ISBN: 0-553-56294-0 Order from: Amazon.com
The wild west lives again in the unchartered territories of outer space, gender, and love.
Reviewed by Neil on May 16, 1998 (rev. 6)
Genre: Science Fiction (Humor, Western)
Synopsis: Two explorers have been sent to the planet Booth to survey desert, hills, rivers, and indigenous life. Accompanied by a native alien guide, who is a cross between a thieving injun and a cunning pirate, they must deal with nitpicking politically correct bureaucrats, naive newcomers, the mating customers of local fauna, alien artifacts, a name obsessed female base camp operator, dumpeous beast of burdens, nasty water creatures, and the parallel adventures of a serial-tv audience back home. Throughout all this, the two heroes chart a course through the uncharted territories of the planet Boothe, and of gender, sex, and love.
Full Review: This is one of those short books that you read and think it is quite light. At 150 pages, and filled with the "twist at the end of the chapter" plotting that reminds you of a short story, you are tempted to think it a padded short story. But after you read it, and suddenly understand the complexity of the world Willis creates, the analog to the wild west and tv serials turns out to be not only funny, but moving, the characters' eccentricities are discovered to be not only humorous, but cunning camouflage, the natives' behavior is seen as not just aggressive but needful, and you fall a bit in love with the crazy bunch. Not to mention continuous well placed doses of biological science relating to the mating customs of animals.
Not a classic, perhaps, but a delight. I read it a year or so ago, and recently re-read it and found it even more funny, charming and persuasive. Even Willis' slighter effects dazzle, inform, and move.
Short Review: Connie Willis is the only author I know who can pack an incredible amount of adventure, character, humor, concept, and clever, clever plot into 150 pages, hold your attention, and tie the whole thing together with a neat concept and deliver real emotion. The opening chapter has a brilliant plot twist that slides by you, until you stop, go back, and reread the opening. And the plotting gets better from there. In fact, the plot reversals and unexpected twists are not only clever, but, in the end, moving. The analog to the wild west is funny and works. The characters start off seeming eccentric, and then grab your heart. Few other authors can shift style this way and make it work. Connie Willis has it all. Read this book; read all her books.
Overall: 7; Plot: 7; Characters: 7; Style: 7; World-building: 6; Originality: 8;
Bantam Books, July 1994, 149
ISBN: 0-553-56294-0 Order from: Amazon.com