Prison Planet

by William C. Dietz

Swamp: It's a nice place to die, but you wouldn't want to live there.

Unfortunately, Jonathan Renn didn't have a choice. Framed, tried and convicted, he was dumped on a high-security prison planet where, if the native monsters didn't punch his ticket, his fellow inmates would be glad to try.

Marla Marie Mendez had no choice either - and less luck. Already imprisoned in the body of a cybernetic dog, she was dropped on Swamp with no weapons but her teeth and claws.

All she had was Renn. And all Renn had was a plan: Stay alive. Make his escape. And get revenge on the scum who set him up.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Ebooks

250 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

New York Times bestselling author William C. Dietz has published more than fifty novels, some of which have been translated into German, Russian, and Japanese. He grew up in the Seattle area, served as a medic with the Navy and Marine Corps, graduated from the University of Washington, and has been employed as a surgical technician, college instructor, and television news writer, director and producer. Before becoming a full-time writer Dietz was director of public relations and marketing for an international telephone company. He and his wife live near Gig Harbor, Washington.

Reviews

[César Bustíos · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read this was! Fast, action packed and straight to the point. What more can I ask for? I may be overlooking some development issues like the character's backstory, an abrupt and predictable plot change in the last chapter, but, in the end, it delivers.

I find the idea of prison planets (or moons, thank you RAH) very thought-provoking. Dietz made it very compelling with a self-sustainable economy build around each prison planet, and Swamp's economy was centered on monster hunting. These monsters can be hunted for their skins and then sold to the empire although these monsters are a tough nut to crack, especially for their ability to blend in with the background. We also have human monsters that disguise as something good and friendly, like a philanthropist.

And there are ruins! Yes, it seems that there are ruins scattered on many planets created by a race known as the Builders; they're believed to have been extinct eons ago. Of course, the plot didn't develop in that direction. That could have been good... and now it's starting to feel like a déjà vu, this is not the first time this year I find myself saying the same thing about ruins (I'm not thanking RHA this time for not developing the ruins-on-the-moon plot in Rocket Ship Galileo)

[Ebenmaessiger · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read a lot of bad books, but it’s been some time since i read a dumb book. and the “dumb” here does not mean stupid; better to say “simple.” and “simple” in the way someone would talk about a well-meaning meathead or a golden retriever or a 10 yr old kid eating ice cream. the book takes place in a “simple” moral universe, with a set of “simple” stakes, and foregrounded by some “simple” emotional arcs. there’s not much, then, beyond the surface. and that’s great, because sometimes you don’t want any there there. in terms of the reading experience, it most brings to mind memories of plowing through a host of movie novelizations of dumb guy action adventures as a kid in the 90s (the last action hero one being especially good, if memory serves). all is telegraphed, all is flattened, all bad are punish-ed, and all are entertained.

[Christopher M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think "Shawshank Redemption"...in space...ON CRACK!

This book is among my favorites in sci-fi; a pudgy 'city boy' dumped onto a prison planet where the rule is 'kill or be killed' after being found guilty of a crime that he did not commit. To watch the character's transformation from hunted to hunter is awesome and what happens next...well...let's just say that Andy Dufresne could learn a thing or two from Renn...

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

 Quick, entertaining read by a master, September 17, 2017

This review is from: Prison Planet (Kindle Edition)

This quick, entertaining read is one of sci-fi master William Dietz' early novels, published in 1989. I think it may be his 4th or 5th novel. Prison planet is a stand alone story of no great complexity. An old theme in a sci-fi setting, it is a fine story of individualism, friendship, loyalty, perseverance in the face of extreme hardships and triumph. I would call it a 5 star novel up until the concluding section which I don't think is as strong as the rest. So, 4 stars.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very good....nice Sci fi without getting to detailed...reminds me i need to read more of Dietz as i have never been disappointed.

the end comes quick, almost like he Dietz was up against a page limit...but the ending is in relation to the whole story, it is just a 1 page wrap up is all...it could be considered sappy too, a nod to Sci Fi action adventures of the past maybe...

The ending in no way invalidates the rest of the book..i will read it again in a few years i am sure.

[Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book felt better than watching movie at cinema nowadays. The story filled with lots of action, a robotic dog, monster, powerful weapon and bad guys. Hollywood should turn this into a movie

[Greg (adds 2 TBR list daily) Hersom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read was fun but much of it was a little corny to me, but the last quarter of the book made up for it and then some. Fun/quick read.

[Mark Muckerman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Curse of the Sci-Fi Pocket Paperback strikes again!!!

What started out as a 3-star story suddenly began to look like a contender for 4-stars, before crashing and burning, leaving only a smoking 2-star ruin by the last page. . .

A strong opening act - diving right into the action and the drama; not deep on character backstory, but enough to move the plot along and to be forgiven in the overall size and context of the work. Act I (Renn's arrival and education on Swamp) is solid - good characters, plot advancement, foreshadowing, action, revenge. Well done.

Act II (the Plot Turn) - new characters are introduced with both clumsiness and contrivance, necessary for the author's plot line, but poorly executed and transparent as a forced plot device. Act II concludes with 2 McGuffins and (at least) 2 unnecessary plot twists (a word used loosely here), all of which quickly wrap up Act II (quickly, but not cleanly nor satisfyingly). Act II effectively fades to black right in the middle of a scene, leaving the reader wondering WTF? What just happened and why does it even matter?

