Thom reviewed The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell by Harry Harrison
Review of 'The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell' on 'Goodreads'
1 star
Our author returns to the 6th book in the original series (or 9th including prequels), and I was again disappointed. That just leaves the question of how badly?
While we don't expect a lot of reality or hard SF in these books, they are at least internally consistent. In this book, Harrison has written the character into a corner with the various bizarre realities. Now under the Rat's control are the powers of time and universe travel, time stasis, a molecule thin shield that is impervious to everything, and an undetectable thought-level infinite speed communication.
All that silly reality aside, the one thing that drew me to Slippery Jim in the first place was completely missing from this book - the rat. Expert criminal, insanely intelligent individual capable of stealing anything (and not killing anyone in the process). When I started writing this review, I was thinking two stars ("it …
Our author returns to the 6th book in the original series (or 9th including prequels), and I was again disappointed. That just leaves the question of how badly?
While we don't expect a lot of reality or hard SF in these books, they are at least internally consistent. In this book, Harrison has written the character into a corner with the various bizarre realities. Now under the Rat's control are the powers of time and universe travel, time stasis, a molecule thin shield that is impervious to everything, and an undetectable thought-level infinite speed communication.
All that silly reality aside, the one thing that drew me to Slippery Jim in the first place was completely missing from this book - the rat. Expert criminal, insanely intelligent individual capable of stealing anything (and not killing anyone in the process). When I started writing this review, I was thinking two stars ("it was okay") but I have talked myself down to one star ("did not like it").
I am still committed to the series and plan to finish it in the new year - but this one is sadly to be avoided.