Carsten Müller reviewed Der Wilde Planet by John Scalzi
Grandios
5 stars
Wirklich ein Klasse Remake, eine Mischung aus Sci-Fi, Abenteuer und Anwaltsserie mit Irrungen und Wendungen
303 pages
English language
Published June 27, 2011
Jack Holloway works alone, for reasons he doesn't care to talk about. Hundreds of miles from ZaraCorp's headquarters on planet, 178 light-years from the corporation's headquarters on Earth, Jack is content as an independent contractor, prospecting and surveying at his own pace. As for his past, that's not up for discussion.
Then, in the wake of an accidental cliff collapse, Jack discovers a seam of unimaginably valuable jewels, to which he manages to lay legal claim just as ZaraCorp is cancelling their contract with him for his part in causing the collapse. Briefly in the catbird seat, legally speaking, Jack pressures ZaraCorp into recognizing his claim, and cuts them in as partners to help extract the wealth.
But there's another wrinkle to ZaraCorp's relationship with the planet Zarathustra. Their entire legal right to exploit the verdant Earth-like planet, the basis of the wealth they derive from extracting its resources, is …
Jack Holloway works alone, for reasons he doesn't care to talk about. Hundreds of miles from ZaraCorp's headquarters on planet, 178 light-years from the corporation's headquarters on Earth, Jack is content as an independent contractor, prospecting and surveying at his own pace. As for his past, that's not up for discussion.
Then, in the wake of an accidental cliff collapse, Jack discovers a seam of unimaginably valuable jewels, to which he manages to lay legal claim just as ZaraCorp is cancelling their contract with him for his part in causing the collapse. Briefly in the catbird seat, legally speaking, Jack pressures ZaraCorp into recognizing his claim, and cuts them in as partners to help extract the wealth.
But there's another wrinkle to ZaraCorp's relationship with the planet Zarathustra. Their entire legal right to exploit the verdant Earth-like planet, the basis of the wealth they derive from extracting its resources, is based on being able to certify to the authorities on Earth that Zarathustra is home to no sentient species.
Then a small furry biped—trusting, appealing, and ridiculously cute—shows up at Jack's outback home. Followed by its family. As it dawns on Jack that despite their stature, these are people, he begins to suspect that ZaraCorp's claim to a planet's worth of wealth is very flimsy indeed…and that ZaraCorp may stop at nothing to eliminate the "fuzzys" before their existence becomes more widely known.
Wirklich ein Klasse Remake, eine Mischung aus Sci-Fi, Abenteuer und Anwaltsserie mit Irrungen und Wendungen
It feels weird to rate this higher than the original it’s based on, H. Beam Piper’s Little Fuzzy. I’m not sure it’s actually a better book, but it is more enjoyable, largely because it’s written in a more modern style and to today’s sensibilities. The characters are more distinct, the personal stakes are higher, the corporate malfeasance and environmental exploitation are amped up, and the twists are carefully set up instead of dropping in out of nowhere.
Fuzzy Nation tells largely the same story as Little Fuzzy: a prospector on a company-owned planet encouters a cute animal species that may or may not be sapient, in which case the company loses its license to exploit the world, finishing with a courtroom drama over murder charges and whether the fuzzies are people or animals, with a major breakthrough in communication settling the question. But it takes a different enough path that …
It feels weird to rate this higher than the original it’s based on, H. Beam Piper’s Little Fuzzy. I’m not sure it’s actually a better book, but it is more enjoyable, largely because it’s written in a more modern style and to today’s sensibilities. The characters are more distinct, the personal stakes are higher, the corporate malfeasance and environmental exploitation are amped up, and the twists are carefully set up instead of dropping in out of nowhere.
Fuzzy Nation tells largely the same story as Little Fuzzy: a prospector on a company-owned planet encouters a cute animal species that may or may not be sapient, in which case the company loses its license to exploit the world, finishing with a courtroom drama over murder charges and whether the fuzzies are people or animals, with a major breakthrough in communication settling the question. But it takes a different enough path that you can read it without knowing what’s coming next.
I’d recommend reading both if you have time, but space them out to let the first one you read settle.
Second read and still enjoyed it.
A fun, quick read.
A light but fun read – I'm giving it 4 stars in part, however, because Scalzi started with such great material in Piper’s Little Fuzzy, which deserves a read as one of the higher points of 20th century sci-fi.
Jack Halloway is a contractor for ZaraCorp, and has found a sunstone seam. Things seem to take a turn for the worst when ZaraCorp cancels his contract, leaving him jobless and facing a one-way trip off of the planet. Before long, Jack is fighting not just for himself, but for a people no one knew existed.
This was an enjoyable, and in many parts hilarious, book read by Wil Wheaton. Wil's portrayal of Jack is solid, and helps bring this book to life.
I think Scalzi is my new favourite author. The character of Halloway was a guy who you should hate, but loved because the villains he was up against were bigger dicks than he was. And the fuzzies are cute too.
Amazing! You should definitely check it out - the audiobook version is narrated by Wil Wheaton and he does a phenomenal job. :)
I really enjoyed this book. I may have liked the character Carl a bit more than one should, but -- after all -- he is the only dog that's ever had a capital city named after him. The suspense kept me dashing through it, and I loved the humor.
Favorite book this year, I hope my kids enjoy it as much as I did. I echo Cory Doctorow's review, and wish I could add more, but just overall best SF I've read this year. Even better than Old Man's War.
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/05/16/scalzis-fuzzy-nation.html