Denmark, the Norse legends blended seamlessly into the narrative and the Viking characters, with their regional characteristics (a Dane is different from a Norwegian and from a Sweden) shows it.

Also we may trace hints of Mark Twain's "Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's court", and that excellent movie that was "Alfred the Great" (1969) but recreated in a new and brilliant scheme. The inventions and rediscoveries are plausible; they make me think about a genius like Leonardo da Vinci, transported some centuries ahead of his time.

This is a book to enjoy and read more than once.

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

A great start to the trilogy
This was a great trilogy.I enjoyed Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series, but that's a lighthearted, comedic series.It made these books quite a surprise.They follow the life of a boy named Shef and his impact on the medieval european world.It melds together vikings, english, romans, galls, germans, arabs, jews, and almost every people of that time.

The series has a strong religions message that doesn't really come out in fullness until the end.Maybe I mean religious philosophy - it doesn't really endorse any particular religion as much as examine how absolute belief without question can be dangerous.

The books are quite gritty and realistic.There are lots of battles and fights, and the character development is great as well.The characters are deep and the plot is unpredictable.If you like gritty fantasy, read this trilogy.

Great, Excellent, Fantasic
I normally dislike alternate history.But this proved that people can pull this genre off.If you come to this book looking for stories about the Norse gods you won't find them.Instead, you find an Englishman who falls in among Viking raiders .He meets a Way-man(i.e. Asatruar) who tells him about the Asier and Vanir (Norse gods).His life from that point is then touched by his patron god (can't say who, it will spoil the book).
This is a grand story, filled with romance, action, adventure, mystery, and one suprise after another.I'm currently reading the sequel and so far it is proving to be just as impressive.You will not be disappointed if you buy this book.

Fun Book
This was a fun book-I enjoyed it so much that I slogged through the end of the series, which I thought was pretty crappy, because I liked this one so much.

It's sort of sad that people say 'It's great history' or 'It changed my life', though. It's not that hard to write a history that makes one people look evil and another saintly, especially if you use 'alternate history' to do it, and Harrison is far from an un-biased observer in matters of religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great SF Novel
Harry Harrison is probably my favorite SF writer, even though his novels are aged they still read great today. This trilogy was the first of his i read and they are great books. Wheelworld is a creative, fantastic story in a setting unmatched by any other SF novel i have read. ... Read more

Product Description
Book One, Book Two and The World West of Eden ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Best alternate history premise ever and a great adventure
The premise underlying Harrison's trilogy is that the meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs never hit the earth, thereby allowing dinosaurs to evolve in parallel to humans. Harrison's genius is that the resulting struggle between the two types of intelligent life is not only believable, but riveting. The coldness of the ruling dinosaurs jumps off the page. Each faction uses its strengths and the other's weaknesses to try to gain the upper hand.

This book is good enough and original enough that it defies genres.It's a war novel, it's an adventure novel and it's the very best fantasy. I enjoyed the first entry in the trilogy the most, but all three are very, very good and deserve a place on your bookshelf.

A feat of imagination
All too often, works of alternative history fall into the trap of Roth's "Plot Against America," where after a bump "history" reasserts itself and all things proceed pretty much as they did in the real timeline.No danger of that, however, in Harry Harrison's West of Eden, for the change he imagines is truly cosmic in nature.The asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs never happens, and so saurian not only continue to rule the earth, but eventually evolve into an intelligent species, the Yilane.More than merely intelligent, the Yilane develop an advanced technological civilization, and it is in his expounding on this which Harrison's imagination really shines.Unlike Boulle's simian culture, the Yilane's technology and social structure evolves in directions entirely different from that of humanity, their society being strictly matriarchal and their technology based, not on fire and inorganic development but rather on gene manipulation ( a considerable leap when this novel was published in the 1980s).

The novel follows the story of a group of Yilane who migrate to the southern part of North America fleeing the encroaching ice age which is leaving Europe uninhabitable.There they encounter mammals and Neolithic human hunter gatherers, one of whom, Kerrick, is captured and raised among the Yilane.Of course some may quibble with some of Harrison's science, such as humanity developing outside of Africa - indeed it is when he tries to explain himself in the notes like explaining why there are no "old world mammals" in West of Eden, when humanity is perhaps the ultimate "old world" animal - but only the stodgiest of readers should get hung up on this point.After all, lacking humanity, the novel would hold little dramatic tension.

The works only shortcoming is that Harrison's prose come rather wooden and his characters tend toward the two dimensional.Yet I have a hard time imagining that many read "West of Eden" for its literary merits; the joy of this novel beyond the base adventure story is learning about the alien civilization the author creates with such extraordinary depth.

Incredibly Imaginitive.....
This series makes some of Mr. Harrison's other work pale in comparison.

Such a rich, and diverse alien culture and life. Along with thoughtful character development.

This series will stand on its own for many decades.

