Book Description
The future is at war for the soul of humankind ...
It is a time when civilization has extended itself far into the outer reaches of the solar system, and in doing so has developed into something remarkable. But humanity's progeny -- the nanotechnological artificial intelligences called "free converts" -- face extermination at the hands of the tyrant Amés and his invincible armies, and once the Napoleonesque Director develops superluminal flight, his "Final Solution" will be all but assured.
But hope remains alive in the outer system. From the fleeing refugees of a dozen moons and asteroids, General Roger Sherman has amassed an effective and adaptable military force, already forged into a formidable weapon in the fires of battle.
However, time is a commodity the courageous Federal Army lacks, as total war erupts between the vast cloudships of the outer system and the deadly armada of the Met, a glorious and terrible conflict that will rage among the stars ... and within the hearts and minds of every human being.
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The future is at war for the soul of humankind ...
It is a time when civilization has extended itself far into the outer reaches of the solar system, and in doing so has developed into something remarkable. But humanity's progeny -- the nanotechnological artificial intelligences called ""free converts"" -- face extermination at the hands of the tyrant Amés and his invincible armies, and once the Napoleonesque Director develops superluminal flight, his ""Final Solution"" will be all but assured.
But hope remains alive in the outer system. From the fleeing refugees of a dozen moons and asteroids, General Roger Sherman has amassed an effective and adaptable military force, already forged into a formidable weapon in the fires of battle.
However, time is a commodity the courageous Federal Army lacks, as total war erupts between the vast cloudships of the outer system and the deadly armada of the Met, a glorious and terrible conflict that will rage among the stars ... and within the hearts and minds of every human being.
"
Customer Reviews:
Great sequel, need another!.......2006-09-25
This was a very well done sequel to Metaplanatery, but (a) I didn't like how abruptly it ended; (b) how the publisher and/or author made the book thick (promising a longer story) by stuffing the back with ELEVEN appendices; and, (c) the statements I've read in other reviews that there is no concluding sequel in the works. I think this definitely deserves a third book -- but only one more.
The Story Continues..........2006-06-30
Daniel's continues the story he started in Metaplanetary. The Department of Immunity Enforcement Division (DIED) forces have been building up their fleet in preparation for an all-out attack on the fremden (basically rebels) Triton. Also, Aubry has finally found her free-convert mother and is set to make an attempt to rescue her.
These events, along with Director Ames's further scheming to co-opt all of humanity, make Superluminal an easy page-turner. Unfortunately, Daniel's character development is hit and miss. He does a wonderful job delving into the burgeoning romance of a free-convert (all 1's and 0's) and aspect (flesh and blood)...but then lacks development of characters on other fronts...like Aubry and Jill...their lives as partisans fighting against Ames were skipped over almost completely.
What it all boils down to is a fun read...unfortunately, the depth Daniel's does show in his characters is hardly enough to sate readers but on the most cursory of levels. This being said, I do look forward to a continuation? ending? to Daniel's story.
Ending on a middle book.......2005-06-08
After finishing Superluminal I was dissapointed to find out that plans for a third book are on hold for the foreseeable future. While Superluminal was not as good as Metaplanetary it is still an enjoyable read with interesting SF elements. It does have a strong case of middlebookitis in that plot elements are not fully resolved and the ending is a cliffhanger.
On the positive side, Tony Daniel succeeds in making Director Ames a truly creepy entity and his characterization of a semisentient jeep was well done. On the other hand, several of the other characters are not as well fleshed out. Also, in juggling many plot lines at once, the author tends to focus on just a few and leaves the rest too bare. Considering that there were around a hundred pages worth of appendices that space would have been better utilized on the minor characters and their storylines.
Hopefully, the author's next project will be successful enough so that he can revisit this universe and provide a proper conclusion.
Amazing book -- but the publisher should be shot.......2005-03-28
This novel is as good as all the other reviewers say it is -- each chapter really does have enough new ideas to sustain an entire book!
