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John Grimes: Survey Service #3
The Hard Way Up
A selection of John Grimes short stories Good IntentionsThe SubtracterThe Tin MessiahThe Sleeping BeautyThe Wandering BuoyThe Mountain MoversWhat You Know
141 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1972
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About the author
A. Bertram Chandler
358 books53 followersArthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912–6 June 1984) was an Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Paul T. Sherman, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M.
He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.
He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 24, 2020
This volume appears to be a collection of short stories (though in the edition I read there was no publication information or acknowledgements; I deduce that the pieces may have been published separately from textual cues: the frequent repetition of _Adder_'s crew-members' names and roles, the recapitulation of plot that happened [literally] a page before, and so on). The title also seems to refer to two different but related topics: first the literal struggle by Grimes to be promoted from Lieutenant to Lieutenant Commander in the Survey Service, and second, the evolution of species and cultures from prehistory to super-refined diplomatic and regimented hierarchies of power. The first story is nearly image-for-image a recreation of the opening of Kubrick's _2001: A Space Odyssey_ without the presence of the black monolith (or, rather, replacing the monolith with Grimes) as young Grimes teaches a bullied hominid how to use a bone as a weapon to increase its share of food (an action that directly violates Survey Service policy and results in his being placed in command of the courier ship _Adder_). All of the stories are a series of misadventures and humorous missteps by Grimes as he is in conflict with his Commodore. Several of the stories show the influence of other works (most especially elements of Jack Vance and, in the two stories involving humanoid robts, Isaac Asimov), but Chandler places his own humorous spin on these influences.
I am entirely unfamiliar with the work of Chandler; I am reading this series in the order suggested by the Science Fiction Book Club editions. When I purchased these many years ago I expected I was receiving straight up space opera or science fiction adventure, but as I read on it seems that Chandler is really writing in the tradition of British naval fiction with a satiric/humorous twist. At several points during this volume I laughed out loud: the situations and characters that Grimes gets involved in are very funny, which I did not expect when I started this series. I'm curious to see where this all leads (if anywhere).
I am entirely unfamiliar with the work of Chandler; I am reading this series in the order suggested by the Science Fiction Book Club editions. When I purchased these many years ago I expected I was receiving straight up space opera or science fiction adventure, but as I read on it seems that Chandler is really writing in the tradition of British naval fiction with a satiric/humorous twist. At several points during this volume I laughed out loud: the situations and characters that Grimes gets involved in are very funny, which I did not expect when I started this series. I'm curious to see where this all leads (if anywhere).
September 5, 2021
I enjoyed the format, seeing John Grimes in a collection of missions that he's in charge of. Some of the stories were really frustrating because Grimes just does the wrong thing or doesn't think things all the way through. Hopefully these series of missions has taught him how to grow up a bit, since the first two books in the series were a little hard to read with the main character being such a pompous, immature jerk. He is also right on the border of sexist through most of the stories where there are women. In one story, he takes it upon himself to try and save a couple of teachers from a tourist group, while thinking of them as "silly bitches" and thinking about ways to sleep with them. I am hoping that the books become less dated as they are published, but I'm not holding my breath.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
October 12, 2025
“The Hard Way Up”, third in the 'John Grimes: Survey Service' series, is a collection of slightly linked short stories.
Individually they are mostly interesting but, collectively, they have dated quite a bit.
The author, A. Bertram Chandler, knows exactly what he is doing and does it with a sense of humour.
It's easy reading.
3 Stars.
Individually they are mostly interesting but, collectively, they have dated quite a bit.
The author, A. Bertram Chandler, knows exactly what he is doing and does it with a sense of humour.
It's easy reading.
3 Stars.
April 3, 2017
Good intentions, I have read this once before and it still makes me think about the science experiments and makes me wonder if the answers gathered was because of the scientist interfering or changing some little detail out of curiosity.
Subtracter was interesting but the ending is the best part because of the humor
Tin Messiah I wasn't in love with this one but it was interesting
Sleeping Beauty I think this is one of my favorite stories by Bertram
Wandering Buoy I liked the mystery about this one
Mountain Mover, I have to say I wouldn't have seen this ending coming
What you Know is classic Bertram, humor and drama and science fiction perfectly matched.
Subtracter was interesting but the ending is the best part because of the humor
Tin Messiah I wasn't in love with this one but it was interesting
Sleeping Beauty I think this is one of my favorite stories by Bertram
Wandering Buoy I liked the mystery about this one
Mountain Mover, I have to say I wouldn't have seen this ending coming
What you Know is classic Bertram, humor and drama and science fiction perfectly matched.
May 15, 2017
Collection of 7 short stories somewhat humorously told. Diverting.
June 15, 2019
I especially liked the story with the Aboriginal background. Saying more would merely give it away.
January 3, 2020
Every single story has its interesting idea/plot.
Unfortunately, each has a disapointing ending, as if the ending part was written by some other person.
Unfortunately, each has a disapointing ending, as if the ending part was written by some other person.
May 13, 2021
A collection of unique short stories that will make you laugh (and think).
September 15, 2021
I’ve always enjoyed reading A. Bertram Chandler.
December 11, 2014
Seven short stories featuring the early career of John Grimes in the Survey Service, put together in a sequential fashion. They're light-hearted fodder, and follow a fairly standard formula in which Grimes finds himself in a bit of a scrape, not always through his own actions.
With Good Intentions (Hard Way Up 1972)
Lieutenant Grimes joins The Pathfinder to ferry a party of surveyors to a planet where a primitive humanoid race is extant. The Survey Service has a 'Prime Directive' rule not to interfere, but Grimes can't help himself.
The Subtracter (Galaxy August 1969)
Grimes takes control of 'The Adder' and is chartered to ferry a passenger from one planet to another. the passenger turns out to be an excellent chef and becomes popular with the crew, although his real profession is somewhat darker.
The Tin Messiah (Hard Way Up 1972)
Grimes' next passenger is Mr Adam, a messianic android, who becomes a little irrational.
Sleeping Beauty (Galaxy February 1970)
'The Adder', under Grimes' command, has to transport the Queen Egg of an insect race to a colony world. Due to delays en route, the egg hatches and the truculent young queen transforms the crew into her drones.
The Wandering Buoy (Analog September 1970)
Perhaps written in response to '2001 - A Space Odyssey' (1968), we see The Adder discovering a spherical object drifting in interstellar space, which turns out to be an autonomous machine designed to show primitive species how to make fire etc.
The Mountain Movers (Galaxy March 1971)
'The Adder' is grounded on a world the natives and culture of which John Grimes finds suspiciously similar to that of Australian aborigines. They even have their own version of Ayres Rock. AS it turns out, there is a reason for this.
What You Know (Galaxy Jan 1971)
John Grimes, in charge of 'The Adder' has to ferry a demanding female Commissioner along with her staff and robot attendants. The Adder, from lack of maintenance, breaks down in interstellar space and is forced to request help from Skandia, a 'kingdom' of Scandinavian humans, whose relationship with Earth is somewhat strained.
Grimes is forced at the end to resign his commission in the Survey Service.
With Good Intentions (Hard Way Up 1972)
Lieutenant Grimes joins The Pathfinder to ferry a party of surveyors to a planet where a primitive humanoid race is extant. The Survey Service has a 'Prime Directive' rule not to interfere, but Grimes can't help himself.
The Subtracter (Galaxy August 1969)
Grimes takes control of 'The Adder' and is chartered to ferry a passenger from one planet to another. the passenger turns out to be an excellent chef and becomes popular with the crew, although his real profession is somewhat darker.
The Tin Messiah (Hard Way Up 1972)
Grimes' next passenger is Mr Adam, a messianic android, who becomes a little irrational.
Sleeping Beauty (Galaxy February 1970)
'The Adder', under Grimes' command, has to transport the Queen Egg of an insect race to a colony world. Due to delays en route, the egg hatches and the truculent young queen transforms the crew into her drones.
The Wandering Buoy (Analog September 1970)
Perhaps written in response to '2001 - A Space Odyssey' (1968), we see The Adder discovering a spherical object drifting in interstellar space, which turns out to be an autonomous machine designed to show primitive species how to make fire etc.
The Mountain Movers (Galaxy March 1971)
'The Adder' is grounded on a world the natives and culture of which John Grimes finds suspiciously similar to that of Australian aborigines. They even have their own version of Ayres Rock. AS it turns out, there is a reason for this.
What You Know (Galaxy Jan 1971)
John Grimes, in charge of 'The Adder' has to ferry a demanding female Commissioner along with her staff and robot attendants. The Adder, from lack of maintenance, breaks down in interstellar space and is forced to request help from Skandia, a 'kingdom' of Scandinavian humans, whose relationship with Earth is somewhat strained.
Grimes is forced at the end to resign his commission in the Survey Service.
December 24, 2012
THE HARD WAY UP is a space farce. Each planet main character Grimes
goes to is an excuse for him to slip on the proverbial banana peel
and be a human joke. This characteristic works out for him in
promotions and tripping on his face into getting a messenger ship. 7
short stories make up this novella. I can recommend it to anyone who
enjoys Edmund Hamilton's work. The best story in here is a light
escapade of taking the queen egg to another planet quickly. The egg
hatches, the queen insect inside becomes a very needy telepath that
gives everyone something to do. Sick of drinking honey the crew
experiments with booze. This book didn't make me laugh outloud or
anything, it was more like I was reading a book about Bob Hope's roadie who had a galactic tour diary. Just fun and ok.
goes to is an excuse for him to slip on the proverbial banana peel
and be a human joke. This characteristic works out for him in
promotions and tripping on his face into getting a messenger ship. 7
short stories make up this novella. I can recommend it to anyone who
enjoys Edmund Hamilton's work. The best story in here is a light
escapade of taking the queen egg to another planet quickly. The egg
hatches, the queen insect inside becomes a very needy telepath that
gives everyone something to do. Sick of drinking honey the crew
experiments with booze. This book didn't make me laugh outloud or
anything, it was more like I was reading a book about Bob Hope's roadie who had a galactic tour diary. Just fun and ok.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews