Martin@YALE.ARPA (01/19/84)
From: Charles Martin <Martin@YALE.ARPA>
***** Not a spoiler, in my opinion. Nothing to spoil, anyway. *****
Just finished "Voyagers," by Ben Bova, last night. This is
without doubt the worst novel (SF or otherwise) I have read
in a long while. The dialogue is grade B, the characterizations
grade C, and the plot grade Z. This from a man who wrote a
book on how to write SF? "Those who can't do, teach." I'm
embarrassed for him.
Plot keywords: First contact, tough scientist, faculty politics,
evil Russians, Russian good guy, Kremlin infighting, idiotic
government, mind-control devices, beautiful lab assistant
(shades of "`What a set of knockers' `Why, thank you, Doctor'"),
martial arts, moronic military, uncontrollably high testosterone
levels, love unrequited, assorted scum.
The plot devices in this book were completely stereotyped. No
surprises. No new SF ideas, either. "The bureaucratic politics
of space" (to use the back cover blurb) which Mr. Bova purportedly
excels in presenting, were the most asinine, self-indulgent, and
idiotic parts of the book. Ridiculous.
Is all Bova like this? This was my first encounter. (And I would
not have read this, had it not been the only SF lying around the
house.) No wonder no one complained when Varley's new book
usurped one of his titles ("Millenium"). What would the reaction
have been had the new book been titled, "Dune"?okie@ihuxs.UUCP (01/19/84)
I have to agree with the review of "Voyagers." I haven't liked much of what Bova has written, anyway. Two that I have liked are "Colony" for its wide scope and decent (and believable) set of extrapolations, and "Millenium" (though not as much). Other than that, I haven't really liked anything Bova has produced. AS you say, perhaps teaching has gone to his head -- it certainly hasn't gone to his pen. B.K. Cobb AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxs!okie
mike%rice@sri-unix.UUCP (01/22/84)
From: Mike Caplinger <mike@rice> I feel compelled to defend Bova. While old Ben is pretty heavy-handed about government, the military, and social decline (his non-fiction THE HIGH ROAD is rife with such) a lot of his fiction is worthwhile. I liked MILLENNIUM, and its sequel, COLONY, is only slightly less worthwhile, and its prequel, KINSMAN, is OK too. Some of his earlier work, like THE DUELING MACHINE, is quite interesting. And who could fault THE STARCROSSED, a fictionalized sendup of Harlan Ellison's encounter with Canadian TV? I will gladly admit that VOYAGERS was poor, as was his juvenile EXILES trilogy, but he usually writes worthwhile hard science fiction. And a lot of his non-fiction (such as THE NEW ASTRONOMIES, and THE FOURTH STATE OF MATTER) is competent too. Not Asimov, but...
okie@ihuxs.UUCP (01/24/84)
I forgot about THE STARCROSSED. I loved that book, especially after having read PHOENIX WITHOUT ASHES and learning the background that inspired it. So that's three books by Bova that I've liked. I still haven't liked anything else, though... Would anyone happen to know where one might find a copy of THE STARCROSSED? I'd like to add it to my shelf. Thanks, B.K. Cobb ihnp4!ihuxs!okie