Candace G. (Ogre) reviewed on 10/22/2005 + 1568 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

A collection of some short works by the author of DUNE: Includes The Road to Dune, a travelogue of the approach to the city of Arrakeen; Rat Race, a straight detective who-dunnit--or is it? Also Dragon in the Sea, a near-future tale of nations pirating oil reserves from the dwindling world fuel supply; Cease Fire, a cautionary tale about the arms race to bigger and better weapons (sort of), A Matter of Traces, in which an old-timer reminisces about the early days of colonizing. Then there is Try to Remember, which looks in an entirely new way at the problems of communication with extra-terrestrial intelligences. The Tactful Saboteur concerns a special type of 'ombusdman', more or less; while By The Book details the difficulties of trying to diagnose the ills of a matter-transmitter which works between suns. Seed Stock envisions the difficulties of the colonists in adjusting to a new planet, while Murder Will In attempts to describe the difficulties encountered by a non-human intelligence which jumps from body to body. Passage for Piano, Death of a City, and Frogs and Scientists are also included. Very nice illustrations by British artist Jim Burns.

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