My issue is with the publisher. They're pulling the same shoddy trick they tried with the first volume of the series, Metaplanetary. Just as that book was ruined for many readers because nowhere on the cover did it state that it was the first novel in a series, anyone who hasn't read the first book could pick up this second volume with the expectation that they're starting a stand-alone novel. The only place the true nature of Superluminal is mentioned is in the author's bio on the inside back cover.
This is clearly intentional on the publisher's part, but you have to wonder why are they doing it? Why are they positioning these two novels as stand-alones, rather than as parts of a series? Guess they just don't believe in the power of the entire trilogy to sell itself. This is just stupid!
Briefly entertaining excuse for a 3rd volume.......2005-03-15
Tony Daniel is one of the more entertaining of the modern space opera writers. And the first volume in this series propelled the story forward with little fat and loads of intriguing projections of the earlier ideas about generalized nanotech of other writers (as in Neal Stephenson's Diamond Age). However this second volume falls into the (all too understandable) trap that so many SF writers currently find themselves in: writing a second volume so that they can write a trilogy.
So, although this volume has its read-in-the-airport-terminal value, the narrative stalls to get the reader to pony up for 3rd volume to see how the various threads end up being tied. So be prepared for a lot of battle scenes detailed in several layers to give us the sense of war-is-still-hell in the nanotech future. But don't expect the blossoming of ideas or the character development of the first volume.
Here's hoping for a better 3rd (and final?) volume.
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Superluminal
Vonda N. McIntyre
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin (T)
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ASIN: 0395349427 |
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
In Vonda N. McIntyre's Superluminal, a woman has to undergo bodily augmentation and alteration in order to cope with the pressures of being a starship pilot, e.g. the ability to go superluminal.
Don't want to be a cyborg? Then this is not the job for you, the whole flying around in space thing. You won't have to worry about getting a pacemaker though.
Customer Reviews:
Maybe Nick Herbert should be a lesion to Joao Magueijo?.......2007-06-10
Faster Than the Speed of Light: The Story of a Scientific SpeculationNick Herbert hadn't heard of Joao Magueijo when he wrote his book and did his research.
But Magueijo didn't have that excuse for not mentioning Nick Herbert?
I give the toss to Nick Herbert as being more open to innovative ideas.
In both cases they could have been more forgiving of our ignorance and given equations...
But it is our way off the Earth to the heavens that is involved here, and Nick Herbert
put material that had to be of use in this research in his book.
The other fellow just didn't. Compare and contrast the two for yourself.
Is time travel possible? This book is food for thought.......2007-02-19
Is time travel possible?
Buried at the heart of this question is perhaps another, more interesting question being: Do we even have the physiological ability to accurately perceive how time passes?
Like the first question, this book provides some interesting food for thought on the second question as well. As has been pointed out by other reviewers, this book from 1988 certainly should not be read alone and to the nominated other suggested works of Brian Greene's Elegant Universe and Fabric of the Cosmos I would also add Lee Smolin's The Trouble with Physics (which questions the efficacy of string theory itself) and also David Darling's Teleportation the impossible leap which is a more recent treatment of the developments relating to using quantum entanglement as potential means for interstellar/instantanious communications.
But back to basics: Do we accurately perceive time?
It's been an incident of scientific progress that great errors occur when natural human insights are imported into scientific theory without the benefit of testing. Two cases in point are the Ptolemaic model of the universe wherein the simple observer assumption that the earth is at the center of the universe and that everything revolves around it is taken as scientific fact and also the Aristetalian dichotemy between body and soul, itself another simple observer assumption that the soul exists independently of the body.
Conversely it's also been an incident of scientific progress that when one is willing to come forward and seriously challenge convention, there is a potential for great scientific advance. Again, citing the Ptolemaic model, the Copernican revolution was seriously revolutionary because it challenged the observer assumption that we alone in the universe were motionless while the rest of creation alone moved. And again, citing the Aristetelian model, the soul/body dichotemy has come under attack based on recent developments in evolutionary psychology which have shown the close correspondence between changes in brain physiology and alterations in human behavior. (If there is a soul then why does the loss some brain cells so radically effect human behavior. See Phantoms in the Brain by V.S. Ramashandran.)
It is in these regards that the question of the human perception of time has had a particular salience and power. And until 1957, no less than Richard Feynman was betting that our perceptions of time were way off. To understand why Feynman made and lost his bet we need to review some basic physics.
There are four fundamental physical forces which govern the universe. Acting at macroscopic scales we have gravitation and electromagnetism. Significantly by 1957 testing had shown that each force was time symetrical. In other words, the processes by which it operated worked the same in forward and reverse. At the microscopic level, the strong nuclear force was also found to be time symetrical.
So when Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang decided to test the weak nuclear force, Feynman bet that they would also find this force to be time symetrical according to Steven Pollock, physics professor from University of Colorado at Boulder.
And he lost because the Lee/Yang experiment showed that the weak force was indeed after all not time symetrical which meant that nature indeed after all did have an arrow of time.
Now that having been said, as pointed in this book, there are good reasons to believe that our perception of the speed of the passage of time does vary from the actual physical phenomenon. Likewise, as pointed out by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in Sirens of Titan and also Slaughterhouse Five there is also a question about why we see time so linearly.
His time traveling Tralfamadoreans saw humans as extended millepeds with baby's feet on one end and geriatric feet on the other and since we exist in all those time frames the question remains as to why we do not similarly experience reality. Like Capernicus questioning the movements of the earth or modern psychology divining the engines of consciousness the question is not a frivolous one but rather, among others provides fodder for scientific discovery.
And now back to the initial question: Is time travel possible?
In this regard, it bears noting that Herbert cleverly titled his book Faster than Light because modern physics does indeed support the movement of faster than light activity at the quantum level. However, like a modern insurance contract, the devil is in the details. This is because mere faster than light travel at the quantum level does not guarantee a basis for human exploitation for time travel purposes.
So at the end of the day, Herbert's book ends up saying what Stephen Hawking says in A brief history of time and what Kip Thorne says in Black Holes and Time Warps...you can't get there from here.
However, like those books this one keys into that very human, very scientific inquiry and asks why not?
A very confusing book.......2004-02-22
The author has clearly misunderstood many basic facts about the theory of special relativity. In fact, it seems that he has combined nearly all popular misunderstandings associated with the speed of light.
One of the most general consequences of Einstein's special relativity from 1905 is that no physical signal (or a piece of matter) can ever move faster than light. The speed of light plays a very important role according to this famous theory. Although a lot of new insights have been accumulated since 1905, the previous sentence remained valid. Einstein discovered general relativity in 1916, and this theory of gravity allows spacetime to become warped - in fact, this theory was found exactly because Einstein knew that Newton's theory of gravity allowed the signals to be sent superluminally, and therefore it contradicted special relativity. Newton's theory could not be quite correct.
Moreover, many physicists have studied various solutions of general relativity that admit the closed time-like curves, i.e. time travels. Although most scientists believe that these solutions are unphysical because of various reasons (such as instability), it is legitimate to study such solutions, and many popular books have been written about these solutions.
Herbert's approach is more primitive. In most of his book, he wants to derive the existence of faster-than-light motion (and time travels, which are then an inevitable consequence) from special relativity itself. One of the main points of special relativity is that exactly this is impossible. There exists a concept of tachyons (from Greek "tachos" which means "speed"), fictitious particles that always move faster than light. Quantum field theory shows that the existence of such particles would also make the Universe unstable because such tachyons could be created in pairs (their energy can be both negative as well as positive). Many of my fellow string theorists revisited the question of tachyons (initially, we would simply eliminate every version of string theory that predicts a tachyon), but all of them agree that the existence of tachyons in the real world would spell doom for the whole Universe. The real goal of the recent calculations involving tachyons in string theory is really to find out the final state of the collapsing Universe (or a membrane floating in the Universe).
Herbert is also confused by the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen effect in quantum mechanics. He thinks that the entanglement - the correlations between distant objects in the Universe - can be used to send information. No, that's not possible. In his example involving calcium vapors, he does not appreciate that the information comes from the vapor source, not the crystal, and therefore the crystal can't send any usable information. The EPR effect allows correlations between distant objects, but because the outcome of the experiments are random (quantum mechanics only predicts probabilities), there is no way for us to affect the outcome of a faraway experiment i.e. no way to send an e-mail faster than light, for example.
I could continue: he incorrectly interprets the large phase speed of some vibrations in the upper atmosphere, violation of the CP (and T) symmetries by the kaons, and so on. If you want to get the wrong answer to all conceivable questions related to the speed of light, buy this book. If you prefer to learn how the Nature really works, I recommend you a different book. For example "The Fabric of the Cosmos" by Brian Greene explains nearly everything about space and time, including a very entertaining (yet correct) treatment of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen effect.
A must-read, with one flaw.......1999-09-17
The author gets high marks for realizing that an acceleration of 1g for 1 year will yield light speed and for analyzing every possible means to break the light speed barrier for both space travel and communications. The book gets four stars instead of five, though, due to a faulty analysis on the communications front. The author makes the intuitive leap that since the Einstein - Podolsky - Rosen experiment reveals the production of two like-polarized photons from the exitation of one calcium vapor atom which can then be detected by calcite crystals at different locations, faster than light communication is possible between the two calcite crystal locations by modulating the crystals themselves. In doing so, he fails to grasp that the signal emanates from the calcium vapor source, not the crystal, and that usuable information can only be fed into the system or changed at the source. The remainder of the book is excellent.
The reader should also be aware that this book was originally written in 1988, and this paperback edition has not been updated to include the ramifications of string theory or M-theory. This book should therefore be followed with "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene.
Fabulous Debunking!.......1999-06-29
This is on of the best popularizations I've ever read. Almost every conceivable way to exceed light speed has been debunked here. The author does however leave open tantalizing options that still have some credibility. Read it in three sittings...
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The Problem of Electron and Superluminal Signals (Contemporary Fundamental Physics)
V. P. Oleinik
Manufacturer: Nova Science Publishers
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Book Description
The modern means of communication (radio communication, television, radiolocation) are based on the use of electromagnetic waves, and consequently at the moment the velocity of transfer is limited in that of light in vacuum, which is considered as the greatest possible velocity of transfer of a signal existing in nature. A radically different way of transfer of a signal is shown by our research to be possible-by means of its own field of electrically charged particles. This allows it to transfer information faster than the velocity of light in a vacuum. This can lead to complications or problems that are addressed and explained in this book.
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Superluminal
Vonda N. McIntyre
Manufacturer: Boston Houghton Mifflin 1983.
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Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P0KEKG |
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Superluminal
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Co
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ASIN: 0395344115 |
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Superluminal Radio Sources
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 052134560X |
Amazon.com
Literature and film buffs will be delighted by this collection of pulp novels, most of which were made into important films. James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice is a literary masterpiece with its spare prose invoking a savage, sexy, desperate world. It inspired no less than three great movies: Luchino Visconti's classic Ossessione, in 1942; the 1946 remake, starring John Garfield and Lana Turner and directed by the extraordinary Tay Garnett; and Bob Rafelson's underrated 1981 version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. When you read the magnificent source for these movies, you'll be astonished at how three different incarnations could all, in their own ways, be faithful to the novel.
Cornell Woolrich's I Married a Dead Man also became three movies: No Man of Her Own, with Barbara Stanwyk; the French I Married a Shadow; and the American comedy, Mrs. Winterborne, which starred Shirley MacLaine and Ricki Lake. Edward Anderson's vivid Thieves Like Us was transformed into They Live by Night, Nicholas Ray's first important movie and one of the seminal noir films of the 1940s. It was brilliantly remade in 1974 by the great revisionist director Robert Altman. Kenneth Fearing's The Big Clock was transformed into a marvelous film starring Charles Laughton; 40 years later, the same source, retitled No Way Out, brought Kevin Costner to stardom. William Lindsay Gresham's Nightmare Alley was the source for Tyrone Power's best movie; Horace McCoy's experimental They Shoot Horses, Don't They? became one of the seminal films of the 1960s.
These dark, evocative novels, when taken together, are a fascinating study of how words can inspire a magnificent variety of cinematic images and styles.
Customer Reviews:
Splendid Read.......2007-06-04
This collection of novels from the 30s and 40s was terrific fun and an outstanding introduction to the genre. You can debate whether they're all noir (at least what I expected noir to be); but nonetheless they each convey a distinct impression and view of the time. Without getting into lengthy reviews, I enjoyed Woolrich's "I Married a Dead Man" the most--from his eloquent style to the actual story-line. You know you're reading a master story-teller. Second was Gresham's "Nightmare Alley;" although sometimes I thought he could have expanded on some aspects of the story and shortened other passages (i.e., a little bit of editing would help). But each novel was distinct and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Crime Novels -- 30s/40s.......2006-11-07
Ha! Just skimmed some other reviews and I wanna add my two cents. Yes, this volume is definitely something. Some impressions follow.
The Postman Always Rings Twice: Indeed, Cain knew how to make the reader keep turning pages. Short, sweet, and fascinating. After I discovered the significance of the title (which is a bit of a "trick"), I liked the whole effort all the more.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?: A bit monotonous to read; a bit dark. That was the point. All told, a fascinating novel. Among all literature named in the world, *this* is one of few titles inspired by God: so memorable and unique, so perfect. It turns out to impart chilling meaning, as well, on several levels.
Thieves Like Us: My least favorite. This was a subjective reaction, however. I wanted the story to take turns it didn't take. Moreover, Anderson as an author took note of things I found not-so-interesting; apparently, the book's status to this day speaks otherwise on behalf of many other readers, however.
The Big Clock: Short, sweet and sterile. Almost machine-like in its plotting and execution -- if so written intentionally, a fascinating stylistic choice given its title -- but, notably, full of interesting and colorful characterizations. Possibly my favorite.
Nightmare Alley: Relentlessly grim and ugly. I'm not so sure there is a single character to root for in this story. That was probably very much intended. Fascinating but, again, very grim. Literary nihilists of today would do well to take a lesson from Gresham's characterization, plot and style.
I Married A Dead Man: Although the novels were presented chronologically, this was a nice way to end the volume. A very simple, linear, domestic story, without hard-boiled criminality or complication, which unfolds with some plot which stretches credibility, but lies ultimately within the realm of the possible. Notable among noir novels for Woolrich's ability to evoke two unexpected emotions at the end: a sense of deep and abiding love between two of the main characters -- before the real and final ending -- and a sense of genuine sadness.
Worth owning. Might take the reader a while to get through. This is, in effect, six books in one, running to nearly a thousand pages. But it was definitely fun; and as another reviewer implied, it's surprising how little has changed.
Thank God for the 1930's and 1940's/ .......2006-07-11
First of all, the Library Of America collection provides the reader with some of the most beautiful hardcover editions available today. That said, the selections chosesn for this edition are all first class; for someone just getting into hard-boiled fiction, this is the ideal place to start. If you're like me and have been reading this genre for many years, this is a perfect volume to add to one's collection.
The Dark Underbelly of the American Dream.......2005-09-29
Noir emerged in the early 20th-Century from Pulp paperbacks published for mass consumption. Highlighting in gritty and sensationalistic detail the sordid undercurrents of Western society, Noir became an artistic force that became the medium for the representation of the down and out segment of the populace. Whether set in the impersonal grime of urban reality or at the deceptive simplicity of rural picturesqueness, Noir in Film and Literature revealed the odyssey and travails of lost souls whose misguided characters bore too much of the weight of their selves and their pasts to break from the shackles of their present.
"Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930's and 40's" is the American equivalent in prose of the influential and enduring genre. The grim and unforgiving tales of the dejected cast of mid 20th-Century American life are openly depicted ("The Postman Always Rings Twice"; "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"; "Thieves Like Us"; "Nightmare Alley"); vicissitudes of fate ("The Big Clock"; "I Married a Dead Man"). Whether set in scenic California, the vast and open Midwest, or a high-rise office in Manhattan, these novels uniformly render a panorama of blighted dreams, twisted turns of fate, and the sad recurrence of misfortune in desperate individuals doomed to tragedy.
None too substantial in content but highly readable, this edition is the first of a handsome 2-Volume anthology on American Noir fiction published by the venerable Library of America. Edited by Robert Polito (Poet, writer, anthologist on Noir Lit. and author of a biography on Jim Thompson), these stories enduring relevance are seen in various forms of contemporary society: from the writings of James Ellroy, Brett Easton Ellis, Lawrence Block, and Robert Bloch; in films like "Scarface", "Pulp Fiction", "Fight Club"; and in everyday life.
A Real Discovery: 4 or 5 of these make amazing reading.......2005-01-23
This is an impressive collection of early and now scarce Noir novels. "The Big Clock" and "Nightmare Alley" are particularly hard to find outside of this volume.
Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" was probably the first crime novel I ever really got into, and it's a stunning departure from Agatha Christie-style mysteries. So much happens in this short book (as turns of plot, but also development of character) that it compares favorably to the first half Camus' "The Stranger." The drifter plumbs the depths of his desperation in a brutal attachment to another man's wife: it's not greed or lust that drives him, but a base need for someone to whom he can anchor himself. A raw and amazing experience, unmatched by anything else of Cain's.
McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is impressively vivid. I had no idea these dance-hall marathons took place before reading this story. This circus of exploitation of young and apparently desperate people certainly makes for excellent Noir. One of these benefits of reading these novels is the unearthing of buried episodes in America's past.
"Thieves Like Us" has been reviewed here as the weaker end of the collection, and I have to agree. It's still a very capable story of outlaws; and the stoicism of the young people caught up in the criminal's lives is admirably depicted here. I recommend reading Andersen's novel before the others (it's still definitive Noir), so one can more easily avoid expectations built up by the Cain and McCoy.
"The Big Clock" is interesting in the depiction of power relationships between employer and employee, and the shifting first-person style of telling the story works here. I never heard of Fearing before reading this novel, but he evidently had a deep understanding of the motivations of very different kinds of people. This novel has the most suspense of the collection, and is a great and sophisticated read.
The most surprising and bizzare novel is "Nightmare Alley," a strange and memorable journey of an aspiring carnival charlatan. It defines Sleaze. The longest and most complex novel, it feels like a long-lost classic that's been hidden away because of its disturbing content. Some may think of it as too long, but the twisting journey through sweaty farming towns, railroad stations and addled big-city martiarchs required time to establish some crediblity: by the end, I was convinced that such a grotesque collection of stunts actually belonged in the story of this country. "Nightmare Alley" alone is worth the price of the book. Fans of Tarot might be a little offended, but this is especially recommended for understanding fans of Ray Bradbury.
Finally, "I Married a Dead Man" by Woolrich is a suspense novel set up by a tragic accident. The protagonist, literally and figuratively hungry, siezes the opportunity to substitute herself into a more fortunate woman's life. Excellently done, and more grounded in comparison to "Nightmare Alley."
Overall, there's no legitimately weak entry in this collection. The variety of content in these novels is enormous, and acquiring this book will allow the reader to experience the different flavors of American Noir. Most modern crime/suspense movies will seem ridiculous by comparison.
Customer Reviews:
Easy come, easy go.......2007-02-16
And I thought the movie was brutal.
Remember when sitcoms like "Golden Girls" or "Happy Days" had episodes about dance marathons, and how funny it was to see the characters gradually become more and more tired? You'll never think of a dance marathon the same way again after you read this novel which is about the marathon's during the Depression.
"They Shoot Horses" is such a short novel that I read almost the entire novella commuting to and from work, but such an intense read that it's haunted me since. McCoy's narrative slices through the day to day horror of life during the Depression, and what people did to try and make it. The reason so many took part in such a godawful sport as a dance marathon? It wasn't just the prize money; it's because it's free food and a place to stay for an indefinite amount of time.
McCoy's world isn't necessarily a microcosm, but the narrative reveals a cynicism about the age: every character in this narrative is variously revealed to be lying or hiding something, whether it's the truth of a sexual dalliance, a murder or their age. Even the seemingly sweet old lady who comes to watch her "favorite couple" ends up having an agenda of her own.
I couldn't help but hear Jane Fonda's voice whenever Gloria spoke,the Gloria of the novel is darker than anything we see on film. Gloria is an unforgettable, angry, unhappy character for whom redemption is just a concept; Gloria, more than anybody, sees through the lies (even though she tells a few of her own), and because she sees everything too clearly, and has no fantasies or dreams, she is not able to be a part of the world. Gloria's final release is a relief, not just for her but for the reader.
An excellent, eye-opening read.
A classic in the study of human suffering!.......2005-02-13
They Shoot Horses depicts the suffering and misery of depression era America. The plot centers around a dance marathon in which a variety of pathetic contestants enter in hopes of taking away the cash prize.
Needless to say, they take nothing away. The marathon takes away their dignity and self-respect; leaving each contestant exposed by the torment that life has heaped upon each individual.
They Shoot Horses is an excellent text for the study of character development. The major and minor characters are all equally important. No one is superior. All are equal in the misery of life. How one handles the misery determines their future.
Some will say Horses ends on a tragic note. I disagree. Animals are shot to be put out of their misery. Are we not the higher form of animal existence? I applaud Gloria's strenghth and Robert's compassion.
Still Fresh, Still Relevant to Today's Rat Race.......2005-01-20
Although this book was written in the 1930s, it speaks to today's ennui and loss of meaning. It is still fresh and will stand the test of time, much like Nathaniel West's work. The story describes two drifting people who meet on the streets of Hollywood and find themselves in a crazy dance marathon contest. They initially wanted to meet Hollywood producers and stars through the marathon, but then just go on and on, hour after hour, day after day, dancing in perpetual motion, not knowing why they continue. Perhaps it's for the $1000 prize money, or perhaps it's just because they're in a rut, trying to escape their desparate, empty lives. The contest is just a crass racket the promoters have dreamed up to pull in cash, and the contestants are almost like animals in a great big cage who can't escape, while the audience comes night after night to gawk and laugh at them. The basic cruelty of the contest is driven home in scenes depicting nightly "derby races," where the exhausted contestants must race around a track for 15 minutes, with the last place couple being eliminated. Bodies fall, tempers flare, and fists fly while the audience gasps and thrills to the show. In the end, we discover an enormous existential void in our two contestants, which leads to the only logical conclusion. This book is packed with sexual tension as well and should give today's slick writers pause. There's nothing new under the sun, kids. Previous generations weren't as stupid as you might think. In fact, this very fine work outstrips 99% of today's novels in its subtlety and originality.
