Product Description

It was the highest honor to defend the Empire against the dreaded Chingers, an enemy race of seven-foot-tall lizards. But Bill, a Technical Fertilizer Operator from a planet of farmers, wasn't interested in honor-he was only interested in two things: his chosen career, and the shapely curves of Inga-Maria Calyphigia. Then a recruiting robot shanghaied him with knockout drops, and he came to in deep space, aboard the Empire warship Christine Keeler. And from there, things got even worse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

The third in the Starship Troopers, Forever War trilogy
Seriously.
Read those two first. Then this one.
IfStarship Troopers, and The Forever War hold any place in your heart, this one will too.
In a nutshell, The Forever War is a dark satire of Starship Troopers, and Bill, the Galactic Hero, is a parody of both.

Not much more need be said.

funniest sf book ever
I have recently obtained this novel in the original hardcover, and for some reason the paperbacks are very expensive and hard to find. It might be for the artwork on the cover, because, the story is the same in both. It begins with a bowb on a robo mule dreaming of beind a fertilizer technician. He gets shanghaid into military and a brutal bootcamp then straight to war with the Chingers...it goes on from there to him becomming a hero then a criminal then a spy. fast paced and laugh out loud funny. The first time I read it I was laughing uncontrollably the entire time.

Has aged well
Categories: Anti-war/Anti-militarism, SF, Humor
I picked that up without knowing too much about it, what a nice surprise! Funny, concise and engaging. Made me want to read The Good Soldier Švejk, which apparently was the literary inspiration for this novel.

From Back Cover
Bill was a peaceful farm boy until he was lured by the martial music of a passing recruitment sergeant, drugged , and made to enlist in the Empire Space Corps.His basic training is sheer hell, but somehow he manages to stay alive and achieve the rank of Fusetender 6th Class in the process.

En route to an engagement with the lizard-like Chingers, Bill's spaceship is involved in a supreme contest and by accident Bill is the man who saves the ship and wins the day.A grateful Galaxy awards him it highest accolade, the Purple Dart, to be presented by the Emperor himself on the fabulous aluminum-covered capital planet, Helior.And then his adventures really start to take off in the most bizarre and nastily surprising ways...

===

Bill, the Galactic Hero is a satirical science fiction novel by Harry Harrison, first published in 1965. It is a retelling of the famous WW1 anti-war novel The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hasek, set in the future.

The overall plot is most similar to Hasek's work, with the protagonist tricked into joining the army, and then sent on a succession of badly-organized adventures. The details of these adventures obviously differ from Hasek's original, though constant drunkenness and petty pilfering run as a thread through both novels and most of the same characters such as the incompetent officers, immoral chaplain and sadistic sergeant occur in both books. Harrison makes the most of the opportunity to spoof the work of other authors including Isaac Asimov, "Doc" Smith, and Joseph Heller. It may also be seen as a response to Heinlein's controversially militaristic Starship Troopers, as Hasek's original was a response to the patriotic stories of his time. Harrison reports having been approached by a Vietnam veteran who described Bill as "the only book that's true about the military"

Not Free SF Reader
If you are big and stupid, be careful when you say yes.


This is exactly what Bill is, however, and he mentions to get himself signed up into the military.

From there, the military and sf satire is piled on thick as he gets into all sorts of trouble, time after time after time. No trouble that makes you instantly heaps smarter by mutagen or something, unfortunately for him.

Often amusing. ... Read more

Product Description
Cutting a deal with the authorities to escape a death sentence, Slippery Jim deGriz prepares to retrieve a missing alien artifact from the Liokukae, a planet that serves as a dumping ground for the Galactic League's misfits. Reprint. PW. K. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Super Reader

The Rat gets busted robbing a mint, and gets put on trial for his life. His only problem is that the trail comes after the execution.

However, the League has a job for him, and used the Life Model Decoy gambit to get him out of it, and promptly poisons him.

He has to track down an alien artifact on a prison planet. So, as a cover for being a prisoner type, he forms a rock band, the Stainless Steel Rats, natch.

An extensive send-up of Iron whassisname in the woods guy in the latter part of the book, as well.

Amusing as usual.

Outrageous Reviews
The Stainless Steel Rat is not to be mocked. This man knows where you live... This book is, just like the other books excellent. I have read all of the SSR books, in and out of order and this one holds up just as well as the others. Dont just buy this one, buy them all. Bolivar

Rat Fans REJOICE!
Whaddaya mean this is the worst of the bunch? Now, I'm a serious rat fan; I've read almost all the SSR books, and this one fits in very nicely!It's got a fairly good plot, altheough characters don't really need to pop outof nowhere like that.

A sequel to a sequel to a prequel:
First there was "The Stainless Steel Rat", our introduction to Slippery Jim DiGriz, aka the Stainless Steel Rat, a high-tech, futuristic conman and thief who is caught, after a long and successful career, by thegalactic special corps, and recruited to join them because it takes a thiefto catch a thief. Then followed four more books in chronoligical order,"The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge", "The Stainless SteelRat Saves The World", "The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You",and "The Stainless Steel Rat For President". Then, apparentlygrowing bored with the direction his stories were taking, Harrisonretreated to the beginning, and wrote the prequel, "A Stainless SteelRat Is Born". Then he followed that with "A Stainless Steel RatGets Drafted", a story following immediately on the heels of theprequel. This story follows that one chronologically.

There are dangersto writing prequels, and this book fails to avoid them entirely. In aprequel, it is necessary to make it plausible that a character'sexperiences could lead to him being the person he is at the beginning ofthe book the prequel precedes; this is reasonably well accomplished in thisbook, if not perfectly well. But it is also necessary, in a prequel, thatthe story be interesting without having anything happen so major andpotentially relevent to events in later stories that it seems impossiblethat the character never referred back to those experiences inchronologically later, but previously written, stories. Here, this bookfails miserably; given that DiGriz has experiences in chronologically laterbooks with both time travel and visitors from his time's far future, bothof which also come into play in this book, it seems incredible that we'venever "heard" him mention the experiences in this bookbefore.

But perhaps this is all too stringent a set of complaints to makeabout a book that, like the rest of the series, is never intended to betaken seriously; like a James Bond story, or an action movie, the"Stainless Steel Rat" stories are all meant as merely fun romps,plot-driven and action-intensive, without worrying about whether thoseplots will stand close scrutiny for internal consistency.

So let's reviewit on its own terms: yes, it's a fun romp, with plenty of action. As usualin these books, the dialogue is rather stilted and artificial, thecharacters are two-dimensional, and if it enhances the potential for actionand drama in the plot, Harrison doesn't let a little thing like consistencyof character stand in his way. (DiGriz is supposed to be brilliant, butmakes enough stupid mistakes to keep himself in constant danger, so thatthe pace of the action can stay high.)

This book, like the rest of thebooks in the series, is fun brain candy, but don't expect careful plottingor a serious story, and don't examine things too carefully for plausibilityor internal consistency; it won't stand up to even passing examination.

Snooze!
A definate disappointment from an otherwise excellent author and tremendously entertaining series.I've read all the SSR books, and was very excited when this one came out.However, the story was rather flatand much of the "life" has slipped out of Slippery Jim.Manyparts were entirely too predictable, while others were just plain notbelievable.I really got the impression that Harrison decided to do thisbook just for a bit of added revenue, as it seemed his heart really wasn'tin it.Overall, I'd say you're better off skipping this particular entryin the tale of Slippery Jim and keep your fond memories of him intact. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Time Travel for Fun and Profit
A Review of "The Technicolor Time Machine"

by Harry Harrison

Publication History

Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine - "The Time-Machined Saga" March 1967.
ISBN-10: 020286703X

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1967, Publisher: Doubleday.

Technicolor Time Machine, 1968, Publisher: Berkley Medallion.

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1976, 1980 and 1981, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-86007-887-6 and 0-523-48506-9

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1985 and 1991, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-812-53970-2 and 0-812-51607-9

This book is a science fiction comedy about a motley group of movie makers who travel to the eleventh century to film a Viking adventure.

For such a short book there are an amazing number of surprises, plot twists and turnabouts.

This is a fun book to read."The Technicolor Time Machine" is funny book as well as a stimulating adventure story.

See Also:

The Technicolor Time Machine (A TOR Book)

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 1967 (Volume LXXIX, No. 1)

The Technicolor Time Machine

The Technicolor Time Machine; Vikings vs. Hollywood and the Blood is Real

I enjoyed this book; I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

Time Travel for Fun and Profit
Time Travel for Fun and Profit

A Review of "The Technicolor Time Machine"

by Harry Harrison

Publication History

Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine - "The Time-Machined Saga" March 1967.
ISBN-10: 020286703X

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1967, Publisher: Doubleday.

Technicolor Time Machine, 1968, Publisher: Berkley Medallion.

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1976, 1980 and 1981, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-86007-887-6 and 0-523-48506-9

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1985 and 1991, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-812-53970-2 and 0-812-51607-9

This book is a science fiction comedy about a motley group of movie makers who travel to the eleventh century to film a Viking adventure.

For such a short book there are an amazing number of surprises, plot twists and turnabouts.

This is a fun book to read."The Technicolor Time Machine" is funny book as well as a stimulating adventure story.

See Also:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 1967 (Volume LXXIX, No. 1)

The Technicolor Time Machine

I enjoyed this book; I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

Time Travel for Fun and Profit
Time Travel for Fun and Profit

A Review of "The Technicolor Time Machine"

by Harry Harrison

Publication History

Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine - "The Time-Machined Saga" March 1967.
ISBN-10: 020286703X

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1967, Publisher: Doubleday.

Technicolor Time Machine, 1968, Publisher: Berkley Medallion.

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1976, 1980 and 1981, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-86007-887-6 and 0-523-48506-9

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1985 and 1991, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-812-53970-2 and 0-812-51607-9

This book is a science fiction comedy about a motley group of movie makers who travel to the eleventh century to film a Viking adventure.

For such a short book there are an amazing number of surprises, plot twists and turnabouts.

This is a fun book to read."The Technicolor Time Machine" is funny book as well as a stimulating adventure story.

See Also:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 1967 (Volume LXXIX, No. 1)

The Technicolor Time Machine

I enjoyed this book; I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

Time Travel for Fun and Profit
Time Travel for Fun and Profit

A Review of "The Technicolor Time Machine"

by Harry Harrison

Publication History

Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine - "The Time-Machined Saga" March 1967.
ISBN-10: 020286703X

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1967, Publisher: Doubleday.

Technicolor Time Machine, 1968, Publisher: Berkley Medallion.

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1976, 1980 and 1981, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-86007-887-6 and 0-523-48506-9

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1985 and 1991, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-812-53970-2 and 0-812-51607-9

This book is a science fiction comedy about a motley group of movie makers who travel to the eleventh century to film a Viking adventure.

For such a short book there are an amazing number of surprises, plot twists and turnabouts.

This is a fun book to read."The Technicolor Time Machine" is funny book as well as a stimulating adventure story.

See Also:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 1967 (Volume LXXIX, No. 1)

The Technicolor Time Machine

The Technicolor Time Machine (A TOR Book)

The Technicolor Time Machine; Vikings vs. Hollywood and the Blood is Real

I enjoyed this book; I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

Time Travel for Fun and Profit
Time Travel for Fun and Profit

A Review of "The Technicolor Time Machine"

by Harry Harrison

Publication History

Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine - "The Time-Machined Saga" March 1967.
ISBN-10: 020286703X

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1967, Publisher: Doubleday.

Technicolor Time Machine, 1968, Publisher: Berkley Medallion.

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1976, 1980 and 1981, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-86007-887-6 and 0-523-48506-9

The Technicolor Time Machine, 1985 and 1991, Publisher: Tor Books.
ISBN 0-812-53970-2 and 0-812-51607-9

This book is a science fiction comedy about a motley group of movie makers who travel to the eleventh century to film a Viking adventure.

For such a short book there are an amazing number of surprises, plot twists and turnabouts.

This is a fun book to read."The Technicolor Time Machine" is funny book as well as a stimulating adventure story.

