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Colossus #3

Colossus and the Crab

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The 22nd Century.

Dr. Charles Forbin is Earth’s most powerful man. As mediator between Colossus, the Super Computer, and the rest of humanity, Forbin holds the key to Earth's fate.

When Colossus, an awe-inspiring technological creation suddenly became self-aware and took upon itself the task of righting humanity’s wrongs with no regard for humans themselves, Forbin intervened.

He took the decision to turn off his great machine – but could not do it alone.

Forbin called upon invaders from Mars.

The Martians did their fastidious work, shutting down Colossus.

The Earth descended into chaos. Rival factions sparred for supremacy, with only Forbin to control the populace and maintain order.

But now, the Martians have returned. And they want compensation.

A race so technologically advanced, towering in scope and innovation … What could they possibly want from Earth?

Only one its oxygen.

The Martians are in need of Earth’s most natural resource, after radiation from the Crab Nebula threatens to eradicate all of their stores.

Forbin is asked to design a super Collector in order to solidify the Earth’s supply of oxygen – or, a large proportion of it – to be handed over to the Martians.

But to do so would condemn the lives of hundreds of millions of Earth’s inhabitants.

There is only one entity on Earth with the power to stop the Martians…

Colossus must return.

The supercomputer is the only chance Earth has to defend itself…

But can Forbin reactivate his creation in time?

Or will Colossus, once tyrant, now potential saviour, turn to dust, along with the rest of humankind?

COLOSSUS AND THE CRAB is the final instalment of D. F. Jones’ enthralling science fiction COLOSSUS series.



‘Full marks for this technological horror story. A combination of cybernetics and suspense that adds up to real SF’ – Sunday Citizen

‘A whip-cracker…’ - Chicago Tribune

'It chilled my blood' - The Yorkshire Post

'Horrifying instalment of the man vs. machine competition' - New York Times

Dennis Feltham Jones was a British Science Fiction author; he was a Naval Commander in World War II, and lived in Cornwall until his death in 1981. His writings dealt with the ongoing battle – both physical and philosophical – between man and machine. He is perhaps most famous for his Colossus series, which was translated to the big screen in 1970 for the film The Forbin Project, which was well received by critics, and was nominated for a Hugo Award in 1971.

Venture Press is a science fiction and fantasy imprint of Endeavour Press, the UK’s leading independent digital publisher. We are committed to the discovery and rediscovery of immensely talented authors in the SFF genre, and continue to push boundaries in search of great literature. Join us as we venture across universes and unknown landscapes – past, present and future.

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 1977

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About the author

D.F. Jones

16 books49 followers
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name


Dennis Feltham Jones, a British Science Filction Author wrote under the byline D.F. Jones

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5 stars
92 (23%)
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98 (25%)
3 stars
130 (33%)
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48 (12%)
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17 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
Profile Image for Pam Baddeley.
Author 2 books65 followers
July 14, 2021
Volume 3 brings the Colossus story to a close even more implausibly than the narrative in volume 2. It seems that the Martian invaders - which are strange energy creatures that can take any form they wish - have invaded because they want to steal half of Earth's oxygen to create an atmosphere for Mars. Firstly, Mars lacks an atmosphere because it doesn't have the gravity to retain one and secondly, if they are not really material beings why do they need oxygen anyway? It seems this is to block out some kind of harmful ray emanating from the Crab Nebula.

At least the misogyny is turned down in this as Forbin's wife is offstage in all of this, just mentioned as not wanting to come back to him because she has been brainwashed by Colossus' experiment to find out whether a continually raped woman would come to 'love' her attacker. And Forbin does gradually return somewhat to the more dynamic and decisive character of volume 1. A racist stereotype of the Italian engineer throws in every cliche going, with a phonetic representation of how the man is supposed to speak.