Existential Masterpiece of the Depression.......2004-03-23
When all is said and done, it's McCoy's HORSES that, for me, so beautifully reflects the darkest side of the Depression days in the U.S., even more so than Steinbeck's wonderful GRAPES OF WRATH. McCoy gets to the very core of human desperation and misery, a cutthroat atmosphere where people will resort to ANYTHING just to survive. The dance marathon itself becomes an odd microcosm of society, totally self-contained, as if the world outside of its doors does not exist. I have not seen the film because I am afraid it will undermine the strong visions the book created in my mind, particularly the "derby" sections, where one person is playing the horse and the other the jockey, racing around the center ring in the dance floor. That is one of the most surreal visions any novel has ever planted in my brain and McCoy conveys the action and drama of these "races" so phenomenally well. In light of such strange imagery, to call this a "crime novel" is to rob it of its broader vision, its existential outlook on the modern social order and its warped priorities. More to the point, there's little to no crime here. Someone gets shot. That's the extent of it. There's no investigation, no suspense. So I suspect crime aficionados might be bored out of their skull with this one. I have the hardback first-edition, published by Simon & Schuster back when it was a fledgling company, and its too bad no one will give this its clothbound due and elevate it above the status of the "penny pocketbook". They did include it with Library of America's Crime Noir set but again, that forces it within a certain genre to which it does not belong. Although McCoy's success in the US was marginal at best, the French existentialists loved this novel and McCoy was hailed as a genius there and in other parts of Europe as well. At least he got some degree of recognition during his own lifetime.
See the movie, skip the book.......2003-04-05
They Shoot Horses Don't They? is a good example of creativity bringing a basically lifeless book into a stirring human drama on the silver screen. I found the book to be nothing more than a 15 page short story expanded dramatically through the use of pages that contain nothing more than the date and time. The book is supposed to be the recollections of a condemmed man but is instead a short, dull monologue devoted to lifeless characters and flat plot lines. While the plot certainly has some potential, as seen in the big screen version, anyone who watches the film and then reads the book is sure to be disappointed.
Customer Reviews:
AWESOME BOOK!!!.......2004-03-03
This book is awesome! It has truly opened up my eyes, heart, and yes...even wallet. I have learned many great things from this book in such a way like no other. This book has unlocked mysteries about the Church in general (the financial part). I highly recommend this book. I am not in the clergy, but this book opened up my eyes to God's will for my life financially, and how the "system" works with tithing, faith, and good stewardship.
Average customer rating:
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Don't Shoot the Horse
H. Randy Hayes
Manufacturer: Xulon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Christian Living
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Ritual
| Other Practices
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1602669074 |
Book Description
Randy Hayes has served in many different capacities of ministry. He has pastured, been a youth leader and children's minister. He served as Chaplain for a rescue mission and therefore has worked with people in many different stages of life and numerous situations. Randy has worked with addicts and children, the homeless and the prosperous, and has collected loads of testimonies where God has touched the lives of hurting people. He has witness many trials and even more victories, and shares them with humor and somber conclusions. Don't Shoot the Horse is simply a book of encouragement, offering hope to the reader. The chapters are short and to the point, making it easy reading. Some of the chapters, as one reader described, "will make you laugh out loud;" other chapters will make you say "Oh man." The chapters 'Thanks a Lot' (Living a life of gratitude), 'The God of Broken Pieces' and 'Regaining Your Footing' were written after the author's world fell apart, and God starting putting it back together. His unique way of looking at things will help to inspire you to notice the many gifts the Savior bestows on us each day, and encourages you to 'stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.'
Average customer rating:
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Film Photo Biography, "They Shoot Horses Don't They"
Willoughby
Manufacturer: Nieswand-Verlag GmbH.,Germany
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 3926048298 |
Books:
- Supertoys Last All Summer Long: And Other Stories of Future Time
- That's Not in My American History Book: A Compilation of Little Known Events and Forgotten Heroes
- The Black Cloud
- The Black Raven (Dragon Mage, Book 2)
- The Collapsium
- The Design of Modern Steel Bridges
- The Domino Effect (Doctor Who)
- The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath
- The Eugenics Wars Vol I: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek)
- The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel
Books Index
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