This is an excellent early novel by Wodehouse, very funny. The plot & characters are fun & interesting. It also gives a good idea of the servants, etiquette, etc. in a "country house" at the time. I found it interesting & even humorous how much the servants cared about rank amongst themselves.
This is hilarious. It is my favorite non-Jeeves & Wooster novel by Wodehouse. The setting is a bit dated since this was written almost 100 years ago, but that does not detract form the story.
I think the part, early in the book, where he sees “the girl in the brown dress” is one of the funniest things I’ve ever read.
This book was changed greatly and made into a film will Burns & Allen. I think the book is better.
I have read a lot of Wodehouse books and this one is typical. It is good, but not one of his best. It is not in any of his series and, as best I remember, its characters did not overlap with any of his other books.
Great for Wodehouse fans. For non-Wodehouse fans, I would suggest starting with another book: Something Fresh & A Damsel in Distress are two good ones.
This is a typical sci-fi short story form 1957. Its plot and characters a bit simplistic. The main problem is that the story's concept of delivering the mail in space is ridiculous. Since this is basis of the plot, it ruins the story for me. It probably was more interesting in 1957.
An interesting short story that explores how working alone in space for extended periods can effect the mind. It is a mystery, not the who-dun-it type, but the what-caused-this-to-happen type.
A generally interesting book about radio contact with aliens. It includes an interplanetary trip based on information from the aliens.
Much of the science is wrong, but that is understandable in a book this old. In particular the part about spacecraft trajectories shows a lack of knowledge of orbital mechanics. But most people wouldn't notice.
This is technically a Sci-fI novel, but to me it lacks most of the elements that make sci-fi. This is a sci-fi novel in the same way that Superman is about the newspaper business. The sci-fi is just there to make possible the main theme: survival in a harsh environment.
If you like survival novels, you might like this. Otherwise, I think you will find it a disappointment.
Also the writing is poor. The plot is typical bad pulp fiction. It is weak, contrived and far-fetched (not in a good sci-fi way, either). Details of the plot are just unreasonable. I have read worse, but not often.
The characters are one dimensional and contrived. People don't act that way. A lot of the science is wrong also.
Overall, if you like badly-written survival fiction, this is what you are looking for.
Like many of Leinster's books, this is typical sci-fi space opera--an adventure set in space. It's a diverting, light-hearted story.
Its main theme is similar to that of an episode of Star Trek DS9 in which three eccentric people with very special talents make predictions about the future of the federation in its war with one of its mortal enemies whose name escapes me at the moment.
It also reminded me of Asimov's Foundation series which used of the science "psychohistory" to predict the future. However, in Talents the predictions are much more short term and based more in the paranormal than in science.
If you like this book, try the Foundation series which is much better.
This was a surprisingly interesting short story, considering how old it is. The writing is a bit thin and the science is hokey. But the question of how would people react and survive if suddenly shoved into the past is interesting. Also, it gives a bit of a glimpse of what city life was like at that time. ("Three men admitting raising chickens as a hobby.")
Typical sci-fi space opera--an adventure set in space. The book's version of the future, like most books of it's time, was way off on technology & society. The characters are a bit sterotypical. But, these things are to be expected of a book written in 1958.
The book's one non-typical aspect is it's exploration of what space adventure would be like if it was conducted by PR people & TV producers instead of scientists. (Be sure to get some good film to keep the sponsors happy.)
Wayne Goode’s book reviews
This is a good introduction to Wodehouse.
I think the part, early in the book, where he sees “the girl in the brown dress” is one of the funniest things I’ve ever read.
This book was changed greatly and made into a film will Burns & Allen. I think the book is better.
Great for Wodehouse fans. For non-Wodehouse fans, I would suggest starting with another book: Something Fresh & A Damsel in Distress are two good ones.
Much of the science is wrong, but that is understandable in a book this old. In particular the part about spacecraft trajectories shows a lack of knowledge of orbital mechanics. But most people wouldn't notice.
Overall, a good light-hearted space adventure.
If you like survival novels, you might like this. Otherwise, I think you will find it a disappointment.
Also the writing is poor. The plot is typical bad pulp fiction. It is weak, contrived and far-fetched (not in a good sci-fi way, either). Details of the plot are just unreasonable. I have read worse, but not often.
The characters are one dimensional and contrived. People don't act that way. A lot of the science is wrong also.
Overall, if you like badly-written survival fiction, this is what you are looking for.
Its main theme is similar to that of an episode of Star Trek DS9 in which three eccentric people with very special talents make predictions about the future of the federation in its war with one of its mortal enemies whose name escapes me at the moment.
It also reminded me of Asimov's Foundation series which used of the science "psychohistory" to predict the future. However, in Talents the predictions are much more short term and based more in the paranormal than in science.
If you like this book, try the Foundation series which is much better.
The book's one non-typical aspect is it's exploration of what space adventure would be like if it was conducted by PR people & TV producers instead of scientists. (Be sure to get some good film to keep the sponsors happy.)