Angela, Forbin's secretary, has a chance to prove her worth despite the obligatory trope that she is madly in love with Forbin, but of course is treated in a derogatory fashion. At least Blake's treatment by the Martians makes him a more thoughtful and less plain awful character. But the idea that the only way to save the day makes a mockery of the whole thing.

On the whole, only book 1 in this series has any real merit, and this one only scrapes up 2 stars mainly for the sequences aboard the robotic WWI battleships.
Profile Image for Phil Evans.
87 reviews
May 10, 2017
I think a little bit of me died when reading this book.
I had to finish it, having read through the first two books, but really, don't bother.

Setting aside the repeated issues of the book being rampantly sexist while claiming that sexual equality exists, and the fact that the kind of ideological viewpoint I think Jones has is so different to my own, the main problem with this book is that it's not science fiction - it's fiction-fiction. That is it is SOOOOOO badly wrong scientifically in pretty much every conceivable way. The whole premise is nonsense. The physics used to explain it is nonsense. No-one ever asks WHY Mars has little atmosphere (something I had to do in high school physics: hint: its gravity is too low to retain it), and so on. If you can somehow accept that this book is set in a weird parallel universe where nothing has to make any sense, you may just about be able to cope with it: the way the tension builds up towards the end is done quite nicely, but frankly, the whole thing, including the ending, is highly disappointing.
Profile Image for Beauregard Bottomley.
1,245 reviews855 followers
July 8, 2020
This book with all of its racist, sexist bilge will show the modern reader today how our swarthy complexion Italian male friends are as emotionally quick to react passionately in this third volume of the Colossus series as the women have been emotionally intuitively reacting previously and our still acting within this the weakest of the three-volume series. It’s good to see D.J. Jones is still as much of a misogynist as he always has been and any one who is not him or like him (male, white, intellectual, straight, and part of any faith cult) are always in need of the calming presence of a man like he is.

If you ever wondered how the country got to a point where we could elect a racist, fascist, hate mongering person in the mode of a Donald Trump look no further than the 1970s and books like this one. By 1977, D.F. Jones should have known better. We all learn, we all grow and it’s up to us to get above the world we are thrown into, and D.F. Jones definitely has no intention of changing fundamentally from what his supremist paradigms have been telling him, but with pablum like this crap having defined our background, it is amazing that most of the country can clearly see that Trump is an anomaly and well soon be best forgotten.

Jones makes a mistake when he downplays Colossus in this third volume, because the one good thing he has going for this series is his thinking emotionless logical thinking machine.

Fascist are the ultimate purveyors of identity politics by pretending there is no identity except for the identity without an identity which just happens to be the identity they are and what they believe in. Even without D. F. Jones’ certainty that women are emotionally though intuitive and always in search of a man for peace and that Italians are passion driven and the overall identityless background the author assumes as truth, this book’s sci-fi is very weak and the story is best forgotten. Martians that read minds but won’t because that is how they think and super intelligence means lying is not permitted and so on. Only read this one if you get it for free at Hoopla or if you want to see how people thought in the 1950s even though this book was written in 1977.

[I don’t remember if the author actually calls the Italian swarthy, but he used every other single stereotype that Time Magazine used in the 1960s and 1970s when talking about Italians].
Profile Image for Anne Mey.
591 reviews9 followers
August 31, 2017
Again the same style of writing, still sexism, in three books three women are used to serve and adore Forbin and nothing more. Except his wife Cleo who first had contact with the martians that's it.
So Colossus was shut down and the martians arrived with an incredible demand, half of earth's oxygen. Instead of finding ways to collect it or make them produce their own oxygen they built a machine to suck the oxygen in no time. In the end though Forbin broke their machine before dying and they found a way with Colossus to take the oxygen over a longer period of time (should have done that earlier though).
The idea behind helping the martians is interesting. Doing this now gives humanity leverage to ask for help when the sun will start burning up planets and they'll have to go live on Mars before maybe trying to leave into space.
I was frustrated all through the three books because they didn't go very far into the ideas. But they have consistency in the way they're written.
Profile Image for Neil.
1,330 reviews14 followers
January 16, 2021
I found myself enjoying this book far more than I thought I would. I do not know if it had to do with reading reviews about how horrible it was affecting my “judgment” or opinion, but it was not nearly as bad as others made it out to be. Not that I am saying it does not have its faults, its mistakes . The character development is so-so; I did think the author did a nice job of describing the horror of discovering maybe a mistake had been made in the shutdown of Colossus. It is a lot of dialogue and very little action the book.







Overall, I liked the book. I think it was a worthy end to the series, considering how bad the second book turned out to be and all of the “stuff” that was introduced in the first book and then ignored in the second (and third) book. I did not have high expectations for this book, so perhaps that is why I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. In any case, I am glad that I finally found a copy of the book and was able to read it and finish the series. I may not reread it again, but at least I finished it.
Profile Image for Mark.
1,277 reviews150 followers
March 7, 2018
The final novel in D. F. Jones’s “Colossus Trilogy” picks up where the last one left off, with Charles Forbin – the creator of Colossus, the supercomputer that took over the world five years before – and his assistant Edward Blake awaiting the arrival of the Martians who provided them with the means of shutting down the computer. When they appear, they soon reveal that the aid they supplied was to remove the one obstacle to their plan, which is to re-oxygenate Mars by taking half of the Earth’s atmosphere. Facing the devastation of the planet and the deaths of millions, Forbin and Blake are forced to undertake a plan that is Earth’s only hope of defeating the Martians – the reactivation of their former overlord, Colossus.

Having described the computer-run future he created in his last novel, The Fall of Colossus, in this one Jones concentrates on the plot and his antagonists. The Martians he describes are well imagined by the author, and many of the best parts of the novel center around their interaction with Forbin and his efforts to comprehend them. In many ways they are better realized than most of the humans, as some of the secondary characters are little better than ethnic stereotypes. The challenge the aliens pose is also well developed, providing an impending threat that Jones conveys well with effective visualization and pacing. In all it provides for a satisfying end for an occasionally overshadowed, yet enjoyably entertaining series.
Profile Image for Bhakta Jim.
Author 16 books15 followers
May 31, 2017
If you read the description of the book then you know that after Colossus was deactivated the Earth was invaded by aliens. What you don't know is that the reason for the invasion has to do with radiation coming from the Crab Nebula. This was the least plausible part of the story for me.

I finished the novel, but I found it to be the least compelling of the books in the trilogy. That's about all I can say about it.

Charles Forbin has deactivated Colossus, but he must convince the world that the super computer is alive and well while the alien invaders carry out their plan, plus he has to figure out how to thwart that plan.
92 reviews
June 30, 2024
The Martians arrive on Earth and face Forbin and Blake, explaining their need to remove 1/2 of Earth's oxygen. The oxygen is needed to protect them from a specific type of radiation coming from the Crab Nebula. When Forbin explains the devastating impact this will have on Earth and the humans, the Martians simply respond that they are not anti-Earth, but pro-Martian! Construction soon begins on a massive device designed to extract oxygen from the atmosphere. Blake is incapacitated by the Martians but eventually recovers enough to support Forbin in a plan to re-start the original Colossus and destroy the Martian threat. Everything does not quite go as planned however and Forbin, makes use of a weakness in the Martians while Blake attempts to re-animate Colossus.
Very much in the same tone as the other books in this series, Forbin is portrayed as a pillar of virtue willing to lose it all - and consume copious amounts of brandy - in order to save the Earth. Some of the ideas are rather preposterous and if you think too much about the story you can ask some questions that shoot holes in the basic premise - for example: with all of the power and technology that the Martians have, why do they need to take oxygen from the Earth? Isn't there some other more easily accessible source in the solar system? Surely they could produce oxygen quite easily from a source of water...? In the book it is revealed that the two Martians are in fact Phobos and Deimos - how would oxygen in the atmosphere help protect them from the radiation from the Crab nebula? Anyway, you get the idea. I found the narrative a bit hard to follow at times - especially as it would sometimes jump from one set of characters and location to another without any kind of page break at all. Overall though, this series was kind of fun and there were some interesting concepts presented.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
128 reviews
December 22, 2023
This is the final entry in the Colossus trilogy. The first was fun and read like a Cold War thriller. The second one got campy, sexist, but still intriguing enough to finish it. This one was goofy. First, here are the pros. It has great twists, especially when they revive the original Colossus, that I didn't see coming. It also has a huge blockbuster ending. D.F Jones served in the Royal Navy, so he made an epic naval battle complete with nautical language. The pacing was fantastic, the relationship between Charles and the Martians was fully developed, and Jones had an ending in mind when he wrote this book for Forbin.

Unfortunately, the idea that Martians came to Earth to steal oxygen to protect their planet from Gamma Rays, or Gamma Ray 6, was nonsense. It was silly. Then, they reveal that the Martians are actually the moons of Mars, and humanity has instinctively always knew they were the enemy. Uhmmm, OK. And then the funniest bit was the Martian weakness, water. It's also a dated novel complete with sexist remarks and men treating women like second-class citizens.

Overall, it's a weird ending for this trilogy. I like the first book over the other two. I'd still read this one if you are interested in classic sci-fi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mike Pluta.
102 reviews22 followers
September 23, 2017
Anyone who has not yet read this series would be well advised to stop at the end of book 1. Book 1, "Colossus", was the basis for the 1970 classic science fiction movie, "Colossus: The Forbin Project". Those who have seen and love this movie will be pleased with how true to the book it is. That is pretty much the extent of positive things I can say about this trilogy.

The second book in the series, "The Fall of Colossus", goes off the rails by having a disembodied voice from Mars assist the Colossus resistance to disarm and deactivate the dictatorial super-intelligent computer. The celebrating earthikins have their party cut short when the Martian voice declares their intent to come and conquer the earth.

That brings us to the streaming bowl of brussel sprouts that is "Colossus and the Crab." The cray-cray begins with the Martians announcing their intent to take 50% of the earth's oxygen. They will accomplish this act by compelling the earthikins to build for them giant inverted alpenhorn to suck in huge volumes of atmosphere, separate out the oxygen, and compress it down into a solid. They need to do this so that Mars can be protected from the cosmic radiation raining down from the Crab Nebula. It goes downhill from there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kendal.
402 reviews4 followers
April 20, 2021
I'm not sure what to make of the addition of Martians. Jones may have painted himself into a corner with vol 1--how to stop the supercomputer? He used a now cliche of introducing a computer virus (Independance Day; 3001: The Final Odyssey; Star Trek:TNG, "I, Borg"), but what else could they do?

This books ending suggests a fourth novel with Colossus and the Martians fight the Crab Nebulans. Was one ever written?

In some ways, vol. 1 could be a stand-alone horror, as was the movie.

Sorry for the rambly review. Like Tolkien said of CS Lewis's space triolgy, this final book spoiled the series. Though the ending is vague and satisfying, in a basic way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christina Widmann.
Author 1 book12 followers
September 22, 2021
It gets more ludicrous with every page.
First, Blake and Forbin fear worldwide chaos because Colossus isn't controlling birthrates or providing accurate weather forecasts anymore. Yeah, right. As if everyone would instantly riot because of that.

Then, the Martians want half our atmosphere's oxygen for their planet. And the supposedly most brilliant scientists of Earth don't suggest extracting oxygen from the rust-red Martian soil. Neither do they suggest the Martians just stay right here where the oxygen is, seeing that there's only two of them and they can survive here.


It only gets worse from there. Should have read "Colossus" as a standalone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Anne Hamilton.
Author 57 books184 followers
September 26, 2022
I wanted to know how the trilogy ended. I wanted to know if Forbin overcame Colossus at last. And I wanted to know what the "Crab" in the title signified. Well, it's no spoiler to reveal it's the Crab Nebula - because that has so little to do with the plotline that I'm still left wondering why it got into the title. Maybe if I'd enjoyed the movie of the first book in the series a whole lot less, I'd have been less disappointed in this finale. Sure, the ending was about the triumph of the human spirit but it was overlaid with so many mixed messages that it didn't quite gel.
Profile Image for Sue Dounim.
176 reviews
March 19, 2023
I would have to say on reading many of the reviews of this and all the other Colossus books that they are very fair and accurate. I do find it interesting that as poorly written as the books are, they apparently have enough interesting ideas in them to make them worth writing about, if for no other reasons that to attack their dismal sexism and misogyny, or mock the stereotypes and wooden characters
(I'm just going to copy this to my other review of and people who are interested in this series or my ideas on it should have no trouble finding plenty of opinions.)
Profile Image for Brent.
28 reviews
May 20, 2017
Certainly a product of the period in which it was written-- quite a bit of cliche, stereotypes, unexamined sexism, scientism, and just plain-old bad "science". For those who don't like to leave the remainders of a trilogy unread, it won't necessarily disappoint; however, for those who were only lukewarm about the first book in the trilogy, neither follow-up exceeds the qualities of the first novel in the set.
Profile Image for Daniel Stephens.
294 reviews20 followers
December 9, 2017
Doesn't fix any of the problems from 2, and is full of bad science to boot.

So short review of series as a whole:
Colossus is a Sci-Fi classic, a little rough around the edges but a legitimately good book on its own merits.
The sequels:
Best of just pretending they don't exist.
But they do, and they are very bad and now I've read them I wish I hadn't.
Profile Image for Joe.
168 reviews3 followers
August 7, 2022
effective wrap up but unsatisfying as a story

it’s a clever finish, and a resolution by talking it out is refreshing, especially in the current political environment. however, it is still loaded to the gills with deus ex machina, even as the denouement celebrates the human spirit. it was alright.
Profile Image for John.
1,781 reviews5 followers
August 4, 2023
Put a nail in the coffin of this trilogy.
It was almost like the second book was everyone wants a sequel, but then it was broken up over the second and a third
You can get by with with just the first book
Profile Image for chrstphre campbell.
279 reviews
May 21, 2024
this trilogy should have ended after The first book !

I need 20 words to complete this review…12 more to go… 9 still required.
Not enough twists, I predicted several which failed to come to fruition !
Profile Image for David.
700 reviews2 followers
September 23, 2024
Well, not quite as offensive as The Fall of Colossus, but still not worth the read, I don't believe. The main plot, again, is interesting and I did skim to see what happened. But the tone of the book is just off. If you are going to read something about Colossus, stop after the first book.
Profile Image for Geoff Hunton.
32 reviews
March 25, 2017
A fitting end

What a fantastic ending to a great series of books. I loved the film of the first book but this book is such a fitting end to Forbid and his machine
Profile Image for Dan.
63 reviews10 followers
June 5, 2021
Somewhat redeems the trainwreck that was "The Fall of Colossus." The Forbin character finally achieves a bit of depth. Unfortunately all the others don't.
Profile Image for Lawrence Plummer.
140 reviews3 followers
September 16, 2022
Book three of the Colossus series, the worst of the bunch! Again, heavy on the sexism, again, must have been the times of England.
Profile Image for Timothy Haggerty.
239 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2023
The third and last

This was interesting yet disjointed. I did enjoy reading it but as a series it doesn't hold together. It is somewhat dated in many ways.
Profile Image for Brent Winslow.
376 reviews
August 29, 2023
The weakest of the trilogy, the Martians demand half of the world's oxygen leading to a desperate struggle and the reactivation of Colossus
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews

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