Rating: 
Summary: Ignore the Synopsys! Read one of the Greatest SF in all time
Review: The synopsys above says: "Marooned in outer space after an attack on his ship, Nomad, Gulliver Foyle lives to obsessively pursue the crew of a rescue vessel that had intended to leave him to die". That's like describing _Les_Miserables_ as "Ex-convict Jean Valjean collides with the French Revolution. Lots of death and despair."
(Not to mention that the details of that synopsys are all wrong: the Nomad was not his ship, he was just a third-class spaceman on the merchant vessel, and Vorga was not a "rescue vessel", but a sister ship of the Presteign conglomerate, but that's nit-picking :-). This novel is a superb example of science-fiction as practiced by the great SF authors:
Take the world as you know it, modify a few basic postulates, mix in an interesting plot related to those postulates, put in fully-rounded characters, and see what develops: Several centuries in the future, jaunting --teleportation by will alone-- has utterly changed civilization in a span of little more that a hundred years. The old post-colonial Solar economy and society is straining on the changes created by a jaunting population. Although jaunting is confined to the surface of the Inner Planets and Outer Satellites, the virtual disappearance of the transportation and communication industries has turned the commercial war into a shooting war. In an age where physical security is served by jaunte-proof confusion mazes, walled-up houses, radar trip-fields and elite private security forces, women are sent back to purdah, and power is held ---no, *gripped*-- by the political and economic classes. "This was an age of extremes, a fascinating century of freaks... but nobody loved it." Gulliver Foyle starts as the archetypical "Common Man", a cipher, a dead-end, though he has talents no one suspects, least of of himself. Being marrooned by an attack of the OS and spurned by his purported mates triggers a change that turns him into a human predator, a "lecherous, treacherous villain," "without mercy, without forgiveness, without hypocrisy." Clawing to the top, he manages to draw the attention of the political, military, intelligence and commercial establishments of both the Outer Satellites and the Inner Planets. After tweaking his nose at all of them and getting away with anything and everything, they catch up with him, but more importantly, he catches up with himself: he picks up a "rare disease called conscience." In the end, Gulliver Foyle transcends all the petty interests the Establishment is after, and realizes that he has the keys to transform the human race. Tiger! Tiger! was my *first* sci-fi book (when I was 8) and it hooked me for life. As a matter of fact, I have a well-worn Penguin Books 1974 reprint right here behind me in my bookcase (if you didn't notice, I've quoted some of it :-). Apart from the fascinating characterizations and roller-coaster plot, it's sci-fi attributes aren't dated. If you gave this book to a hard SF fan today who didn't know the book or author, he would be hard pressed to place the decade when it was written. (Granted, there are a *few* elements that give it away, but you get so engrossed in the book you probably won't notice them until you think about them.) I really can't say enough about this book. Buy it now that it has been re-issued, read it, re-read it, treasure it.
Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction meets the 50's....is man free....
Review: or is man a slave to mankind? Not only does Bester write an entertaining science-fiction classic, which runs smooth, and keeps you glued to the book, but he does an excellent job of mirroring the thought of the 50's. One will notice the way the story constantly shifts between a gritty story of revenge to a social commentary on religion (faith), the big-bang theory (PyrE), and communism. Should each man have the opportunity to understand the forces that shape the world, or should this information be held by only a few men? Not only does Bester make us think about social responsibility time and time again, but he delivers this commentary through the actions and words of Gully Foyle...the common man.
Rating:
Summary: A powerful saga about revenge and redemption
Review: This is a novel that was ahead of its time. Bester's dated vision of the future is somewhat reminiscent of the Jetsons, but his story is solid and timeless. The comparisons with the Count of Monte Cristo are relevent, but Bester has written an original novel that has a unique message of its own. Gully Foyle is the everyman who is content to live a life of mundane anonymity until he is betrayed and left to die. Vowing vengeance he becomes educated and motivated to change into an exceptional human being. Bester has crafted a story that explores the tendency of the "common man" to live a life of complaceny until challenged by extraordinary circumstances. Bester pioneers a vision of the future that is chaotic, but also progressive in comparison to the conservative 1950s (contemporary with Bester's writings). The Stars My Destination is a novel that can stand the comparison with the Count of Monte Cristo and is worthy of the label classic.
Rating:
Summary: INCREDIBLE
Review: If you enjoyed the Demolished Man you'll love this. If you hate science fiction you'll love this. This is one of the best books that I have ever read, if you do not read it you are depriving yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Put this one on your sci-fi short list
Review: I first read "The Stars My Destination" about 20 years ago. Then, only last month, it caught my eye when I passed a used book store. Last weekend, I stayed up all night reading it. It was just as well written and exciting the second time around. The saga of Gully Foyle is a grand classic of the genre. Don't pass it up.
Rating:
Summary: Don't miss it!
Review: In John Kessel's sf class at NCSU everyone was blown away by this spectacular book. A novel that distinguishes itself when read alongside the likes of LeGuin, Sterling, Dick, and Robinson is special indeed. WARNING: give yourself a good three hours before starting this book because you won't want to put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Bester's novel shows it's age...
Review: Contrary to the glowing reviews all around (and the book's preface by Neil Gaiman), I found this novel really shows it's age--although the writing is strong and the story of revenge compelling, I found it difficult (as someone who enjoys the science in science fiction) to take some of the plot devices seriously. The Stars My Destination was written at a time when words like "radar" and "atomic" were used with a sense of "golly gee whiz!" What little techno-babble Bester includes in his story is fairly quaint--a scientist turned radioactive (gasp!) by an experiment gone horribly wrong; a "blind" woman who nevertheless can see the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum; rocket fuel called "Hi-Thrust"; and the deadly pyrE, an atomic (horrors!) explosive detonated by the force of the Mind. (If only he'd thrown in some mutated giant ants...) It is a fine, literate pulp sci-fi story, but it's roots in the Golden Age definitely show. The tone of TSMD it quasi-fantastical, like much of Golden Age sci-fi. Bester could just as easily (and more convincingly) have told the story in some magical other world as set it in the 25th century, and that's what disappointed me.
Rating:
Summary: Bester kicks ass!
Review: Bester's sci-fi novels are about as good as sci-fi gets. I only wish he had written more of them. Reading Bester makes us aware of how unimaginative and derivative current sci-fi novels are.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ !!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Review: I've read a lot of books in my life. Specially SF books. This book is really something else. I can't describe it with words. The only thing youve got to do is read it. Then you'll see. You'll see the world with the eyes of Gully Foyle. I can't understand why HollyWood is not interested about the story yet!
Rating:
Summary: The best I've ever read!
Review: For some odd reason, I've always been hesitant to read science fiction books which are older than I am (26 to be exact). My view has been that if it was written too long ago, it must surely be out of date by now. After reading this book, (written in the 50's no less) I've begun to rethink my prejudice against older sci-fi. Not only has this book withstood the test of time, it will remain a classic for years to come (I guess that's why they call it a classic). There are so many neat aspects to this book, aside from the fascinating lead character of Gully Foyle, that I wouldn't want to give them away. Needless to say, this is the first book that I've ever even considered reading a second time. Other than Dan Simmon's "Hyperion" saga, I can't recommend any other sci-fi book higher.
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