- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Orb Books (Mar 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0765306646
- ISBN-13: 978-0765306647
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 14.1 x 2.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,668,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille has the best matzo ball soup in the galaxy. Read the first page
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Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille has the best matzo ball soup in the galaxy. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
Brust is justly known for his Vlad Taltos fantasy series, and he has written several other books outside of that series that are well worth reading. This book is somewhat of a departure for him, being more science fiction oriented than fantasy.
The main building block of this book is a rather unique restaurant that moves itself through space and time whenever a nuclear weapon is exploded in its near vicinity. Inside the restaurant is an Irish folk-song band that accidentally was caught up during the restaurant's first move. As the plot develops and the restaurant makes several moves through time and to other planets, the band begins to realize that they are part of an attempt to change future history by opposing a group that keeps going around starting nuclear wars. Not a bad concept, but it does lead to somewhat episodic patches, rather than being a linear whole.
Much of the characterization comes through as individual flash-backs to defining events in their lives; present time dialogue and interaction with others is somewhat flimsy, but overall there is certainly enough 'reality' to these characters to carry the story. Of course, as a band, their music intrudes in several places, which certainly provides some atmosphere, but I found Brust's description of some of this quite a bit over my head, not being a musician myself. I've run into this same problem with Emma Bull (who was a member of the same band as Brust) and Spider Robinson - it is simply very difficult to describe in written language what is almost totally an aural experience, but I'll give him good marks for a decent stab at trying.
While the final resolution of the story made sense and was satisfying, I found that the basic motivation/rationale behind the war starting group just did not seem adequate justification for their actions. As this is central to the basic story, this is a fairly major flaw.
Still, it's an enjoyable read, though not up to the standards he set in the Taltos set.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book (a long time ago)as the first of any S Brust books. I was completely mesmerised, this is sci-fi as it should be. I know Brust was not particularly pleased with it but it hit all the buttons that a good sci-fi book should. Weirdness, inexplicable transportation of the Bar, folk music and totally casual characters that interacted in a classical sci-fi way. I subsequently read some of Brust's Taltos series and whilst finding them enjoyable and very different from the usual fantasy stuff, they still had too much "magic" which I find pulls away from a sci-fi perspective. Sci-fi is not sci-fantasy, it is mind, technology and space not magic and Harry Potter. I like both sub-genres, and it is a credit to Brust that he can write well with both. Perhaps he could give "...the space bar and grill" another shot, the idea is wonderful.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
23 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Great Book - it's all about the characters
27 Oct 2005
Format:Paperback
All good books are based on characters. No matter how good or bad the plot, if the characters aren't well developed and interesting, the book sucks. This book has great characters, fairly archetypal, but still well rounded and interesting.
As with all Brust books, this a mystery in the Arthur Conan Doyle/Sherlock Holmes style. Whether set in a fantasy or SciFi, the setting is just local color to flavor the meat of the book - solving the mystery.
This is one of those books I re-read about once a year. I always pick up something new each time I read it. The first time you read it, you might find it hard to keep up with all the characcters (four who work for the bar, four who live in the bar, and four ~bad guys.) With all mystery books, it's a fun read to see who dun it and why - it's not about defining the bad aspects of society who drove some charcters into the story line (although this IS explained...)
I'd recommend this or any Taltos book to anyone - regardless of if you read SciFi/Fantasy or not (I usually don't...) His local color is amazing - refined to the level of Twain or O Henry. The only downside is Brust clear obsession with hungarian cooking, as he pretty much lists each and every meal the charcters have in minute detail. This part gets on my nerves, but I'm not a foodie, so that's a big reason - but regardless, it's not annoying enough to spoil the yarn Brust spins.
This book would make a GREAT movie.
As with all Brust books, this a mystery in the Arthur Conan Doyle/Sherlock Holmes style. Whether set in a fantasy or SciFi, the setting is just local color to flavor the meat of the book - solving the mystery.
This is one of those books I re-read about once a year. I always pick up something new each time I read it. The first time you read it, you might find it hard to keep up with all the characcters (four who work for the bar, four who live in the bar, and four ~bad guys.) With all mystery books, it's a fun read to see who dun it and why - it's not about defining the bad aspects of society who drove some charcters into the story line (although this IS explained...)
I'd recommend this or any Taltos book to anyone - regardless of if you read SciFi/Fantasy or not (I usually don't...) His local color is amazing - refined to the level of Twain or O Henry. The only downside is Brust clear obsession with hungarian cooking, as he pretty much lists each and every meal the charcters have in minute detail. This part gets on my nerves, but I'm not a foodie, so that's a big reason - but regardless, it's not annoying enough to spoil the yarn Brust spins.
This book would make a GREAT movie.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Jammin' Down the Space-Time Continuum
16 July 2004
Format:Paperback
Brust is justly known for his Vlad Taltos fantasy series, and he has written several other books outside of that series that are well worth reading. This book is somewhat of a departure for him, being more science fiction oriented than fantasy.
The main building block of this book is a rather unique restaurant that moves itself through space and time whenever a nuclear weapon is exploded in its near vicinity. Inside the restaurant is an Irish folk-song band that accidentally was caught up during the restaurant's first move. As the plot develops and the restaurant makes several moves through time and to other planets, the band begins to realize that they are part of an attempt to change future history by opposing a group that keeps going around starting nuclear wars. Not a bad concept, but it does lead to somewhat episodic patches, rather than being a linear whole.
Much of the characterization comes through as individual flash-backs to defining events in their lives; present time dialogue and interaction with others is somewhat flimsy, but overall there is certainly enough `reality' to these characters to carry the story. Of course, as a band, their music intrudes in several places, which certainly provides some atmosphere, but I found Brust's description of some of this quite a bit over my head, not being a musician myself. I've run into this same problem with Emma Bull (who was a member of the same band as Brust) and Spider Robinson - it is simply very difficult to describe in written language what is almost totally an aural experience, but I'll give him good marks for a decent stab at trying.
While the final resolution of the story made sense and was satisfying, I found that the basic motivation/rationale behind the war starting group just did not seem adequate justification for their actions. As this is central to the basic story, this is a fairly major flaw.
Still, it's an enjoyable read, though not up to the standards he set in the Taltos set.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
An unexpectedly sweet and moving story.
15 Mar 2004
Format:Paperback
An unexpectedly sweet and moving examination of folk-music, young love, life on the road, and the Meaning of Life inside a standard, rather pro-forma sci-fi time-travel adventure. I liked it quite a bit. FENG is a pleasant and entertaining way to pass a few hours. "B+"
Note that the very cool cover (by James Gurney) is a bit misleading as to the actual *contents* (revealing why would be a spoiler), but it did induce me to pick up the book, and it's really neat art, so Gurney (& Tor) get points for doing their jobs right. Whoever is the art director there gets a vote of thanks from me, as even minor Tor authors usually get tasteful, attractive, relevant covers. Not to mention clean and attractive interior layouts. Bravo!
Brust's comment on FENG: "Not one of my better efforts, I think, but there are bits of it I like. It started out to be funny, developed a serious side, and I was never able to get the elements to blend the way I wanted them to. Grumble grumble. It's always pleasent to run into someone who liked this book; it means that I can still do all right when I'm not on my game." --from dreamcafe.com
Happy reading!
Pete Tillman
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