The Rabbit Factory: A Novel

Average customer rating:

A quirky. dreadful dellight

It's not the way it really is !!

Not Larry Brown's Best

Just another jewel within the science- fiction genre

Disappointed Larry Brown fan

The Rabbit Factory: A Novel
Larry Brown
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Joe Joe

Father and Son: Winner of the Southern Book Award

Big Bad Love

Billy Ray's Farm: Essays from a Place Called Tula

Dirty Work

ASIN: B000KHXBOA

Book Description

In an ambitious narrative structure reminiscent of Robert Altman's classic film Nashville, Larry Brown weaves together the stories of a sprawling cast of eccentric and lovable characters, each embarked on a quest for meaning, fulfillment, and love -- with poignant and uproarious results.

Set in Memphis and North Mississippi, The Rabbit Factory follows the colliding lives of, among others, Arthur, an older, socially ill-at-ease man of considerable wealth married to the much younger Helen, whose desperate need for satisfaction sweeps her into the arms of other men; Eric, who has run away from home thinking his father doesn't want him and becomes Arthur's unlikely surrogate son; and Anjalee, a big-hearted prostitute with her own set of troubles who crashes into the lives of the others like a one-woman hurricane.

Teeming with pitch-perfect creations that include quirky gangsters, colorful locals, seemingly straitlaced professors, and fast-and-loose police officers, Brown's spellbinding and often hilarious story is about the botched choices and missed chances that separate people -- and the tenuous threads of love and coincidence that connect them. With all the subtlety and surprise of life itself, the story turns on a dime from comical to violent to moving. Masterful, profound, and full of spirit, The Rabbit Factory is literary entertainment of the highest order.

Download Description

"Larry Brown's idiosyncratic and powerful Southern novels have earned him widespread critical acclaim. Now, in an ambitious narrative structure reminiscent of Robert Altman's classic film Nashville, this ""true original"" (Chicago Tribune) weaves together the stories of a sprawling cast of eccentric and lovable characters, each embarked on a quest for meaning, fulfillment, and love -- with poignant and uproarious results. Set in Memphis and north Mississippi, The Rabbit Factory follows the colliding lives of, among others, Arthur, an older, socially ill-at-ease man of considerable wealth married to the much younger Helen, whose desperate need for satisfaction sweeps her into the arms of other men; Eric, who has run away from home thinking his father doesn't want him and becomes Arthur's unlikely surrogate son; Domino, an ex-con now involved in the drug trade, who runs afoul of a twisted cop; and Anjalee, a big-hearted prostitute with her own set of troubles, who crashes into the lives of the others like a one-woman hurricane. Teeming with pitch-perfect creations that include quirky gangsters, colorful locals, seemingly straitlaced professors, and fast-and-loose police officers, Brown tells a spellbinding and often hilarious story about the botched choices and missed chances that separate people -- and the tenuous threads of love and coincidence that connect them. With all the subtlety and surprise of life itself, the story turns on a dime from comical to violent to moving. Masterful, profound, and full of spirit, The Rabbit Factory is literary entertainment of the highest order. "

Customer Reviews:

A quirky. dreadful dellight.......2007-04-02

My husband and I listened to this excellent book on tape together on a long road trip. "Please don't be there yet; are we stopping for gas again?" was the mantra, we didn't want to stop listening. The dysfunctional, unlikable, absurd characters kept us engrossed and entertained mile upon mile. I can't believe I haven't heard more about this delightfully dreadful book. The other reviewers have written about the large cast of characteres and circumstances well enough.

I'm recommending this novel to my book club and to anyone else who wants a thought provoking, entertaining, page turning book of societies most unlikelies.

It's not the way it really is !! .......2007-03-22

If someone reads and enjoys this book that's fine. Just don't read it as being the way people in Mississippi really live and act. This is a description of how mythical people at the very bottom of the social ladder might be expected to behave if they all lived in the same small area, and not influenced at all by any collective morality or common sense. It's fiction / make believe. Taken as that, it's something to read. But it's not the way Mississippi is.

Not Larry Brown's Best.......2006-03-08

I love Larry Brown stories, but I have to confess that there is some truth to some of the negative comments posted in previous reviews (though I wouldn't go so far with the gouging the eyes out bit). This just isn't a strong story and even the writing wasn't all that. Larry Brown created substantially better works with "Fay", "Joe" and "Father and Son"; for anyone that is interested in Brown I'd suggest starting with those titles. I'm giving this review 3 stars instead of 2 because, well, it's Larry Brown, and anyone that's read any of the above listed titles will know what I mean.

Just another jewel within the science- fiction genre.......2005-06-24

You know Larry Brown. He's that other notable modern author from Oxford, Mississippi. The one who wrote his way out of a day position with his local fire department. He may not have made as many trips to the bank as the Grisham guy, but he has enough literary awards lying around to maintain equal status on par with famous ghosts, past and present. All of which puts the legend of Rowan Oak in good hands.

In "The Rabbit Factory", Larry Brown makes the rounds on a dozen or so of these colloquial residents in the midst of their daily perplexities. Burdened by situation, each of our characters is looking for that safety valve of escape or salvation. Relief in any form is welcome. Drawing on the strength of his previous volumes of short stories, Facing The Music and Big Bad Love, Brown has spun the compass on lives heading nowhere fast. The needle points down. His gift for exploiting his characters' innermost thoughts and secrets has never been keener. He gives the knockout punch often and effectively as he hurries them along to that day they knew would come, but pretended never would.

Finally, if you like your fiction on the bent, cruel side, imitating art stranger than truth, you'll find a hilarity here that's deliciously wicked. We can come to like, possibly love these characters. As hapless and hopeless, they almost seen destined to meet. Their journeys come perilously close. Perhaps had there been one more day, their fiction would have turned to fact. Never to shirk events, Larry Brown proves up to the task of leading them to their rightful place. As a mathematical equation, probabilities are likely, not endless. With those who live their lives on the edge, chance and risk are counted as sure things. Using Brown's new math, nothing is as it seems. Soon, they all find their homes as a very personal heaven or hell.

Disappointed Larry Brown fan.......2005-06-07

I am a fan of Larry Brown's books, but this one did not live up to my expectations of his writing based on the other books I have read. I gave the book 3 stars, because it was definitely a page turner, but in the end I was sorry that there wasn't some closure. I had too many questions left at the end, and I am still wondering what happened to some of the characters and their relationships. I think the book ended way too soon, and stopped short of providing that completed feeling at the end of the story.

Average customer rating:

Could have used some editing but very good
Great Audio Entertainment
574 Pages of Pure Entertainment
rabbit factory redux
Hare-brained novel is fantastic

The Rabbit Factory: A Novel
Marshall Karp
Manufacturer: Doubleday Canada
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Police Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0385664109
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

About 30 pages into The Rabbit Factory you will find yourself hoping that the book's author Marshall Karp is at home typing. He has created two LAPD cops, Mike Lomax and his partner Terry Biggs, who are smart, drop-dead funny (especially Terry), and as irreverent as two guys can be. Karp has also written a ripping good story, not counting on buddy-cop banter to carry the day.

Mike Lomax's wife, Joanie, died of cancer six months before the action begins, after a long time trying to have a family. Instead of leaving little replicas of herself, she leaves letters, which Mike opens on the 18th of every month, the anniversary of her death. His father, Big Jim, loved Joanie very much but wants to see Mike get on with his life. These guys love each other a lot and the dialogue that Karp gives them is both sharp and tender. Terry Biggs met his wife, Marilyn, who was the paramedic called when he was an "Officer Down." That meeting is so funny you have to read it to believe it.

One thing, as they say, led to another, and despite the fact that Marilyn had seven-year-old twin daughters, and a third, age five, Terry signed on for the whole package. And that's how a guy from the Bronx winds up living in Sherman Oaks with a wife and three teenage Valley girls.

The setting of much of the action is "Familyland," a Disneyland clone, conceived of by the late Dean Lamaar, who, like Disney, started out as an animator. His creations, Rambunctious Rabbit, Slaphappy Puppy, McGreedy the Moose, and others are now big family favorites and the little cartoon studio is a global conglomerate. It has been recently sold to the Japanese, after faltering receipts, and there are plans afoot to open a theme park in Las Vegas. That opening is just months away when an employee playing Rambunctious Rabbit is murdered on the premises. Not good for the corporate image. Another murder takes place, and another, and it quickly becomes obvious that someone has it in for Lamaar's enterprises. Mike and Terry are under tremendous pressure from Ike Rose, CEO of Lamaar, to keep the whole mess under wraps, and an equal amount of pressure from their Chief to "get it solved." They work smart and long and hard to uncover a conspiracy, finding a big surprise at the end of the search.

Marshall Karp is a refreshing addition to the suspense, satire, mystery genre. His two Detectives are irresistible. --Valerie Ryan

Book Description

When the actor playing Rambunctious Rabbit – the mascot of Lamaar Studio’s Familyland theme park – is brutally murdered on park grounds, LAPD detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs are brought in to investigate. Asked to keep the investigation under wraps in order to protect Lamaar’s idyllic image, Lomax and Biggs face a dilemma when a second – and then a third – brutal murder takes place and they uncover a conspiracy to destroy one of the country’s largest entertainment conglomerates. Written in sharp, comedic prose, The Rabbit Factory introduces a fresh set of cops to the mystery genre.

Customer Reviews:

Could have used some editing but very good.......2007-10-03

I will continue reading Karp's novels. He has created an excellent buddy team of detectives in Lomax and Biggs, but the novel is too long by about a third; and the overall plot, while enjoyable, is pretty ludicrous at the end of the day. That being said, Karp writes terrific dialogue and has a gift for witty banter. I am surprised by all the 5 star reviews, because even taken in the context of the genre this is no classic. Karp is working with a great set of characters that readers do care about. He probably has a 5 star book in him, and for a first novel "The Rabbit Factory" succeeds on most levels. I noticed that his follow up "Bloodthirsty" is shorter by about a third from "The Rabbit Factory" so that is a start at least.

Great Audio Entertainment.......2007-09-14

A highly entertaining story with a lot of originality. A novel riddled with satire and suspense. The audio was performed by two very talented narrators, Tom Stechschulte and James Jenner. I'm off to get Marshall Karp's latest novel 'Bloodthirsty' and recommend you to do the same.

574 Pages of Pure Entertainment.......2007-08-26

This has been on my TBR list for awhile, but just bought a few months ago. Yes, the length of the book put me off for a bit, but started and finished it on the weekend. The book goes back and forth between the murders connected with FamilyLand and two subplots also taking place in Mike's personal life, which kept it interesting. Definitely planning on buying the sequel.

rabbit factory redux.......2007-08-13

There is nothing about this book that is any good. At 532 pages, it is the sale of cliche by the pound. Somone needs to unplug this guy's word processor before he types again. O my, that may be too late.

I note in an earlier review a warning that no one confuse this outing with "The Rabbit Factory" written by the now deceased Larry Brown. The warning is without purpose. Nobody could.

Hare-brained novel is fantastic.......2007-07-30

This book is a joy to read because it has it all for readers - mystery, police procedure, dry, sarcastic humor and heart-touching pathos. Several reviewers here say the book is too long, but I found that rather than be burdened by the length, I savored its lasting. You've read the plot lines throughout here, so I'll skip that. The one thing that really made me realized Karp is a great writer is inclusion of the protagonist's wife who died six months prior to the book's beginning. I read this book about six months after my wife passed away and was moved by some of the things Terry thought and said. I am very pleased to see Karp has a new one out with the same guys... "Bloodthirsty." It's a must on my reading list!

Average customer rating:
Brian Jacques Set 1 (Redwall, Mossflower) (Redwall Series, Volume 1-2)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Redwall | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Jacques, Brian | ( J ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Mariel of Redwall (Redwall, Book 4)

Mattimeo: A Tale From Redwall

The Bellmaker (Redwall, Book 7)

Outcast of Redwall (Redwall, Book 8)

The Legend of Luke (Redwall, Book 12)

ASIN: B000LNM8DS

Average customer rating:
Mossflower. In den Fängen der Wildkatze.
Brian Jacques , and Michaela Helms
Manufacturer: Thienemann Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3522171411

Average customer rating:
3 PBs by Brian Jacques: Mossflower, Outcast of Redwall & Angel's Command
Brian Jacques
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Redwall | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000SHQ68U

Product Description

paperbacks

5 Titles By Brian Jacques Redwall Series : Redwall Mossflower Mattimeo Salamandastron Lord Brocktree

Average customer rating:

5 Titles By Brian Jacques Redwall Series : Redwall Mossflower Mattimeo Salamandastron Lord Brocktree
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: ACE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Product Description

Five mmpb books. 5 Titles By Brian Jacques Redwall Series : Redwall Mossflower Mattimeo Salamandastron Lord Brocktree.

Average customer rating:

Not my favorite, but definately one of the best!
Mossflower Review
GREAT FOR ALL AGES!!!!!
A True Gem of Fantasy
Mossflower

Mossflower
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Ages 9-12 | Children | Bargain Books | Stores | Books

Animals | Children | Bargain Books | Stores | Books

Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000Q6GY1C

Amazon.com

Brian Jacques's superb Redwall series truly captures the finest in storytelling tradition and combines it with the ultimate in upbeat, catch-your-breath adventure. Mossflower tells the story of Martin the Warrior, who finds himself trespassing on the land of Verdagua, King of a Thousand Eyes, as he lies sick and near dying. With his last strength, Verdagua is struggling to make a decision on who should replace him as ruler of Mossflower Country. As Martin and his newfound friend and fellow prisoner Gonff become embroiled in the battle against Verdagua's ruthless daughter, Tsarmina, a bloody fight between good and evil ensues.

Stunning landscapes, brilliant characterization, masterly plots, and a wicked sense of humor unite in this epic tale of derring-do and the triumph of good over evil, making it one of the most addictive and memorable books that anyone is ever likely to read. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

Mossflower, prequel to Redwall, is widely acknowledged by fans as one of the most memorable volumes of the bestselling Redwall series. It is now available in a special format, with six all-new, full-page illustrations and a brand-new map by David Elliot (illustrator of Triss and The Angel's Command, and winner of the 2003 New Zealand Post Children's Book Award). Fans will be eager to add it to their collections, and those new to the Redwall series will want to pick it up to find out how the grand epic got its start.

Customer Reviews:

Not my favorite, but definately one of the best!.......2007-09-30

I don't know what it was about this book that made me want to read it over and over again. It didn't have any colosal {I don't know if I spelled that right} battles or anything. I guess it was just the amazing storyline! The adventure was fantastic, but I honestly like whats going on with the woodlanders better than Martin the warriors journy, more action happens with them. In all, this is one of the best Redwall books, complete with an awesome one on one battle at the end. Read this book!

Mossflower Review .......2007-07-28

This is about Martin the Warrior , a heroic mouse, the self-appointed Prince of Mousetheives (and best friend to Martin), Gonff, the totally evil wildcat Tsarmina, and sundry other animal characters. The plot is that (1) Martin is (after a sidetracked problem) questing for Salamandastron, (2) the woodlanders defending themselves from Tsarmina until Martin returns, and (3) what's happening in Kotir, the moldy, falling-down castle where Tsarmina and her horde of vermin (stoats, rats, foxes, weasels and so on). This is a good series because it never ends on a cliffhanger at the very end. Mr. Jacques is a wonderful author, and I've read all his books except Eulalia!, because it isn't out yet. :(

GREAT FOR ALL AGES!!!!!.......2007-07-16

It is all you want in a good book.It has just the right amount of action,
peril,valor,and humor. If you want a book that is good for everyone, you just found one!

A True Gem of Fantasy.......2007-05-20

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

Mossflower.......2007-04-09

"Mossflower" is the epic prequel to "Redwall". Written by Brian Jacques, it is a book full of adventure and surprise.
The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower are forced to live under the tyrannical rule of the evil wildcat queen, Tsarmina. That is until the coming of Martin the Warrior. Martin brings hope and promise to the animals of Mossflower. With the help of a mighty weapon, the habitants of Mossflower will ban together to take back what is rightfully theirs and put an end to the evil reign of Tsarmina.
I highly recommend this book. It is full of action that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading.

Average customer rating:

Mossflower
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Red Fox
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M67Y9C

Average customer rating:

Mossflower
Brian Jacques
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Product Description

Martin, the warrior mouse, and Gonff, the mousethief, set out to find the missing ruler of Mossflower, while the other animal inhabitants of the woodland prepare to rebel against the evil wildcat who has seized power.

Average customer rating:

Mossflower
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O7WYRG

Average customer rating:

Mossflower
Brian Jaques
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K6J4J2

Average customer rating:

Mossflower (Redwall Ser.)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Book Description

It happened long ago and far away. Perhaps in this galaxy, perhaps in one close by. Two war-maddened races fought-and though both are extinct, their legacy abides: the Frankenstein weapon that destroyed not only the enemy, but the creator. The Berserkers, robotic, asteroid-sized killers programmed to one purpose: to seek out and eradicate all life. The death machines have harried their way across our galaxy. Now they have come for us. But humans are anything but easy prey . . . Three complete novels set in this seemingly endless war against death itself. The Berserker Wars: Despatches, battles, setbacks, and victories in the millennium-long battle between humans and the killing machines, woven into a seeping saga, with heroes, cowards, villains and even a prankster sharing the stage in the desperate struggle for survival. Berserker: Blue Death: The colony on Shubra had been annihilated by the great blue Berserker that men called Leviathan, and Niles Domingo's daughter was on that colony. Obsessed with the need for vengeance at any cost, he set out, tracking Leviathan through the mists of the Milkpail Nebula. But his pursuit would be neither simple nor straightforward, and he had no suspicion of the strange turn his quest was about to take. Berserker Kill: Once again, a Berserker attacks-but instead of destroying all life in its path, this one steals an orbiting biological lab filled with human zygotes, then wipes out all pursuers. The Berserker's plan for using the lab is completely unknown-but the humans and a lonely Artificial Intelligence assigned to the case are certain that it can only be very bad news for the beleaguered human race.

Customer Reviews:

Decent Collection of Early Berserker Tales.......2006-06-29

BERSERKER DEATH(2005) is a collection of three separate books, comprising 755 hard-cover pages. Up until now, it has been difficult to determine the best starting-off point for getting into the Berserker series of stories. BERSERKER DEATH provides a fairly good solution to this dilemna. Individual reviews of the three contained books follows:

BERSERKER WARS(1981) ** is itself a novella-sized(215 page) collection of eleven Berserker short stories that were first published in the late 60's and 70's. The older 60's stories were somewhat original in theme when published 40 years ago, but when compared to more modern SciFi, they are seen as generally plodding and sometimes pathetic (THE WINGED HELMET(1969)* is horrible), with poor character descriptions/development and hard to read prose - especially bad are the silly space battle "ramming tactics", the stereotypical 1960's "all-knowing" computers, and the poorly done stories with "time travel gimmicks". The late-70's stories are, on average, much better - notable is SOME EVENTS AT THE TEMPLAR RADIANT(1979)****, a quite good 30-page short story, with intrigue, interesting characters, and a good ending.

BERSERKER BLUE DEATH (1985) ** 1/2 is a 200 page (novella-size) story, based on the classic tale of THE WHALE. The main character Captain Niles Domingo, like Captain Ahab, is obsessed with the destruction of the Blue-tinted Berserker ship that was reponsible for the death of his wife and children, and indirectly responsible for the loss of his left leg. Many Berserker stories include nebula-based situations, and this story takes place mostly in the Milkpail Nebula. By the end of this story, we have a faily good idea of the personalities of the main characters, but we don't have a really good idea of what they look like physically.

BERSERKER KILL(1993) *** has a number of good space combat sequences, but bogs down at times with monotonous contemplations about the moral and ethical implications of raising human zygotes into adult humans for the sole purpose of implanting the memories of exiting adult humans... indeed the author must have grown tired of these contemplations, as the book suddenly changes tack halfway thru, and in Part 2 we find ourselves suddenly 300 years further into the future - and at least we get back into a more action-oriented mode.

COVER - The cover is quite good, but is really specific to the BERSERKER KILL story, depicting the two main characters from that story.

Average customer rating:

Captain Ahab in the 25th Century
I love Saberhagen, but this is not his best...
Berserker: A strong entry in a classic SF series
Ahab finally wins one...
Character and plot development is very strong

Berserker: Blue Death
Fred Saberhagen
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0812553292

Customer Reviews:

Captain Ahab in the 25th Century.......2006-07-08

BERSERKER BLUE DEATH (1985)(**1/2 stars) is a novella-size tale, based on the classic THE WHALE (MOBY "D"). The main character Niles Domingo, like Captain Ahab, is obsessed with the destruction of the Blue-tinted Berserker ship (instead of the White Whale) that was reponsible for the death of his wife and children, and indirectly responsible for the loss of his left leg. In this story, the Captain is fitted with a leg made from "the bone" of a captured berserker android, rather than the bone of a whale.

Many Berserker stories include nebula-based situations, and this story takes place mostly in the Milkpail Nebula.

Computer technology plays a big part in this story written in 1985; the author describes "3-D hologram plots" which the ship's computer takes a great amount of time to "assemble"... this technology is dated, given the ability of any modern PC with a decent graphics card to render 3-D images instantaneously... while it can take a good amount of time to build graphics databases - but not to build the image from the completed database (as described in the book).

By the end of this story, we have a faily good idea of the personalities of the main characters, but we don't have a really good idea of what they look like physically.

This early Berserker story is now available in the Berserker Omnibus BERSERKER DEATH (2005), published by Baen Books - which is probably the best place to start reading stories from the Berserker series.

I love Saberhagen, but this is not his best..........2004-08-12

Fred Saberhagen is a terrific writer, but this book is not a good example of his capabilities. Though there is some character and plot development, it is often agonizingly slow. Toward the last third of the book, it does pick up the pace a bit. Worth a read if you like the Berserker series, but don't set your expectations up very high.

Berserker: A strong entry in a classic SF series.......2004-02-14

Well worth reading, but I must admit, I really like Saberhagen (except the last of the Sword series which went on far too long).

Ahab finally wins one..........2002-01-14

If you haven't read any of the Berserker books, I'd recommend starting at the beginning and working your way through them. The series is different in that the books can be read in any order, as long as you have the backplot established. Read "Berserker", a collection of short stories that sets up the plot, then pick any other Berserker book and go.

Berserker: Blue Death can be compartmentalized as a science fiction equivalent to Moby Dick. Captain Ahab is protrayed by Nils Domingo, an enigmatic man who has lost a family instead of a leg to what he thinks is the ultimate enemy. Ishmael, Queequeg and the others are more than adequately picked up in the form of Spence Benkovic, Branwen Galway, etc. as members of Domingo's crew who have their own reasons for being there, but are struggling with their captain's reasons as well. Throw in Fourth Adventurer, a Carmpan, (you have to know the backplot of the universe this story is written in to understand how amazing this is) and the berserker, the unfeeling bringer of death, Leviathan (a.k.a. Moby Dick) and you've got a story ready to explode.

Simply put, this book is about a father's misplaced quest for revenge against the murderer of his daughter. The same things that made Moby Dick such a good read apply here as well. Characters who are developed to the point that you can relate to them on a personal level, strong intermediate story about the quest for revenge, and a titanic ending, with a very interesting twist. In this one, Ahab wins, twice in fact, but at the cost of his soul. Fantastic read.

Character and plot development is very strong.......2002-01-09

A fairly decent Berserker book. Not a lot of action, but the character and plot development is very strong for a SciFi novel. In Blue Death we watch the breakdown of Captain Domingo who believes the Berserker "Old Blue" has killed his entire family. Domingo is so single focused on Blue, he doesn't notice everything else going on around him, some of it extraordinary. One note however, the last few pages (actually the conclusion) were really stupid. That is just a testament to the strength of the rest of the story though, that it overcame the silly ending.

Average customer rating:

Such confusion!
Good premise but I found it kind of dry.
Mutually Assured Destruction on a cosmic scale
Mutually Assured Destruction on a cosmic scale
A direct ancestor to Star Trek's Borg and the Matrix

Berserker: Blue Death
Fred Saberhagen
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0812553225

Customer Reviews:

Such confusion!.......2005-12-17

Why are these people reviewing Berserker when the book at the top of the page is Berserker Blue Death, a wholly different Berserker title, a 1985 novel (and without a colon)? I have just heard the audio book of Berserker Blue Death. A fine story, among Saberhagen's best. Meanwhile, shape up, people. Look at Saberhagen's bibliography. And someone get that confusing colon removed.

Good premise but I found it kind of dry........2005-06-08

I liked the idea of the man versus machine, but felt that none of the characters were really developed. Although it was competently written, it seemed more like an outline than a finished book.
I like some of Saberhagen's Berserker short stories, and bought this book on the basis of those, but the book just didnt hold my interest. About halfway through I found myself skimming through it, and realized I just wasnt connecting with the book. I found the premise more compelling than the actual reading. Some good moments, but it just didnt grab me emotionally. Saberhagen's style is terse and dry, and I prefer writers with a more poetic style.
Like Asimov's 'Foundation', it is really a collection of separate stories, so it lacks the continuity and plot threads of a fully realized novel. Not bad, but I wouldnt rate it a classic.

Mutually Assured Destruction on a cosmic scale.......2004-05-17

If, somewhere in this universe two interstellar enemies assumed the trait humanity demonstrated during the 20th Century, took 'I'd rather be dead than Red' to the ultimate logical extreme, killed one another off entirely after having set their killing machines on autopilot, just to make certain, you'd have the 'other side' in the Berserkers series. Mankind innocently encounters the machines somewhere in his future and finds himself at war with them.

This series appears on the surface to be a relatively simple, fairly shallow-but-entertaining set of stories. Maybe that's the way it was intended. But if you scrape off the surface and consider the implications I believe you'll appreciate it more.

This book and all those in the Berserker series are worth reading for their intertainment value. If you pause afterward and ponder what the author might have been saying about humanity, so much the better.

Mutually Assured Destruction on a cosmic scale.......2004-05-17

A direct ancestor to Star Trek's Borg and the Matrix.......2003-07-06

Fred Saberhagen, in the first book of the Berserker series, introduces us to an unstoppable enemy to whom life itself is irrelevant. This collection of stories on a common theme predates the Terminator, the Borg and the Matrix by at least 30 years, and presents the idea of man's triumph over machines in a high-energy format which borders on the positive side of the classic pulp magazines. If you REALLY want to see the man vs. machine conflict dealt with in an original way, get this book NOW.

Average customer rating:

Berserker Blue Death (Unabridged)
Fred Saberhagen
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0000D1BX7

Average customer rating:

Berserker Blue Death
Fred Saberhagen
Manufacturer: VGSF
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M6350Y

Average customer rating:

Berserker: Blue Death
Fred Saberhagen
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000W239EK

Product Description

Put mediocrity and unfulfilled dreams where they belong - out of your life! The world desperately needs the originality only you can provide. God created you for a specific, unique purpose. He has called you not to imitate someone else, but to become all that he wants you to be. Simply put - You were born an original, don't die a copy! These 52 nuggets of truth will bust down barriers to excellence in your life and will release you to become all that God created you to be. Think about it: You're like a tea bag, not worth much until you've been through some hot water. Go out on a limb, that's where the fruit is. Leave everyone a little better than you found them. The doors of opportunity are marked "push". Don't spend your life standing at the complaint counter. You can't walk backwards into the future. The sky's not the limit

Customer Reviews:

eye opening.......2007-01-10

I was going through a terrible time in my life when a friend handed this book to me - I read it over and over - it was my source for reassurance everytime I questioned my decisions. I have given this book to several people that I thought needed the same help - it was amazing how such small thoughts could have such a dramatic effect on someone

Excellent book.......2006-03-01

It's wise, it's great, it's complete and a very big boost for self-assurance!

Sad thing is seeing STUPID OBNOXIOUS Gorillaz fans who think the phrase from the title of this wonderful book is a quote from Murdoc Niccals. What a bunch of losers.

John Mason, congratulations for your brilliant work!!!

Great book, 50 little nuggets.......2003-03-21

that can really help you change as a person if you want to. I enjoyed the fact that it was a simple easy read. John Mason gets the information across in a clear manner. He doesn't waste a lot of words.

You're Born an Original.......2000-08-20

This book is full of wonderful self affirming statements. It has passages from scriptures mixed in. A very uplifting piece of work. Lot's of wisdom to live by.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books