What do you think?
Brion Brandd #2
Planet of No Return
In the sequel to Planet of the Damned, Brion Brandd, the winner of a planet-wide competition, must battle mindless killer robots and then conquer and lead back to civilization a world of savages.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
About the author
Harry Harrison
1,354 books1,065 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 12, 2018
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of crumpled and gigantic weapons of war, a graveyard of destruction stretching almost to the lifeless horizon. But the war wasn't over...and they weren't all wrecks!
It's an emergency. It's a job for Brion Brand, the mightiest weightlifter in the galaxy.
I’ll be honest, when I read the above (it’s an outtake from the synopsis on the back cover of the book), I did, for a moment think that maybe, just maybe, the term “weightlifter” had something to with the salvage of heavy machinery. Of course, it didn’t. Brion Brandd is the mightiest weightlifter in the galaxy. He is also the finest chess player, the swiftest sprinter, the greatest… well, you get the idea. And this isn’t open for interpretation or speculation. It just is. See, there’s this event, called The Twenties, which comprises twenty physical and mental events (Weightlifting and Chess included). If you win all of these, you are a Twenties Champion and, well, you get the picture. In order to understand the nature of the protagonist, consider the following: gets captured by the backward locals after being overwhelmed by vastly superior numbers (and knocked unconscious, which is a bit of an inconsistency, given the bulldozer nature of our hero), upon waking up promptly escapes with a captive of his own, quickly learns the local language in order to interrogate the captive, then goes back and takes over the tribe. All in a day’s work.
So, yes, this is Pulp Fiction. A planet adventure of the unintentionally hilarious kind. BUT Harrison was an accomplished writer and these novels do not pretend to be anything other than what they are, which is why he manages to pull it off (not in spectacular fashion, but admirably enough). It is also a good thing that he manages to come up with a problem and an antagonist that poses a real threat to Brandd (otherwise the whole thing would have been quite pointless).
It's worth noting that, while this is a direct sequel to Planet of the Damned, it was only released almost twenty years after its predecessor. On occasion I couldn’t help but feel that the author was having a good old time parodying himself and the genre in general. But who knows?
The snappy dialogue between Brandd and his partner (the “brilliant, sensuous Dr. Lea Morees”) is great fun. It does generate some intentional humour. As is the norm for this kind of thing: expect lots of the shaking of people like rags while their limbs flap, and the unceremonious squeezing of necks.
In closing: the premise of the series is quite interesting. It envisions a far future with colonies on many planets that have been cut off from humanity for a very long time, during and after a sequence of wars called The Breakdown Of The Earth Empire. The Cultural Relations Foundation is an organization tasked with finding these planets / colonies and investigating their current state of affairs (this story takes place about a thousand years after the wars ended).
"Temper, temper. Shouting will only raise your blood pressure and get you nowhere."
She sipped daintily while he fumed with impatience.
It's an emergency. It's a job for Brion Brand, the mightiest weightlifter in the galaxy.
I’ll be honest, when I read the above (it’s an outtake from the synopsis on the back cover of the book), I did, for a moment think that maybe, just maybe, the term “weightlifter” had something to with the salvage of heavy machinery. Of course, it didn’t. Brion Brandd is the mightiest weightlifter in the galaxy. He is also the finest chess player, the swiftest sprinter, the greatest… well, you get the idea. And this isn’t open for interpretation or speculation. It just is. See, there’s this event, called The Twenties, which comprises twenty physical and mental events (Weightlifting and Chess included). If you win all of these, you are a Twenties Champion and, well, you get the picture. In order to understand the nature of the protagonist, consider the following: gets captured by the backward locals after being overwhelmed by vastly superior numbers (and knocked unconscious, which is a bit of an inconsistency, given the bulldozer nature of our hero), upon waking up promptly escapes with a captive of his own, quickly learns the local language in order to interrogate the captive, then goes back and takes over the tribe. All in a day’s work.
So, yes, this is Pulp Fiction. A planet adventure of the unintentionally hilarious kind. BUT Harrison was an accomplished writer and these novels do not pretend to be anything other than what they are, which is why he manages to pull it off (not in spectacular fashion, but admirably enough). It is also a good thing that he manages to come up with a problem and an antagonist that poses a real threat to Brandd (otherwise the whole thing would have been quite pointless).
