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Enemy Mine / Another Orphan
ENEMY MINE-The Nebula and Hugo Award winner that inspired the 20th Century Fox motion picture starring Dennis Quaid and Lou Gossett, Jr.The story of a man, incomplete in himself, taught to be a human by his sworn enemy, an alien being who leaves with the human its most important possession: its future.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
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About the author
Barry B. Longyear
120 books77 followersBarry Brookes Longyear was an American science fiction author who resided in New Sharon, Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 1, 2019
This is one of the early Tor doubles, collecting two novella-length stories back-to-back and in reverse orientation, in the style of the great Ace double series that started in the 1950's. Longyear's Enemy Mine is a classic and a favorite and I prefer this version to the film (or to the novelization of the film, which was a kind of weird thing to do in its own right, but that's neither here nor there.) I enjoyed reading it again very much! Great story, very moving. I was unfamiliar with the Kessel novella, which I see won a Nebula Award back in the day. It's a prettily-written literary piece about a guy who thinks he may be living in Melville's Moby Dick. (The story in the book, not the actual mammal.) I didn't get much of anything out of it, and thought it was too short for this format anyway. I think the big mystery of this volume is the cover of the Longyear half.... someone in the art department of Tor Books, the biggest genre publisher of the time, back in that long ago day decided that it would be a good idea to put a picture of the "MutAnt" from the classic 50's film This Island Earth (based, of course, on the terrific Raymond F. Jones novel) on the cover of Longyear's great work. And they convinced their boss and editors to do it, too... Wild stuff. (And read the original Enemy Mine when you can.)
January 22, 2019
This is Tor Double #6, of a series of 36 double books published from 1988 to 1991 by Tor Books. It contains two novellas, bound together tête-bêche in mass market paperback – back-to-back, inverted, with two front covers and both titles on the spine. The novellas are listed here alphabetically by author; neither should be considered “primary.”
Another Orphan, by John Kessel (1982)
This was originally published in the September 1982 issue of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and won the 1983 Nebula Award in the novella category. It is a literary/fantasy story where a stockbroker finds himself living inside the novel Moby-Dick, or, the Whale, which he remembers hating to read. John Kessel is better known as a critic and editor, but has written some novels and short works as well. This work fell flat for me.
Enemy Mine, by Barry B. Longyear (1979)
This was originally published in the September 1979 issue of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, and won both the 1980 Nebula Award and 1980 Hugo Award in the novella category. The story was adapted for a film of the same name in 1985. I had previously read the story in Barry Longyear's story collection Manifest Destiny (in 1981), and also in an old copy of IASFM (in 1984), so this Tor Double was half a re-read for me.
Set in the same future history as many of Barry Longyear's other works, it tells the story of Willis Davidge, a human fighter pilot who crashes during battle onto a hostile planet, at the same time as a Drac adversary named Jeriba Shigan. Dracs are a race of aliens which are reptilian in appearance and reproduce asexually. Davidge and Jeriba Shigan, whom Davidge nicknames "Jerry", initially attempt to kill one another but quickly realize that cooperation will be the key to their survival. I have found it to be a powerful story, even if the movie is slightly cheesey.
Another Orphan, by John Kessel (1982)
This was originally published in the September 1982 issue of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and won the 1983 Nebula Award in the novella category. It is a literary/fantasy story where a stockbroker finds himself living inside the novel Moby-Dick, or, the Whale, which he remembers hating to read. John Kessel is better known as a critic and editor, but has written some novels and short works as well. This work fell flat for me.
Enemy Mine, by Barry B. Longyear (1979)
This was originally published in the September 1979 issue of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, and won both the 1980 Nebula Award and 1980 Hugo Award in the novella category. The story was adapted for a film of the same name in 1985. I had previously read the story in Barry Longyear's story collection Manifest Destiny (in 1981), and also in an old copy of IASFM (in 1984), so this Tor Double was half a re-read for me.
