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From: leeper@ahutb.UUCP (m.r.leeper)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: TRUENAMES (minor spoiler)
Message-ID: <678@ahutb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Apr-85 13:10:38 EST
Article-I.D.: ahutb.678
Posted: Tue Apr 16 13:10:38 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Apr-85 02:49:35 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 48


                         TRUE NAMES by Vernor Vinge
                           Bluejay, 1985, $6.95.
                      A book review by Mark R. Leeper

     TRUE NAMES is a science fiction story with a very good word-of-mouth
reputation not entirely deserved.  The story takes place on two planes, our
own and that of a computer game universe.  The second plane combines the
ultimate in computer games with the ultimate in illegal hacking.  The
players appear to each other only as their game-playing alter-egos, without
learning who each other really are.  Our hero, Mr. Slippery, has been
blackmailed by the real plane government to try to capture a sort of
ultimate amoral hacker known as the Mailman.

     While I was unconvinced while I was reading the novel that all the
computer technology is a likely outgrowth of current technology, other
people I have discussed the story with were impressed with how well Vinge
has taken the elements of classical fantasy and made them possible with
computer technology.  As a straight fantasy story, TRUE NAMES is flawed.  It
has most of its action towards the middle, and while it promises an
important confrontation for near the end of the story, it sidesteps the need
to have it.  In fact, it is structured more like a long story followed by a
short story with the same characters.

     The illustrations in the Bluejay edition do not add a whole lot of
wonder to the story.  I think several of the artists that Jim Frenkel is
getting for Bluejay Books are not a whole lot more visually imaginative than
his readers.  Most of the illustrations appear a page or two before or after
the action they illustrate, and in at least one case putting an illustration
too soon telegraphs an important plot twist.  The illustrations are supposed
to add to the effect of the story and these detract.

     The story is followed by an afterword by Marvin Minsky, who ties the
story into his artificial intelligence work, but somehow his enthusiasm for
TRUE NAMES seems a matter of form for an afterword.  His enthusiasm for his
own work may be somewhat greater than his enthusiasm for the story.  In
fairness, I should add that it is clear from Minsky's lectures and some of
the illustrations he gives that he is a science fiction fan.

     TRUE NAMES has enough good ideas to make it a worthwhile story, but it
is not really clear to me that the new Bluejay edition has enhanced much
more than the price.

					Mark R. Leeper
					...ihnp4!ahutb!leeper
But, on May 1, I become			...ihnp4!mtgzz!leeper