Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cvl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!cas
From: cas@cvl.UUCP (Cliff Shaffer)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Lucifer's Hammer
Message-ID: <794@cvl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Dec-83 15:01:40 EST
Article-I.D.: cvl.794
Posted: Wed Dec 21 15:01:40 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Dec-83 00:46:12 EST
References: <411@pucc-h>
Organization: U. of Md. Computer Vision Lab
Lines: 25

Just to balance things out on the review of Lucifer's Hammer, I have
also recently read it.  I didn't care for it much for several reasons.
First, it uses the narrative style of jumping from one character to
another every few pages, trying to follow several plot lines at once,
hopefully connecting them eventually.  I don't like this style, so I
guess that means I am less likely to appreciate a book using it.
Second, it is mostly standard science fiction/adventure stuff.  Good
guys try to rebuild their lives, large group of bad guys try to move in.
No new ideas here, very suprising considering who wrote it.
Third, and worst of all, it is a LONG book without a LONG plot to
sustain it.  It could have used a lot of editing, maybe getting rid of
some of the sub-character episodes.

In summery: Average SF, if you got enough to read already, don't go
out of you way to read this.

On the other hand, if you want to read a great book by Niven and
Pournelle, try "The Mote in God's Eye."  The only reason I can see why
this book didn't win the hugo or nebula for its year is because (I
think) it was up against "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. LeGuin
(another very good book, but I don't think it is quite as good as
"The Mote in God's Eye").

	Cliff Shaffer
	{seismo,allegra,ihnp4}!rlgvax!cvl!cas