See Also:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 1967 (Volume LXXIX, No. 1)

The Technicolor Time Machine

The Technicolor Time Machine (A TOR Book)

The Technicolor Time Machine; Vikings vs. Hollywood and the Blood is Real

I enjoyed this book; I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.


... Read more

Product Description
On the planet Pyrrus, human colonists have fought a centuries-old war with the native life forms. These life forms adapt to human tactics and technology, evolving new species so rapidly that natives returning from even brief trips off planet must be carried in protective armor canisters from their ship to the safe buildings, where they will learn of the latest deadly threats."The Ethical Engineer" is the second volume in the DEATHWORLD series. It was originally published as a two-part serial in ANALOG magazine in 1963. ... Read more

Product Description

D-A-D. How can three letters mean a 1001 things?!

Harry H. Harrison Jr.'s latest dose of his trademark wit and wisdom pays tribute and provides insight to dads from all walks of life. From new dads, single dads, dads of adult kids and more, 1001 Things it Means to be a Dad is a topic we can all appreciate, especially when there's "some assembly required!" With two million books in the market, no one knows how to deliver simple, powerful insights like Harry.

Customer Reviews (4)

Good book
My wife suggested that I get this book and it has lines for what it means to be a dad through out the life span of your child.Gets a little redundant after a while.

Just sick
In less than one minute, I stumbled upon no less than three religious quotes, despite there being no indication whatsoever on the front or back covers that this was anything but a generic "book for dads".

Number 400, in a nutshell, stated that "Dads should teach their kids that God is behind the science."Yawn.

I don't remember number 1000, though it was along the same lines.

Number 679 was the sickest thing I can imagine reading in an inspirational book for dads."Dads should tell their kids that, if they do not have God, they will forever be alone in the world.

Lies and false advertising.I can't imagine how many people bought this book under the assumption that it was something other than what it is.

Great little book...
Great little gift book for expecting fathers!

Thats how I came across this book, I received it as a gift the day before my son was born, alot of very good, thoughtful one line advice! Can't wait to give this book to a friend / family member expecting their 1st child.

Looking forward to reading more of these little books by Harry Harrison Jr.

This particular book has several different mini sections-

Dad Rules
Fathers to Be
Baby Dads
Toddler Dads
School Age Dads
Dads & Teenagers
Dads & Vacations
College Dads
Dads & Spiritual Matters
Dad Fears
Dads & Moms
Dads & Sports
Dads & Work
Dads & Money
Dads & Problems
Divorced Dads
Stay at Home Dads
Parting Words

Hilarious and true
Who knew you could actually reach dads with serious advice about parenting, by being so funny?Mr. Harrison covers just about everything imaginable in very short, humorous sentences that even the most impatient, 'non-reader' personality can enjoy.Perfect for Father's Day, or just about any day.For New fathers, Experienced fathers, Young or Not-so-young, there is something in this book to learn or 'remember when you learned' and usually laugh about...
Thanks, Mr. Harrison, for adding much-needed humor to the serious job of being a Dad! ... Read more

Product Description
After gunman storm his high-security laboratory and put a bullet in his head, Brian Delaney reconstructs himself with the nerve reprogramming techniques that he invented and sets out to regain the scientific knowledge he has lost. Reprint. NYT. K. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Not a bad read at all, especially if you're a computer geek!
I found this hardcover for a whopping $2 at a used book store; since I've always enjoyed the sci-fi of Harry Harrision, I thought I'd give it a read. I wasn't disappointed.This is a combination thriller-near future novel with numerous twists and turns in plot and a lot of speculations on human mind vs machine comparisons.I fail to comprehend some of the other reviewers' lack of enthusiasm.In addition to a lot of intriguing AI research, there is also a lot of solid brain neuroscience.The writing is straightforward, in a logical order, and free of extraneous details. The merger of humans and machines has begun, and this novel set in 2024 provides much food for thought and a good story to boot!

Unfathomably Bad
Harrison's a pretty good SF writer and Minsky is a leader in AI, so this seemed a good bet.Not so.The writing is wooden, mechanical and impersonal.All of the characters talk the same and we have to rely on the authors to tell us what each of them is like.Which often comes as a surprise.15 years is a long time for any book that centers on computer technology, so one wouldn't expect this to have aged well.But consider: Heinlein's The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is from 1962, this from 1992.Heinlein's book is fresh and thought provoking, this one is just boring.The computer ideas aren't really very interesting and, really, Minsky should have known better.So how can you have the right ingredients and have such a lousy result?I got this used and very cheap.It's still a waste of time.Alas.

I didn't wait long enough...
I own this book. If you open the cover and look inside it says "Christmas 1992. You better read this so I can borrow it." Thirteen years later I took this book off my shelf, dusted it off, and read it. All I can say is, I didn't wait long enough. This book could have been pretty good. I kept expecting a twist or surprise that never happened. It just kind of plodded along and then ended. Granted, technology has been chugging along so maybe some of it felt a little dated. But the characters just didn't engage me at all. I even enjoyed Prey more than this book (I think I even reviewed it here at Amazon) and that says a lot. I guess I'll put this back on my shelf with the other hardcovers. Or better yet, I'll mail it to my friend and force him to keep his promise and read it. Why should I suffer alone?

A.I. - Absolutely Intriguing
As far as I know this novel is the only collaboration between Harry Harrison and Marvin Minsky. And given the quality of this book I find that truly sad. Harrison is of course one of the most prolific writers in the field of Science fiction and Minsky is a scientist with MIT, working in the area of A.I., who is more used to writing scientific articles than fiction. The two together bring a great story to life in an extremely believable way.

The "Turing Option" is set in the near future and concentrates on the experiences of a brilliant scientist who has just suffered a major brain trauma. His own cybernetic researches help doctors to bring him back to life and allow him to pursue his murderers. This pursuit leads him back to his research into artificial intelligence which it seems was the motivation behind the first attack.

The plot and story telling, whilst top notch, are not what prompted me to include the book on this page. No, it was the A.I. or M.I. (Machine Intelligence), that I became fascinated with. As far as I am concerned, the concept of a robotic entity has never been explored so well as in this novel. (yes I have read all of Asimov's robot stories). If you are at all interested in this area of science, then this book must be read.

Too bad, it had potential
I picked this one up at a second hand book shop -- Harry Harrison and Marvin Minsky? Wow, how could I go wrong!

Unfortunately, the ideas are not backed up by very solid storywriting here. Very little characterizationis used, and the interaction comes across as somewhat dull and empty. Noneof the characters seem much to act realistically to what happens to them,except possibly Shelly, and Brian's personality never seemsconsistent.

As for the ideas, most are predictable and verystraightforward extrapolations. The mecahnics of the AI is interesting, butcomes across at times almost as textbook lecture, and many of the othermore interesting ideas are left undeveloped.

Well folks, this is just mycomments. Personally, I was disappointed somewhat by the book, but didn'tconsider it a collossal waste, either.

Your Mileage May Vary ... Read more

Product Description
In the vastness of space, the crimes just get bigger and Slippery Jim diGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat, is the biggest criminal of them all. He can con humans, aliens and any number of robots time after time. Jim is so slippery that all the inter-galactic cops can do is make him one of their own ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

A bit dated.
This book, originally published in 1961, shows some signs of its age; it is in a style very reminiscent of the pulps of that era of science fiction, in which character development is minimal and implausible plot devices are not rationalized overly carefully. Still, it's a fun romp based on an interesting concept, and one of the classics of its era, so I can't rate it less than four stars. Great literature it is not, but a fun story it definitely is.

Very good reading
"The Stainless Steel Rat" is very good reading.

This is the first book in the "Stainless Steel Rat" series. Let us just say that the right criminal might, just might, make an interesting law and order agent.

Read this book.

Very Funny SCI-FI
"Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series is a mix of James Bond, Buck Rodgers and Arthur Dent"

Classic likeable master-thief in comic but workable SF environment
Slippery Jim Degris is a bit of a James Bond stereotype, sure, but Harrison is well aware of the conventions and is celebrating them. It's not as easy as it looks, and a lot of writers get the humour, suspense and credibility mix wrong. Not so Harrison: the scenarios are ludicrous but often clever; it doesn't get too self-aware, nor does it take itself too seriously. It is just a bit of fun, but the core idea of a rat running about in a sanitised Star Trek future is appealing. I was actually disappointed that Harrison doesn't stick with this: in contrast to the idea that crime (and excitement) have been essentially erased - hence the justification for an intelligent non-violent criminal - most of the places Jim finds himself in are characterised by petty crime. Rather than Degris being qualitatively different - which is the claim - it's sometimes more a difference of skill and scale.

I also felt a tension between the usual SF dismissal as unjustifiable that a government should reprogram a criminal's brain - something abhorrent to Jim for himself - and the happy ending of doing exactly the same thing to mass-murderer Angelina.

Still, these are relatively minor criticisms.Overall the classic character of a likeable, cunning thief is well-realised within a workable SF environment.

Super Reader
The Stainless Steel Rat is a character that is most definitely in the Arsene Lupin mold, although perhaps not quite so flash. A rogue and a super-thief if you like.

He runs into a problem when he meets an organisation of ex-super thieves and rogues just like him, and they beat him at his own game.

Co-opted, he has no choice but to help them out. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Short Stories
A great collection of Harry's work that really turned me onto some of his great SF novels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Trillogy comes to a Close
In this final book of the 'To The Stars' trillogy Jan joins up in the revoloution which is sweeping across the stars to free the world of the tyrrany which is in power.

It went out with more of a fizzle than a bang though.Events happen too easily, and there is little in the way of charachter development.The protoganist, Jan, while someone who can take what is given to him and do something with it, spends most of this book riding the waves of what is set in front of him rather than forging his own path.In the end, I felt anyone could have had the parts he had and things turn out the same.The entire trillogy was too short, and relied more in events out of the charachters controll to move the storyline along.I think it could have been a lot better with more charachter development.

Dispite these criticisms, it was a good story.And, most trillogies tend to fizzle in the second and last books anyway. ... Read more

Product Description
The K-Factor 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)

Free SF Reader
A Science Fiction Story

Sociological problem.


2.5 out of 5 ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. The Velvet Glove 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

Product Description

CONTENTS:

Product Description

So what, exactly, does it mean to be a mom?

No matter what phase of motherhood a woman finds herself in, she has one thing in common with all other moms: the need to feel appreciated and encouraged. Harry H. Harrison Jr.'s latest dose of trademark wit and wisdom pays tribute to the many aspects required to be a mom. Ranging from new moms, working moms, single moms, moms of adult kids and more, 1001 Things it Means to be a Mom provides a big dose of praise and understanding that will leave moms from all walks of life feeling uplifted and highly valued. With two million books in the market, no one knows how to deliver such simple, powerful insights like Harry.

Customer Reviews (2)

Great gift!
This was priced great for gift giving.I know several soon-to-be-moms and after reading the book, thought it was great even for already a mom-moms!Delightful little snippets of things that are great and not-so-great about being a mom.Most either made me laugh or brought a tear to my eye.I have 3 kids (12, 17, and 19) and decided to keep a copy for myself because it covers all stages of a child's life.

Cute book!
I thought this was a great little book that I will enjoy even more as my children grow. ... Read more

Product Description
Humorous accounts of specially trained and bred pigs and of the Robot Obtrusion Batallion give eleven thousand new space policemen insight into possible assignments. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great fun for both children and adults
In the far future, the interstellar law enforcement body is thinly spread and has to use more subtle methods than simply sending in a battleship. Here are two tales of the specialist corps which work undercover, sending in a single man with some very specialised help -- the men of the Porcine Interstellar Guard, and the Robot Obtrusion Battalion Omega Three.

This pair of novelettes were written for children, but are equally entertaining for adults. Each story is a nicely constructed sf mystery, with both genres well integrated. In the first, a pig farmer arrives on a frontier planet with a ghost problem. But the pig farmer isn't a farmer, and his herd includes a collection of very bright mutant pigs with a talent for trouble. In the second, one travelling salesman shouldn't seem much of a threat to a cattle-ranching planet, but the locals are sufficiently paranoid to think otherwise. But not quite paranoid enough to notice just how many robots of all shapes and sizes will fit into that battered old spaceship... Deftly sketched characters, a pair of interesting plots, and often very funny, this is a cheerful short read.

