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seanius's review
3.0
Mixed bag with decidedly wobbly start with the best curiously saved for last (Mason’s Life which appears in various collections).
The first 3 stories are dreadful: boring army-office politics and then a kind of anti socialist and perhaps homophobic conspiracy tale. But if you soldier on through that lot, things do pick up.
Amis, as with Lucky Jim, seems at his best with a charismatic male lead engaged with lively women. Sensible or excitable ladies help to offset the stolid English sensibility and lift the whole short story endeavour to something engaging and enjoyable.
Aside from the help of female characters and doubtless real life female energies, the tales of sci-fi with a touch of booze are the most humorous.
Monsters or horror are a little tame, yet charming. Female characters are generally relegated to supporting and housewifey roles, but that’s probably par for the course of the time…
There are some skilful and slightly irreverent takes on classics such as Holmes and Dracula.
Worth a read if you can skip the army bits and don’t object too much to a man writing in a man’s world…
The first 3 stories are dreadful: boring army-office politics and then a kind of anti socialist and perhaps homophobic conspiracy tale. But if you soldier on through that lot, things do pick up.
Amis, as with Lucky Jim, seems at his best with a charismatic male lead engaged with lively women. Sensible or excitable ladies help to offset the stolid English sensibility and lift the whole short story endeavour to something engaging and enjoyable.
Aside from the help of female characters and doubtless real life female energies, the tales of sci-fi with a touch of booze are the most humorous.
Monsters or horror are a little tame, yet charming. Female characters are generally relegated to supporting and housewifey roles, but that’s probably par for the course of the time…
There are some skilful and slightly irreverent takes on classics such as Holmes and Dracula.
Worth a read if you can skip the army bits and don’t object too much to a man writing in a man’s world…
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