It's worth noting that, while this is a direct sequel to Planet of the Damned, it was only released almost twenty years after its predecessor. On occasion I couldn’t help but feel that the author was having a good old time parodying himself and the genre in general. But who knows?
The snappy dialogue between Brandd and his partner (the “brilliant, sensuous Dr. Lea Morees”) is great fun. It does generate some intentional humour. As is the norm for this kind of thing: expect lots of the shaking of people like rags while their limbs flap, and the unceremonious squeezing of necks.
In closing: the premise of the series is quite interesting. It envisions a far future with colonies on many planets that have been cut off from humanity for a very long time, during and after a sequence of wars called The Breakdown Of The Earth Empire. The Cultural Relations Foundation is an organization tasked with finding these planets / colonies and investigating their current state of affairs (this story takes place about a thousand years after the wars ended).
"Temper, temper. Shouting will only raise your blood pressure and get you nowhere."
She sipped daintily while he fumed with impatience.
May 17, 2026
Planet of No Return is a second adventure for Brion Brandd, coming precisely twenty years after his first, Planet of the Damned, which was serialized as Sense of Obligation in Analog in 1961. This time the stakes are higher, and he has an even tougher time of it. Killer robots are always a challenge, right? It's a quick read space opera, action-packed with plenty of adventure. The book is liberally illustrated by Rick DeMarco and has a cool Michael Whelan cover. Note that the same title was used for a 1956 novel written by Poul Anderson and that several of the reviews here are apparently for that Anderson book.
February 25, 2021
In general, I think that Harry Harrison is a damn fine writer and I've enjoyed quite a few of his books and series over the years.
This book, alas, is something that has the feel of of rushed job for which the author felt no love.
While there are flashes of his impressive talent here and there in the story, for the most part it is more akin to a light-weight, 1930's potboiler sort of space adventure than a modern SF story that one would expect from such a talented writer.
This book, alas, is something that has the feel of of rushed job for which the author felt no love.
While there are flashes of his impressive talent here and there in the story, for the most part it is more akin to a light-weight, 1930's potboiler sort of space adventure than a modern SF story that one would expect from such a talented writer.
June 1, 2020
review of
Harry Harrison's Planet of No Return
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - May 31, 2020
I just reviewed Harrison's The Technicolor Time Machine in April, 2020 ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ), & I wrote in that review: "I'm glad I'm finally getting around to reading Harrison." In fact, I'd already read Harrison's Tunnel Through The Deeps & reviewed it on February 14, 2014 ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ), a mere 6 yrs before but I'd already forgotten about it. As I stated in the latter review: "Was I impressed? Not particularly, it was ok, maybe the lack of writerly innovation is motivated by this being a sortof tip-o-the-hat to Verne & /or Wells." I liked The Technicolor Time Machine more & that liking combined w/ my slogging thru a few other bks that I've been determined to read entirely w/o getting much pleasure from the experience led to my reading Planet of No Return. Alas, I might've enjoyed it even less than Tunnel Through The Deeps wch brings my estimation of Harrison as a writer back down again.
""I've reached a decision," he said. "And I hope Lea will agree. The lifeship will be armed and defended with all of the deadliest weapons that are available. We will also take every possible machine or device that might aid us on the planet. Then, when we are completely equipped, I am going down alone, without any machines or metallic devices of any kind. Bare handed if necessary. Lea, don't you agree that this will be the wisest course under the circumstances?"
"Her speechless look of horror was his only answer." - p 41
Apparently this story takes place in the 21st century. That would account for the "speechless look of horror" in response to going anywhere w/o a cell-phone.
"["]I have no metal, nor do I wear anything made of artificial fibers."
""Not even the fillings in your teeth?" she asked, smiling.
""No, not even them." Brion was unsmiling and deadly serious. "All of the metallic fillings have been removed and have been replaced with ceramic inlays.["]" - p 47
Personally, I'll wear metal if I've bought it from a thrift store so that I'm not responsible for directly killing any metal for these purchases.
"["]They slung us from poles like corpses. Carried us all night. I was sure they had murdered you."
"He tried to smile but could only grimace. "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."" - p 101
I love that old joke. I think it might've originated w/ Jesus. I hear he had a great sense of tumor. Or maybe that was Lazarus. Speaking of Lazarus's chest cavity:
"["]The whole interior is so cramped that it must have been designed for robot control. See that metal tube? That's the ammunition feed for the recoilless canon. It goes right across the interior, right through the space where a human gunner or driver would sit. But there is more than enough space to site the control units for robot operation."