Act III leaps ahead in time and space without a hint of effective segue. Here we find the author Dietz apparently having abandoned all pretense of plot continuity or plausible foundation, and written simply as a weak action narrative with only a tenuous, obvious and forced link to the Chapter 1 intro.

And. . .I swear. . . "they all lived happily ever after" ??!?! whaaaaaat?

UPDATE - after reading my own review and reflecting on the book, TLDR is that it's like the first half was well written and then shelved, only to be dusted off later and a crap second half stitched on to it.

[Andrew Ziegler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read a Dietz novel in almost a decade. This is one of his earlier works. It is a fast read and just like all of his other books. It was like putting on a really comfortable pair of jeans. The characters were just like I remember them, the heroes not too complicated and the villains infinitely killable. It is not a work of writing genius, it is just good and full of action. It is maybe sub-par in its complexity but Dietz remains one of the best combat authors I have read. I wish he would do a quick foray into the 40k universe, it would be epic.

[WJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Great book, I bought it on sale and I'm glad I did. A story that grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go. I highly recommend Mr Dietz's work. I definitely plan to read more in the future.

[Corey Bourne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fast read

I enjoyed the book from beg to end this books has me wanting explore more of Mr. Dietz books. Look forward to another great adventure.

[Michael Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best books I've read in the last few years

[Bryan457 · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it feels like an earlier, less mature work, especially the beginning, it gets better as it goes along, and turns into a pretty good story.

[Volpot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. OK book, but nothing special

[Justin Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining book. The main character was fun. I loved the world that was created on the prison planet.

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the novel sucked me in, I loved the idea of a swampy, barley hospitable world. It seemed like the perfect blend of Western and survival SF. However, the execution fell far short of expectations.

The novel came in three parts. Part One is Renn and Marla being dumped on the planet and trying to survive. I loved the atmosphere and world building. This part of the novel felt like a survival Western as there were robberies, prostitution, a rundown ratty town and gun battles. “Swamp” (name of the planet) was amazing, I really felt like I was there. The action was a little too violent and over the top. All the battles and fights Renn endured seemed to be written so either Renn was the perfect victim or the perfect killer... it didn’t feel realistic. My main complaint here was the characters, Renn and Marla were horrible and very one-dimensional. Also, Dietz cannot write a female character for the life of him. Renn and Marla instantly fall in love... why? Because they starred at each other? They have seriously no chemistry.

The second part featured Renn and Marla, still on Swamp, as they slowly gain their freedom. Their are alien ruins and a surprise attack. I loved the idea of the ruins and I would probably read another novel that explored the alien civilization behind the ruins. The characters got even worse in this section, Marla became nothing more than a doe eyed love

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

We start with two characters:
Renn, a trader who has been framed for crimes he didn't commit.
And Marla, whose original body was destroyed in an auto accident and who chose to be put in the body of a cyborg dog in exchange for several years of labor for a corporation and attempted to steal money from it and run away when she discovered that they were never going to let her get out of debt to them.

They're standard, but nice-people characters. Renn is more a good boy who learns to become bad(er) or die and Marla...stays Marla. Kinda saucy and temperamental, but realizing her faults and willing to apologize. The book is titled "Prison Planet", but while you have some nice classic adventure-y moments on the planet, the focus is on these two characters. And their focus is on getting the hell off the planet and getting their lives back. And in the end that made it not a terribly exciting book for me, but a relaxing sequence of events that completed neatly.

I'd say if you want an adventure (Lost World style!) with some strange world moments but don't have much concentration to spare for it, this book was a good ride. If you want to feel completely immersed so that you're drowning in the lives of the characters and breathing the same air they breathe, look elsewhere.

[Steven Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a light, easy read - an old fashioned pot boiler if you will. The book was highly enjoyable, and good escapist literature. It has been a while since I have read any light SciFi, and this was a pleasant book. I like the characters and the near constant action in the book. Sex was mentioned but was not graphic or portrayed, but you knew some characters were having sex, but did not get a blow by blow (sorry couldn't resist). I have read other books by William C. Dietz and have enjoyed all of them.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, light on plot and anything else really, but no major gripes since this is clearly one of Dietz' earlier works. The only things that bothered me were the abrupt changes from one major part of the story to the next. I think if Dietz would have made it into a continuous story (no big jumps in time) it would be have made a big (positive) difference.
72/100

[Keira F. Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, fun romp about a main framed and dumped on a prison planet. Follows his trials and travails as he works to get free and seek vengeance upon those who framed him. Weak writing for dietz (though to be fair, it was quite early in his career) but was still entertaining enough.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, simple story. Not much depth, but a good fast read. Read it several times between other books.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book and a quick read. I did not like the ending.

[Lucydogerty]

this was the first book i read on my pda over ten years ago and i still like re-reading it, i would have loved a sequel.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was fun. It was kind f divided into 3 parts. Survival on the hostile prison planet, scientific excursion, revenge.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun but it's got a few plot holes, and jumps around a bit.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy and his dog... sort of.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this ages ago, just adding to track what I've read in the past.