TGB Review in St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Posted on June 3, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 22 Comments
The review is here. It’s another positive one:
“Scalzi is a natural heir to Heinlein, and his second book in this series is a good old-fashioned space opera, which takes time to question the nature of free will.”
I’d like to be an unnatural heir to Heinlein. Zombie SF writer! w00t!
Well, you just keep smoking on that pole and we’ll see what we can do about that.
That’s “undead” for zombies!
What a pole-smoking bigot, I mean, who, these days, uses the ‘Z’ word? Uncouth.
What a pole-smoking bigot, I mean, who, these days, uses the ‘Z’ word? Uncouth.
I’ve always wanted Heinlein’s Natural Hair, but I’m weird that way.
I could clone him, steal his brain, and steal his ideas.
In the meantime, I guess I’ll have to read your book.
I’ve always wanted Heinlein’s Natural Hair, but I’m weird that way.
I could clone him, steal his brain, and steal his ideas.
In the meantime, I guess I’ll have to read your book.
John,
“Natural heir to Heinlein”, “In Robert A. Heinlein’s best tradition”, etc. etc. RAH has been dead for almost twenty years, and still the SF world needs to compare any new writer or book to him.
Mind you: I loved his work, I bought everything he wrote, including “Take back your government” and “A tramp abroad”, but the reason I read your work is because I like it, not because it is supposed to remind me of Heinlein’s… and the same is true of the work of other authors whose publishers prominently display “a new Heinlein”, or whatever, on the back cover.
If I were you I would prefer “Natural heir to nobody: this is the fruit of John Scalzi’s own talent and hard work”.
John,
“Natural heir to Heinlein”, “In Robert A. Heinlein’s best tradition”, etc. etc. RAH has been dead for almost twenty years, and still the SF world needs to compare any new writer or book to him.
Mind you: I loved his work, I bought everything he wrote, including “Take back your government” and “A tramp abroad”, but the reason I read your work is because I like it, not because it is supposed to remind me of Heinlein’s… and the same is true of the work of other authors whose publishers prominently display “a new Heinlein”, or whatever, on the back cover.
If I were you I would prefer “Natural heir to nobody: this is the fruit of John Scalzi’s own talent and hard work”.
Well, inasmuch as I noted I structured OMW on Starship Troopers, I can’t complain overmuch.
“Heinleinesque” is the SF equivalent of “Beatlesque,” anyway; it’s shorthand to describe something new in a way people can understand.
I assume as I get more books under my belt, the “Heinleinesque” tag will fall away.
Well, inasmuch as I noted I structured OMW on Starship Troopers, I can’t complain overmuch.
“Heinleinesque” is the SF equivalent of “Beatlesque,” anyway; it’s shorthand to describe something new in a way people can understand.
I assume as I get more books under my belt, the “Heinleinesque” tag will fall away.
That’s some high praise, congratulations.
You might want to mention that the review doesn’t come to your books until the end. I thought you liked the wrong article at first.
That’s some high praise, congratulations.
You might want to mention that the review doesn’t come to your books until the end. I thought you liked the wrong article at first.
I assume as I get more books under my belt, the “Heinleinesque” tag will fall away.
Well, when new writers are tagged as being “Scalziesque”, you’ll REALLY know you’ve made it.
I assume as I get more books under my belt, the “Heinleinesque” tag will fall away.
Well, when new writers are tagged as being “Scalziesque”, you’ll REALLY know you’ve made it.
My memory is a little fuzzy, but it seems to me the UN-natural heir to Heinlein was when he had his mind transfered (physically or not? I don’t recall) into the body of his conveniently brain-dead secretary. He/she subsequently took up naked yoga and had him/herself artificially inseminated with sperm he’d previously left behind to produce an heir, as some other relations were contesting whether he’d died or not. Good times.
My memory is a little fuzzy, but it seems to me the UN-natural heir to Heinlein was when he had his mind transfered (physically or not? I don’t recall) into the body of his conveniently brain-dead secretary. He/she subsequently took up naked yoga and had him/herself artificially inseminated with sperm he’d previously left behind to produce an heir, as some other relations were contesting whether he’d died or not. Good times.
So, any nominations on which current SF writers are actually zombies? I’m sure there are a few…
So, any nominations on which current SF writers are actually zombies? I’m sure there are a few…
And how many works have been structured on Romeo and Juliet?
I liked OMW a LOT more than Starship Troopers!
I’m in the middle of Ghost Brigades, and trying to slow down, because when I’ve finished reading it, I can’t read it again for the first time. (Does that make sense? It’s Monday morning.)
And how many works have been structured on Romeo and Juliet?
I liked OMW a LOT more than Starship Troopers!
I’m in the middle of Ghost Brigades, and trying to slow down, because when I’ve finished reading it, I can’t read it again for the first time. (Does that make sense? It’s Monday morning.)
It would be unkind to point out the difference between natural offspring and legitimate offspring… I’m sure that’s not what they meant anyway.
(“Scalzi writes like Heinlein’s bastard son!” – ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH)
It would be unkind to point out the difference between natural offspring and legitimate offspring… I’m sure that’s not what they meant anyway.
(“Scalzi writes like Heinlein’s bastard son!” – ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH)