Red Thunder

Rating:
Summary: Red Thunder
Review: There is no doubt that John Varley is one of the best science fiction authors. There is no doubt that this is his weakest book. I have read everything Varley has written. I would give most of what he has written as many stars as I could. His short stories are superb. His novels are superb.

Unfortunately, this book borders on juvenile fiction, but isn't quite simple enough. This book borders on adult fiction, but really lacks any sort of suspense or involved plot. In short, this book is a tremendous dissapointment from an otherwise great author.

Rating:
Summary: Remember when Science Fiction was fun?
Review: If you cut your teeth on the myriad science fiction magazines in the late forties and early fifties - Astounding, Startling Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories, etc - then this book is right down your alley. Yes, it is very much like the Heinlein juveniles of the fifties, but I do not have a problem with that. This book took me back to those adolescent days and long afternoons of reading science fiction and totally loving it. This book is fun to read. I'm sick of reading science fiction books that are well written and instantly forgettable, the books you pick up a month later and wonder if you've read. That won't happen with this book.

Varley takes a group af high-school students, an aging astronaut, a backwoods genius, and launches them on a grand adventure. The Chinese have a ship in space destined to be the first manned ship to land on Mars, the Americans have a ship in space that should arrive second but are destined not to arrive at all, and Jubal, the backwoods genius, says we should get there first. So what do you do? You build your own ship with new technology and get there first.

Too many science fiction writers today write crap. Well written, but crap badly in need of an editor not afraid to cut from a thousand pages to three hundred and fifty. John Varley's book is a normal size book that will give you a pleasant afternoon's read. Have fun.

Rating:
Summary: Debated with myself about 5 stars
Review: It's silly, and tacky, the physics are ridiculous, and it has 3 egregious mistakes, but I really enjoyed the story, and I'm pretty critical of most Sci-Fi. Maybe because it wasn't taking itself too seriously. A really fun book. Taking the physics innovation as a given, he hung that together pretty good. Made one wonder what would happen at phase 3 though, which was an obvious extension they didn't talk about. (I won't spoil it, but you can think about that as you read it.)

Only things I caught that just didn't work that the author missed:
Somehow, with a snapped weld on their comms antenna, they don't go EVA to fix it for a couple days of flight? Then anal-retentive-boy post alky captain does a flipover? But the go EVA later, no problem. Daft I call that.

And then that cell phone ringing out at 4 light seconds from earth? Sure, you could pump up a signal and reach the phone, make it bark, use it as an annunciator, but talk back to the caller on that phone? That's outrageously silly. There wasn't any delay on the cell phone, but there was on the regular comms? Snort.

I really don't think the big earthmover tires would disintegrate on Mars overnight if frozen. Wouldn't faze'em one bit at Valles Marineris temperatures. Those long chain hydrocarbons with cross links don't break down from freezing. I guess our man John ain't a chemist. Nor has he spent time in North Alaska in winter or he'd know you can drive a wheel when the tire's frozen solid. It's damned uncomfortable, what with the flat spot goin' whack, whack, but tire'll do OK. Sure, it's not in the manufacturer's spec, but just about anything you do with a tire is out of warranty anyway. Tires are tough things. Just ask any landfill manager.

Those were the only floozer things. I'm a stickler for things fitting together. But those were peripheral and unless you're a rip-snorter like me, you wouldn't notice them.

So OK. I've spoiled the story slightly for you. Except it's a really fun story, and I loved it. Made me want to get the shop back together and build something. I think he had fun writing this story, and it shows, so I forgive those little glitches.

Rating:
Summary: An Homage to Heinlein? Four and a half stars.
Review: Okay, so I'm not the only reader who picked up on the Heinlein references in the book. There are probably even more than I noticed. The book is not derivative, it's just a fun read.

If you're looking for some kind of deep thought piece, this won't do it. If you want a book that you will think, geez this could maybe happen in a few years, this is it.

The characters are well drawn, you get a feel for why they do what they do, the science is plausible within the framework of the book, and the plot moves along.

I would have been happier if the book had been longer, I get the feeling that some things were edited out to make the book more commercial, that's why the four and one half stars.

However I'd reccommend the book. Go ahead, spend the cash you won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: It never falls flat.
Review: Varley has done good work here. Simply said, he had a story to tell and did it in fine style.

This story is a reminder of the early days of science fiction space opera. There is a solid cast of colorful characters, each with their own personalities, and not one of them a cardboard cut-out.

If you like space opera, read this book. If you like well-told tales, read this book. If you want to spend some enjoyable time while you are on vacation, or are taking a long drive or a flight, if you just want something to read, if you want something that is uplifting, then just go ahead and read this book.

Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: Lots of people are talking about how this book resembles a Heinlein juvenile. In many ways it does, from the hypercompetent 19-year-olds to the implausible (but not entirely!) journey they undertake. I am a complete sucker for this sort of story -- about revolutionary space technology in its infancy -- so I may have been much more willing to forgive its foibles. But honestly, as a novel, it's got great pacing, interesting characters with interesting backgrounds and depth, and doesn't insult the reader's intelligence at all. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Red Thunder - Varley Crashes and Burns
Review: I was so excited to learn a new Varley novel was being published... I was crawling out of my skin with anticipation... heck, I even pre-release-ordered (I've never done that before). I have so totally enjoyed everything else I've read by Varley. His prior work totally resonates with me on many levels. Red Thunder arrives... I tear into it... and slowly, painfully realize (after several bouts of denial) that this was REALLY lacking. I read a magazine review that called the plot line plausible. Did that reviewer read the same book? I couldn't find a thread of believability (Steel Beach & Golden Globe had tons by comparison)... and one needs at least a thread in successful science fiction or science fantasy. I felt like Varley was writing for children. It read like it was written by a kid. That's fine, but promote the book that way. His characters were shallow - they resembled "Our Gang" characters. None spoke in Varley's formerly-wonderful, multi-faceted comic voice. The book was not mentally challenging... on any level... but worse, it was not engaging either. Sadly, I had to force myself to finish it. Sorry John... but I long for another Varley worthy of Varley.

Rating:
Summary: Varley is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Has John Varley written a bad book yet? If so then I haven't read it. Even the worst of his books are better than the best some other writers can come up with. Red Thunder is no exception. Once again Varley has proven that, even though he doesn't write often, he has the power to deliver a bombshell in each book.

In Red Thunder we have the story of our first manned mission to Mars. What makes this tale different from so many other stories about flights to Mars is the cast of characters Varley has peopled this tale with. There are no astronauts here. Red Thunder is a private ship built and piloted by a bunch of Florida rednecks who took matters into their own hands. Set in the very near future this is a story of regular people just like the rest of us. It is so easy to relate to Varley's characters because the reader can see him or herself doing exactly the same things in these circumstances. Varley makes a trip to Mars look easy. He makes it look like it is within our grasp.

There is a reason John Varley won both the Nebula and the Hugo awards. He has a way of writing that makes the reader forget that there is even a book involved. Reading a Varley novel is as easy as sitting back and watching a movie. The words flow off the page with so little effort that it is never anything less than a pleasure to read his work. When the last page is turned the reader is tempted to stand up and applaud.

In writing about this book I have to admit that I am tempted to write pages and pages of tedious "review type" stuff. I want to hit all the good points and all the bad points and wax poetic about this incredible book that I just finished reading. But let's face facts. There are no bad points to mention and to go through all the good points would take a book nearly as big as the novel in question. And since I'm not half the writer that Varley is I'll just have to tell you to read Red Thunder for yourself. You will not be disappointed. Trust me on this. If you read science fiction and you haven't read Varley yet than you are missing out. If you are not a fan of sci-fi then Varley may very well change your mind. And if you are already a fan of John Varley then you don't need me to tell you anything about his genius. You already know.

Rating:
Summary: Space is Still an Adventure
Review: Those who became entranced with science fiction by way of Heinlein's juveniles will find in this book a return to that same sense of wonder, the feeling that man can accomplish almost anything he sets out to do, that everyday troubles can be overcome, that will make you proud to be a member of the human race.

Just how do you build a spaceship in your back yard (or even a rented warehouse)? As a starting point, it greatly helps if you have a power plant that can deliver effectively unlimited power, the invention of Jubal, Travis Broussard's highly eccentric cousin. Travis, as an alcoholic cashiered astronaut, provides both some of the necessary capital and the experience level to make such a project a possible reality. For labor, four 'kids' (they're 20+ years old) who are motivated and highly intelligent, who already have some skill sets that are quite relevant to the task are quite willing to learn more. Building the ship occupies a good two thirds of the book, and some of the details of how it's done in a hurry-up, make it work (while really testing for safety) fashion make for fascinating reading. The actual flight of the Red Thunder, while still interesting, is not quite so fascinating, and the space rescue that the crew performs on an American attempt to reach Mars smacks a little bit of melodrama, but it had me turning pages till two in the morning.

The power plant device, the 'Squeezer', is highly improbable, and violates quite a few principles of physics (as known today), but it is the basic element that both allows the space ship to become a reality, and due to its inherent power, drives the reasoning behind building the ship as a private enterprise, as such power, in the wrong hands, could become a nightmare. This helps drive one of the thematic messages of this book, an almost paranoid anti-government (of any stripe) stance, a reflection on the reality that all humans are not inherently good, kind, or peaceful. Offsetting this message are some others: people really can and often do help one another, people do better when they have a definite goal to work towards, your family is a major influence in your formation, but is not the only or final determiner of just what type of person you become.

Varley pays some definite homage to Heinlein here, with a plot line that is very much a re-working of Heinlein's Rocket Ship Galileo (Heinlein's first and probably his weakest juvenile), updated to today's world (and so becoming far more believable). There are more references to Heinlein in the character's names (Manny Garcia, Jubal) and John D. MacDonald (Travis, McGee and the Florida setting). This book is not technically a juvenile, but it has that same feel, and is readable by almost anyone over the age of fourteen or so (there are some references to sex and some portrayed family relationships that are probably not appropriate for younger readers).

The characters are well fleshed out, and the portrayed interpersonal relationships ring with veracity. It's easy to get very caught up in Manny's (the first-person narrator) life, his relationships with his mother, his girlfriend Kelly, his best friend Dak. A very fast and highly entertaining read, one that will forcibly remind you of just what a pleasure reading can be.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Rating:
Summary: Average Varley is better than most author's best
Review: Red Thunder is certainly a novel of exploration and entrepreneurial spirit, but it is more importantly about the people who are doing it.

Red Thunder is solidly plotted by Varley who puts this bootstrapping space exploration novel into the near future (my guess is 10-20 years, but he never specifies). The plot deals with the race to Mars. China is going to get there first. The US mission is lagging behind and has some potential troubles. The cast wants to get to Mars first and figures out a believable way to get there thanks to an invention by the unconventional genius, Jubal. From a technology stand point Varley does a good job covering all the points that came up in the book (i.e. how they heck are they going to do that?).

The cast of characters are solid save for Jubal who is more of a plot device than a character per se. Varley as always does a good animating the characters and you get to know them well. Jubal is responsible for the technology behind the novel, but his characterization never rang true for me.

Red Thunder is not Varley's best book, but what might pass as an average novel for him is still better than most other authors on a good day. If you are into Varley or into space exploration or Mars the novel is definitely worth picking up. For everyone else I would pick up other of Varley's novels and work your way to this one.