Does Eden Lay West?
Alternate History stories are one of Harry Harrison's favorite subjects. He had already written three trilogies: "The Hammer & the Cross", "Stars & Strips" and the present one "Eden" series. He situates them in very different eras and contexts: Middle Age, Civil War and a world where dinosaurs are the dominant specie.

Harrison is a great narrator, skilled, with a fertile imagination and proposes the reader astounding scenarios.
The present one assumes the extinction of dinosaurs hasn't occurred, so they are the Kings of Creation. Human are very tiny marginal actors, overshadowed by omnipotent dinos (the Ylane). The only reason why they had survived is that they dwell in America far from the Ylane dominions in Eurasia, but this is going to end. The dinos crossed the ocean, forced by a climatic major change and clash with the mammals.

One human cub is captured and raised by the Ylane but some years after is liberated by a hunting party.
Kerrick has been "civilized" by the dinos and he is able to unite different scattered human groups to face up the menace.
This book and the two that follows tell us the story.

Harrison develops an absolutely different civilization: no fire is known to them; technology is based on biology; the Ylane are not able to lie, due to their very special way to communicate among themselves.
All this issues implies an enormous amount of imagination to make all details coherent and believable.
Harrison also creates different languages for each human group, with their own linguistic structures and provides the reader with an ad-hoc dictionary.

This book may be read as a stand alone story, but if you are hooked as I was, you'll jump to read the next installments!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

A compelling blend of science and alternate history!
With "West of Eden", Harry Harrison's abundantly fertile imagination has posited a unique and intensely challenging alternate history. What if dinosaurs had avoided extinction and evolved into a sentient, intelligent, technology-savvy species vying for supremacy on an ice age earth with a less advanced homo sapiens still struggling at the hunter-gatherer stage of evolution?

As global weather patterns deteriorate and the ice age earth begins to chill precipitately, the human Tanu species find themselves pushed into contact with the reptilian Yilanè species. What starts as a lack of understanding and inability to communicate with one another escalates into armed territorial conflict and ultimately festers into intense hatred and an all-out war that can only culminate in complete extermination of one or the other species. Kerrick, a young boy and the sole survivor of a human group of hunters slaughtered by a Yilanè scouting party, is imprisoned by his enemy and grows to manhood among them. Learning their language and culture, he adapts to survive and his links to humankind fade to a distant and all but irretrievable memory. Ultimately, events force those memories to the surface and Kerrick escapes. He struggles to re-learn his true place in the world and becomes the only warrior with the knowledge and skills capable of leading the Tanu to ultimate victory over the rapacious Yilanè.

Harrison's creations in "West of Eden" are, to say the least thought provoking. The fascinating science of the story, both hard and soft, has clearly been thought through most carefully - genetic engineering and the use of bio-technology at a time when those fields of scientific endeavour were all but embryonic in real-life; the creation of a language and syntax that is obviously (and correctly so) tied closely to Yilanè culture, custom and physiology; the plausible anthropological development of a society that is based on a matriarchal lineage with a class structure that in some respects bears a resemblance to ants or bees.

Our status as readers will be primarily human (at least I expect so)! Inevitably, most of us human readers will slot the Yilanè into the bad-guy role of the novel and our natural prejudices will find us in the role of cheering the Tanu on to victory. This almost unavoidable characterization (good guy/bad guy, Tanu/Yilanè) will probably lead many critical readers to the conclusion that Harrison was also using "West of Eden" as a platform to express his personal objections to the US participation in the Vietnam War - a belligerent, spiteful, technologically superior nation (the Yilanè US) attempting to overpower the Vietcong Tanu, a more agrarian society seeking only to maintain their more earthy way of life. The analogy comes complete with a metaphor for the US draft dodgers and conscientious objectors - see if you don't agree as you read about "The Daughters of Death"!

A fascinating combination of conflict and high adventure, convincing science and alternate history make "West of Eden" a novel well worth the reading for any fan of quality science fiction.

Paul Weiss ... Read more

Product Description
Arm of the Law

Deathworld

The Ethical Engineer

The K-Factor

The Misplaced Battleship

Navy Day

Planet of the Damned

The Repairman

Toy Shop

The Velvet Glove ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

PERFECT CONCLUSION TO A GREAT TRILOGY!
First published in 1968, this is the last of the Deathworld Trilogy.The story follows the adventures of one Jason dinAlt, who we first met in Deathworld, where he became involved with the struggle on a deadly planet which was hostile to all human life, and life was a struggle from second to second.In the second of these books, Jason is kidnapped and taken to a primitive world where he must survive on his wits and physical strength alone.

Now, with this work, the Planet which is Jason's new home is doomed.The quickly evolving environment has won, and the human inhabitants are doomed.But not is all lost.Jason has a plan.The men and women, and even children, who make up the population of Pyrrus are the ultimate fighting force, as far as defense goes.Now Jason has found a planet that is made up of the ultimate offensive fighting force.A planet made up of tribes similar to the Mongols of Earth.Taking a select few volunteers, Jason and his band depart for this planet to start a new life and a new society.The odds are not in their favor.The story is of struggle to do this.