Set in the same future history as many of Barry Longyear's other works, it tells the story of Willis Davidge, a human fighter pilot who crashes during battle onto a hostile planet, at the same time as a Drac adversary named Jeriba Shigan. Dracs are a race of aliens which are reptilian in appearance and reproduce asexually. Davidge and Jeriba Shigan, whom Davidge nicknames "Jerry", initially attempt to kill one another but quickly realize that cooperation will be the key to their survival. I have found it to be a powerful story, even if the movie is slightly cheesey.
July 2, 2008
A “Tor Double Novel,” which is really two unrelated novellas packaged together for convenience. Enemy Mine, which was made into a movie starring Dennis Quaid which I’ve seen five minutes of and in filmic form looks ridiculous, was actually pretty good: the humans and the Dracs are at war, but when a human and a Drac fighter pilot each crash-land on a deserted planet after a space battle, they must become reluctant allies, then friends (read: kind of gay for each other). I found the ending deeply and unnecessarily depressing, though.
In Another Orphan, a stockbroker finds himself thrust into the world of Moby-Dick. I enjoyed this less. It was rather reminiscent of Michael Moorcock’s Behold the Man, especially in its use of flashbacks; however, it doesn’t really build to anything much—the revelation at the end was, to me, decidedly unrevelatory. Also, I was very disappointed by the lack of Queequeg. Dude, if you are trying to position yourself as the story’s Ishmael, STEP ONE should be tomake out make friends with Queequeg. Because, among other things, Queequeg is just awesome. MOAR QUEEQUEG PLZ.
The two stories don’t really complement each other in any way. Combined, they’re diverting, but I felt like I really wasn’t getting much bang for my buck with this whole “Double Novel” thing. I mean, two semi-lengthy short stories do not equal a single novel, let alone a double. A better bet would be to track down a collection that contains Enemy Mine and more than one other tale.
In Another Orphan, a stockbroker finds himself thrust into the world of Moby-Dick. I enjoyed this less. It was rather reminiscent of Michael Moorcock’s Behold the Man, especially in its use of flashbacks; however, it doesn’t really build to anything much—the revelation at the end was, to me, decidedly unrevelatory. Also, I was very disappointed by the lack of Queequeg. Dude, if you are trying to position yourself as the story’s Ishmael, STEP ONE should be to
The two stories don’t really complement each other in any way. Combined, they’re diverting, but I felt like I really wasn’t getting much bang for my buck with this whole “Double Novel” thing. I mean, two semi-lengthy short stories do not equal a single novel, let alone a double. A better bet would be to track down a collection that contains Enemy Mine and more than one other tale.
February 3, 2025
Tor Doubles were reminiscent of the Ace Doubles from a couple of decades earlier--containing two short novels or novellas linked together by being science-fiction, but not otherwise sharing any sort of theme or ambiance. One reads a Tor or Ace Double to get two individual storytelling experiences. Provided both stories are good, this isn't a bad thing.
In this case, "Enemy Mine" is excellent. A human and a Drac (the alien race at war with the humans) shoot each other down while fighting in orbit over a desolate planet. They end up stranded together on that planet, forced to work together to survive. Gradually, they set aside their animosity and become friends.
It's a cliched situation, but the novella won a Hugo and a Nebula for a reason. Longyear's prose and superb characterizations give us a story of survival, loyalty and friendship that hits all the right emotional notes.
"Another Orphan" is also a Nebula winner, but it fell flat for me. It's about a young stockbroker in modern day New York who suddenly finds himself aboard the ship from Moby Dick, with Ahab hot on the trail of the white whale. The author (John Kessel) tells an engrossing story until the end, only to give us an unsatisfying climax and some muddled points about the nature of free will.
I know there is a novel-length expansion of "Enemy Mine," which came out when the movie version was released in 1986. I haven't read this version. The novella is quite superb, so some day I'll have to find out if the novel is as good or if it feels padded.
In this case, "Enemy Mine" is excellent. A human and a Drac (the alien race at war with the humans) shoot each other down while fighting in orbit over a desolate planet. They end up stranded together on that planet, forced to work together to survive. Gradually, they set aside their animosity and become friends.
It's a cliched situation, but the novella won a Hugo and a Nebula for a reason. Longyear's prose and superb characterizations give us a story of survival, loyalty and friendship that hits all the right emotional notes.
"Another Orphan" is also a Nebula winner, but it fell flat for me. It's about a young stockbroker in modern day New York who suddenly finds himself aboard the ship from Moby Dick, with Ahab hot on the trail of the white whale. The author (John Kessel) tells an engrossing story until the end, only to give us an unsatisfying climax and some muddled points about the nature of free will.
I know there is a novel-length expansion of "Enemy Mine," which came out when the movie version was released in 1986. I haven't read this version. The novella is quite superb, so some day I'll have to find out if the novel is as good or if it feels padded.
April 23, 2023
Enemy Mine - 5/5 - Barry B. Longyear - I saw the movie years ago and was pleased to see that the novella is a bit better. The movie does a good job showing the relationship between alien and human grow from total tribal animosity, to a wary truce, to genuine friendship. The book vastly improves the human protagonist by giving him much more depth. It also delves into some interesting ideas about post-war disillusionment and a call for peace being only the first step to cultural acceptance between warring sides. Very rare that I would want a story to be longer. I don't think this needed to be, but I wouldn't have minded getting a bit more. That's probably because I was loving it
Another Orphan - 3.5/5 - John Kessel - A modern Chicago stock broker somehow gets transported into the novel Moby Dick. I've never read the novel and while it might make the story more enjoyable I don't think it's necessary to enjoy it. I felt there were some added depth to it that I wasn't appreciating, but I just never got completely into it
Another Orphan - 3.5/5 - John Kessel - A modern Chicago stock broker somehow gets transported into the novel Moby Dick. I've never read the novel and while it might make the story more enjoyable I don't think it's necessary to enjoy it. I felt there were some added depth to it that I wasn't appreciating, but I just never got completely into it
February 4, 2024
Liked Enemy Mine, didn't care for the second story in the book. It was a bargain price, so not complaining too much. Liked the movie Enemy Mine too, though having read the book, I believe that the makers of the movie should have stuck closer to the original plot of the book...except for Jerry's design, the excellent costume they made was actually better than the original creature design in the book. I liked the overall story, but wish that Jerry hadn't died.
I did reread Enemy Mine in the Kindle version, still liked it and enjoyed my first experience with a digital book. My complaint about it us this; there is a copy called "author's cut" that was advertised as having extra story added in by working with the people that made the movie and combining it with the original book plot. That was a lie. The story was exactly the same one as what I read in the paper back. No difference at all. I still have it in my Kindle library however, at only two dollars and a good read, it was a nice bargain anyway.
I did reread Enemy Mine in the Kindle version, still liked it and enjoyed my first experience with a digital book. My complaint about it us this; there is a copy called "author's cut" that was advertised as having extra story added in by working with the people that made the movie and combining it with the original book plot. That was a lie. The story was exactly the same one as what I read in the paper back. No difference at all. I still have it in my Kindle library however, at only two dollars and a good read, it was a nice bargain anyway.
January 30, 2023
In the middle of a war, two enemy pilots crash land on a desolate and inhospitable world. The human, Willis Davidge, and the Drac, Jeriba Shigan must overcome their mutual hatred and learn to work together not only for their own survival, but for that of the child that Jeriba is carrying.
Barry Longyear’s Hugo and Nebula award-winning novella was adapted to the 1985 film starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr.
In John Kessel’s Nebula award-winning novella, Another Orphan, stockbroker Patrick Fallon is plucked from his civilized life by an unknown force and dropped on the whaling ship, Pequod, as a member of Captain Ahab’s crew during his quest for the white whale. However, the story doesn’t proceed as written by Melville and Fallon learns a grueling lesson about the nature of reality and freewill.
Barry Longyear’s Hugo and Nebula award-winning novella was adapted to the 1985 film starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr.
In John Kessel’s Nebula award-winning novella, Another Orphan, stockbroker Patrick Fallon is plucked from his civilized life by an unknown force and dropped on the whaling ship, Pequod, as a member of Captain Ahab’s crew during his quest for the white whale. However, the story doesn’t proceed as written by Melville and Fallon learns a grueling lesson about the nature of reality and freewill.
November 28, 2010
Mixed bag, as the two novellas in this collection are very different, so you may need a pause between them, in order to transition.
'Another Orphan' is an odd bit of fantasy as a Chicago stockbroker, going through a mid-life crisis, finds himself trapped with the crew of the Pequod, going through the action of 'Moby Dick'.
Having been forced to read the book in college, he remembers enough of the story to know how it ends and that he needs to find a way to change that.
Interesting and very atmospheric, but it just kind of meanders along and then ends.
I found it an unsatisfying read.
'Enemy Mine' was the main reason I picked this up. I remember the movie and really enjoyed. While It was nice to discover that the movie followed the book pretty well, the book goes on past the movie and focuses more on something than the movie did. It felt odd and through my reading off, as I kept waiting for it to end, but it had more to tell.
Really good ideas, it does drag a bit in the middle, as it's basically a catalog of what they did to survive. Kind of a sci-fi 'Robinson Crusoe'.
'Another Orphan' is an odd bit of fantasy as a Chicago stockbroker, going through a mid-life crisis, finds himself trapped with the crew of the Pequod, going through the action of 'Moby Dick'.
Having been forced to read the book in college, he remembers enough of the story to know how it ends and that he needs to find a way to change that.
Interesting and very atmospheric, but it just kind of meanders along and then ends.
I found it an unsatisfying read.
'Enemy Mine' was the main reason I picked this up. I remember the movie and really enjoyed. While It was nice to discover that the movie followed the book pretty well, the book goes on past the movie and focuses more on something than the movie did. It felt odd and through my reading off, as I kept waiting for it to end, but it had more to tell.
Really good ideas, it does drag a bit in the middle, as it's basically a catalog of what they did to survive. Kind of a sci-fi 'Robinson Crusoe'.
July 6, 2012
Another of the Tor Double Novels, two works of science fiction for the price of one. Of course Enemy Mine by Barry Longyear was made into an original feature length movie starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr (as the alien). It is a complete analogy of racial strife in the twentieth century. This is the original Hugo and Nebula award winner and is clearly greater than the sum of its parts. Only a short story this interesting and provacative could be the basis for a feature length film.
Another Orphan by John Kessel (another Nebula award winner)is a strange story about an ordinary stockbroker who strangely wakes up one morning, suddenly trapped aboard the Pequod with Captain Ahab and his obsesive persuit of Moby Dick 5000 years in the future.
Another Orphan by John Kessel (another Nebula award winner)is a strange story about an ordinary stockbroker who strangely wakes up one morning, suddenly trapped aboard the Pequod with Captain Ahab and his obsesive persuit of Moby Dick 5000 years in the future.
December 20, 2008
The four stars are for Enemy Mine. The other half of this Tor paperback double, Another Orphan, is, as I remember, a not-awful time traveling romp involving the plot of Moby-Dick. That's a two-star job.
July 5, 2007
Another Orphan is a seperate novel written by John Kessel.
March 14, 2012
5 stars for Longyear's Enemy Mine. I did not read Kessel's Another Orphan.
August 21, 2024
**** Enemy Mine (1979) • Barry B. Longyear
**** Another Orphan (1982) • John Kessel
**** Another Orphan (1982) • John Kessel
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews