Exile-and Glory by Jerry Pournelle Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Exile-and Glory
Book Review: Back in print at half price!
Summary: 5 Stars
This combines two long out of print novels from Jerry Pournells early years.
Great Read will add it to my library.
Book Review: Great Pourn(elle), But Dated
Summary: 3 Stars
It is not clear from the information here on Amazon that this is in fact a republication of two earlier - much earlier - Pournelle novels that were themselves a compendium of several short stories published from the late 1970s through the 1980s.
As a result, the stories are somewhat dated in their depiction of a near-future that for all intents and purposes could be TODAY'S WORLD.
Fortunately I had never read the novels before, so I'm not out any money (as I had been a couple of years back when I bought one of O. S. Card's "Tales of Alvin Maker" compendia only to discover I'd already read everything within as separate novels).
There's something to be said for bringing back "out-of-print" books, but with modern electronic publishing technology and the viability of Print-On-Demand, there's really no reason ever to consider any book "out of print."
One has to conclude that the publishing industry like the recorded music industry is purposefully out-of-step with the times, reluctant to experience the paradigm-shift that might put a lot of lucrative percentages in jeopardy.
Book Review: Not bad, even considering when it was written.
Summary: 4 Stars
First off, I need to point out that this book, though released this year, is actually a compendium (and reprint) of "High Justice" and "Exiles to Glory." Those are books that were originally written before 1977. The world was something of a different place then. The Soviet Union was still in charge of the Warsaw pact, and considered a Super Power. The United States was reeling from the OPEC crisis and Watergate. Science Fiction was still in a phase prior to the Star Wars Sci-Fi that followed. Nevertheless, I feel that Jerry Pournelle did a very good job with the story, though it lacks something of the polish of more recent science fiction.
If you are looking for a high action book with running fights, fighter battles using lasers and massive ships that dominate in war, you will be disappointed. This is much more down-to-earth. If that is the case, I would recommend the Rogue Squadron series, the Star Wars books, the Legacy of the Alldenata series, or even the Battletech books.
This is really a story that deals with the sociology of the time period. Its focus is on personal action against overwhelming odds, heroic, yes, but not Herculean. The science is well thought out, based on theories of the day. I think I spotted an unnamed reference to Project Orion.
Most of the story concerns economic clashes between the ideology (which in my opinion seems to mirror socialism) and the large businesses (which are concerned with profit). The science used is the tool to bring the conflict into play. This is also the crux of the discussion of the morality of big business and the role of government.
The book is really broken down into three main parts. The intro chapters use different people in the stories to try and give the reader a backdrop. Two of the final three chapters of the first part deal specifically with three characters, each representing one aspect of the conflict I mentioned; business, government, and morality.
The second book, which really seems to be the third part, is a novel or novelette, which is one continuous story. It is set a few decades after the first book, and we have an opportunity to see how the world has developed. Again, we have a conflict between businesses, though the main conflict seems to be between the characters following along with society and getting by or by the characters being willing to rise above.
Overall it was an interesting book. If you are a fan of David Weber or John Ringo, you might appreciate the book more. It seems to reflect a "Conservative" perspective. The emphasis is on the businesses providing opportunity to the people (Free Trade/Mercantilism) and the impact of individuals rather than the ability of a government to provide for its people.
The author does seem to have a dislike of lawyers and unions.
Book Review: OLD NOVELS RETITLED! SHAME ON BAEN!
Summary: 1 Stars
Coming soon, August 2008! Exile - and Glory, by Jerry Pournelle! Sounds a lot like it's gonna be a new novel related to previously published ones, doesn't it? BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S "HIGH JUSTICE" and "EXILES TO GLORY", REPUBLISHED. They suckered me, because who'd think it would take them months to re-set type? People do that with computers, it's not manual any more... probably a ploy by their marketing department. SHAME ON YOU, BAEN!Book Review: old stuff
Summary: 2 Stars
it really irritates me when publishers suck that extra dime out of old material with out telling people that's what it is.