Customer Reviews (3)

Great buy!
This is the real thing. Zahn wrote this when his focus was on writing good books, before he got 'sensible' and started to write for maximum profit.

"Warhorse" offers a most interesting clash of philosophies and cultures, as well as lots of mind-stretching ideas. Great SF, great value for money!

A exciting story from an underappreciated author
The very first science fiction book I ever read was "Heir to the Empire", and ever since then, I have read every Timothy Zahn book that I could find, which are few, unfortunately. Warhorse is one of my favoriteof his works.

The story is set, as with most of Zahn's books in the nearfuture of the Human race. It is the story of human's encounter's andreconciliations with a new race of beings who (rather like the NativeAmericans, although that's not very PC) are very intune with perservingtheir environment. This naturally brings them into conflict with humans,who in this book seem to mostly resemble our vivacious and inhumaneEuropean ancestors. But the true magic of the book comes from thedescription of the space horse and their relatives, a species of animalsthat have evolved naturally space. Maybe a little farfetched, but hell, youdon't read sci-fi if you want hard reality, right? The interactions of thecharacters and the action is all very nicely done. I would recommend thisbook and any Timothy Zahn book to those who enjoy could science fiction,without too much silly technical jargon. Zahn is perhaps one of the mostunderappreciated authors-most of his books outside of Star Wars are prettydarn hard to find, believe me, I'm still searching for most of them. Butthe search is worth it, as they can be re-read with te same enjoyment manytimes.

Excellent Book
Warhorse is probably my favorite stand alone sci-fi book that I have ever read.The plot is very original, the characters are believable but a little shallow, and the action is extremely well written.

Basically thestory is about humans who have become very technologically advanced, andanother race that is very environmentally sensative discover a wholeecology of space life.I guess that may sound a little cheezy, but trustme it is extremely well written. ... Read more

Product Description
Zahn presents "a fast-paced adventure yarn (that) brings together exploration for new stars, racial tensions, Third World activism and a group of vanished aliens with a high-tech twist."--United Press International. Reissue. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Boring,Cardboard Characters,UN Hating Author
This novel read like it was written back in the 50's instead of the 80's. Like a B-grade SciFi movie and not a very good one at that. The author cannot seem to flesh out the characters and relies upon stereotypes for each one. His laughable attempt at making any of the female characters seem realistic falls flat totally. Honestly I don't see why anyone would give this story anything more than one star. This is supposed to be a first contact scenario with not one or two but multiple races but the humans just look at it as some pesky aliens that have to be dealt with instead. Sort of like how the main military jerk, I mean commander looks upon the Latino population there. The author loves to flag wave and Americanize everything. I guess just us Americans are going to populate the universe. Too many flaws to list them all but the story just leads to one amazingly bad ending after all the build up. NOT recommended.

"An Earth-type world complete with water and a breathable atmosphere and no metals?That's absurd!"
"An Earth-type world complete with water and a breathable atmosphere and no metals?That's absurd!"
I was reading another book, but I got so tired of the issues I had with that book, I had to take a break.Plus, I got to meet Timothy Zahn on January 8th, so I was pumped to finish reading my almost complete collection of Timothy Zahn published works!
Humankind (to be politically correct) has finally developed the capacity to travel faster than light.They set upon to leave an overpopulated, overmined Earth (in typical fashion for scifi books written in this era) only to find that the rest of the galaxy is populated by superior aliens.The only world left is Astra, a world strangely without any trace metals.The United Nations decide that the Americans should spearhead the colonization.The Americans in turn assign Colonel Llyod Meredith to oversee Astra's development...and to deal with disputes between the colonists (led by Cristobal Perez) and the military.But things get strange when the planet seems to suck away all metal and produce a six centimeter in diameter cable.Now, all the surrounding aliens want a piece, Astra is a hotspot in the conflict between the United Nations and the United States, and Meredith might lose his tenuous hold on the citizens of Astra.

I Like:
Timothy Zahn is my absolute favorite writer for many reasons.This book showcases one of the biggest reasons: his ability to combine a cool, interesting story with enough realism to make you feel like you are there.
The story of Spinneret is slightly different than most scifi I've read.Space has already been colonized until the only planet left is the dud, the one no one wants.Earth takes it only because it may be the only one they get; then the Americans (those chosen to spearhead the colonization) begin to pour money into what could easily be a money pit.Now, granted, I haven't read all scifi books in print, but I have read a few, and this unique concept intrigued me.
The idea of the planet using metal from things like shelves to plants' soil was really interesting as well, along with the planet making a strand of the strangest material ever.The properties of the material were described in such a way, it was obvious Timothy Zahn was familiar with some basic material science and metal's properties.Throughout the book, Zahn uses scientific terms fairly accurately and with knowledge, that makes the geek in me squee with joy.The scientific technology shows its age (with cassettes to hold data and other 80's-ish gadgets), but oddly enough, it doesn't take away from the story at all.
I found it very easy to get sucked into the book.It has an easy writing style, a quick pace, exciting events, and an intriguing premise.Zahn doesn't hang around, chewing the fat, or leaving the reader to wonder when the story will resume.The story is always going.Everything leads to the final scene, which, while short, is more than adequate.
I know it will sound odd, but the conclusion was definitely satisfying.So many books have a combination of hastily done, overly simplistic, overly optimistic, or childish, but this book's ending makes sense.It has a positive outlook, for sure, but there aren't pages of explaining the last 100 pages for the reader, no "sudden revelations", no "happily ever afters".It was, in all sense of the word, good.

I Didn't Like:
While I adore Zahn, I am not oblivious to his faults, and I felt there were more than a few weak points in this novel.
The characters of Spinneret felt very bland and interchangeable.The major characters (Colonel Meredith, Carmen Olivero, Cristobal Perez, and Dr. Peter Hafner) didn't really feel much different from the other, even though each one comes from different circumstances or backgrounds.Colonel Meredith knew more about geology and other "science-y" stuff than I would have expected from an army officer (even one who is in command of a scientific base like Astra); Olivero miraculously knew how to fly even though she wasn't military (which seemed odd as her job was mostly data crunching); Perez seemed to have one job and that was colony troublemaker, yet was able to figure out how to open the door when Dr. Hafner and Colonel Meredith could not (though you could suppose, since the answer was not complicated, that sometimes "smart" people overthink a problem); and Dr. Hafner felt a bit too much like your stereotypical scientist.In fact, each and every one of the characters knew way more about science than they should (other than Dr. Hafner).And in the end, all become sudden astrogeologists.Overall, I really didn't feel like I got into any of the characters' heads nor could adequately sympathize--no, distinguish--one from another.
Another distracting element was the use of "Um".A character (most frequently, I noticed, Colonel Meredith) would begin a sentence with this word like in the following passage: "Um...Feels awfully smooth for something that's been buried this long."This dialogue feels awkward.I wouldn't say "Um" in this situation; probably "Hm" but not "Um"."Um" always sounds like you are unsure of yourself or gathering your thoughts, but not being thoughtful (which is, I thought, what Colonel Meredith was feeling).
Some of the events are far too easily maneuvered.Colonel Meredith will conveniently let Carmen do *this*.Perez will say *something* that Colonel Meredith will (grudgingly) agree to.Dr. Hafner happens to come to the (correct) conclusion about *that*.I know why it was done, but it still was a little obvious and not always necessary.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
A few swear words grace the pages, but Zahn avoids them for the most part.However, when he does, sometimes it feels awkward and obvious he is trying to avoid swearing.
None.Whatsoever.
The threat of violence hangs in the air as the alien ships surround Astra.Also, Perez joins in a riot against Colonel Meredith's actions.A few soldiers die in an attempted coup, and when the Spinneret is activated

