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dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
Eve of RUMOKO: Someone is attempting to sabotage the RUMOKO project, a project that creates volcanoes on the ocean floor for the purpose of creating more land for an overpopulated Earth. Albert Schweitzer, an engineer, tips to what is happening. Only, Schweitzer's not an engineer and doesn't even exist at all...
For a story written forty years ago, the tone is pretty relevant today. The man with no name, the protagonist, is a former computer programmer that erased himself from a global database so he couldn't be tracked and goes around doing good deeds for exorbitant sums of money. Although the future of 2007 isn't quite accurate, the undersea domes, for example, the idea of a huge database containing ever bit of available data known to man seems spot on. Our nameless hero seems like he might be an inspiration for Repairman Jack. The story itself isn't fantastic but I'm a big fan of the ideas presented within, both the creation of artificial islands (didn't Stephenson do that in The Diamond Age?) and the man who doesn't officially exist.
Kjawlll'kje'k'koothai'lll'kjr'k: Two men are dead and it looks as if a dolphin is to blame. Our nameless hero begins poking around, leading him into a plot involving adultery, diamonds, and questions about dolphins and their culture...
I didn't enjoy the second story as much as the first but it was still good. While the plot wasn't spectacular, the conjectures about dolphins and their society and/or religion made up for it. I didn't expect Martha Millay to play such a prominent role when she was introduced.
Home is the Hangman:An artificially intelligent planet exploring robot, the Hangman, has returned to earth to exact vengeance on his creators. Or has he...
This was quite a yarn. For a novella, it sure had a lot of twists. Our nameless hero continues taking megarisks for his client, Don. The Hangman's creators were an interesting bunch and, as I said, it had enough twists to rise above its seemingly simple plot.
While My Name is Legion isn't my favorite Roger Zelazny book, it's also far from my least favorite. I'd recommend it to fans of spy novels, since the nameless protagonist is more of a spy than anything else. The man with no name reminds me of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee at times and Repairman Jack at others. He should be a well-received character by fans of either.
For a story written forty years ago, the tone is pretty relevant today. The man with no name, the protagonist, is a former computer programmer that erased himself from a global database so he couldn't be tracked and goes around doing good deeds for exorbitant sums of money. Although the future of 2007 isn't quite accurate, the undersea domes, for example, the idea of a huge database containing ever bit of available data known to man seems spot on. Our nameless hero seems like he might be an inspiration for Repairman Jack. The story itself isn't fantastic but I'm a big fan of the ideas presented within, both the creation of artificial islands (didn't Stephenson do that in The Diamond Age?) and the man who doesn't officially exist.
Kjawlll'kje'k'koothai'lll'kjr'k: Two men are dead and it looks as if a dolphin is to blame. Our nameless hero begins poking around, leading him into a plot involving adultery, diamonds, and questions about dolphins and their culture...
I didn't enjoy the second story as much as the first but it was still good. While the plot wasn't spectacular, the conjectures about dolphins and their society and/or religion made up for it. I didn't expect Martha Millay to play such a prominent role when she was introduced.
Home is the Hangman:An artificially intelligent planet exploring robot, the Hangman, has returned to earth to exact vengeance on his creators. Or has he...
This was quite a yarn. For a novella, it sure had a lot of twists. Our nameless hero continues taking megarisks for his client, Don. The Hangman's creators were an interesting bunch and, as I said, it had enough twists to rise above its seemingly simple plot.
While My Name is Legion isn't my favorite Roger Zelazny book, it's also far from my least favorite. I'd recommend it to fans of spy novels, since the nameless protagonist is more of a spy than anything else. The man with no name reminds me of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee at times and Repairman Jack at others. He should be a well-received character by fans of either.
kidclamp's review against another edition
3.0
I don't think I quite get Roger Zelazny. I like the action and social critique and speculative part of the work, but much like when reading The Dream Master, there were bits that traced off into New Agey spiritualism that I just couldn't follow or care about.
In the future humanity builds a giant database to link all information about its citizens in order to advance their medical treatments, make their lives better etc. One of the creators of this machine worries about the implications and erases his existence and becomes a man outside the system who can travel anywhere and take on jobs other cannot. A kind of futuristic James Bond.
A little creepy reading this and posting into social media about it, but that's the fun of SciFi.
