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Six Million Dollar Man #8
Cyborg IV
In a competition for supremacy in space, Steve Austin must literally plug himself into the controls of a spaceship. Besides survival, another question is whether he can be unhooked from it later.
Hardcover
First published April 1, 1975
97 people want to read
About the author
Martin Caidin
193 books81 followersMartin Caidin was a prolific and controversial writer. Most of his work centered around the adventures of pilots and astronauts. A number of his books were notable for their reasonable, realistic predictions of then-futuristic technology.
Caidin's body of work was prolific and varied, ranging from additional speculative/SF novels such as Marooned, which was made into an acclaimed film and considered a harbinger of the Apollo 13 accident, to a novel based upon the character Indiana Jones. He also wrote many non-fiction books about science, aviation and warfare.
Caidin began writing fiction in 1957. In his career he authored more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books as well as more than 1,000 magazine articles. His best-known novel is Cyborg, which was the basis for "The Six Million Dollar Man" franchise. He also wrote numerous works of military history, especially concerning aviation.
In addition to his writing Caidin was a pilot and active in the restoration and flying of older planes.
Caidin's body of work was prolific and varied, ranging from additional speculative/SF novels such as Marooned, which was made into an acclaimed film and considered a harbinger of the Apollo 13 accident, to a novel based upon the character Indiana Jones. He also wrote many non-fiction books about science, aviation and warfare.
Caidin began writing fiction in 1957. In his career he authored more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books as well as more than 1,000 magazine articles. His best-known novel is Cyborg, which was the basis for "The Six Million Dollar Man" franchise. He also wrote numerous works of military history, especially concerning aviation.
In addition to his writing Caidin was a pilot and active in the restoration and flying of older planes.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 5, 2024
Steve Austen ist der Testpilot mit den bionischen Ersatz-Gliedmaßen, die ihm nach einem Unfall verpasst wurden und die besser sind als seine echten Körperteile.
In diesem Buch ist er wieder Testpilot für ein neuartiges Fluggerät, das bis in den Weltraum vordringen kann und dort gesteuert werden kann wie ein Flugzeug. Der Jungfernflug ist ein voller Erfolg. Dann wird ihm mitgeteilt, dass er für ein Geheimdienstprojekt arbeiten soll.
Naiv wirkende, technikbegeisterte Hard-SF, die in naher Zukunft spielt. Allzuviel Handlung scheint dem Autoren für diesen sechsten Roman der Reihe nicht mehr eingefallen zu sein. Nach 70 Seiten sind wir erst bei dem oben beschriebenen Punkt angekommen. Und ich hatte keine Lust mehr...
In diesem Buch ist er wieder Testpilot für ein neuartiges Fluggerät, das bis in den Weltraum vordringen kann und dort gesteuert werden kann wie ein Flugzeug. Der Jungfernflug ist ein voller Erfolg. Dann wird ihm mitgeteilt, dass er für ein Geheimdienstprojekt arbeiten soll.
Naiv wirkende, technikbegeisterte Hard-SF, die in naher Zukunft spielt. Allzuviel Handlung scheint dem Autoren für diesen sechsten Roman der Reihe nicht mehr eingefallen zu sein. Nach 70 Seiten sind wir erst bei dem oben beschriebenen Punkt angekommen. Und ich hatte keine Lust mehr...
September 5, 2011
Martin Caidin was apparently a real-life Kilgore Trout. He had written more than 50 books and created cyborg Steve Austin, the Six-Million Dollar Man, who went on to entertain stoners for years to come. He seems to have had a wealth of experience in aeronautics and aviation and according to Wikipedia restored a plane. Bad-ass. With that said, this book was hot garbage.
It read like a bad relationship. At first, it was exciting and fresh. I had picked this book out almost a decade ago from a library book sale. Admittedly, it was because the cover looked like the box of a Commodore-64 game. Nevertheless, when I opened it to find out I was reading "The Six-Million Dollar Man," I was excited.
Then, like a bad relationship, it got tired. This was the fourth installment of the Steve Austin series. By this point, Caidin had traveled a lot with Steve Austin. Caidin seems to think Austin, despite cybernetic legs, has worn out his mileage. The plot chugs along, tending to wallow in banal scenes of tepid debate and long stretches of gloss-over just to get to the end. And like a bad relationship, what was once charming becomes irritating. Steve Austin doesn't jump from anything, doesn't punch anyone. He doesn't even use his sweet cybernetic eye. He doesn't do much of anything. Instead, Caidin describes the components of the eye. But he never uses it. IT'S A SWEET CYBERNETIC EYE!
So the bad relationship continues. Little things start to become bothersome. The way he repeatedly uses peoples' full names. The incessant use of the word "gestalt." "P-A-G-E" is not how you spell that as a name. There were some fireworks, sure, the actual plot devices were keen and there was almost an ember of real tension between a few of the characters but it all fizzles out. Until finally, it abruptly ends without so much as a final bow for some of the series' long-standing characters.
Perhaps this was the swan song of the series. Maybe Caidin was just cashing in, as the television show was going well. As an introduction to Caidin's work, perhaps not the best. But like any bad relationship, one can look back and say, at least he tried. One can say the same about this book.
It read like a bad relationship. At first, it was exciting and fresh. I had picked this book out almost a decade ago from a library book sale. Admittedly, it was because the cover looked like the box of a Commodore-64 game. Nevertheless, when I opened it to find out I was reading "The Six-Million Dollar Man," I was excited.
Then, like a bad relationship, it got tired. This was the fourth installment of the Steve Austin series. By this point, Caidin had traveled a lot with Steve Austin. Caidin seems to think Austin, despite cybernetic legs, has worn out his mileage. The plot chugs along, tending to wallow in banal scenes of tepid debate and long stretches of gloss-over just to get to the end. And like a bad relationship, what was once charming becomes irritating. Steve Austin doesn't jump from anything, doesn't punch anyone. He doesn't even use his sweet cybernetic eye. He doesn't do much of anything. Instead, Caidin describes the components of the eye. But he never uses it. IT'S A SWEET CYBERNETIC EYE!
So the bad relationship continues. Little things start to become bothersome. The way he repeatedly uses peoples' full names. The incessant use of the word "gestalt." "P-A-G-E" is not how you spell that as a name. There were some fireworks, sure, the actual plot devices were keen and there was almost an ember of real tension between a few of the characters but it all fizzles out. Until finally, it abruptly ends without so much as a final bow for some of the series' long-standing characters.
Perhaps this was the swan song of the series. Maybe Caidin was just cashing in, as the television show was going well. As an introduction to Caidin's work, perhaps not the best. But like any bad relationship, one can look back and say, at least he tried. One can say the same about this book.
March 1, 2018
Small novel. Build up to the mission might seem slow to some people but I thought it worked well. The novel comes to an action-filled conclusion. Sadly no more Caidin Cyborg novels. But this was a good return to the character's origins and callings.
June 28, 2024
Always been a fan of Six Million Dollar Man since I was a kid. Not a bad book. Very quick read with a simple story. The ending just stops with no wrap up. Would rather watch Lee Majors then read story based on series.
January 29, 2019
Final Caidin Cyborg novel.
I liked it. He took Steve's bionics to the next level by having him pair with a spaceship. Very interesting take on the character.
I liked it. He took Steve's bionics to the next level by having him pair with a spaceship. Very interesting take on the character.
September 18, 2020
I would have loved to have seen an episode of "The Six Million Dollar Man" with the premise of Cyborg IV. Very fun read. I wish Caidin had written more than four novels in the series.
June 18, 2023
somehow, this made the Six Million Dollar Man boring
May 24, 2016
I love this book, though it ain't literature. It's been many years since I last read these, and I forgot why I had wanted to fly, until rereading it. Dated - men are manly men, the only woman is super-competent, but subject to emotion...
July 21, 2009
tyhird Caidin novel about Steve Austin.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews