Rating: 
Summary: Classic sci-fi
Review: I generally seem to find that sci-fi from the 40's, 50's and 60's to be more rewarding than those which are more recent. Slan reinforced that view.
There's little doubt that this novel shows some sign of age, but the quality of the ideas presented still shine through. So much of what lies between these covers has influenced much of what came later. There are plenty of other novels and short stories which explore the possibility of the next evolutionaty step that humans may take, which doubtless explore it more deeply. However, this was amongst the first.
Additionally it explores racism, and the dangers of mob-intolerance. On top of that, it's actually a good story.Charming, and a rewarding read.
Rating:
Summary: Slan
Review: I heard that this book was a classic science fiction tale so I decided to give it a try. There is action, mystery and romance all wrapped into one fun story. With an unexpected ending that will make you want to re-read this classic again and again. A definate keeper!
Rating:
Summary: Slan
Review: I heard that this book was a classic science fiction tale so I decided to give it a try. There is action, mystery and romance all wrapped into one fun story. With an unexpected ending that will make you want to re-read this classic again and again. A definate keeper!
Rating: 
Summary: Call me Jommy
Review: I loved Slan. I felt for and with Jommy. I was caught up in the mystery just as Jommy was as he searched for other "true slans" like himself. I ,like Jommy, never guessed at the truth until it was revealed to both of us at the same time at the end of the book. This book is called a classic. I don't always agree with what people call a classic, but in this case I whole heatedly agree. This book was written in the early 1940s! It reads like a modern novel. To say it was ahead of it's time is an understatement. It is almost independent of time. The inventions that Jommy comes up with are innovative and exciting. His car is just like the batmobile. When Jommy just sits in his car staring, it reminded me of the dark knight. The idea of nature coming up with the next step in man's evolution is also the topic of many stories since Slan. I never once doubted the supreme intelligence of Jommy. I felt him there way above humans. It is nice to think that the next stage after man will be antiviolence and antimurder. It is comforting to think that a higher intelligence will kill unless the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Jommy inherits the most important discovery the "human" race has ever made. He takes it upon himself to bring it forth to the true slans who are the only ones who can be trusted to use it correctly. Therefore until he does so, his survival is the most important thing. My human reactions clashed sharply with Jommy's higher slan reactions in a few instances. When he showed mercy and took care of Granny, I would have had him kill her after she called the police. But it was his keeping her alive that saved him later on. Also Jommy felt death more deeply than a human could have yet was able to restrain himself and keep his purpose. I would have wiped out as many humans as I could have before they killed me. Overall, this is a very entertaining and extremely intelligent book. I liked the characters, the adventure, and the mystery. It is intelligent novels like this one that drew me to science fiction in the first place. I would hope that someone would make this novel into a movie because it would be great.
Rating:
Summary: Dated but still worthwhile
Review: I picked this book up somewhere as a freebie, having long heard of Van Vogt but never having read anything by him. I figured that for the price I might as well try it. I won't say that I loved the book, but something kept me reading. "Slan" is dated, yes--the language is vintage pulp and the ideas are commonplace today, but Van Vogt's prose has an energy that kept me going. Even though his handling of the SF elements--genetic engineering, space, and technology--is a little creaky, the underlying themes of the book remain potent. Racial bigotry, genocide, and fear of those who are different are just as relevant today as they were Van Vogt's day. It's always hard to put aside modern sensibilities of style and plot to read a classic work as it would have been read when first published. In this case, it's worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Dated but still worthwhile
Review: I picked this book up somewhere as a freebie, having long heard of Van Vogt but never having read anything by him. I figured that for the price I might as well try it. I won't say that I loved the book, but something kept me reading. "Slan" is dated, yes--the language is vintage pulp and the ideas are commonplace today, but Van Vogt's prose has an energy that kept me going. Even though his handling of the SF elements--genetic engineering, space, and technology--is a little creaky, the underlying themes of the book remain potent. Racial bigotry, genocide, and fear of those who are different are just as relevant today as they were Van Vogt's day. It's always hard to put aside modern sensibilities of style and plot to read a classic work as it would have been read when first published. In this case, it's worth it.
Rating:
Summary: A compelling story -- Read it.
Review: I read Slan when I was a teenager back in the 80's. Back when I read about three SciFi books every week. Slan is one of the few that really left a lasting impression. The theme of "mutant" and "outcast" is definitely one of my favorites, but there are precious few books that do it any kind of justice. (In most treatments, the theme just becomes a pretense for comic book heroism or kinky sex.) Slan is one of the few that succeeds in really exploring the issue, including the imperative to find others of one's own kind, a concern that we can surely all sympathize with. It's definitely worth reading. In the same genre, I would also recommend "Psion," and my personal favorite from the juvenile section, "The Girl with Silver Eyes," a real masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: A compelling story -- Read it.
Review: I read Slan when I was a teenager back in the 80's. Back when I read about three SciFi books every week. Slan is one of the few that really left a lasting impression. The theme of "mutant" and "outcast" is definitely one of my favorites, but there are precious few books that do it any kind of justice. (In most treatments, the theme just becomes a pretense for comic book heroism or kinky sex.) Slan is one of the few that succeeds in really exploring the issue, including the imperative to find others of one's own kind, a concern that we can surely all sympathize with. It's definitely worth reading. In the same genre, I would also recommend "Psion," and my personal favorite from the juvenile section, "The Girl with Silver Eyes," a real masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: nothing special
Review: I went into reading SLAN perfectly aware of its age and inevitable naivete, and on that level it was fine. There's something charming about reading the past's view of the future. On the story and writing levels, however, I found this book terribly ordinary. I had just read Alfred Bester's DEMOLITION MAN prior to SLAN, and Bester's flair for writing and diction are far superior. If you have more books you'd like to read than you have hours in the day, pass this one for someting a bit more substantial.
Rating:
Summary: Great Golden Age SF...with flaws.
Review: I would actually rate this 3.5 stars, but that's not a choice. In this 1940 A.E. van Vogt work, he paints a portrait of Earth approximately 1500 years in the future with great effectiveness. Instead of delving into the technobable that weights down today's books, he jumps into character developement, descripions of prejudice, and heightened paranoia. Why? Because Earth is populate by normal humans...and slans. Slans are humans that have telepathic ability, and no mind (except another slan's) is quiet to them. Normal humans have been methodically hunting down and killing slans out of fear and paranoia. The story revolves around Jommy Cross and his fight to survive childhood and fight against human oppression. I thought the narrative was gripping and the explaination of the way a telepath thinks, quite ahead of its time. The science is lacking, but let's face it...the story is 60 years old! But the fundamental storytelling is there. One complaint: van Vogt seemed to lose his way at the end. The further into the book...the more the ends started to become unraveled. I got the feeling that the book just sort of ended, and I wanted more. But, this is a solid SF Golden Age book that stands up well with time. If you're into the classics, this is a must read.
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