Overall:
I believe I had tried to read Spinneret some years ago and just couldn't get into it.Well, this time, I did, and it was time well spent.I just wish the characters were a little more distinguishable and unique.Four stars for another enjoyable tale.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Unique, Creative, and a great read!
Spinneret is a great read.If you are bored with the similarities of many SciFi plots, find this book! (I say *find* because it is currently out of print, try Amazon Used book section, Zshops, or online auctions, or the library).Zahn takes a totally ridiculous idea and creates a masterpiece.The premise of the story is that man finally makes it out of the solar system in hopes of colonization, only to find out that we are latecomers to the game.All the worlds in our reach have already been divided up between several species.The United Nation's is able to trade for a planet regarded as useless (no natural resources to speak of and crops can not be grown) and the USA (being the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation) will bear most of the financial burden and administrative responsibilities.This situation is palatable as long as the colony is a money pit.The US Colonel in charge of the colony has orders to do whatever necessary to make the colony self-sufficient as soon as possible.This proves to be a daunting task, as the workers (many from third world countries) are being rallied by a charismatic anti-American and refuse to work until their demands are met.Amid the turmoil, scientists begin to analyze an enigma threatening the lives of all colonists.The crops won't grow.And to make matters worse, everything made of metal seems to be disappearing. Finding the answer to these problems eventually leads to an amazing discovery that makes this new colony one of the most valuable commodities in the known universe; hidden technology from the original inhabitants.Soon all aliens are fighting to be our best friend and suddenly the UN wants to run the show -- and politics reigns supreme!The colonists still can't grow their own food nor protect their new discovery from the more technologically advanced aliens. The workers are up in arms and want a piece of the new found profits, the US and UN are trying to outmaneuver one another for control of the colony, and the amazing discovery has left more questions than answers (what happened to the inventors and what do we do if they come back?). As usual, Zahn creates believable characters and a page turning plot structure, based on a far-fetched idea that he somehow makes believable.I think what I like the best about reading anything by Timothy Zahn is the flow of the story.He has the innate ability to give enough technical details to further the story, without bogging down the reader with constant interruptions.Many authors write in an annoyingly choppy fashion, constantly stopping the flow of the story to explain technical details (especially in SciFi) or in order to set up the next scene.Zahn's works seem to have a continuous flow with constant action and dialog that are pertinent to the overall story. Spinneret is one of my favorites from Timothy Zahn, and I encourage you to go out of your way to find this book, it will be well worth the effort.

Unique, creative, and a great read!
Spinneret is a great read.If you are bored with the similarities of many SciFi plots, find this book! (I say *find* because it is currently out of print, try Amazon Used book section, Zshops, or online auctions, or the library).Zahn takes a totally ridiculous idea and creates a masterpiece.The premise of the story is that man finally makes it out of the solar system in hopes of colonization, only to find out that we are latecomers to the game.All the worlds in our reach have already been divided up between several species.The United Nation's is able to trade for a planet regarded as useless (no natural resources to speak of and crops can not be grown) and the USA (being the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation) will bear most of the financial burden and administrative responsibilities.This situation is palatable as long as the colony is a money pit.The US Colonel in charge of the colony has orders to do whatever necessary to make the colony self-sufficient as soon as possible.This proves to be a daunting task, as the workers (many from third world countries) are being rallied by a charismatic anti-American and refuse to work until their demands are met.Amid the turmoil, scientists begin to analyze an enigma threatening the lives of all colonists.The crops won't grow.And to make matters worse, everything made of metal seems to be disappearing. Finding the answer to these problems eventually leads to an amazing discovery that makes this new colony one of the most valuable commodities in the known universe; hidden technology from the original inhabitants.Soon all aliens are fighting to be our best friend and suddenly the UN wants to run the show -- and politics reigns supreme!The colonists still can't grow their own food nor protect their new discovery from the more technologically advanced aliens. The workers are up in arms and want a piece of the new found profits, the US and UN are trying to outmaneuver one another for control of the colony, and the amazing discovery has left more questions than answers (what happened to the inventors and what do we do if they come back?). As usual, Zahn creates believable characters and a page turning plot structure, based on a far-fetched idea that he somehow makes believable.I think what I like the best about reading anything by Timothy Zahn is the flow of the story.He has the innate ability to give enough technical details to further the story, without bogging down the reader with constant interruptions.Many authors write in an annoyingly choppy fashion, constantly stopping the flow of the story to explain technical details (especially in SciFi) or in order to set up the next scene.Zahn's works seem to have a continuous flow with constant action and dialog that are pertinent to the overall story. Spinneret is one of my favorites from Timothy Zahn, and I encourage you to go out of your way to find this book, it will be well worth the effort.

Unique, creative, a great read!
Spinneret is a great read.If you are bored with the similarities of many SciFi plots, find this book! (I say *find* because it is currently out of print, try Amazon Used book section, Zshops, or online auctions, or the library).Zahn takes a totally ridiculous idea and creates a masterpiece.The premise of the story is that man finally makes it out of the solar system in hopes of colonization, only to find out that we are latecomers to the game.All the worlds in our reach have already been divided up between several species.The United Nation's is able to trade for a planet regarded as useless (no natural resources to speak of and crops can not be grown) and the USA (being the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation) will bear most of the financial burden and administrative responsibilities.This situation is palatable as long as the colony is a money pit.The US Colonel in charge of the colony has orders to do whatever necessary to make the colony self-sufficient as soon as possible.This proves to be a daunting task, as the workers (many from third world countries) are being rallied by a charismatic anti-American and refuse to work until their demands are met.Amid the turmoil, scientists begin to analyze an enigma threatening the lives of all colonists.The crops won't grow.And to make matters worse, everything made of metal seems to be disappearing. Finding the answer to these problems eventually leads to an amazing discovery that makes this new colony one of the most valuable commodities in the known universe; hidden technology from the original inhabitants.Soon all aliens are fighting to be our best friend and suddenly the UN wants to run the show -- and politics reigns supreme!The colonists still can't grow their own food nor protect their new discovery from the more technologically advanced aliens. The workers are up in arms and want a piece of the new found profits, the US and UN are trying to outmaneuver one another for control of the colony, and the amazing discovery has left more questions than answers (what happened to the inventors and what do we do if they come back?). As usual, Zahn creates believable characters and a page turning plot structure, based on a far-fetched idea that he somehow makes believable.I think what I like the best about reading anything by Timothy Zahn is the flow of the story.He has the innate ability to give enough technical details to further the story, without bogging down the reader with constant interruptions.Many authors write in an annoyingly choppy fashion, constantly stopping the flow of the story to explain technical details (especially in SciFi) or in order to set up the next scene.Zahn's works seem to have a continuous flow with constant action and dialog that are pertinent to the overall story. Spinneret is one of my favorites from Timothy Zahn, and I encourage you to go out of your way to find this book, it will be well worth the effort. ... Read more

Product Description
In the Hugo Award-winning Cascade Point, faster-than-light travel leads to adventure and danger, and in the Nebula Award-winning Hardfought, alien warfare lights up the skies. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Hardfought (not by Timothy Zahn)
Both these stories are pretty easy and quick to read, Zahn's Cascade Point being the easier one. Like most of Zahn's stories it takes a single sf idea - the "cascade point" at which you see all possible alternate realities at once - and explores it. I found the idea kind of interesting, but a little contrived.
The other story, Greg Bear's Hardfought, blew my mind. At first the narrative is a little confusing, but once you get used to that it's okay. It deals with an interstellar war in the extreme future of humanity, and the ways our species has evolved and adapted to the war's requirements. I read this a few years ago, so I don't remember specific points too clearly, but I can remember the way Bear wrote it. Bear has never been interested in making his narratives straightforward or simple, either in the complexity of the plot or in the prose he uses, and this is no exception. Some people are probably put off by the narrative not being totally clear, but I loved it (and I'm sure that if you read it a little slower and think a little more, it will all make sense).

Cascade Point
Just Superb! The way Mr. Zahn writes as usual makes me wish for more. Now, the cascade point idea is one of the best in Sci Fi, clever and original. I only regret that the book is not as big as I would wanted it to be, but it makes for an excelent reading for those Sci Fi readers. Highly reccomended!

Um...Greg Bear wrote half of this title...
Seems some of the previous reviwers overlooked the fact that there were two authors involved in this work.Although I like Timothy Zahn a lot, I'm a dyed in the wool Bear fan, and Hardfought is one of the few shorts (ofany author) I re-read over and over again.Shoehorned into this story arecommentaries on the consequences of total war, cloning, social changes overvast periods of time, political back-handedness, speciesism,andmanipulation of popular culture.Plus ripping action and even some tepidsex!The open-ended ending appeals to me too...I'm sure the editors hatedit.Another example of Bear's mastery.Oh, and Zahn's story was good too.

Hardfought classic.
When I looked up reviews for Zahn's Hardfought and found only one, I was surprised. I've read a few other titles by Zahn, but none have stayed with me like this one. I believe this story belongs in the company of Haldeman's The Forever War, Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, in that it is an inspired examination of humanity at war. Zahn has approached his subject from a different angle however, and Hardfought to me feels like a mythological tragedy, as haunting as MacBeth, with humanity as the poor player and interstellar war the stage. I recall that upon finishing the story, perhaps ten years ago now, I flung the book across the room in disgust that we as a race should ever come to such an end. Not for the fainthearted, but definitely worth a read.

A great book, an astounding author.
One of Timothy Zahn's firsts. Read the Conqueror's trilogy. Buy the single book, Cascade Point, and don't bother with Hardfought. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A highly enjoyable read
A selection of short stories based on a science fiction theme. This book is highly recommened and it is a complete shame that it's out of print.

"The Giftie Gie Us" is about a post apocalyptic world where justice is won the hard way and love is even harder to find.

"The Dreamsender" is a story about a possible future where very special people can go into others dreams and send messages, or just talk to them."Dreamsending" doesn't seem to have anything to do with time and space...meaning that a person can just as easily send messages across the galaxy as they can to their next door neighbor.So when a conspiracy happens on the moon and men seem to be kidnapped how do they get messages in and out of their prison?

"The Energy Crisis of 2215" is about humanity needing more energy for the earth.They capture a black hole to fulfill this requirement.What they don't know is the black hole is unstable and sitting right next to the earth.

"Return to the Fold" is about a person that has been conditioned since birth to want to be away from other people.Not only can he not stand being in the same room as someone else, he can't stand being in a room someone else was in.This works well on space voyages lasting twenty or thirty years, but horrible when a person wants to be like everyone else.What is he to do?

"The Shadows of Evening" is about humans colonizing another planet and an indigenous life form that doesn't like technology.This life form encircles anything technological and tries to get rid of any people around it.There is a special group of men that can get rid of these "shadows" and have been doing it for generations.When a new, easier way is found to rid the world of "shadows" these highly trained, highly respected Shadow Warriors are no longer needed.These men start to resent the newly trained Mindmasters.

"Not Always To The Strong" is the sequel to "The Shadows of Evening."In this story a rich man wants to control the newly made Mindmasters.To do this he gets the help of some of the best Shadow Warriors he can, including the main character in the last story.

"The Challenge" is about humanities obsession with video games and an alien race watching us from the outside.

"The Cassandra" is about humans that can see disasters and death in the future.Sometimes their predictions are right, usually they're not.Or so people assumed....

"Dragon Pax" is about what happens to a planet after mankind has had a war that turned human civilization throughout the universe into chaos.On this planet there is a ruler called the Dragonmaster.This man has absolute power over gigantic dragons that can cause death and mayhem to anyone he desires.Does this man really want to have the kind of government he has for this country or will he make someone stand forward to help bring democracy to this world?

"Job Inaction" is about a future Earth where people get jobs based on a lottery rather then work experience, or education.In this future world a man is fired because of a computer glitch and he must find a way to either get his job back or make money some other way.

"Teamwork" is about an alien spacecraft that lands on Earth and makes humans into slaves.A special group of people must go in and destroy the craft and save the humans aboard.

"The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment" is about a psychic man that decides to find out when humans have human thought patterns.The consequences of his actions are unforeseen by him or anyone else until years in the future.

"Cascade Point" is about a space ship lost in time and space and what they have to do to get back to their Earth.

A good intro to Zahn
An excellant collection of early short fiction by Zahn I particualrly liked 'Shadows of evening" and the sequel 'Not only to the stong".Some stories are clearly showing a writer still learnign hsi craft, but are still veryu good, and the title story is top-notch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Back Cover Description
If anyone had told Jonny Moreau the Cobras would one day take roders from the alien Troft, he would have laughed without humor.He'd lost too many friends during th Troft war, though the Cobras triumphed in the end.Now, though, the Troft were trading partners... Jonny Moreau's son Justin would carry the Moreau name to danger...

great book!
This is a great book that I enjoyed immensely ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great story, interesting characters
I, like the first reviewer, am hoping that T. Zahn will write a thirdnovel in this series. The end of the Backlash mission leaves you wonderingwhat will happen to the Blackcollars - will they ever free the Earth fromalien domination?What really happened to the Blackcollars hidden underthe mountain?Will the aliens find a way to counter the Backlash drug? Will Caine ever become a Blackcollar?

This sequel was full of interestingplot twists, great characters, good action: The storyline deserves morethan being forgotten and out of print.

An outstanding book
This, along with the origional Blackcollar, are the best novel's that I have ever read.They are not that popular due to the average individual not being familiar with most martial arts techniques, making the senarioshard to follow for them.I think Zahn learned his lesson a little toowell, which explains the lack of detailed battle scenes in his Star Warsbooks. I have been waiting for years to learn what happens to the team andAllen Caine.I hope he chooses to write the third novel.

A brilliant sequel and a must-buy
It is remarkable that there are no other reviews for this book because it is one of the best of its genre i`ve ever read! The story is about a group of elite-warriors called blackcollars (already known from the firstbook)who set out to search the drug backlash, which was lost during the waragainst a insectoid alien race. Only backlash gives the blackcollars theirimproved strenght, reflexes and senses. Without it, the first generation ofblackcollars will also be the last... Everyone who loved Admiral Thrawn`scunning plans will read this book in one night. ... Read more

Product Description
Beginning with Shadows of the Empire, Luke, Leia, and Chewbacca are determined to foil Boba Fett's plan to deliver carbonite-encased Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt. But these heroes are up against more than they realize. Darth Vader searches for Luke, hoping to turn him to the dark side, and a new threat, Xizor, the ruthless leader of the criminal organization Black Sun, seeks to gain the trust of the Emperor by killing Skywalker and overthrowing Vader! Then, in Shadows of the Empire: Evolution, a beautiful human-droid - previously an assassin for Xizor - searches to find her human side as Luke Skywalker tracks her across the galaxy, determined to bring her to justice! And finally, in Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand, the Emperor's personal assassin carries out her last mission, determined to succeed despite the death of her Master - even if it costs her life! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Weak lead story but some strong followups
I missed Shadows of the Empire when it first came out.It was a project in the mid-90s that used a novel, video game and comic to fill in the gaps between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and was a fair hit.This book reprints the original comic and then 2 mini series the followed it.

The lead story telling how Luke, Chewie, Lando and Leia tracked down Han Solo and Boba Fett is fairly weak.Mostly taken from the novel it feels rushed, new characters like Prince Xizor and Dash Rendar appear but are never properly introduced.In the final battle the villain dies off camera.The art is more stylized than most Star Wars books, it looks like one of the hundreds of Todd McFarlane clones that populated the mid 90s.

The second story by novelist Timothy Zahn and Carlos Ezquerra follows Mara Jade an Imperial assassin targeted for death after the Emperor's death.The focus on one character makes for a stronger story with twists and turns.Ezquerra's art is a delight as always.

The last story follows the human-looking android Guri as she tries to leave her life as an assassin behind.It's kind of a light story but the art by Ron Randall is pretty and there's a lot of cheesecake.Guri of course looks like a statuesque blond and her jumpsuit gets torn up quite a bit.

This is a fun book but not great, it's got a good price and you'll enjoy it but it's not worth hunting down.

Impressive...most impressive.
This particular Omnibus is almost perfect. The final entry, which purports to be a direct sequel to Shadows of the Empire, was severely disappointing in my opinion. However, the outstanding material that precedes it more than makes up for the weak art and story that concludes the volume. I would recommend it to anyone, although perhaps not at full price.

The best of the classic era graphic novels!!!
This has got to be one of the greatest non-movie Star Wars stories ever! I remember when these comics, games, and novels came out because it was a whole new chapter to the saga that had never been told before. A must read for any die-hard Star Wars fan. Dash Rendar has got to be one of the best Expanded Universe characters ever created! Buy now!!!

awesome!
Another great Star Wars Omnibus! Keep them coming!

Great! 5 stars! ... Read more

Product Description
From the gripping title novella to the short story that packs a twist you'll never see coming, here are six stories from an author who has rightfully taken his place at the forefront of the science fiction field today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Introduction to Zahn's work
I've always been hesitant to read any science fiction that is either heavily technical or heavily into military-techno jargon. One of the brilliant things about Zahn's short stories is that he always uses speculative technology in ways that are easy to understand and that move the story forward in interesting ways. His short story Star Song is the best of the lot in using new technologies to create an imaginative new world.

If there is any one way to characterize Zahn's approach I would say that it is more political science fiction more than technical science fiction. Many of his stories have an undertone of political theory to it. I think the casual student of political science might appreciate this undertone as I did.

This approach could be problematic if the politics is allowed to overcome the human side of the story. I'll admit that deep soulful human dramas aren't Zahn's specialty (I apologize I read a Murakami book right before reading this book--talk about comparing apples and oranges). However, the human is never completely lost in his stories either. Hitmen, The Art of War, The Play's the Thing, and Star Song are all stories that are stronger in this regard, even if they don't work toward coffee house/ art house levels of soulfulness.

There is also the issue of this being a short story collection. What are short story collections supposed to do that novels and other longer forums don't have to? I think that they should should show an author's range. This collection certainly does that. Zahn is not known for his humor, yet The Play is the Thing had me laughing out loud. Also, short story collections have a license to substitute cleverness for greatness. Zahn shows a magnificent range of cleverness in each of these stories even as his stories seem to show a kind of thinness more relevant to cinematic writing.

Most importantly, a short story collection is supposed to pay testament to a writer's talent. This collection brings out the best in Zahn. Zahn isn't Haruki Murakami or Philip K. Dick, but he excels in what he is best at. That's why I'm giving the book five stars

More wonderful stories from Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn is one of the most imaginative science fiction authors writing today. He has written a large number of novels, which range from fair to excellent, and is probably best known for his contributions to the "Star Wars" Universe, particularly the novels in which he bought to life the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn and his people, the Chiss. However, Zahn's four short story collections are perhaps his best achievement.

This collection is named for a novella about a universe in there are sentient creatures living in space who are will take human ships between the stars in exchange for music. Any reader who enjoyed Zahn's novel on a similar theme, "Warhorse" will particularly like his one, and vice versa.

The first story in this book, "Point Man" is set in the same universe as "Final Solution" from the short story collection "Distant Friends." In that universe most star travelling races have "hive-minds" e.g. they have such powerful intra-species telepathy that effectively the whole race share one mind. The hive minds were shocked and horrified when they encountered human spaceships are realised that one of the dangerous "fragmented" species (e.g. those in which each specimen is an individual) has survived to discover interstellar travel. Such races are always warlike and usually blow themselves to radioactive slag long before that stage. In "Point Man the Drymnu hive race from "Final Solution" experiment with their own solution to he human problem.

All these short stories are disciplined and to the point, as they have to be to make this format work: they are also very accessible and easy to read.

As with his novels, Timothy Zahn's short stories are characterised not just by an amazing range of weird ideas about the creatures or scientific principles we might find in the universe, but also about the difficult moral choices which humans - and other intelligent creatures - might face as a result.

Some of these stories have a romantic element, some don't, and when they do the hero may or may not get the girl. Since Zahn doesn't write to a formula in this respect, you cannot always see a romance coming, or predict the outcome. This makes some of the stories more satisfying and others more poignant.

If you do like this book, you may want to try Zahn's other short story collections, which are

Cascade Point
Distant Friends (and others)
Time Bomb and Zahndry others

Light Comedy With Music
Star Song and Other Stories is, insofar as I am aware, the fourth collection of Zahn's short works.It contains 6 stories, of which I had already read 3 in Analog.

Point Man is a humorous, but exciting story in the David and Goliath tradition.Hitmen-See Murderers is also humorous, yet with a bit of wisdom.The Broccoli Factor, another humorous story, is technological slapstick, but even stranger ideas have come true.The Art of War is serious yet light, with an upbeat ending.The Play's the Thing is pure farce.Star Song is another serious yet light story.

If you haven't read any Zahn works other than the Star Wars novels, you should know that he has written at least 19 other books during his career.This collection shows his capabilities in short, light fiction.It strongly resembles Vernor Vinge's True Names in the innovative themes and easy to read style.

Overall, these are all fun, and some funny, stories.Perfect for a damp, dreary, dark evening.Recommended for anyone who likes light humor,
clear writing, and original approaches.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Product Description
In love with fellow telepath Colleen Isaac, Dale Ravenhall realizes that the very thing that enables him and Colleen to read each other's minds would kill them both if they came within twenty miles of each other. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Short Story collection
Timothy Zahn is one of the most imaginative science fiction authors writing today. He has written a large number of novels, which range from fair to excellent, and is probably best known for his contributions to the "Star Wars" Universe, particularly the novels in which he bought to life the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn and his people, the Chiss. However, Zahn's four short story collections are perhaps his best achievement.

This collection is named for a group of three short stories about the "distant friends," a group of telepaths who cannot travel within about twenty miles of each other or the amount of feedback between their brains will drive them insane. The narrator, Dale Ravenhall, has fallen helplessly in love with one of his fellow telepaths, Colleen Isaac - and knows that they can never meet.

All these short stories are disciplined and to the point, as they have to be to make this format work: they are also very accessible and easy to read.

As with his novels, Timothy Zahn's short stories are characterised not just by an amazing range of weird ideas about the creatures or scientific principles we might find in the universe, but also about the difficult moral choices which humans - and other intelligent creatures - might face as a result.

Sometimes Zahn revisits the characters or wider universe he created in another short story. For example, "Distant Friends" contains the short story "The Evidence of things not seen," a direct sequel to the title short story of the book "Cascade Point."

Also in "Distant Friends" is the short story "Final Solution" which describes mankind's first meeting with one of the "hive-mind" races, e.g. a species who have such powerful telepathy that effectively they share one mind. The hive mind is shocked and horrified to discover that one of the dangerous "fragmented" species (e.g. those in which each specimen is an individual) has survived to discover interstellar travel. Such races are always warlike and usually blow themselves to radioactive slag long before that stage. "Final solution" tells of the attempt by the humans involved in the first contact to learn from the hive mind how to bring an end to war. Zahn subsequently wrote another short story set in the same universe, called "Point Man", which can be found in the book "Star song and other stories.

Some of these stories have a romantic element, some don't, and when they do the hero may or may not get the girl. Since Zahn doesn't write to a formula in this respect, you cannot always see a romance coming, or predict the outcome. This makes some of the stories more satisfying and others more poignant.
... Read more