Cold Cash War

by Robert Lynn Asprin

Robert Asprin's first science fiction novel. First novel too.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Cyberpunk, Speculative Fiction, Collections, Comedy

187 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 1977

About the author

Robert (Lynn) Asprin was born in 1946. While he wrote some stand alone novels such as The Cold Cash War, Tambu, and The Bug Wars and also the Duncan & Mallory Illustrated stories, Bob is best known for his series fantasy, such as the Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve, the Phule's Company novels, and the Time Scout novels written with Linda Evans. He also edited the groundbreaking Thieves' World anthology series with Lynn Abbey. Other collaborations include License Invoked (set in the French Quarter of New Orleans) and several Myth Adventures novels, all written with Jody Lynn Nye.

Bob's final solo work was a contemporary fantasy series called Dragons, again set in New Orleans.

Bob passed away suddenly on May 22, 2008. He is survived by his daughter and son, his mother and his sister.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cold Cash War was Asprin's first novel; it was published in hardback by St. Martin's in 1977 with no cover illustration and then by Dell the following year with a nifty Samurai painting from the inimitable Wayne Barlowe, which served it much better. Asprin's latter works were almost all of a humorous nature, but this one is much more subtle and serious. It's a bitter satire of corporate armies and politics, in the tradition of Frederik Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth, but updated to 1977. The flipside of that thought is the social conventions are now a half-century out of date, but... It juxtaposes fast-paced action with philosophical speculation, and though there are too many characters that don't really develop, it's a fast and thought-provoking read.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Asprin's earlier works, but one that still has impact and relevance in today's world, some 35 years after he wrote it. He took his cue from one of Frederick Pohl's books, "The Space Merchants". Multi-national corporations have become bigger and more powerful that governments. Instead of just spying on each other, they hire mercenaries away from the military around the world, getting the best-of-the-best. But instead of actually killing each other, they play a huge game of laser tag. When you're hit, it disables you.

But the Communication conglomerates up the ante, making corporate executives a part of the game and "assassinations" are now the newest part of the war. If you're "hit" by the laser, you have to temporarily retire. The caveat is, if you forget to switch your kill suit on and the "assassin" tries to shoot you 4 times, the 5th time, he or she can use real bullets.

Within this all is an entrepreneur named Tom Mausier who has tossed off the yoke of middle-management and corporate politics to run his own small company, dealing in information and, indirectly, espionage. He monitors the happenings between corporations in different parts of the world, putting together bits and pieces of information and requests for information until the mosaic forms a picture... and not one he likes (and the same one facing many small internet entrepreneurs today!)

Also, there are the "negotiators"... those that work on "setting the rules" for these corporate wars. Judy Simmons is one of them. She's tough-as-nails and no-nonsense, but something the corporations are cooking up has shaken her thoroughly... enough to confide in her most bitter rival.

It's well-written and engaging, though there are quite a few characters introduced early in the book. This gets a bit confusing, but you eventually sort it out. A good read for Libertarian types that are looking at Global Mega-Corps with a wary eye.

[Bryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A product of its time, The Cold Cash War reflects the sorry state of the U.S. military in the mid seventies, as well as the Mercenary conflicts in Africa. There is no character development, and the narrative is constantly jumping from one character to another without any real character development. The ideas are interesting, and this might have made a good series, but it makes for a poor short story.

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those used to Asprin's more recent works might have difficulty connecting the author of light humor works such as Phule's Company and MYTH-Adventures to this biting, bloodthirsty satire on the corporate culture and warfare. This is not a pleasant world - from corporate subcontractors sabotaging equipment to take over their competitors to wounded soldiers burying themselves alive to deprive their enemies of a body count, nothing is sacred, and everything is for sale to the highest bidder.

Many argue that Asprin is at his best when writing screwball comedy, and in depicting vivid characters to interact within this framework. In Cold Cash War, his characters are often too stereotypical to have individual identities, and the humor is much more deeply seated. Skeeve in the author's Myth Adventures books is frequently sympathetic because his actions are unbelievable - the Cold Cash Warriors, however, are entirely too believable, even when their actions are unpredictable. This places an edge on the humor, as if we are uncertain whether to laugh or shudder.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written fast paced novel about corporate greed and the need for war to keep it going. Colette recommended I read it in light of our world now and yes, it was very much like the way things are unfolding. From the book, "Keep the workers happy with an illusion of having some say so they don't tear us out of our cushy pigeon holes. That's what makes our job so easy. People are people. They shy away from violence and stuff their faces with free candy whenever they can. And nobody but nobody acknowledges their base drives like greed." A main character in the the book is Thomas Mausier, a self made business man who is a power broker in information. (He reminded me of librarians.) He doesn't want to participate in the corporate world. Sadly, they hold the power and force him to give up his independence. Actually, it is hard to tell if anyone is truly free in the book (just as we aren't). Seems we recycle the same human behaviors decade upon decade. Disturbing and unbalancing.

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

I said, “What?” too many times while reading this one. Very disjointed, zero likable characters, and a plot which was basically just a rambling meander through the lateral conflicts between evil/efficient corporations and dumb/incompetent governments.
Nukes being launched all over Earth would have wrapped this up nicely.