""I don't understand. How can this be possible?" Lea said. "I thought that robots were incapable of injuring people? There are the robotic laws . . ."
""Perhaps on Earth, but they were never applied out at the fringes of the old Earth Empire. You are forgetting that robots are machines, nothing more. They are not human so we shouldn't be anthropomorphic about them. They do whatever they are programmed to do—and do it without emotional reactions of any kind.["]" - p 176
You probably won't find "recoilless canon" in any music dictionary so I'll provide a definition:
a piece in which the same melody is begun in different parts successively, so that the imitations overlap. without having the propellant theme shrink back physically or emotionally
Otherwise, note the reference to Isaac Asimov's famous story entitled I, Robot in wch the "3 Laws of Robotics" were introduced:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
An article in Scientific American discusses the feasability of these laws: https://www.scientificamerican.com/ar... . Artist Rich Pell made a great piece where he reminded DARPA of them too.
It wd interest me to see a list of all the bks that refer to Esperanto as a future universal language. I try to call attn to such instances whenever I run across them in my readings:
""Does he understand you, sergeant?" one of them called out.
""That's a wicked looked knife he's wearing."
""Tell him to drop it."
"Brion understood well enough; they were speaking Universal Esperanto, the interstellar language that everyone used in addition to their native tongue." - p 205
Like most, if not all, SF that I like, this is anti-militaristic:
"Words were not going to stop these martial madmen. They actually lived in a military and jingoist idea of heaven. Wave the flag, my country right or wrong, build up the armament industries, repeal all civil rights—and go to war forever!" - p 222
This bk was published in 1982 during the Reagan presidency. That about sums it up.
Harry Harrison's Planet of No Return
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - May 31, 2020
I just reviewed Harrison's The Technicolor Time Machine in April, 2020 ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ), & I wrote in that review: "I'm glad I'm finally getting around to reading Harrison." In fact, I'd already read Harrison's Tunnel Through The Deeps & reviewed it on February 14, 2014 ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ), a mere 6 yrs before but I'd already forgotten about it. As I stated in the latter review: "Was I impressed? Not particularly, it was ok, maybe the lack of writerly innovation is motivated by this being a sortof tip-o-the-hat to Verne & /or Wells." I liked The Technicolor Time Machine more & that liking combined w/ my slogging thru a few other bks that I've been determined to read entirely w/o getting much pleasure from the experience led to my reading Planet of No Return. Alas, I might've enjoyed it even less than Tunnel Through The Deeps wch brings my estimation of Harrison as a writer back down again.
""I've reached a decision," he said. "And I hope Lea will agree. The lifeship will be armed and defended with all of the deadliest weapons that are available. We will also take every possible machine or device that might aid us on the planet. Then, when we are completely equipped, I am going down alone, without any machines or metallic devices of any kind. Bare handed if necessary. Lea, don't you agree that this will be the wisest course under the circumstances?"
"Her speechless look of horror was his only answer." - p 41
Apparently this story takes place in the 21st century. That would account for the "speechless look of horror" in response to going anywhere w/o a cell-phone.
"["]I have no metal, nor do I wear anything made of artificial fibers."
""Not even the fillings in your teeth?" she asked, smiling.
""No, not even them." Brion was unsmiling and deadly serious. "All of the metallic fillings have been removed and have been replaced with ceramic inlays.["]" - p 47
Personally, I'll wear metal if I've bought it from a thrift store so that I'm not responsible for directly killing any metal for these purchases.
"["]They slung us from poles like corpses. Carried us all night. I was sure they had murdered you."
"He tried to smile but could only grimace. "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."" - p 101
I love that old joke. I think it might've originated w/ Jesus. I hear he had a great sense of tumor. Or maybe that was Lazarus. Speaking of Lazarus's chest cavity:
"["]The whole interior is so cramped that it must have been designed for robot control. See that metal tube? That's the ammunition feed for the recoilless canon. It goes right across the interior, right through the space where a human gunner or driver would sit. But there is more than enough space to site the control units for robot operation."
""I don't understand. How can this be possible?" Lea said. "I thought that robots were incapable of injuring people? There are the robotic laws . . ."