Harrison is a natural story teller.He is funny and his character development is some of the best.This work is about 40 years old now but is just as readable now as the day it was written.This is SiFi at its best. A lot of action, a bit of romance, adventure, strange cultures and tricky problems. It is a pure joy to read.I am one of those people who enjoy rereading the books I like.I have read this one and the two previous works, ever two or three years since they were first published and still enjoy them.It should be noted that you do not have to read the previous two novels to enjoy this one.Each of these works, Deathword, Deathword 2 and Deathworld 3, can be read as separate books and enjoyed as stand-alones.This is one of those works that really should not be lost as it stands the test of times and is actually better that quite a lot of the current stuff in this genre.Cannot recommend this trilogy strong enough.

gem in the rough
Typical sci-fi saga -- a perfect time-sink.Harry creates an interesting
conundrum -- how to survive on a planet that is hostile at every turn.
Great book! ... Read more

Product Description
As two planets that share a single star prepare to go to war, Brion tries to avert the destruction of Nyjord by redeeming the hellish Planet of the Damned. By the author of Winter in Eden. Reissue. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

This is not a review, this is a warning
There are 2 interesting things in this book:

1. The cover, shamelessly ripped off by the Simmons' Hyperion artist.
2. The premise of a planet civilization based around games, something worked out flawlessly in Banks' Player of Games.

However, the cover will only take you as far as page 1 and the games at around page 20. Because, then Harrison does a "Deathworld", unfortunately by orders of magnitude less interesting than the original Deathworld (which was not ground breaking SF to start with). End of warning and zero stars.

Sci-fi Cuban Missle Crisis?
Brion Brandd is a guy from a backwater planet who's been recruited to stop a nuclear war.Many things stand in his way, from an office staff who can't be bothered to the natives themselves.With the help from some friends, he might just be able to stave off the bombs and save an entire world.

Planet of the Damned is a short adventure book that aims to show things aren't how they appear on the surface. The last chapter felt tacked on, like it was an editor's idea as opposed to the author's.There are some obvious things that date the writing but it's still an interesting read for a long weekend.

Extrordinary
I've never been in a desert, or in a distant planet, but writer Harry Harrison made me feel like I was in one, when a person by the name of Brion Bradd went to attempt to save a planet named Dis, from being destroyed in a war. In the book Planet of the Damned, Harrison kept me wanting to keep reading, and to find out what would happen next. New discoveries in the book led to new settings and new plots.

As the story begins, Brion Bradd is asked to help avert a war between to planets by his friend Ihjel. Obviously, Brion must think about this first. Little does he know, he is empathetic, the first man in thirty years. As finalists in the Twenties, which is a competition, they are both up for the job. They pick up a biologist, named Lea, to assist them on their duty. As the novel progresses, Brion learns that this planet is a living hell. The whole planet Dis is a desert. To make thing worse, the crew sets down on the planet, and Ihjel is killed, and Brion and Lea are dehydrated in the middle of nowhere. Will they have success in their mission? You will have to read it to find out!!

As the first science fiction book I have read, it inspired my interest in science fiction novels. It is a short book yet filled with excitement and suspense. From start to finish the book was great. The way Harrison describes the characters, the planets, and the story is extraordinary.

Extraordinary
I've never been in a desert, or in a distant planet, but writer Harry Harrison made me feel like I was in one, when a person by the name of Brion Bradd went to attempt to save a planet named Dis, from being destroyed in a war. In the book Planet of the Damned, Harrison kept me wanting to keep reading, and to find out what would happen next. New discoveries in the book led to new settings and new plots.

As the story begins, Brion Bradd is asked to help avert a war between to planets by his friend Ihjel. Obviously, Brion must think about this first. Little does he know, he is empathetic, the first man in thirty years. As finalists in the Twenties, which is a competition, they are both up for the job. They pick up a biologist, named Lea, to assist them on their duty. As the novel progresses, Brion learns that this planet is a living hell. The whole planet Dis is a desert. To make thing worse, the crew sets down on the planet, and Ihjel is killed, and Brion and Lea are dehydrated in the middle of nowhere. Will they have success in their mission? You will have to read it to find out!!

As the first science fiction book I have read, it inspired my interest in science fiction novels. It is a short book yet filled with excitement and suspense. From start to finish the book was great. The way Harrison describes the characters, the planets, and the story is extraordinary.

If only the coverart were relevant...because that looks neat
The most interesting thing about this book is the cover art, which shows some sort of weird robot thing with arms coming out of its hips... and yet... there are no robots of any kind in the actual book. It almost makes me wonder if this is the cover art intended for some other book. The other book was probably better, too.