In the future humanity builds a giant database to link all information about its citizens in order to advance their medical treatments, make their lives better etc. One of the creators of this machine worries about the implications and erases his existence and becomes a man outside the system who can travel anywhere and take on jobs other cannot. A kind of futuristic James Bond.
A little creepy reading this and posting into social media about it, but that's the fun of SciFi.
weaselweader's review against another edition
3.0
A spy story with no messages that I could puzzle out!
I don't mind admitting it! My Name is Legion is a bit of a puzzle for me. I haven't been able to decide if there was a message of some kind that I missed or whether Zelazny was just having fun writing a few short stories in a spy vs spy mode built around a character with no name.
Nobody who has read science fiction is under any illusion about the loss of privacy we are suffering with the advent of the internet, computerized databases and national identification programs. Long before any of that came along, Zelazny prepared a story about a murky hero (or is it anti-hero) who managed to destroy his punch cards (what does that tell you about how long ago this story was written?), eliminate his credit cards, destroy his birth records and passport and simply drop out of society and into the mists of living by his wits taking on mercenary government jobs from time to time under different aliases for every case.
My Name is Legion is actually a collection of three novellas separately written and related to one another only to the extent that the man with no name is the hero in each of the stories.
The first in the collection, Rumoko revolves around the rather frightening prospect of the use of nuclear bombs blasting a hole in the Moho layer to create artificial volcanoes. The idea is to release magma to create artificial land surface which can then be made habitable in an attempt to deal with earth's apparent population problem. Some pretty exciting stuff for those sci-fi lovers that like their plots hard and tech-oriented!
The second story (with a title that is quite unpronounceable) moves to the far opposite end of the hard-soft sci-fi spectrum - we're talking here about the sentience of dolphins; whether they dream, compose music or are capable of murder; and even whether they have a concept of philosophy and religion!
The third and final story in the collection, Home is the Hangman, was, in my opinion, the most interesting story of the three. Dealing with artificial intelligence and robotics, it broached that always interesting subject of a robot's possible self-awareness, whether it could be capable of murder and whether it could feel emotion of any kind. Unlike the rather pretentious feel of the philosophy in the central dolphin story, Zelazny's use of Gödel's unprovability theorems and Turing's Test for artificial intelligence made Home for the Hangman a much more convincing story. I suspect that Asimov who virtually made a career out of writing about robotic behaviour would agree.
Three stars for Rumoko, two stars only for Kjawlll'kje'k'koothai'lll'kjr'k, and four stars for Home is the Hangman. Overall rating averaged out at three stars.
Recommended.
Paul Weiss
I don't mind admitting it! My Name is Legion is a bit of a puzzle for me. I haven't been able to decide if there was a message of some kind that I missed or whether Zelazny was just having fun writing a few short stories in a spy vs spy mode built around a character with no name.
Nobody who has read science fiction is under any illusion about the loss of privacy we are suffering with the advent of the internet, computerized databases and national identification programs. Long before any of that came along, Zelazny prepared a story about a murky hero (or is it anti-hero) who managed to destroy his punch cards (what does that tell you about how long ago this story was written?), eliminate his credit cards, destroy his birth records and passport and simply drop out of society and into the mists of living by his wits taking on mercenary government jobs from time to time under different aliases for every case.
My Name is Legion is actually a collection of three novellas separately written and related to one another only to the extent that the man with no name is the hero in each of the stories.
The first in the collection, Rumoko revolves around the rather frightening prospect of the use of nuclear bombs blasting a hole in the Moho layer to create artificial volcanoes. The idea is to release magma to create artificial land surface which can then be made habitable in an attempt to deal with earth's apparent population problem. Some pretty exciting stuff for those sci-fi lovers that like their plots hard and tech-oriented!
The second story (with a title that is quite unpronounceable) moves to the far opposite end of the hard-soft sci-fi spectrum - we're talking here about the sentience of dolphins; whether they dream, compose music or are capable of murder; and even whether they have a concept of philosophy and religion!
The third and final story in the collection, Home is the Hangman, was, in my opinion, the most interesting story of the three. Dealing with artificial intelligence and robotics, it broached that always interesting subject of a robot's possible self-awareness, whether it could be capable of murder and whether it could feel emotion of any kind. Unlike the rather pretentious feel of the philosophy in the central dolphin story, Zelazny's use of Gödel's unprovability theorems and Turing's Test for artificial intelligence made Home for the Hangman a much more convincing story. I suspect that Asimov who virtually made a career out of writing about robotic behaviour would agree.
Three stars for Rumoko, two stars only for Kjawlll'kje'k'koothai'lll'kjr'k, and four stars for Home is the Hangman. Overall rating averaged out at three stars.
Recommended.
Paul Weiss
furicle's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's three short stories in chronological order rather than one novel, and half detective/thriller, half sci-fi.
The only nit I have to pick is the character morphs a bit after the first story. Likely he had to, or you wouldn't relate to the rest of the book, but it's a bit disappointing, since the next two stories wandered off in a different direction than I expected.
Another solid three and a half.
The only nit I have to pick is the character morphs a bit after the first story. Likely he had to, or you wouldn't relate to the rest of the book, but it's a bit disappointing, since the next two stories wandered off in a different direction than I expected.
Another solid three and a half.
stagasaurus's review against another edition
3.0
Sometimes I got bogged down in the technology speak, but generally I enjoyed these. The book is three long stories / novellas, I kind of struggle without chapters to read to the end of.
The last story was the best, though I enjoyed aspects of all of them. I love the future as viewed from the past.
The last story was the best, though I enjoyed aspects of all of them. I love the future as viewed from the past.
laci's review against another edition
4.0
Consisting of three stories sharing a common hero, this book explores the concept of a world where all information about everyone is stored. Well - about _almost_ everyone. And that's where the main character comes in.
All of the stories are well worth reading, though I liked the third one the most. The text was fast-paced, with occasional philosophical stops and next to no descriptions. Unexpected twists and turns were present right until the end.
Recomended to everyone who doesn't mind a little thrill and a little science fiction. :)
All of the stories are well worth reading, though I liked the third one the most. The text was fast-paced, with occasional philosophical stops and next to no descriptions. Unexpected twists and turns were present right until the end.
Recomended to everyone who doesn't mind a little thrill and a little science fiction. :)
valhecka's review against another edition
4.0
Spy ops/spec ops by a single unregistered human, but in a miscellaneous future with high tech and a lot of murder. Cool collection of three novellas.
However: dolphins are jerks. Murderous jerks. Granted, mostly in-species, but that significantly changes the tenor of the hypothesized mental state of high-intelligence cetaceans. I know the research documenting murder jerk dolphin behavior wasn't published until fifteen years or so after this was, but still: unintentional hilarity.
However: dolphins are jerks. Murderous jerks. Granted, mostly in-species, but that significantly changes the tenor of the hypothesized mental state of high-intelligence cetaceans. I know the research documenting murder jerk dolphin behavior wasn't published until fifteen years or so after this was, but still: unintentional hilarity.
bwalle01's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
punkstronomer's review against another edition
1.0
Delfines asesinos y peleas cuerpo a cuerpo con robots... ::rolls eyes::
frakalot's review
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is my first look at Zelazny's writing and I had a pretty good time with it. A collection of three short scifi detective stories, it has some dark themes about it, but they're handled in a light-hearted way. The characters are all a bit zany, this did appear at the tail end of the 60s after all. Our hero is a clever dick who won't hesitate to shoot you but will then clean the wound out for you afterwards.
"If you have to murder a man - have to, I mean, like no choice in the matter - I feel that it should be a bloody and horrible thing, so that it burns itself into your soul and gives you a better appreciation of the value of human existence."
The main character in these three adventures has erased himself from the system and simultaneously given himself access to any personal history that he can imagine. Apparently scifi readers have dubbed him "Nemo" which I think I read is the Latin word for "nobody" and I'm just going to roll with that for this review.
Nemo is involved with the organisation that is compiling everyone's personal data into a centralised system and at first he is a proud proponent of the work. He considers all of the many benefits which the collated data will bring to areas such as medicine and economics and so on. A friend makes a few contradictory points and the result of that passing conversation is that Nemo's doubts ultimately lead him to abandon his part in the project and his place in the new system.
I'm going to interject here with my own controversial thoughts, so skip the next three paragraphs to focus on the book review.