""Perhaps on Earth, but they were never applied out at the fringes of the old Earth Empire. You are forgetting that robots are machines, nothing more. They are not human so we shouldn't be anthropomorphic about them. They do whatever they are programmed to do—and do it without emotional reactions of any kind.["]" - p 176
You probably won't find "recoilless canon" in any music dictionary so I'll provide a definition:
a piece in which the same melody is begun in different parts successively, so that the imitations overlap. without having the propellant theme shrink back physically or emotionally
Otherwise, note the reference to Isaac Asimov's famous story entitled I, Robot in wch the "3 Laws of Robotics" were introduced:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
An article in Scientific American discusses the feasability of these laws: https://www.scientificamerican.com/ar... . Artist Rich Pell made a great piece where he reminded DARPA of them too.
It wd interest me to see a list of all the bks that refer to Esperanto as a future universal language. I try to call attn to such instances whenever I run across them in my readings:
""Does he understand you, sergeant?" one of them called out.
""That's a wicked looked knife he's wearing."
""Tell him to drop it."
"Brion understood well enough; they were speaking Universal Esperanto, the interstellar language that everyone used in addition to their native tongue." - p 205
Like most, if not all, SF that I like, this is anti-militaristic:
"Words were not going to stop these martial madmen. They actually lived in a military and jingoist idea of heaven. Wave the flag, my country right or wrong, build up the armament industries, repeal all civil rights—and go to war forever!" - p 222
This bk was published in 1982 during the Reagan presidency. That about sums it up.
March 3, 2019
An hour and a half I'm never going to get back.
Clumsy writing, thin plot, unbelievable dialogue, pre-enlightenment sexual politics, and very much every other fault of the pre-Iain M. Banks space opera genre.
After the first couple of chapters you will know enough to be able to guess the denouement closely enough for it not to matter.
Stick to the Stainless Steel Rat.
Clumsy writing, thin plot, unbelievable dialogue, pre-enlightenment sexual politics, and very much every other fault of the pre-Iain M. Banks space opera genre.
After the first couple of chapters you will know enough to be able to guess the denouement closely enough for it not to matter.
Stick to the Stainless Steel Rat.
November 17, 2021
Planet of No Return is difficult for me to rate; on the one hand it reads like a page-turner, but on the other it's riddled with inconsistencies and awkward sentences which destroy the suspension of disbelief necessary for good science fiction. In one spot they open their last ration; then later on one of the characters is eating more rations and getting tired of them. In one scene they decide they should travel in daylight because the enemy alien machines can see them just as well in the dark; later on when approaching the alien machines he sticks to the shadows "for cover." At least a half dozen more like that, as if Harrison hadn't read his own previous chapters (but sometimes these discrepancies occur within the same page). It was suspenseful enough to keep me reading though. I enjoyed Stainless Steel Rat decades ago and did not notice any such problems with that.
February 19, 2023
Гаррисон исписался и сам уже скучает от своего экшна. Думал даже поставить одну звезду, но развязка довольна смешная.
July 13, 2024
This book was Fun with a capital F! Planet Of No Return (published 1982) is apparently a sequel, but you definitely don't have to have read the first one to enjoy this science fiction gem. It is action packed from the beginning, and it doesn't let up. While this is mostly a swash buckling space adventure, there are a few Big Issues discussed, including the seemingly ever-present sexism. Sexism-It's not just for Planet Earth! Our lead characters (Brion and Lea) are likeable, smart, and good fun to be around. I don't want to say much about what happens, lest I give something big away and spoil the fun. Just know that there will be lots of twists and turns and lots of fun. A very quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. If you are looking for a fun, fast, pulpy science fiction adventure, then buy your ticket now for a trip to the Planet of No Return!
June 3, 2011
I preferred this to the first one, marginally. The concept of robots fighting a war all their own has been done to death, though here there's a twist on the idea. The female is made much of here, perhaps more than in the initial title, which is maybe a sign of the times but does stand out somewhat today.
What I can't understand is why there aren't more of these books. They're short, would work serially and, really, are no worse than many other pulp series. Even without Brion, there are surely plenty of Anvharians about, Brion's only defining characteristic is his being Empathetic. Some series work and some don't, I guess.
What I can't understand is why there aren't more of these books. They're short, would work serially and, really, are no worse than many other pulp series. Even without Brion, there are surely plenty of Anvharians about, Brion's only defining characteristic is his being Empathetic. Some series work and some don't, I guess.
June 9, 2014
Sent to investigate another world, Brion Brandd discovers an automated war which has been going on for centuries. An enjoyable read by one of my favorite authors. Nice illustrations by Rick DeMarco.
November 9, 2025
I picked this off the shelf because its lavishly illustrated interior. It has images every 4 to 5 pages, and it looked like a fun adventure.
It's pure pulp SF, an adventure story kind of reminiscent of a typical Target Dr Who novelization, and the plot is similar to what you might find in that franchise, though the tone is very different (more macho). Here we have a highly competent main character (more remarkable in the brawn dept than Dr Who, and something of a Marty Stu) named Brion who works for the Cultural Relations Foundation of... some federation or something. He has a capable but less remarkable companion (and lover) named Lea to act as his conscience. Together, they descend to a mysterious planet where previous agents have already landed and been mysteriously killed. Brion and Lea have to solve the mystery of the planet. They meet some natives who don't really trust them and who are also caught up in the mystery. Eventually they discover the root of the mystery and things resolve (he says, without giving anything away). Sounds like a Dr. Who plot, no?
Sadly, most Dr Who novelizations pack a lot more in the ways of twists and turns into their (typically) 140 or so pages than this novel does in 230, so this once comes off comparatively poorly. Plus I found the resolution slightly dissatisfying. Still, it was a snappy read, wasn't awful, and was nicely illustrated for a bit of nostalgic fun, so I give it 2.5 out of 5, rounded up to 3 for the Rick DeMarco illustrations.
It's pure pulp SF, an adventure story kind of reminiscent of a typical Target Dr Who novelization, and the plot is similar to what you might find in that franchise, though the tone is very different (more macho). Here we have a highly competent main character (more remarkable in the brawn dept than Dr Who, and something of a Marty Stu) named Brion who works for the Cultural Relations Foundation of... some federation or something. He has a capable but less remarkable companion (and lover) named Lea to act as his conscience. Together, they descend to a mysterious planet where previous agents have already landed and been mysteriously killed. Brion and Lea have to solve the mystery of the planet. They meet some natives who don't really trust them and who are also caught up in the mystery. Eventually they discover the root of the mystery and things resolve (he says, without giving anything away). Sounds like a Dr. Who plot, no?
Sadly, most Dr Who novelizations pack a lot more in the ways of twists and turns into their (typically) 140 or so pages than this novel does in 230, so this once comes off comparatively poorly. Plus I found the resolution slightly dissatisfying. Still, it was a snappy read, wasn't awful, and was nicely illustrated for a bit of nostalgic fun, so I give it 2.5 out of 5, rounded up to 3 for the Rick DeMarco illustrations.
June 12, 2021
“Planet of No Return” by Harry Harrison (1983)
Overall Rating 5/10 – No reason to come back
Critique
“Basic and lame” – fairly basic writing skill set. Very typical 70’s. You can get fed up with the “same old same old” storylines although this one did have a bit of a kick at the end.
Plot
In the search for a planet to colonise – two advance scouts (separately) go down to the planet but fail to return. Sergeant Brion Brandd is sent down with his companion Prof Le Morales. There they discover a native people and advanced war machines and a strange black metal column.
Writing Style
Very 70’s. A couple of occasions of “for” (perhaps 4 in total). Fairly basic vocabulary.
Point of View
Written in the 3rd Person / Past Tense (standard convention)
Overall Rating 5/10 – No reason to come back
Critique
“Basic and lame” – fairly basic writing skill set. Very typical 70’s. You can get fed up with the “same old same old” storylines although this one did have a bit of a kick at the end.
Plot
In the search for a planet to colonise – two advance scouts (separately) go down to the planet but fail to return. Sergeant Brion Brandd is sent down with his companion Prof Le Morales. There they discover a native people and advanced war machines and a strange black metal column.
Writing Style
Very 70’s. A couple of occasions of “for” (perhaps 4 in total). Fairly basic vocabulary.
Point of View
Written in the 3rd Person / Past Tense (standard convention)
Read
July 9, 2021The best thing about this book is the cover.
It could have been a good story but suffers from many inconsistencies that ruin it:
- the natives are women and men, no children
- women are like dirt and do not fight, but the first attack on the main characters has the women take them down with well thrown stones.
- no buildings can be seen from space but the main characters see remnants of a city
- the main characters go along with the backward societal customs even when in a great position to educate them that women are equals.
- the war which is central to the book is not well explained, seems to be all automated (and televised) but the true combat is not mentioned.
It could have been a good story but suffers from many inconsistencies that ruin it:
- the natives are women and men, no children
- women are like dirt and do not fight, but the first attack on the main characters has the women take them down with well thrown stones.
- no buildings can be seen from space but the main characters see remnants of a city
- the main characters go along with the backward societal customs even when in a great position to educate them that women are equals.
- the war which is central to the book is not well explained, seems to be all automated (and televised) but the true combat is not mentioned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2024
Think the literary equivalent of the 'B' movie. Not deep by any means, but entertaining. I did not read the previous book in this short series but I guess it was not necessary. The hero succeeds against overwhelming odds! Giant tanks, planes and fighting machines! It's an interesting twist towards the end, and a kind of foreseeable ending. But it is a pretty good tale that does what it is supposed to do. Entertain. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, I stretched it a little because I do like Harrison.
November 24, 2019
Ultimately and sadly a bit disappointing. I picked it up because I loved Planet of the Damned (the original Brion Brandd adventure). As it turned out, this sequel was less engaging, less interesting, and the ending felt very rushed. I feel like there is a much better book buried here if only the story could come to its conclusion naturally.
July 9, 2023
Brion is called off world once again.
There he struggles to survive.
Tribal men lead him to a endless battlefield.
Brion and his female lae.
There they discover the machines.
Tanks controlled by an
intergalactic government.
The wars will end as mineral extraction is near complete.
Brion cares that the
tribal people will be safe.
There he struggles to survive.
Tribal men lead him to a endless battlefield.
Brion and his female lae.
There they discover the machines.
Tanks controlled by an
intergalactic government.
The wars will end as mineral extraction is near complete.
Brion cares that the
tribal people will be safe.
January 29, 2026
This is a sequel to Harrison’s “Planet of the Damned.” It’s pretty similar as a kind of Conan in space action novel but with even poorer writing than the first one. Cheesy dialogue and sophomoric narration definitely puts this one at the bottom of my Harry Harrison favorites list. Not sure why I keep reading this guy.
March 28, 2024
This was a good, fast read. I'm a fan of Harry Harrison's writing style from when i was a kid (40+ years ago), and hadnt read these couple of Planet series books. I recommend to any interested in Sci-fi!
June 11, 2026
This is a sequel to Planet of the Damned which was published about twenty years later. I read it because I liked Brion in the first book, but I didn’t find this one as interesting. The main characters didn’t have much of a goal, and the conclusion wasn’t very surprising.
January 18, 2018
Fun read with great illustrations! Do not approach this if you are looking for something serious, but a quick read.
September 4, 2018
Īss H.Hrisona fantastikas stāstiņš. It kā viss ok, bet kaut kā nepavilka. Morāli nedaudz novecojis. Un grāmatsas vidū viss bija skaidrs. H.Harisonam ir arī labāki darbi.
February 13, 2021
One word = epic
June 1, 2024
I really enjoyed Harrison’s Deathworld novels, and this was more of the same stuff: exciting, fast paced Planet Taming Sci-Fi, pulpier - in the best possible way - than the thickest glass of Orange Juice. There are very few characters, some high-tech warfare, it’s short, smartly written, and has a solid storyline, though the resolution is a bit rushed and suddenly gets into deep socio-political themes it doesn’t have enough time to flesh out. It’s also full of fantastic drawings and has a strong female character – something often missing from the genre - and a compelling, super strong but not overly macho main lead. That gets it to four stars and a definite recommendation. And don’t worry that it’s book two in a two book “series”; it’s very stand-alone. 87/100
October 9, 2016
A nice short story, about Novella length. Two investigations into a planet result in the deaths of the explorers so two experts are sent instead.
Despite finding a stone-age level culture machines are attacking each other and causing damage to the rest of the world by searching for metal. But on a world at this level of technology why are the machines fighting?
Despite finding a stone-age level culture machines are attacking each other and causing damage to the rest of the world by searching for metal. But on a world at this level of technology why are the machines fighting?
December 22, 2007
read 07.09.84
June 17, 2009
Reminds me of a terminator type book before there were terminators. Quite good.
January 13, 2012
Grade B+.
May 7, 2012
Like the other Brion book this one just didn't work for me - interesting idea but done better elsewhere
Want to Read
November 18, 2015I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13706399
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13706399
November 8, 2016
Short classic sci-fi. I enjoyed it but it's not for everybody.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews