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Unwise Child
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.
188 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
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About the author
Randall Garrett
449 books87 followersRandall Garrett's full name was Gordon Randall Phillip David Garrett. For more information about him see https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?239
He was married to Vicki Ann Heydron
His pseudonyms include: Gordon Randall Garrett, Gordon Aghill, Grandal Barretton, Alexander Blade, Ralph Burke, Gordon Garrett, David Gordon, Richard Greer, Ivar Jorgenson, Darrel T. Langart, Blake MacKenzie, Jonathan Blake MacKenzie, Seaton Mckettrig, Clyde (T.) Mitchell, Mark Phillips (with Laurence Janifer), Robert Randall, Leonard G. Spencer, S.M. Tenneshaw, Gerald Vance.
He was married to Vicki Ann Heydron
His pseudonyms include: Gordon Randall Garrett, Gordon Aghill, Grandal Barretton, Alexander Blade, Ralph Burke, Gordon Garrett, David Gordon, Richard Greer, Ivar Jorgenson, Darrel T. Langart, Blake MacKenzie, Jonathan Blake MacKenzie, Seaton Mckettrig, Clyde (T.) Mitchell, Mark Phillips (with Laurence Janifer), Robert Randall, Leonard G. Spencer, S.M. Tenneshaw, Gerald Vance.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 1, 2021
Unwise Child has some very promising points, but ultimately collapses under its own weight and concludes with a depressing thud. It starts out with an interesting and violent urban future scenario, introduces some intriguing thoughts about robotics and artificial intelligence, and then abruptly turns into an outer space military adventure before winding up as an Agatha Christie-like murder mystery. There are some amusing bits done with Asimov's three laws of robotics (and a sly reference to "St. Isaac" that's pretty cute), and some nice speculation as to how they would mix with religion. I read the hardback edition of the book around 1980 and rather liked it, was extremely annoyed a couple of years later when I bought a paperback called Starship Death and found that it was the very same novel with a title that didn't fit at all and a cover that gave no indication it was Unwise Child is disguise, and have now listened to this very well produced Librivox performance. What I see this time around (Spoiler alert! Stop here to avoid spoilers!) is how sad the conclusion was. The little A.I. robot Snookums dies, and Leda, who has raised him for years, is so distraught she gives up her career and goes off with Mike not because she likes him but because there's nothing at all left for her. I guess it's nice that the guy gets the gal, and I'm sure that's all the readers in 1962 were expected to celebrate, but on the other hand...
December 21, 2022
This book starts well (10%) and ends well (5%), but something really went wrong in that middle 85%. It is either an early book about artificial intelligence running amok (think Hal from Space Odyssey) or a late, pulpy robot-goes-crazy story. The book's problems stem in part from it can't decide which to be. After the great beginning in which we get a clear idea of who the protagonist is as he foils a store robbery, the plot meanders to an Antarctic base. There, our protagonist meets the A.I. and his lovely caretaker. The A.I. is dangerous to mankind, so they and a crew take off for space in order to maroon the A.I. The entire crew is perfectly okay being wasted this way. The spaceship wanders around. Someone gets murdered, so we have to have a love triangle form just before that, in order to get a little sleuthing going on. But this fades to subplot because Garrett changes his mind and decides to ask the question what if someone gives the A.I. some religion. Well, the A.I. can't handle it and breaks down. All plot threads neatly conclude. The end. Yeah, silly book. Maybe three stars is overly generous, but I liked the girl. Not enough reason, so two stars it is.
September 27, 2014
This is just for fun because I'm listening to the LibriVox version read by Mark Nelson. Nelson tends to choose books I enjoy for their old sf/adventure flavor and this one is beginning in prime style. Don't expect anything deep but do expect to enjoy listening.
FINAL
Again I wish I could give a half star because this would rate 3-1/2 stars, so I'm rounding up. Randall Garrett's books in the public domain are enjoyable and of their time. They are the perfect light entertainment as he uses the science fiction standards of the time to tell his stories.
This one surprised me because Catholic theology was key to the story. That alone makes it stand out. Add a murder mystery, someone who is being stalked by unknown assailants, and a robot with the curiosity of a child but the power of a god and you have a fun listen. As always Mark Nelson does a great job narrating.
FINAL
Again I wish I could give a half star because this would rate 3-1/2 stars, so I'm rounding up. Randall Garrett's books in the public domain are enjoyable and of their time. They are the perfect light entertainment as he uses the science fiction standards of the time to tell his stories.
This one surprised me because Catholic theology was key to the story. That alone makes it stand out. Add a murder mystery, someone who is being stalked by unknown assailants, and a robot with the curiosity of a child but the power of a god and you have a fun listen. As always Mark Nelson does a great job narrating.
December 8, 2012
This book is available free from Amazon and from Project Gutenberg.
Title: Unwise Child
Author: Randall Garrett
Publisher: Doubleday and Company, Inc., Copyright 1962
Genre: Science Fiction
M. R. Gabriel (Mike the Angel) is the tall and wealthy head of a power generation company. He is also a reserve officer in the Space Patrol, and he is recalled to duty as to serve as chief engineer of the space vessel Branchell, which carries engines his company designed and built. It also carries a unique cargo, or perhaps it should be called a passenger, a computer/database/robot known as Snookums, which they are taking to a distant planet and a base that is being specially constructed to house it. It cannot be left on Earth. It is potentially far too dangerous. It knows much and has an insatiable curiosity to know more.
This novel deals with crime, revenge, religion, and the nature of knowledge. At the core, the plot is a whodunit. Mysterious things are happening aboard the Branchell, and a man is attacked. Another is murdered. Suspicion falls on Snookums, which has been behaving even more curious (in both senses of the word) than usual.
It is clear from the beginning that this is not a modern work of science fiction. It was written before modern computers or microchips, so the ‘brain’ of the device is far more massive than one might imagine today and requires cooling to near absolute zero. Most of the characters are male and everyone smokes. The only female character is a child psychologist (responsible for nurturing Snookums) who serves double duty as Gabriel’s love interest.
Despite the archaic sexist undertones, over respect for cultural sensitivities, and clunky technology, I found this to be a very enjoyable book. The characters are not deeply developed, but they are believable extrapolations from a mid Twentieth Century template.
The story unfolds well and provides a satisfying conclusion. I would recommend it to those who enjoyed Asimov’s Robot books and all fans of space opera. You can’t beat it for the price.
Title: Unwise Child
Author: Randall Garrett
Publisher: Doubleday and Company, Inc., Copyright 1962
Genre: Science Fiction
M. R. Gabriel (Mike the Angel) is the tall and wealthy head of a power generation company. He is also a reserve officer in the Space Patrol, and he is recalled to duty as to serve as chief engineer of the space vessel Branchell, which carries engines his company designed and built. It also carries a unique cargo, or perhaps it should be called a passenger, a computer/database/robot known as Snookums, which they are taking to a distant planet and a base that is being specially constructed to house it. It cannot be left on Earth. It is potentially far too dangerous. It knows much and has an insatiable curiosity to know more.
This novel deals with crime, revenge, religion, and the nature of knowledge. At the core, the plot is a whodunit. Mysterious things are happening aboard the Branchell, and a man is attacked. Another is murdered. Suspicion falls on Snookums, which has been behaving even more curious (in both senses of the word) than usual.
It is clear from the beginning that this is not a modern work of science fiction. It was written before modern computers or microchips, so the ‘brain’ of the device is far more massive than one might imagine today and requires cooling to near absolute zero. Most of the characters are male and everyone smokes. The only female character is a child psychologist (responsible for nurturing Snookums) who serves double duty as Gabriel’s love interest.
Despite the archaic sexist undertones, over respect for cultural sensitivities, and clunky technology, I found this to be a very enjoyable book. The characters are not deeply developed, but they are believable extrapolations from a mid Twentieth Century template.
The story unfolds well and provides a satisfying conclusion. I would recommend it to those who enjoyed Asimov’s Robot books and all fans of space opera. You can’t beat it for the price.
December 2, 2020
This is a mystery as much as it is science fiction, which is not surprising from the author of the Lord Darcy stories. But it is also very good science fiction.
The story starts out to set the scene, a world where juvenile delinquents carry vibroblades and rocket bombs, and rob lone antique dealers on Radio Row.
And where antiques include “vacuum tube FM radios and twenty-four-inch cathode-ray television sets” and “M-1993 thermodyne hexodes”.
One of the ideas underlying this mystery-adventure is what I’ve been calling the https://www.hoboes.com/Mimsy/Editoria..., which is the inevitability of technology making it easier and easier for small groups and individuals to kill millions.
Obviously, giant inquisitive computers are going to accelerate that trend. There is a giant computer in here that makes the story resemble Gerrold’s later When Harley Was One: a psychiatrist raising a computer by treating it as a child.
This is also interesting because it builds very nicely on Isaac Asimov’s three laws of robotics, even, at one point, using “holy St. Isaac” as an exclamation when talking about the difficulties involved in dealing with them. Earlier, Asimov is referred to not as a writer but as “a brilliant American biochemist and philosopher”.
One of the other big ideas of the book is how difficult the definitions are in Asimov’s laws.
Unwise Child is fun, smart, and a fascinating look at 2087 from the vantage of 1962.
The story starts out to set the scene, a world where juvenile delinquents carry vibroblades and rocket bombs, and rob lone antique dealers on Radio Row.
And where antiques include “vacuum tube FM radios and twenty-four-inch cathode-ray television sets” and “M-1993 thermodyne hexodes”.
One of the ideas underlying this mystery-adventure is what I’ve been calling the https://www.hoboes.com/Mimsy/Editoria..., which is the inevitability of technology making it easier and easier for small groups and individuals to kill millions.
Obviously, giant inquisitive computers are going to accelerate that trend. There is a giant computer in here that makes the story resemble Gerrold’s later When Harley Was One: a psychiatrist raising a computer by treating it as a child.
This is also interesting because it builds very nicely on Isaac Asimov’s three laws of robotics, even, at one point, using “holy St. Isaac” as an exclamation when talking about the difficulties involved in dealing with them. Earlier, Asimov is referred to not as a writer but as “a brilliant American biochemist and philosopher”.
One of the other big ideas of the book is how difficult the definitions are in Asimov’s laws.
Unwise Child is fun, smart, and a fascinating look at 2087 from the vantage of 1962.
February 26, 2021
More like 1 1/2 stars. This is a pretty dated short novel, an early exploration of AI gone amok. It's written in that early 60s pulpy style, with a lot of purple prose. It has some interesting ideas on computers, AI and religion, but some of the very retrograde attitudes towards women mostly turned me off on this.
September 24, 2018
Overall this sci-fi tale was a haphazard mess, about what you would expect from the kind of early '60s pulp novel that has been allowed to slip into the public domain because no one even cared to renew the copyright.
Why did Garrett think that "Snookums" was a good name for a robot? I get that it is supposed to be childlike, but there are a million other names that could have been chosen and conveyed that same idea. The main character being called Mike the Angel also got annoying but at least that had some bearing on the plot. Some intriguing ideas about artificial intelligence and Catholic theology, as well as a okay little murder mystery, but about 50 pages too much of backstory. The first three chapters could have been condensed into 1, and the robot introduced sooner. The murder mystery should have been expanded and Snookums should have been given more "screen time."
Why did Garrett think that "Snookums" was a good name for a robot? I get that it is supposed to be childlike, but there are a million other names that could have been chosen and conveyed that same idea. The main character being called Mike the Angel also got annoying but at least that had some bearing on the plot. Some intriguing ideas about artificial intelligence and Catholic theology, as well as a okay little murder mystery, but about 50 pages too much of backstory. The first three chapters could have been condensed into 1, and the robot introduced sooner. The murder mystery should have been expanded and Snookums should have been given more "screen time."
September 2, 2020
I have read Unwise Child at least a dozen times, and from time to time I re-read it again. I enjoy it thoroughly each time, and I recommend it to you.
It contains some action scenes but isn't really an action book. It contains some mysteries but isn't really a mystery book. There's a lot of talking, but the people talking are interesting and I'm always interested in what they are saying. A lot of the talking is people joking around or sassing each other. It's fun.
Randall Garrett's best work is his Lord Darcy stories (and in particular the novel Too Many Magicians) but this is solid and enjoyable, as long as you don't demand nonstop action in your novels.
Since it has lapsed into the public domain and you can easily grab a copy from Project Gutenberg, please consider adding it to your library of e-books and giving it a try.
It contains some action scenes but isn't really an action book. It contains some mysteries but isn't really a mystery book. There's a lot of talking, but the people talking are interesting and I'm always interested in what they are saying. A lot of the talking is people joking around or sassing each other. It's fun.
Randall Garrett's best work is his Lord Darcy stories (and in particular the novel Too Many Magicians) but this is solid and enjoyable, as long as you don't demand nonstop action in your novels.
Since it has lapsed into the public domain and you can easily grab a copy from Project Gutenberg, please consider adding it to your library of e-books and giving it a try.
October 8, 2024
Starship Death is enjoyable but never really decides what style the story is. With the first couple of chapters Mike the Angel (His name is Mike Gabriel but is called Mike the Angel throughout) feels more like a member if the criminal underworld than the designer of starship engines. Asimov's laws of robotics come into the story when Mike has to accompany a ship which is transporting a robot with the brain the size of a cargo hold to an alien planet where it will be marooned as it has become too dangerous. The story becomes a mystery and even has the Agatha Christies style reveal at the end.
As mentioned first, it is enjoyable, the characters are likeable but never really decides what it is.
As mentioned first, it is enjoyable, the characters are likeable but never really decides what it is.
March 7, 2020
The story reads like a good juvenile science fiction book. But it is much more than that! It introduces the three laws of robotics. The book was published in 1962 but the laws were introduce far earlier (sometime in the 1940's, I think). It gives a nice twist to the laws by applying them to human nature. There's a nice section that deals with logic that begs the use of a flow chart. There is a nice twist within the story but I don't want to give it away, just pay attention to the mundane details because they become important later on in the finale.
December 21, 2017
Did not (re)read this edition, but an old SFBC copy. Interesting early venture into the notion of machine intelligence, though played as a whodunit modelled on Asimov’s—even features the 3 Laws. Sexist as heck too, though the babe isn’t a total bimbo but a psychologist.
November 5, 2018
2 stars - a fun read with an interesting premise, but it's very dated. The mystery is OK, but isn't as interesting as Snookums (awful name) is. The romance element is pretty silly and unbelievable and would be rather insulting these days.
October 1, 2023
This is a pretty mediocre sci-fi novel. Nothing very exciting, innovative or enticing. On the other hand, it is, not bad. It is simply 'blah'.
June 30, 2014
First: in a moment that, in retrospect, is embarrassing for a self-respecting sci-fi-phile, I misread the information at the start of the book, and read the whole thing under the impression it was by Robert Silverberg. It's vaguely interesting that nothing happened to dissuade me of that notion. Anyway, the book. Set in the far future, the book stars Michael "The Angel" Raphael Gabriel as one of the world's foremost experts on power design--a powerplant or a starship's engine, he's your guy. Mike's curiosity leads him to accept his re-commission back to the space patrol, to help with the containment of a very unusual cargo. It turns out that the cargo is the positronic brain of the world's most complex robot (it says as much in the book's jacket, so it's not particularly a spoiler). Mike, however, is more interested the robot's psychologist, Dr. Leda Crannon, who, despite having a PhD by eighteen, is constantly referred to as "Miss" and "girl," because, well, 60s sci-fi. To be fair, Garrett makes a point on saying that so many officers have doctorates in something that the title falls into disuse on a ship, but the point stands that Leda, all for being a highly educated twenty-six year old woman, is constantly characterized as wide-eyed, innocent, and, as the book makes a point of informing us, literally virginal.