Planet of the Damned was a short book, which is one of the few nice things I can say about it. I am usually quite easy to please but this book's plot was pointless, the characters were pointless... I never felt any sense of urgency for their situation or even cared if they lived or died. ... Read more

Product Description
From his first sale in 1950 to his work this year, Harry Harrison has been one of the science fiction worlds creative dynamos, working in every subgenre of the field. Now, on the occasion of his fiftieth anniversary as a writer, Harrison gathers fifty of his best stories for a tour of his best work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A brilliant compilation of Harry's writing.
Absolutely spellbinding.To keep it short, Harry is the most creative writer I've ever "known"(!).This book is filled with so much variety, action, humor, and surprise endings that a television producer could easily create a miniseries based on it.Just plain fun reading - highly recommended!

I can only hope and pray for the Stainless Steel Rat to show his face in at least one more book!

AuthorZone.Com Book Review
A collection of stories but also a great insight into the scince andfiction trends.

Fifty Years of Craftmanship
This collection contains 50 stories written by Harry Harrison in 50 years of professional writing of science fiction. Most of the stories are well-written, but a few are outdated by subsequence events. Some are deliberately shocking -- Rescue Operation, Roommates -- and others are humorous -- The Man From P.I.G. -- and some supposed to be -- Space Rats of the CCC -- but some of the best stories aren't in this collection since they were expanded into novels and even into movie scripts.

Although already writing in other fields, Harrison originally came into science fiction as an artist and some samples of his works are included. Harrison also worked as an editor, first in comics and then moving on to science fiction magazines. He also edited the Best SF series with Brian Aldiss, the Nova series, and the SF Authors' Choice anthologies. He is probably best known for the Stainless Steel Rat series, which started off with a bang, but have become rather predictable. His Deathworld trilogy continues to be admired by his long time fans, showing the advantage of quitting while you are ahead.

Harrison and I are almost diametrically opposed on many political and social issues, so I wish I knew the man personally and could sit down with him for extented discussions of anything and everything. Reading his works is the next best thing and I have done so for over 40 years. I still think he is one of the best at his craft.

Having read Harrison for so long, most of these stories are old friends that I read when first published, but some were new to me. I bought it for old times sake, but I suggest you try this collection if you have never read any of Harrison's short works. It should be an interesting experience.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Enjoyable collection
'50 in 50' was surprisingly enjoyable.Many stories from decades past are trite and out-of-date.Most of the stories in Harry Harrison's new collection hold up very well.

There are several overarching themes in Harrison's stories.The major theme is overpopulation.My favorite story in the volume is about a couple who breaks the law by having a second child.By law if you bring an unauthorized life into the world, another life must leave.So the government hires an assassin to kill one of the parents.This is a taut, chilling story of a man's desire to protect his family against a cold-blooded killer.The other overpopulation stories are equally memorable.

Included in this collection is the story that was the basis for the movie 'Soylent Green'.

Most of the 50 stories in the collection are entertaining.A few are dated, such as stories about interplanetary flights and space exploration, but on the whole they hold up quite well.I was disappointed with the lack of a bibliography telling when each story was published.The reader is left to guess at each story's publication date.The cover art is marvelous, which, though inconsequential, made the book all-the-more enjoyable for me to read.A solid collection.Though there are no award-winners in here, it's a good read.

none
In 50 In 50 Harrison not only gives the fans of SF a semi-auto-biographical overview of his 50 plus year career, but gives us 50 of his best stories. From his first 'Rock Diver', to his most recent, 'The Road To The Year 3000'. From the fantastic to hard SF, humorous to the serious, to stories that defy category. It is a compendium that is a must for every fan of SF. The extensive story notes that not only look into the stories, but what makes this writer one of SF's very best, and his long and illustrious, prolific and continuing career... Gary S. Potter Author/Poet. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Enjoyable nonsense
Very silly and amusing science fiction satire (although satire might be too high-faluting a word for this book, 'piss-take' is more its level) on bad space opera.

I'm not a big reader of sci-fi so there were probably many in jokes that I didn't notice, but I had a ball reading this. Utter nonsense from start to finish, centering around a form of space travel powered by cheddar!

Funnier than The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I am prompted to write because I just finished reading a comparable book, Douglas Adams' Hitch Hikers' Guide to the Galaxy, after hearing the radio shows many years ago.THHGTTG doesn't make its way into prose very well, and seems really dated.

By contrast, Harrison's is really sharp satire, and he uses the liberties that science fiction gives him to make his points with great force and absurd humour.

If we discover a species is stupider than we first thought, can we eat them?Who should one side with in a war; a cruel democracy or a kind dictatorship?And when does hero-worship cross the line into homoeroticism?

Harrison raises issues of politics, racism, sexism and a thousand other touchy subjects in a hilarious and outrageous book.

The galaxy's star-fleet being led by a souped-up 747 is a delightful image which sticks in my mind from this book.

Oh, and I think Harrison raided his legal textbooks to name the aliens.A garnishee is a claim you can make over someone's wages or property, and Lord Percy was an English Judge.

This book deserves to be in print again....and, especially, tobe made into a high-budget movie.

Terrific fast pace sci-fi spoof. My favourite book at school
I loved this book as a teenager in High School.It was a very hard book to put down.Very entertaining, funny and full of fast paced sci-fi action.Though as much as I loved it back in 1987, I daresay I'd probablyfind it a bit dated now.But there were twists and turns that still madeit a fantastic adventure story

A fun farce of a space opera, though a little dated.
Chuck and Jerry didn't know what to expect when Jerry put cheese in the particle accelerator, but they surely didn't expect to have to end up saving the galaxy from the mind controlling Lortonoi.

This is a funfarce, though not nearly as shocking and titillating as it must have beenwhen it first appeared in 1973.

Still, a good read.

Simply the most hilarious sci-fi ever
This book is just so downright ugly, you can't help laughing. The evil guy even talks with a german accent!Some books are so bad, they are good. Harry Harrison hits that balance so perfectly. Read it and weep. ... Read more

Product Description
The Repairman is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Harry Harrison is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Harry Harrison then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not Free SF Reader
A Science Fiction Story

Local blending mechanics.


3 out of 5 ... Read more

Product Description
A sequel to "The Hammer and the Cross" which continues the story of Shef Sigvarthsson, god-chosen warrior and mystic. It is AD 867, and from the Vikings of the North Sea to the scheming priests of Germany, from the frozen north to the Finnish tundra, Shef fights his way towards kingship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I'm sold on Harry Harrison
OK, I realize that the last two books in this series were written by someone other than the original author, Harry Harrison. But I do give him credit for the original idea that these books sprang from. I'm a sucker for alternate history stories, and this one is a good one. What makes it good is a fresh perspective--Vikings and English, rather than the Civil War, or Kennedy's assassination, or even the Roman Empire. I stumbled across an old Harry Harrison book in my personal library when I was looking for something to read, and was impressed by his mastery of writing. I am a Christian, and have always been aware of his anti-Christian bias (perhaps more anti-Church?), but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying these and other books by the old master.

Harry, we hardly knew ye....

The king makes the great journey
Shef is now co-king of england, and has brought peace and prosperity to his land.He is summoned to go north, and to make a great journey around the northlands.The plot thickens in this book, and builds on the first.The charachters develop even more in this book, and continue to do so in the final book of the trilogy.

One of My Old Favorites
I love this trilogy, from the start of book one to the end of book three, the historical aspects are pointed out in a way that fits as part of the story and they don't overthrow the plot, lending the books a very authoritative tone. The Characters are great, (Brand is one of my favorites) and there's plenty of action. What I like best about these books is that Harrison really makes you feel inside the story, the way he handles the characters attitudes towards each other and their surroundings really makes you feel like you're right with them weather it'sAnglo-Saxon England, Scandinavia, The Frankish Empire, Muslum Spain or what's left of Rome. As for character development, Harrison has a great way of using the third-person point of view in a way that can convey things unknown to the characters yet at the same time the tone of the narrative is flavored with the particular character's personality, culture and view of their surroundings, helping the reader understand more fully the motives and inhibitions of the people he describes. I read these back in high school and loved them then as much I still do now.

On the searching road.
This alternate history is a sequel of "The hammer and the Cross", starts with Shef going on a two level quest. The explicit one is to deter the Ragnarsons raids onto the British coasts. The second quest is more or less imposed to him, by Gods or fate or destiny, Shef alternatively complies or resist to it. In this quest new characters come to his help and tie their destiny to his. Shef's journey touches all Norse's world, their myths, legends and beliefs are shown in a thrilling story. The first book of the saga shows an accurate picture of early Middle Ages, this one starts to create a different alternate reality, evolving distinctly from new facts introduced by Harrison. The Lance Order appears in this volume and will grow step by step as an important element in the saga. Finally, the confrontation with the Ragnarsons, comes to an end somewhat abruptly without freeing all the previous mounting tension. A valuable continuation of the saga, I keep looking forward for the next and final step.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Killer follow-up to an awesome start
After reading "The Hammer and the Cross" I couldn't wait for the second installment.The wait was well worth it.Harrison followed up his truly excellent beginning with an equally impressive and exciting novel.Ithoroughly enjoyed watching the characters develop and change over thecourse of the story.Harrison once again delves into history and presentsan exciting "what if" story line.Definate thumbs up! ... Read more

Product Description
Can history be changed?

Can the south still win the War Between the States?

Colonel McColloch thinks so...and his gold, his gun, and some very special blueprints stand behind him to help him prove it.

Sargeant Harmon is a black man who hopes not...and only his readiness, ingenuity, and wit stand behind him to help him stop it.

In the corridors of contemporary Washington and on the fields where Civil War battles have yet to be fought, these two men take each other on--and the winner will determine the course of history.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A good idea but poor execution
I first read the book in 1985 and should have left well enough alone.Instead, my family bought me a copy of the book to read.They choose poorly.

In the positive side, I really enjoyed the idea itself.Time travel and the "what ifs" are always fun to contemplate.In addition, when Troy Harmon (the hero) amazingly describes the Gnomen experiment as a time machine, the amazed scientist demurely answers that she guesses that is probably right.There were a few minute details that were creative and appreciated (as a History major), such as when Troy is buying coinage for his mission and the owner of the firm laughs at Troy's apparent "joke" over one of the denomination (it did not exist during the Civil War).The use of parallel timelines and the crossing of them was definitely a good thinking point as well.The logical use of the power utilization curve to determine "time length traveled" was excellent.

On the negative side, as noted by other readers is the concept of Troy being African-American.Given the nature of the mission, he would be severly handicapped, especially traveling to the Deep antebellum South.Another is the apparent use of "Robbie Shaw" (I found it amusing that Robert Gould Shaw, of course was a young Union officer, made famous in Glory) as Scottish writer and man about town.Another negative was the use of J.E.B Stuart as a disgruntled cavalry officer looking for a break with the Union prior to the Civil War.That was not necessarily true (including R.E. Lee) and many officers simply resigned their posts to serve their individual states.

Taken as a whole, the novel could definitely use revision and work to bring it up to Harrison's normal level of writing.

Battle to avoid changing history
Excellent time travel adventure by Harry Harrison.

An undercover US Army investigator, Troy Harmon, is posted to keep an eye on a southern colonel, Wes McCulloch, who is in charge of security at a top secret research establishment and is suspected of various nefarious deeds. The colonel's activities turn out to be even worse than anyone had suspected and Troy has to follow him back in time to stop him changing history.

Some points of similarity to Harry Turtledove's brilliant book, "The Guns of the South." If you like "Rebel in Time" you will probably love "The Guns of the South." If you liked that book there is a good chance that you will enjoy this one. However, "Rebel in Time" is more of a detective and time travel book, where "The Guns of the South starts that way and then becomes alternative history.

"Rebel in Time" also has some points of similarity with "For King and Country" by Robert Asprin and Linda Evans, in which an extremist from one of the communities in Ireland tries to prevent the other from coming into existence. Again, if you like that book you will probably like this one and vice versa.

Certain aspects of the story stretch credibility a little - as other reviewers have pointed out, an African American might not have been the operative with the best chance of foiling Colonel McCulloch. However, Harrison was alive to the issues Troy Harmon would have faced and his account of how Harmon rises to the challenge is part of what makes it an entertaining story.

As Alternate History, This left Me Tired
I read Harry Turtledove's 'Guns for the South' when it was released and loved it.When I discovered that this was written a few years earlier, I decided to read it.Did he plagerize it?I think not!!!Harrison is no match for Turtledove. I found the book poorly written and developed; especially the contrived end. The concept is fine--I enjoy alternate history when there is a ring of truth to it, but I found that completely missing in this book. It was difficult to accept that the hero, African American Sergeant Harmon, goes back to 1859 to prevent Colonel McCulloch from giving the South the Sten gun, the weapon to ensure victory in the soon-to-be war. An African American would have had a very hard time traveling with his equipment that he had, let alone by himself in the South of 1859. This concept was done much better by Turtledove, whom, I believe, is a much better author. I would encourage everyone to read 'Guns of the South' and not 'Rebel in Time'. At least his descriptions and development are better. I was very disappointed.

Very disappointing for Harrison
Harrison usually has intelligent characters making reasonable decisions, but this book is premised on a decision that is so ridiculous, that I couldn't get past the first few chapters. The situation:A modern-day bad guy has taken the plans for a simple machine gun back in time to change the outcome of the Civial War. The obvious solution:Take a year to train a Seal Team for the mission (You can send anyone from anywhen to anywhen, so it doesn't matter how much time you take to prepare.)Send them back to a month before the bad guy arrived, so that they are ready and waiting for him when he gets there. Harrison's solution:Send a lone black man with no training and no weapons to pre-Civil War Virginia to arrive several months after the bad guy. That's silly.

A fun book.
This is an interesting concept, and was run to read.I'm glad to see it back in print.I had a hard time finding it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Stainless Steel Awesome
It's not a lot, but I have enjoyed Harry Harrison since I was a youngster.I recently thought of the SSR Series and found I was missing the original....Not much more to say, I love this story.

A hybrid James Bond/super-criminal, with a conscience....short-ish, but interesting stories......look them up.

A good, fun, book, but nothing great
I regard "Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat" as a good, fun, book, but nothing great.

This book is a good read, period.

This was the second book of the series that I read.Already, it was getting a little bit boring.

Welcome To The Rat Race
Meet the great James Boliver "Slippery Jim" DiGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat himself, a pre-eminant scofflaw and star of ten 'Rat' novels.This ficitional futuristic thief proves himself to be an expert burglar, cool con man, and consumate liar.Out conned into working for the Special Corps, an elite government law enforcement and spy agency, DiGriz puts his talents to use all in the name of justice ... except, that is, when he's using them for his own self-benefit by breaking the very laws he should be upholding.Of course, Slippery Jim rationalizes this by claiming he is doing society a favor by committing crimes.Though a rascal, Jim is a humanist at heart and takes great care to ensure no injury befalls anyone as a result of the mischief he creates.In the three novels here, "The Stainless Steel Rat", "The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge" and "The Stainless Steel Rat Saves The World", DiGriz encounters the sociopathic femme fatale Angelina, a military society bent on conquering the universe, and the time traveling megalomaniac known known as He.Humor and action blend seemlessly in a tongue-in-cheek style that is thoroughly endearing to the loveable rapscallion the Stainless Steel Rat.

The Rat Rules!
I first read this book in the summer of 1977, and the Rat has endured as my alltme favorite fictional character since. Slippery Jim is easily one of the funniest and most endearing characters I have encountered in my literary adventures. Sure he's a scoundrel of sorts, but he does it for all the right reasons, of course! If you are looking or a futurstic psuedo-James Bond/Flint type character with great humor galore, the Rat is your man! I recommend the Rat highly to any sci-fi or action/adventure fan. Or for that matter, anyone with a sense of humor! I keep hoping for a Rat movie...

Looking for Deep, Thought Provoking SiFi?
THIS ISN'T IT!But if you're looking for a good romp through space with a quasi-vigilante, Jame Bond sort of character, you will thoroughly enjoy this material.An excellent read when you just want to have some fun! ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / General; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Shockingly misleading
Why on earth has this been published? It's a couple of chapters from Harry Harrison's original "The Stainless Steel Rat" book (with the remainder of the book currently unavailable in digital form). I bought it as I recognized the text, thinking it might be The Stainless Steel Rat under another name. It is not. It doesn't even stand alone as a story.

The Stainless Steel Rat book would have rated 5 stars from me - a humorous SF classic. Being asked to pay for this excerpt? Outrageous!

Be warned. Save your money, wait for the whole book.

Downhill to the End
Great BeginingSo So MiddleTerrible FinishThey should asamed to charge what they did for so few pagesI will be much more careful from now on when I see the name Harry Harrison, ashamed

Free SF Reader
A spaceship hunt for the Stainless Steel Rat.


4 out of 5 ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A pleasant tale from two sci-fi greats.
This is an odd semi-political tale about the differences of race and class; and how people of different backgrounds can get along. Set in the far future, a starliner blows up in space and a few survivors make their way to a lifeship, the equivalent of a lifeboat. One human of the upper caste, who assumes the leadership role, several humans of the worker caste, who act in a manner similar to slaves, and two aliens, who are the only ones capable of piloting the ship.As the story goes we learn more about each character, and how they develop over time.In many ways this sounds a lot like a feel-good story of racial acceptance that would be more appropriate for the 1960's.The authors are both extremely good storytellers and this entertaining book delivers on that, without being too preachy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

FROM BACK COVER
HOMEWORLD

Jan Kulozik was one of Earth's privileged elite.A brilliant young electronics engineer, he enjoyed all the blessings of a 23rd-century civilization that survived global collapse and conquered the starts, unaware of the millions who slaved or starved to maintain his way of life.

Then Jan met Sara, a beautiful agent of the rebel underground dedicated to smashing Earth's rigid caste system.Through her he discovered the truth behind the lies he'd been taught.His every move watched by the state surveillance, Jan risked his position and his life to restore humanity's heritage.

TO THE STARS

Harry Harrison, author of West of Eden and Make Room, Make Room, is one of science fiction's most popular and widely read authors.To the Stars is his epic saga of mankind's struggle to regain its freedom and reclaim the stars.

A futuristic, Orwellian world
Home World is a tale of suspence and secrecy when the protagonist has events in his life which lead him to question how the world has come to be as it is.Freedoms are nonexistant, a large number of people live in horrible poverty working as ecconomic slaves for the most part just to survive.Jan is in the upper class of people, the class in power, however this doesn't mean that his freedoms and his life are any more protected if he begins to question the order of society.

An enjoyable spy, resistance against power type novel that is a quick read.It's an older book, so seems rather short considering the current style of much longer books and it is lacking a bit on the charachter development.

Serious futuristic sci-fi recapturing modern day ideas.
Homeworld, book one of the "To The Stars" trilogy, was amazingly differant from any other book by Harry that I have ever read. I read it first about a year back. It has the flavor of his technique, but dont bemisled- this is no comedy.

Jan Kulozik is an engineer, and a good one, ina future where you are either aristocracy, or nothing. A world whererecords of the past have been cleaned up and nicefied, and the rich are theonly ones with decent lives.

Going on a vacation with a woman one day,sailing at night, he is dumped in the water, only to be rescued by asubmarine form a mysterious country called "Israel" where theyhave a strange form of government called "democracy". He isinformed that he has been living a lie, that the world isnt what it seems,that people are trying to fight against oppression, etc.

Jan isconvinced to help the Israelies and joins the revolution. Because of hisstatus in society, and the his brohter-in-law is the head of Security, heis quickly accepted. Disaster falls, however, and leads Jan to in the endbe trancferred to another planet, where the second novel, Wheelworld comesin.

Wheelworld: A world where the sun rises and sets once every 4 years.The planet is one large farming community that travels south or northalternately to stay with the night. However, the ships havent come on time,the harvest has already been reaped, and it's time to go south. But theRoad is getting old, and things are beginning to break down, and the shipscontinue to not come, and only an off-worlder like Jan can save the day,the crops, and the people, before the terrible sun bakes then to death. Butcan he do it with the entire world, all the people, technology, anduniverse seemingly wanting him dead? Note: this takes place several yearsafter Homeworld.

Starworld, the final book in the trilogy, takes placeright after Wheelworld. The rebellion has taken over all the colonies, andnow all that is left is Earth. The problem is, Earth is virtuallyimpenetrable, and the rebellion has only so many fighting forces, orworkable ships. They do, however, have an ace up their sleeve, aS Jan oncemore works wonders, this time in America, then back to England, andactually begins to work for his Brother-in-law, Smythe, the head ofSecurity, in an attempt to bring the revolution to the planet. But all isnot what it seems, and there is a traitor in the revolution's mists. Theclock is ticking, and if Jan cannot get to the Revolution forces in timewith vital information about when to strike, along with uprisings all overEarth, disaster could occur, and the universe would be at the mercy oncemore of the aristocrats. Will Jan succeed, and return back home to hiswife, or possibly stay and live the ife of Riley with unlimited money andaccess, or will he fail, and all of humanity once again falls underneaththe tyrranical grip of the rich? Read, and find out for yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
After saving the world, diGriz is called on to save the universe. Liberating his two, now teenage, twin' sons from a military boarding school and penitentiary, diGriz sets out to free his wife, who has been arrested by the tax men. But the family is soon fighting an enemy of a different sort, when the humans-only galaxy of the League is invaded by all manner of hideous aliens.
The Rat, disguised in the most hideous combination of alien physical features, is sent into the centre of the aliens' stronghold, where he finds himself the object of desire among the aliens. His task is to stop the aliens, who plan to wipe out every human in the universe.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Super Reader
This book is much funnier, and the situation certainly helps. War is looming with an alien race, and yes, they are pretty much bug eyed monster types. The Stainless Steel Rat and relatives have to do something about it.

Infiltration is tricky, but all undercover super thief/spies are good at disguise. He can even do alien sexy. Pretty funny.

Building A Better Rat Trap
The title of the latest escapades of the "Rat" is a bit of a stretch of the imagination as it suggests images of vintage WWI era posters of Uncle Sam recruiting enlistments for the United States military.What actually occurs, though, is that after freeing his family members form various forms of incarceration the Stainless Steel Rat plays upon the gratitude for a good deed done and gains their support in battling an assortment of bug-eyed-monsters (BEM) bent on invading the human inhabited galaxy and making it thiers alone.At times silly, each BEM is more fearsome and funny than the last resulting in a plesant mixture of mayhem, hilarity and adventure.Enjoyable to the last, James Bolivar DiGriz proves once again that no rust has tarnished his stainless steel rat's hide.

This Rat Has Teeth!
What a relief to read The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You after the disappointing Stainless Steel Rat in Hell!What a difference fifteen years can make!

This Stainless Steel Rat is the Rat we all fell in love with - biting sarcasm, acerbic wit, the lapses in attention that land him in trouble, the daring escapes from that trouble, and a plot that moves briskly at all times, always staying a half step ahead of the reader.Just under 150 pages, it is just the right length; short enough to be read in one sitting, but long enough to draw the reader in.

The only downside to this one is the packaging.Contrary to the title and cover propaganda, the Rat does no recruiting (beyond his lovely yet dangerous wife and the twins).A better title would have been, The Stainless Steel Rat:Bug-eyed Alien Sex Goddess.Read the book and you'll see what I mean.

The best SSR book yet
I have read & enjoyed a number of Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat books, but this has got to be the best one yet.The book is loaded with the same slap-dash sense of humour and spontaneous action as found in theother SSR books, but this book's clever, well thought out plot puts it farabove them.Slippery Jim's final solution for dealing with the slimy alienproblem-makers is ingenious and satisfying, as is his surprising insight tothe behaviour of the galaxy's sadistic grey men. ... Read more