- Mass Market Paperback: 517 pages
- Publisher: Ace Books; Ace Mass-market Ed edition (1 Sep 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0441006434
- ISBN-13: 978-0441006434
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 10.6 x 3.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 904,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
Sparky Valentine, an actor and wanted murderer roaming the universe with a theatrical group, who can transform his appearance and his sex with magnetic implants, finds himself nearing both home and a confrontation with justice.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Honestly I can't give a complete review of this novel, because I simply couldn't finish it. After about 100 pages I was completely bored. I skimmed through the rest of the novel looking for something interesting to happen, but it didn't.
I couldn't make any sort of connection with the lead character and storyline interwoven with flashbacks failed.
I come to this criticism as a big fan of Varley's work, so I was extremely disappointed.
Varley is a master at the short story. His collections such as Blue Champagne, and The Persistance of Vision, and The Barbie Murders, are out of print, but worth the hunt. His best novels are Millenium and The Ophiuchi Hotline.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This definitely has the most complex narrative structure of any of Varley's novels, combining a race-for-your-life present time plot with a biography told in flashback. I liked it better than Steel Beach, which I felt wasn't up to the standard of Varley's earlier work (though it was fun). WARNING: The publisher should be shot for putting a major plot spoiler in the dust-jacket blurb!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Yes, the book meanders a bit. Yes, it's self-indulgent. Yes, it spends too much time on "look how clever I am" exposition. (Oberon II being the most outstanding example.) Yes, the ending events seem to come from nowhere. No, it's nowhere close to what _Steel Beach_ was.
However, it's still better than 99% of the tripe being served up as SF these days. Varley can actually write characters that aren't mere cardboard cutouts. Sparky, for all his self-absorption, actually feels like a real person. The Eight Worlds universe is still one of the best out there, and Varley actually looks deeply into the sociological changes that various scientific advances will have, as opposed to the pervasive "1995 people with stardrives" that so many others write.
A thumbs up, but not quite as high as I had hoped.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Reminiscent of Heinlein at his self-indulgent worst
It used to take an evening to read a new John Varley novel. A week after delivery I have just battled my way past page 100 and still found nothing to make me want to read further. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 1999
Robert Heinlein+++
Take Robert Heinlein at his best, ie. DoubleStar. Put DoubleStar's actor-hero into Varley's own Future History. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 1999
Mixed Bag
An entertaining, easy, read, but if you thought "Steel Beach" didn't measure up to Varley's past standards, you'll probably feel the same about "The Golden... Read more
Published on 30 Aug 1999
Varley's best since the "Titan Trilogy"
Perhaps I'm biassed. I have been both a fan of speculative fiction and a rider in the wheel wells of show business from an early age. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 1999
Intelligent, witty and gripping..what more do you want ?
As a long-time reader of John Varleys work I have to say this is up with the best of them. Though set in the familiar Varley universe of Steel Beach, The Ophiuchi Hotline and... Read more
Published on 26 July 1999
A Gem Of A Book
Okay, I'll admit it, I haven't read all of Varley's books yet, but I did read Titan. How can anyone say that Titan is better than TGG? Read more
Published on 2 Jun 1999
A superlative work
I've read most of Varley's work and this is neck and neck with Steel Beach for my favorite book of his. Read more
Published on 29 May 1999
A fun & eccentric outer planets adventure!!
I've read many of the reviews of this book by others and I think that many people are missing the boat on this one. A Varley novel is like a ride on a brand new roller coaster. Read more
Published on 11 April 1999
Disappointed by my hero
Me too I ran to buy Varley's latest only to quickly grow annoyed by the self-indulgent tone of the book and the hero. Read more
Published on 22 Mar 1999
Excellent story lots of twists & turns but a tedious read.
I thouroughly enjoyed the book but I had a difficult time. It doesn't flow. I found it full of eddies that had me taking breaks every 15 minutes. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 1999
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