[Quiet · Rating 3 out of 5]

More enjoyable book than I'd thought it would be. This is a dime-rack science-fiction book that has a lot of action, a male-oriented design, and plenty of espionage, sleuthing, and all that other good stuff that satisfies for a sensationalist title.

Dystopia novel where Conglomerates rule the world, and governments are powerless before them (...actually, that's the modern world today, isn't it?). War as we know it is no more; having invented 'killsuits,' wars are able to be enacted without loss of life (think lazer-tag) and the Conglomerates are locked in these unending battles and in still economic positions.
Until! There's talk of doing away with lazer-tag battles and maybe restoring the old way of things; people die/equipment is lost/money is made-kind of wars might just be getting a return, and the story follows some assortment of people, intimately involved or distantly alert, of this political fracture and what is to be done about it.

I had a good time with this book, and that's all I expected or wanted from it. It's not poorly written or anything as such; it simplifies, becomes predictable, once it gets rolling, but it's still fluent and engaging from start to finish.
Not sure what there is to 'learn' or take away from the book, but it's a good time and a enjoyable, lazy read.

[Green Hedgehog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Еще один привет из прошлого. Знаете, чего-то так захотелось погрузиться в прошлое с помощью книг. Когда я был молод и читал фантастику с компьютера, загрузив туда диск из разряда «миллион книг на CD» или что-то подобное. Так вот, одним из авторов фантастики, которую я тогда читал - был Асприн. Конечно, в первую очередь его серия Мифов и про Шутта тоже. Они запомнились сильнее всего. Часть уже и вспомнить не могу. Но вот эта книга как-то запала в мою память. Может быть потому, что в то время я посчитал её нехарактерной и несколько выбивающейся из общей канвы. Она была про целую войну и хитрые интриги. Ну, или мне тогда так казалось.

Это я сейчас понимаю, что это была скорее такая сатира. Про то, что, в конце концов, все корпорации они приходят к статусу государства. Просто станут более ориентированными на получение прибыли. А так - дай им власть, и они тоже будут огораживаться, устранять несогласных и брать все то, что они захотят. Естественно, государству такая конкуренция не очень нравится. Эта мысль в свете последних событий, когда государства по всему миру пытаются диктовать свою волю корпорациям – это, по прежнему актуально. И выбирать между двумя злами (государства и корпорации) - это по-прежнему глупо. Выбирать надо что-то совершенно другое.

Впрочем, это я сейчас могу сформулировать свои мысли. А тогда я как-то относился к этому немного по-другому. Меня больше интересовало то, как происходят эти самые Холодные Финансовые Войны. Где-то в Бразилии их ведут несколько корпораций пытаясь скрыть все происходящее от широкой публики. Они используют наемные армии, применяют совершенные технологии и плетут различные интриги. Да, признаюсь сразу, что во многом оценка у этой книги зависит от собственной моей ностальгии. Стоило только мне начать её читать, как тут же нахлынули воспоминания. Захотелось перечитать все те в чем-то наивные фантастические книги. Да хотя бы и всю серию про Шутта.

Думаю, если бы я прочел эту историю прямо сейчас, то книга бы произвела на меня меньшее впечатление. Все эти персонажи, которые пытаются казаться такими интриганами и прозорливыми дипломатами. Или супер-крутые-мега-профессионалы боевых действий. Да, противостояние государства и корпораций сделано именно в том ключе, который мне нравится. Замшелая бюрократия против холодного расчета. Профессиональные наемники, которые буквально живут на поле боя против солдат, которые служат несколько лет в жизни, после чего уходят в мирную жизнь. А заодно вся машина взаимоотношений с общественностью и прочие штуки модные в бизнесе. По большому счету, сейчас это все примерно так и работает. Разве что, в чуть более запутанных вариантах. Различные взаимопроникновения корпораций в правительство, лоббисты и прочее. Ну и да, подход автора к изображению будущего выглядит достаточно непродуманно. То, что людям приходится подсоединять что-то к телефонному аппарату, чтобы присоединиться к компьютеру сейчас кажется архаичным до уюта. Придумывая все эти блок-костюмы, и такие «игрушечные» поединки, автора тем самым не продумывает получившиеся противоречия. О том, как поменяется война и общество, окажись все подобное правдой. Да и в развязку, как будто появившуюся из кустов в виде К-блока, не очень веришь – слишком уж она вовремя и слишком уж она простая.

Но при всем этом книга читается откровенно легко, все эти двести страниц пролетают за пару часов. И в целом, для меня она словно такой аналог старого фильма родом из 80-тых. То есть в чем-то она глуповата, не всегда пр��думанна, со страшненькими спецэффектами и странным представлениями о будущем. Но в ней есть притягательность, помноженная на дух того времени. Она заставляет погрузиться в собственные воспоминания. Но вот подойдет ли она сегодняшним читателям – это тот еще вопрос.

[Logan Kedzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird flex by the author to use his go in the time machine to send one of those paint by numbers Cyberpunk stories that were endemic post-Neuromancer back to himself in '77.

Describing the plot of the Cold Cash War is difficult, because it is one of those novels where the author was dedicated to putting in every good idea that they had, resulting in a pleasant sort of multi-car collision. The core is about megacorps on a path of world domination, but more as satire than dystopia. There is a solid Pulp fiction action, including some choice Pulp racism (I know that Russia was expert in own goals, but I don't think that you can write what he did about Japan based on that war alone, much less anything in or around WW2), but a lot of what stands out about the book to a modern eye are the ideas floating around here, undercooked and competing for attention with all the rest of them, but good. The shadow broker Mausier is the standout in this respect. His sections feel like the parts of a much better novel, one that feels particularly modern.

Overall though a short book that will address your lantern-jawed hero fix in a more cleverish setting than such is commonly found in.

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up based on my love of the Myth Adventures and Phule's Company series but it's certainly not the same kind of book. While there are flashes of humor and the usual likable characters, it's not slapstick jokes but a mixture of action, thriller and occasional serious tones - a wounded soldier burying himself alive to deny the enemy a confirmed kill is certainly not what you'd expect from the comedic Space Legion!

I found it an excellent read but too short, I felt it needed more exploration of the pretty fascinating world he pictured.

[Felix K-C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, pulpy, and fun. I do wish it had been a bit longer, but that could be because I just came off of two doorstopper behemoths and am not used to something sweet and concise. My roommate got me to read it by saying 'hey, do you love exploring the dangers of the growing commodification of the military industrial complex for the sake of private corporate interests, and also cool ninjas? I know you do; you like Metal Gear Rising. Read this book'. And that sure is exactly what I got.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were definitely some interesting ideas here about corporations, government, and war as well as our willingness to accept anything if it's packaged correctly. But the characters and the story never really hooked me. The interesting ideas were overwhelmed by some weird and unnecessary choices (or even characters) and a lot of strange ninja fanboying.

[Brown Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slap-dash and erratic, this is an alomst-funny satire of a predicted industrial-military confluence, with a side of public relations. This could have been funny, but Asprin either wasn't interested in making it better, or incapable. A missed opportunity.

Skip at all costs.

[René · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a BOP. It kinda dragged in some places, and I'm not going to pretend I kept all the characters straight, but... wow. Satire at its finest. The ending particularly stood out to me as a neat tie-up.

[Peggy Zeigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little different, in that corporations, run things, but still the same, in that someone else takes over and there is a war. Follows the viewpoint of several characters.

[Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as I was hoping. Off to thrift store.

[Derek Moreland · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written with none of the verve, charm, or characterization I found in Asprin's PHULE series, the only good thing about this was that it was mercifully short.

[Arttu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oikein mielenkiintoinen ja jännittävä alussa, mutta haparoi lopussa.

[Metaphorosis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews

Summary
Corporations opt for efficiency by only simulating attacks against each other. But these bloodless exercises take a turn for the worse when some participants argue for making the attacks a little more realistic.

Review
The short story version of The Cold Cash War was in my August 1977 edition of Analog. It’s not Asprin’s fault that it was in the same volume as Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game”, and I did think Asprin’s story was clever and funny. I was later introduced to Asprin’s Thieves’ World, but wasn’t that impressed, and don’t think I really thought about Asprin again until I found the Myth Inc. series.

On re-reading this longer version, I still think it’s clever and funny, and Asprin’s debt to his mentor Gordon Dickson stands out more. What struck me equally, however, was how weak and drawn out the ending is. The original story was relatively compact and punchy, and I think worked much better. Asprin’s and Card’s stories together may show some of the literary risk of extending a good story – Asprin’s got worse, and Card’s got no better.

That said, this novel is still engaging and enjoyable to read, and I can recommend it for light entertainment, especially since it’s no doubt easier to find than the short story version.

[Mark White · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's short, fun and a bit silly in between the action scenes. Imagine the old TV series Phantom Agents working for Evilcorp and running silly rings around the US military. Not being a US resident I can't be sure but I expect this may have been a criticism of US military at the time. There are glaring bits of silliness (one character runs a spy agency and posts lists of information available...), the characters are cardboard cutouts and a lot of the reactions are unbelievable but I guess that was never a priority.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My notes said I read this about 2008, but had no recollection of doing so, so I read it again. It's an interesting take on war between corporations and governments with the use of mercenary fighters and the covert buying and selling of information and technology on a global level. Toss in a little 1980's communism and it's an interesting enough read for a lazy afternoon, hanging out in an airport or for a beach read.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of his better books, but unfortunately one of the less well-known ones.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is one of Robert Asprin's earlier works, it shows his characteristic irony and physical humor. And I always enjoy reading Science Fiction about my present. Digital what?

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read but the tech is now VERY dated.

[Nathan Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some great ideas... I'd love to see this book updated and expanded.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't a big fan of the ending, but the rest of the book was good.

[Raving Redcoat · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, if overly brief, look at corporate warfare taken to a more literal level. One can definitely see themes that would be developed in Asprin's later works.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read - good idea - like a lot of SF a little dated