Vertigo

by Bob Shaw

Rob Hasson was an Air Patrolman, one of the best, until the day someone jumped him in mid-air and sent him hurtling into a fall that should have killed him. Now his mind, still tormented by memories of the shrieking air and rushing ground, protects his patched-together body by refusing to let him fly again. And what use to anyone is an Air Patrolman who's afraid to fly? Rob Hasson thinks he's a coward. No one could have foreseen the chain of events that would prove him wrong.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Bob Shaw was born in Northern Ireland. After working in structural engineering, industrial public relations, and journalism he became a full time science fiction writer in 1975.

Shaw was noted for his originality and wit. He was two-time recipient (in 1979 and 1980) of the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. His short story Light of Other Days was a Hugo Award nominee in 1967, as was his novel The Ragged Astronauts in 1987.

Reviews

[Andrew Nind · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this book so much, I've read it over and over since I was a kid but ultimately it's really not very good.

[Stephen West · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Vertigo (also known as Terminal Velocity) Bob Shaw creates an intriguing vision of a society transformed by the advent of personal counter-gravity devices that allow people to fly like birds. Aeroplane flight is largely abandoned due to the dangers posed by hordes of flyers, hundreds of people are killed every year by falling objects dropped (accidentally or deliberately) by the flyers, and teenagers play deadly games of chicken with unsuspecting commuters.

But to create a good novel, you need more than a well-worked-out idea. The protagonist is a policeman, mentally and physically damaged in an encounter with a nihilistic criminal, who travels to Canada to recuperate. His emotional state is acutely observed as he tries to deal with his fragile condition, culture shock, and rise to the challenges posed by the machinations of a powerful businessman and the feeble response of his host, the local Mountie.

Although this book is sadly out of print, it has been released on the Kindle platform. It is a little gem from a master storyteller.

[Zantaeus Glom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cracking read by the talented Bob Shaw.

[SciFiOne · Rating 4 out of 5]

1983 grade A-
2005 grade B-

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. An interesting and unique story.

[Nicola Strangis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Il libro racconta una storia diversa da quanto descritto in abstract, diciamo che è una confusionaria storia di una persona stressata da alcuni eventi della vita, in un contesto di elementi fantascientifici descritto con un linguaggio scarso e con evidenti problemi nella descrizione degli eventi, spesso tirata per le lunghe.

[Yuri Lytovchenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about a man recovering from injury and also trying regain self-esteem... SciFi is just a decor, however, quite attractive

[Hugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a slow start, but interesting enough and still worth a read.

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 2 out of 5]

The weakest thing I've yet read from Shaw.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A neat little story centred around the idea of personal flight and its implications (also complications!), as well as one man's battle with his own psyche.
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