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2.0 AVERAGE
2.0 AVERAGE
So . . . I got this book as a sort of joke gift. My wife knows my interest in Appendix N, and we recently had our 8th wedding anniversary (traditional gift: bronze), so she gave me this book as an 8th anniversary gift. I've read some Lin Carter, but not much, so I eagerly began reading. One of he worst books I've ever read. I mean, it is problematic in every way - racist, sexist, and just bad writing. It also reveals some very sadomasochistic thinking on the part of Carter (even some lezdom stuff), which is not a problem when consensual (but it's not in the book), and some creepy recounting of how youthful and sexual some characters are to the point that it reads mildly like pedophilia (surely not the intent, but . . . ugh). It does have its "charming" bits, as one reviewer said, and I can absolutely see the adventure/action elements that led to Lin Carter being an Appendix N author who inspired the creation of D&D (though this particular book was published in 1981, too late to have been part of the original Appendix N itself). But the worst thing is the extent to which this is just an inferior ripoff of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Pellucidar stories, to the point where some of the main characters are clearly just renamed versions of Burroughs' characters. I'm not recommending this book - it would probably only get one star from me if it were not Appendix N, as an Appendix N author's book where I can see the inspirational roots of D&D, I gave it two - but it made me laugh often, if only at how bad the writing was at points. Pellucidar has its problematic elements, to be sure, but you're far better off reading the Pellucidar books by E.R. Burroughs. But . . . well, I still had fun, if only picking this one apart!