I had never heard of this book or the author until very recently. I was looking for a copy of a book by PKD that was out of print and found it as an ACE double with the book reviewed here. It sounded interesting. I ended up getting the present book in a version by itself and the PKD book in Ace Double form with another that I was also interested in due to price and availability overall. Funny how these things happen sometimes.
Mr. Brunner, the author here, originally wrote this story under another title, then revised/expanded it and released it again under the current title. Note that the cover illustration is a bit misleading - there is no scantily dressed female, at least not in the context shown, in the book. The story is pretty family friendly overall as I recall.
I liked the writing in the book. It was a bit better in the first half than the last part, but still good overall.
The story opens with the main character, Denny Horn, getting ready for carnival week on Earth. This takes place at some time in the future where Earth has solved its problems and humans have expanded to many other planets in the galaxy. Life on Earth is easier than on the outer worlds. Most work is done by robots or blue skinned androids - the latter being "artificial" living human like creatures.
On his way out to the festivities, Derry finds an android beat to a pulp and dying and nearby, a dead human. One thing leads to another, and Derry, who is from a wealthy family and not doing very much of any importance with his life, decides to go off planet to get to the bottom of these killings. In the process, he is kidnapped and learns the actual origin of the androids - people believe that they are made on a world far from Earth, though vague on exactly where. Derry then gets away from his captors and brings justice to the androids.
In a way it is a coming of age story set in the future, but in a way it is a story about the dangers of having too many material things and too little to do and accepting things as they are without asking too many questions. Does the latter sound familiar at all?
One of the worst of the things easily accepted is the subjugation of the androids based on the very superficial difference between them and "natural" humans. Much food for thought there.
The story moves at a good speed and doesn't get too preachy while giving the reader some things to think about perhaps. There are some serious parts, but it is still lots of fun.
I enjoyed this book. Hope you do too.
Mr. Brunner, the author here, originally wrote this story under another title, then revised/expanded it and released it again under the current title. Note that the cover illustration is a bit misleading - there is no scantily dressed female, at least not in the context shown, in the book. The story is pretty family friendly overall as I recall.
I liked the writing in the book. It was a bit better in the first half than the last part, but still good overall.
The story opens with the main character, Denny Horn, getting ready for carnival week on Earth. This takes place at some time in the future where Earth has solved its problems and humans have expanded to many other planets in the galaxy. Life on Earth is easier than on the outer worlds. Most work is done by robots or blue skinned androids - the latter being "artificial" living human like creatures.
On his way out to the festivities, Derry finds an android beat to a pulp and dying and nearby, a dead human. One thing leads to another, and Derry, who is from a wealthy family and not doing very much of any importance with his life, decides to go off planet to get to the bottom of these killings. In the process, he is kidnapped and learns the actual origin of the androids - people believe that they are made on a world far from Earth, though vague on exactly where. Derry then gets away from his captors and brings justice to the androids.
In a way it is a coming of age story set in the future, but in a way it is a story about the dangers of having too many material things and too little to do and accepting things as they are without asking too many questions. Does the latter sound familiar at all?
One of the worst of the things easily accepted is the subjugation of the androids based on the very superficial difference between them and "natural" humans. Much food for thought there.
The story moves at a good speed and doesn't get too preachy while giving the reader some things to think about perhaps. There are some serious parts, but it is still lots of fun.
I enjoyed this book. Hope you do too.