Unlike most people I'm all for getting a chip in my wrist and having all my data stored and never having to carry money and not having to recall the name of a drug that my doctor prescribed 10 years ago and yeah, I love it. Sign me up for the New World Order folks.
Look, we're all much more familiar with this type of invasion of privacy right here in 2022 than we were in 1969 when the first Nemo novelette came out. Our movements are tracked, our opinions and preferences are recorded and then that data is sold around the place. People are making money off of knowing things about us. So? But really, so what?? I personally prefer that the ads I see are tailored to my interests.
In Australia we have begun the process of collating medical information, only the process is voluntary and you have to request to have your data added to your file after each visit, so it's really not functioning well enough for my liking yet.
Ooops, I nearly forgot to review the book. Well, I've thrown my two cents in just to say that although I wouldn't have made the same choice as Nemo, I appreciate the vitality of the questions asked in this book. I should emphasise that the stories don't focus heavily on those issues after the initial set up.
Now, back to the stories at hand.
1. The Eve of Rumoko
It took me a few pages to get into it, but after that I was hooked. The dialogue is full of witty banter and the scenario rapidly counts down to the climax, like a time bomb has been set under the plot, there is constant momentum and a real sense of urgent energy to this adventure.
Nemo gets himself involved in Project Rumoko, a secret operation to create a new volcanic island. Woah! Along the way he generates a bit of unwanted attention and when some thugs break into his room to press him for information we get the backstory of how he became Nemo.
Nemo's task is to ensure the project goes ahead without delay and I'll let you read the book to find out how he handles his job.
"I returned to the Proteus and practiced meditation for a few days. Since it did not produce the desired results, I went up and got drunk with Bill Mellings."
I really liked Bill too, or rather the relationship that he has with Nemo. I hoped that he would be a recurring character.
The story brings up population concerns in a way that perhaps seems farcical now. It does so very cynically but I think it remains a clever plot device.
Speaking of cynical. The whole thing is giving me like a darker James Bond vibe. Everything does not come out rosy at all.
2. Kjwalll'kje'koothai'lll'kje'k
Ok. I'm going to say it. I think this story has a stupid name. But! You're not going to believe this, the text-to-speech engine on my ereader will ignore many much simpler words, opting instead to spell them out and yet, it decided to give this a go. And I'm actually impressed, I wish I could show you as part of this review. I barely looked at what letters it contains myself and I certainly didn't try to assign any sounds to it, but there you go.
"Curiosity may ultimately prove nature's way of dealing with the population problem."
This story is ridiculous in concept, to those of us not lucky enough to live in Nemo's enlightened future. I'm listening to the start of this, while two guys talk about how likely it is that the dolphins are responsible for the murder, and I'm thinking that it's all a gag. And then I'm thinking it's been going on for a few pages without a punchline, so I do, I check the synopsis and there it is: "and [Nemo] defends a group of dolphins accused of murder." So we're doing this. Law and Order, Special Aquariums Unit.
Well, I'm taking the piss, but I thought this was fantastic. I am a fan of Douglas Adams and that's where my thoughts went immediately. Keep in mind that this one preceded Hitchhiker's by a decade.
"Paul's dead," he said.
"What?"
"You heard me. Dead."
"How'd it happen?"
"He stopped breathing."
"They usually do."
This was pretty consistently entertaining. You'll probably learn a number of dolphin facts, but bear in mind that it's all mixed in casually with plenty of dolphin speculation.
3. Home is the Hangman
Nemo is hired to find a rogue robot that may or may not have achieved a level of sentience and may or may not be out to murder its creators. This one is perhaps a better detective story but not quite as whacky or fun. Still an enjoyable read with its funny moments, especially in the dialogue.
"If the liberal arts do nothing else, they provide engaging metaphors for the thinking they displace."
In this final story Nemo is at greater risk of being found out because one of the scientists that he is hired to protect is a past acquaintance.
"If you have to murder a man - have to, I mean, like no choice in the matter - I feel that it should be a bloody and horrible thing, so that it burns itself into your soul and gives you a better appreciation of the value of human existence."
The main character in these three adventures has erased himself from the system and simultaneously given himself access to any personal history that he can imagine. Apparently scifi readers have dubbed him "Nemo" which I think I read is the Latin word for "nobody" and I'm just going to roll with that for this review.
Nemo is involved with the organisation that is compiling everyone's personal data into a centralised system and at first he is a proud proponent of the work. He considers all of the many benefits which the collated data will bring to areas such as medicine and economics and so on. A friend makes a few contradictory points and the result of that passing conversation is that Nemo's doubts ultimately lead him to abandon his part in the project and his place in the new system.
I'm going to interject here with my own controversial thoughts, so skip the next three paragraphs to focus on the book review.
Unlike most people I'm all for getting a chip in my wrist and having all my data stored and never having to carry money and not having to recall the name of a drug that my doctor prescribed 10 years ago and yeah, I love it. Sign me up for the New World Order folks.
Look, we're all much more familiar with this type of invasion of privacy right here in 2022 than we were in 1969 when the first Nemo novelette came out. Our movements are tracked, our opinions and preferences are recorded and then that data is sold around the place. People are making money off of knowing things about us. So? But really, so what?? I personally prefer that the ads I see are tailored to my interests.
In Australia we have begun the process of collating medical information, only the process is voluntary and you have to request to have your data added to your file after each visit, so it's really not functioning well enough for my liking yet.
Ooops, I nearly forgot to review the book. Well, I've thrown my two cents in just to say that although I wouldn't have made the same choice as Nemo, I appreciate the vitality of the questions asked in this book. I should emphasise that the stories don't focus heavily on those issues after the initial set up.
Now, back to the stories at hand.
1. The Eve of Rumoko
It took me a few pages to get into it, but after that I was hooked. The dialogue is full of witty banter and the scenario rapidly counts down to the climax, like a time bomb has been set under the plot, there is constant momentum and a real sense of urgent energy to this adventure.
Nemo gets himself involved in Project Rumoko, a secret operation to create a new volcanic island. Woah! Along the way he generates a bit of unwanted attention and when some thugs break into his room to press him for information we get the backstory of how he became Nemo.
Nemo's task is to ensure the project goes ahead without delay and I'll let you read the book to find out how he handles his job.
"I returned to the Proteus and practiced meditation for a few days. Since it did not produce the desired results, I went up and got drunk with Bill Mellings."
I really liked Bill too, or rather the relationship that he has with Nemo. I hoped that he would be a recurring character.
The story brings up population concerns in a way that perhaps seems farcical now. It does so very cynically but I think it remains a clever plot device.
Speaking of cynical. The whole thing is giving me like a darker James Bond vibe. Everything does not come out rosy at all.
2. Kjwalll'kje'koothai'lll'kje'k
Ok. I'm going to say it. I think this story has a stupid name. But! You're not going to believe this, the text-to-speech engine on my ereader will ignore many much simpler words, opting instead to spell them out and yet, it decided to give this a go. And I'm actually impressed, I wish I could show you as part of this review. I barely looked at what letters it contains myself and I certainly didn't try to assign any sounds to it, but there you go.
"Curiosity may ultimately prove nature's way of dealing with the population problem."
This story is ridiculous in concept, to those of us not lucky enough to live in Nemo's enlightened future. I'm listening to the start of this, while two guys talk about how likely it is that the dolphins are responsible for the murder, and I'm thinking that it's all a gag. And then I'm thinking it's been going on for a few pages without a punchline, so I do, I check the synopsis and there it is: "and [Nemo] defends a group of dolphins accused of murder." So we're doing this. Law and Order, Special Aquariums Unit.
Well, I'm taking the piss, but I thought this was fantastic. I am a fan of Douglas Adams and that's where my thoughts went immediately. Keep in mind that this one preceded Hitchhiker's by a decade.
"Paul's dead," he said.
"What?"
"You heard me. Dead."
"How'd it happen?"
"He stopped breathing."
"They usually do."
This was pretty consistently entertaining. You'll probably learn a number of dolphin facts, but bear in mind that it's all mixed in casually with plenty of dolphin speculation.
3. Home is the Hangman
Nemo is hired to find a rogue robot that may or may not have achieved a level of sentience and may or may not be out to murder its creators. This one is perhaps a better detective story but not quite as whacky or fun. Still an enjoyable read with its funny moments, especially in the dialogue.
"If the liberal arts do nothing else, they provide engaging metaphors for the thinking they displace."
In this final story Nemo is at greater risk of being found out because one of the scientists that he is hired to protect is a past acquaintance.