Deathworld

By Harry Harrison

This classic sci-fi adventure from Harry Harrison, the creator of The Stainless Steel Rat, follows protagonist Jason dinAlt as he investigates Pyrrus, a strange place where all the beasts, plants, and natural elements are out to destroy man.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crossroad Press
• Release date: Nov 18, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452350516

Harry Harrison

HARRY HARRISON (1925-2012) was the Hugo Award-nominated, Nebula Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Stainless Steel Rat, Deathworld, and West of Eden series, as well as Make Room! Make Room! which was turned into the cult classic movie, Soylent Green starring Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. In 2009 Harrison was awarded the Damon Knight SF Grand Master Award by the Science Fiction Writers of America.

Reviews for Deathworld

[kplamp-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Silly but fun

[lgildersleeve-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

While the setting was interesting, the main character's motivations never made sense.

[kale.dyer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable classic of science fiction.

[randulf-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of Harrison's finest achievements. High adventure in space, almost reminiscent of John Carter and John Carson's adventures on Mars and Venus respectively. Brutal, romantic, dangerous, this whole trilogy surpasses perhaps even Star Wars.

[rlangston-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(Deathworld 2) A reread of what I think is the best one in the series. Works well as a standalone, as it takes place in a completely different context and setting than the first book.

[jimmaclachlan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lots of fun & adventure, this contains 3 adventures of Jason, a gambler with a touch of psi ability that makes him a very comfortable living at the craps table. In the first story, he meets up with the Pyrann's, humans from possibly the most dangerous planet in the explored universe. In the second, he is kidnapped & winds up playing something similar to the Connecticut Yankee. In the third, he works on a new home for the Pyranns. It's funny, somewhat educational & always interesting.

[jpers36 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

NOT SPOILER-FREEThis classic work by Harry Harrison unfortunately suffers from lack of an editor's eye, as well as anvilicious messages. The storylines are all engaging and the world-building is well done, but most everything else is sub-par.Harrison's love for the incomplete sentence is showcased in Deathworld I. The editor of Deathworld II must have caught on and cleaned up the most glaring examples in that entry of the series, but they return with a vengeance in Deathworld III.Harrison also loves to use his books as soapboxes. Unfortunately, the three books have three different points, some of which are trite while others are offensive to me. Deathworld I argues that peace and understanding will win out over violence and war. Deathworld II argues that morality is secondary to survival, and ends in a Shoot the Dog moment in which protagonist Jason dinAlt orders his love interest to kill the insufferable and uptight comic relief. Deathworld III argues that societal evolution is inevitable, and that war and brutality are to be encouraged in order to encourage a stable society in the future.All of this worked when paired with vicious satire in Harrison's Bill the Galactic Hero (then again, I read Bill in grade school). Deathworld is played completely straight. In addition, Bill was laughably naive. Jason altDin is a Gary Stu who understands every situation and can do no wrong; his one weakness appears to be a surprise knock to the head. He's surrounded by one-dimensional characters, most of which are anti-intellectuals of one sort or another. He's also psychic, which affects the plot exactly twice, and both in Deathworld I.

[homechicken · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat books, and could see some of the humble beginnings of Slippery Jim in the main character, Jason dinAlt, but that's about the only similarity. The books are three totally separate stories, and are much longer than the SSR books I mentioned. Jason is a professional gambler, and is recruited by a mysterious and extremely strong stranger to make a lot of money in one night. Jason uses his slightly psychic abilities to influence the casino games in his favor, but the owners don't take too kindly to his actions. He ends up joining the stranger on a trip to his homeworld, taking the starship-load of munitions Jason helped fund back to the people there, who are in the middle of a war. The planet is killing them off with its deadly indigenous life. Jason sees this as an "ultimate gamble" where he can pit himself against an entire world. Did I mention the twice-normal Earth gravity?Jason ends up divining the cause of the hostility of the natural life on deathworld and helps to find a solution to it in the first book. In the second book, he is kidnapped by a crazed religious nut bent on making him pay for his crimes on various worlds. Jason sabotages the ship and they crash land on a planet and are forced to work together to survive. Jason climbs their backward society from slave level to a very high scientific advisor. This was probably the best story, despite how much he trusted his kidnapper.The third book is about the settlement of a planet that is possibly even more hostile than deathworld, and Jason is forced to change their entire society before they can begin settling and mining its rich mineral deposits.All together, they were good books, and I'm sure that I'll go back and read them again in the next few years.

[abatishko_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read this book a couple of times now. I find it enjoyable in part because Harrison is very good about presenting an overly capable character(s) (that should be able to handle anything you throw at them) and finding situations to put them in that are both challenging and plausible.Harrison does get a little preachy in the second story, but other than that, the stories are pretty straightforward adventures about solving some unusual problems.This is classic (old) sci-fi, with much of its faults and charms, and therefore may not appeal to some people. (4/5)

[tony_a20 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shows that agressive, military aggression creats enemies, and leads to failure. Much like the US today. Nevertheless, it's an engaging, and interesting tale. Harrison is a master.

[diehardkev · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of Harrison's finest achievements. High adventure in space, almost reminiscent of John Carter and John Carson's adventures on Mars and Venus respectively. Brutal, romantic, dangerous, this whole trilogy surpasses perhaps even Star Wars.

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable classic of science fiction.

[bestine_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Far superior to the long-running Stainless Steel Rat franchise. Kept the best, traded the rest.