Not Free SF Reader
A Puffin, so a kids book. The Interstellar Guard, stretched with policing an ever-rapidly expanding volume of space turns to animals and machines for help.

The Porcine Interstellar Guard, and the Robot Obtrusion Battalion Omega Three.

A couple of examples are given of each, and one PIG crew has two 1000 pound mutant highly intelligent boars, for example.So pretty formidable.Two frontier backworlds with problems are visited.

Tales of the Galactic Patrol's more esoteric branches.
I have fond memories of my discovery of Harry Harrison's "The Men From P.I.G And R.O.B.O.T". This novel contains two stories, each describing one of the more esoteric undercover branches of the GalacticPatrol, dedicated to upholding law and order throughout the galaxy. Thisnovel is a wonderful introduction to science fiction for younger readers,comparable perhaps to Heinlein's "Starman Jones". The maincharacter in each story is a hero, fighting evil whenever and wherever theyfind it, for the protection of the galaxy and for the honour of the Patrol.Excellent role-models for any teenager! The first novel describes an agentof the Porcine Interstellar Guard. The agent is supported by his team ofbioenhanced pigs, with my favorite being the boars. Move over Gibson, yourcyborg dobermen are no match for these porkers-with-attitude. Similarly,the agent in the second novel is a member of the Robot Obstrusion Battalion- Omega Three, and is supported by a bevy of robots fit for any purpose.This novel does not have great depth. I would not be surprised if it waswritten especially for children. The stories are simple without beingsimplistic, the humour is engaging without being obvious (and as one ages,some of the humour takes on a whole new meaning). Ultimately this iswonderful space opera. I look forward to introducing this novel to my ownchildren. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A good book, but weak when compared to Harrison's other work
I am a big fan of Harry Harrison, his "Stainless Steel Rat" and "Bill the Galactic Hero" characters are some of the best satire of how the world works that has ever been put on paper. In this book, the main character is FBI agent Tony Hawkins, a man more at home in an art museum than packing a gun in pursuit of the bad guys. His adventure starts with his being selected as the agent to deliver a multi-million dollar ransom to a group of Cubans that hijacked an airliner containing Islamic pilgrims to Mecca. The suitcase containing the money is handcuffed to his wrist and in the tradition of Maxwell Smart, his gun is booby-trapped and he has grenades in secret compartments in his shoe.
Throughout the book, nothing goes right for Tony; he tries to escape several times, only to end up right back in the hands of the hijackers. Furthermore, the hijacking group proves to be a complex mix, there are some anti-Castro Cubans, some Scottish nationalists, Arab nationalists are involved and others doing it for the more simple motive of greed. Most of the time, Tony is confused about what is happening, he is on the run and is involved with fellow FBI agents, Scotland Yard and Israeli agents operating in England. It is a complex story that has as many characters as a "Stainless Steel Rat" novel, but lacks the charming and satirical absurdity. Tony Hawkins has the fundamental decency of "the rat" but his lack of scoundrel motives makes him weak when going up against the bad guys in this book.

Good Read
First let me tell you that this not a scifi book.It is however a very good and well written story.It grabs your interest from the start and keeps to the end.I no longer buy books because I find most reviews are misleading.It seems to me that these reviewers purchase books and find thy got took.So in anger thy write glowing reviews to sucker in others to waste there mony.I read reviews on books then if I can find them at the Library.I read the first 25 pages if by then it has not grabbed my attention I let it pass.I find that to many authors start out good thenfill there pages with so much discriptive detail it detracts from the story.I also find that most books over 300 pages are loaded with just page filler that has nothing to do with the plot so beware when purchasing a book.I find anything written by Harry Harrison is good.

Read it if you can find it
This was a pleasant surprise, as I didn't realize Harrison wrote non-sci-fi fiction until I found this book in a nearby library.I enjoyed this every bit as much as his "Rat" books, and was similar in that it had a main char. who always seemed to be running into trouble.Good stuff, read it! ... Read more

Product Description
Complete biography of American author, Harry Harrison. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. Navy Day 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