User Friendly

Rating:
Summary: Reader Friendly
Review: User Friendly is a collection of short stories and essays by Spider Robinson. Though Robinson's best known short fiction is his Callahan's Crosstime Saloon series, I prefer the non-Callahan stuff myself, and that's what's we get in User Friendly.

In the title story, Robinson uses the device of an "invasion" by telepathically controlling aliens as a thinly veiled excuse to discuss Canadian/United States relations. If you thought Heinlein was preachy, he's got nothing on Robinson in this one. I tend to agree with Stephen King, "...serious ideas must always serve [the] story, not the other way around...if you want to preach, get a soapbox." My irritation is tempered by the fact I agree with everything Robinson, himself a Canadian, has his character Alice say on the subject of many Canadians' antipathy toward the good ol' US of A.

"Copyright Violation" is quite possibly the funniest story I've every read. I was chortling, chuckling, and laughing out loud through most of it. If you have a shred of humor in your body, you NEED to read this. And yet it's also quite touching. For my money it's the best thing in the book - and that's saying something.

"The Magnificent Conspiracy" tells the story of a Vietnam veteran's visit to a used car lot owned by a man with....unusual ideas on how to run his business - and how that's only part of his plan to change the world.

In "My Mentors" Robinson gives credit to the three men who've shaped his life the most. If you're a science fiction fan, none of the three will be unknown to you. If you're familiar with Robinson's career, you could probably guess them.

"Teddy the Fish" and "Admiral Bob" are homages to Theodore Sturgeon and Robert Anson Heinlein respectively, written in the rap of Lord Buckley. (If you don't know who Lord Buckley was, don't worry, Robinson is happy to tell you.) SR's love and respect for these two men shines through every word.

"His Own Petard" and "Where No Man Pursueth" are spoofs. In the former Robinson skewers a prototypical SF critic; the latter is a Keith Laumer-esque adventure parody. Either this sort of thing does it for you or it doesn't. Frankly I think Robinson is at his worst when he becomes relentlessly clever and punny. Though I have to admit, naming the protagonist of "Where No Man Pursueth" Fleming Ayniss got a smile.

In "Too Soon We Grow Old" a woman places herself into cryogenic sleep; it's mostly the story of what happens to her when she wakes. And I will say no more. It's wonderful.

"Plus Ca Change" - another essay - is one of those tedious "the future will really suck because..." things some people find funny.

In "The Gifts of the Magistrate" we meet Vonda McLisle, aka the Vandal, who stole Halley's Comet from the sky, and learn why she did it. Another fabulous story.

"Distraction" is a lame joke with a lame punchline.

"Orphan of Eden" sees a time traveller from the future journey to the 20th Century to address an important question on morality to that well-known historical figure, Spider Robinson. I haven't quite made up my mind about this one, whether I like it or not.

In the essay "Pandora's Last Gift" Robinson looks at the state of the world from the Sixties to the late 20th Century, and concludes that hope for the future is not at all out of line. It's as thought provoking and uplifting a meditation as you'll ever read.

"- And Subsequent Construction" is pretty darn good. Iris, retired relativist (a starship driver a la Norman Spinrad's Void Captains - minus the orgasms) is trying to invent a time machine, but is interrupted when she comes to work one day to find herself waiting for her.

In "Not Fade Away", in the far future, the last warrior meets the last....well, that would be telling. Another winner.

"Seduction of the Ignorant" is an essay (originally a speech) about illiteracy and how to fight it. (The title is an obvious play on Dr. Frederick Wertham's book, Seduction of the Innocent.)

Not every story or essay in User Friendly is a home run. About half, in my subjective opinion, miss the mark. But "Copyright Violation", "My Mentors", "Teddy the Fish", "Admiral Bob", "Too Soon We Grow Old," "The Gifts of the Magistrate", "Pandora's Last Gift", "Not Fade Away" and "Seduction of the Ignorant" are all among the best short fiction and non-fiction you could ever be lucky enough to read. "- And Subsequent Construction" is not quite in their class, but still very well-done. These are short stories and essays by a master of both forms - and absolutely worth owning.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting but different short story collection
Review: User Friendly is an interesting collection of short stories and essays. It's definitely different from many of Spider's earlier works but still good. The relationship between this book and Spider's earlier books is similar to the one between Heinlein's Expanded Universe and the rest of his work.

Rating:
Summary: Not stellar, but still a good read.
Review: While not quite as engrossing as some of his more extended works (the Callahan's saga; the Sta Dance series), this collections of short stories is still very much worth the price. The title story tells of how aliens come to Earth, enslave random peoples minds, and the populace acccepts it. It's fresh ideas like these, strongly presented in a no-holds-barred style that add real punch to each piece.