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moonblink39's review
2.0
Wow, that took a long time to get through. Finally finished [b:A Stainless Steel Trio|172486|A Stainless Steel Trio (Stainless Steel Rat, #1-3)|Harry Harrison|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388629202s/172486.jpg|62525]. If this had been my first exposure to the series I definitely wouldn't be going any further. I never felt like I got to know the main character, Jim, at all. It just went from one action sequence to the next with only a cursory look at motivation and emotional reactions to events. Considering these are the first three books in the series time-wise I expected to see some growth, but Jim was the same from start to finish. I'll give [b:The Stainless Steel Rat|64394|The Stainless Steel Rat (Stainless Steel Rat, #4)|Harry Harrison|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328073906s/64394.jpg|824589] a try because I remember enjoying it and then decide if I want to read the remainder of the series.
michaeldrakich's review against another edition
4.0
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story. The word must not be in Harry Harrison's vocabulary. Never will you find an author who throws in more plot bombs, changes in direction, and out of left field entries into a novel than Harry does. It's what makes his novels so endearing. That, and a uncanny wit that ridicules everything you know.
This collection of three books which introduce Jim DiGriz, aka The Stainless Steel Rat, to readers (actually written as prequels to his other novels) is full of the surprises and comedy Harry Harrison is known for. With descriptions of the origin of humanity from some planet called Dirt to a mockery of Shakespeare, "To was or not to was..." These books meet all the expectations of his fans. If you are looking for serious science fiction, move on, this stuff isn't for you. But if you want to revel in the fast action hilarity of it all, then join in as this stuff is fast reading, end to end hijinks by slippery Jim DiGriz.
Because his earlier works now known as The Adventures Of The Stainless Steel Rat are even better, I limit my rating to 4 stars. If I am to rank them, the second novel - The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted is the best of the three and alone would be 5 stars.
This collection of three books which introduce Jim DiGriz, aka The Stainless Steel Rat, to readers (actually written as prequels to his other novels) is full of the surprises and comedy Harry Harrison is known for. With descriptions of the origin of humanity from some planet called Dirt to a mockery of Shakespeare, "To was or not to was..." These books meet all the expectations of his fans. If you are looking for serious science fiction, move on, this stuff isn't for you. But if you want to revel in the fast action hilarity of it all, then join in as this stuff is fast reading, end to end hijinks by slippery Jim DiGriz.
Because his earlier works now known as The Adventures Of The Stainless Steel Rat are even better, I limit my rating to 4 stars. If I am to rank them, the second novel - The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted is the best of the three and alone would be 5 stars.
sabrielsbell's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
wolvereader's review
2.0
I read two of these as a kid, and one was new to me. I still enjoy the “caper” nature of the stories, but the dialog is terrible and the philosophy lukewarm. It makes me long for Locke Lamora, which (if you read my reviews of that series) will show you how I satisfied I was with my reprise of the stainless steel rat.
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