All right; I think from that ranting aside, you can surmise one of my problems with the book. Anyway, even though Mike's mind is not at first on the robot, nicknamed "Snookums" in a rather poor choice on someone's part, that changes when the ship takes off, and a series of accidents seem to place Snookums at the center. What secret is the robot hiding? Plotwise, it's interesting territory; when the book starts, it seems as if it is going to be an urban sci-fi type book, with Mike foiling a robbery by some gang kids. But while it then turns into a more traditional space-romp, the mystery and crime aspects stay around, up to and including an actual parlor scene. The big question, aside from what's going on with Snookums, is what happens when theology meets Asimov's laws of robotics. (I was kind of surprised to see the laws of robotics in another author's story published in the early sixties; I didn't know that sort of borrowing went on back then, or that Asimov was so widely known so quickly. My knowledge of sci-fi history, obviously, is lacking.) The early urban-based section of the book seems like a rather big disconnect from the rest of the book for a long time, and there's an odd ageism against the young underlying it. (Even the title suggests it.) But it's a breezy little sci-fi, and while it's a piece of its time, it's a fast enough read to be entertaining while only occasionally inducing eye-rolls.
All right; I think from that ranting aside, you can surmise one of my problems with the book. Anyway, even though Mike's mind is not at first on the robot, nicknamed "Snookums" in a rather poor choice on someone's part, that changes when the ship takes off, and a series of accidents seem to place Snookums at the center. What secret is the robot hiding? Plotwise, it's interesting territory; when the book starts, it seems as if it is going to be an urban sci-fi type book, with Mike foiling a robbery by some gang kids. But while it then turns into a more traditional space-romp, the mystery and crime aspects stay around, up to and including an actual parlor scene. The big question, aside from what's going on with Snookums, is what happens when theology meets Asimov's laws of robotics. (I was kind of surprised to see the laws of robotics in another author's story published in the early sixties; I didn't know that sort of borrowing went on back then, or that Asimov was so widely known so quickly. My knowledge of sci-fi history, obviously, is lacking.) The early urban-based section of the book seems like a rather big disconnect from the rest of the book for a long time, and there's an odd ageism against the young underlying it. (Even the title suggests it.) But it's a breezy little sci-fi, and while it's a piece of its time, it's a fast enough read to be entertaining while only occasionally inducing eye-rolls.
December 11, 2016
This book was weird. I tried very hard to enjoy it, but it just kept letting me down. It was almost like the author tried to jam as many sci fi tropes into one novella as he could. There was crime, a murder mystery, urban sci fi, space travel, a mad robot, sabotage, theology, and even a stilted romance. The characters were flat, and while the plot kept a good pace for most of the story, it just wasn't very interesting. And who names a robot Snookums? Seriously odd.
December 16, 2009
Classic sci-fi from 1962. Pretty light and typical of the period/genre when it comes to gender roles, etc. Mixes together an Asimovian 3 laws problem with some murder and intrigue. A good read if you like SF from that period.
Free ebook version is available here: http://manybooks.net/titles/garrettgr...
Free ebook version is available here: http://manybooks.net/titles/garrettgr...
March 3, 2019
I thought this was a ho-hum sci-fi. Then 9/10s through and the android of note is corrupted by effectively downloading ... Catholic theology. To the point that the protagonists who are human are afraid o father new knowledge. Boy, what a treat.
The android “dies” due to the theology as it is counter productive to the Three Laws of Robotics.
The android “dies” due to the theology as it is counter productive to the Three Laws of Robotics.
March 27, 2014
Decent story, makes good use of Asimov's Laws of Robotics.
November 23, 2014
1977 grade B
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews