OATH OF FEALTY

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, considering how good Niven and Pournelle are
Review: I expected an SF book when I picked this up at a used bookstore while on vacation. It actually had no SF in it at all. This disappointed me. The plot was a little dry, and the characters weren't that compelling.

I was disappointed, because I generally like Niven, and his other books with Pournelle that I've read have been quite good.

The story is about a huge city-in-a-building which sits inside of Los Angeles, and mainly deals with conflicts between the citizens of LA and those of Todos Santos (loosely inspired by Arcosanti, I believe, which is also mentioned in the book). It's psychologically interesting, but not much beyond that, unfortunately.

I'm being generous with 3 stars, because it was well written, even if it wasn't that good a story.

Rating:
Summary: Very Well Done
Review: I thought this book was very well done. It certainly kept me interested from beginning to end reading about a city all condensed into one building run entirely by a private corporation. The story flowed well and was concise, consistent and the characters were believable. The whole concept of the building-city Todos Santos is not too far off from being a reality. Dont be surprised if one day you switcvh on your T.V. and see a story about a new building going up that will allow people to live and work in it. I think Niven and Pournell did a fine job.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting point, bad writing.
Review: In this book, Niven made one interesting point on how we must strike a balance in society between security and freedom. Beyond that, the characters in this story are all so shallow and one-dimensional it made me wish I'd never started reading it. As a big fan of Niven's early work, this was very dissapointing.

Rating:
Summary: Bad, really bad
Review: Only Niven and Pournelle can bring off a libertarian revolution in an environment most readers would consider more in keeping with the strictured life in the Soviet Union or a HUD project.

Upon signing the oath, the citizen of Todos Santos acquires the rights and immunities as well as the responsibilities invisioned by the founders of the American Republic.

There are ample opportunities for swash-buckling adventure as the upstart Arcology fights for an uneasy peace with an America that has abandoned the guiding principals that made it the last, great hope of freedom.

Rating:
Summary: In the tradition of Heinlein.
Review: The book was introduced by Niven and Pournelle as an explication of the philosophy of Rational Libertarianism. In that role, it is quite successful if the reader has a public school grasp of basic history and political philosophy.

In former times those who prized liberty and order but liberty above all migrated to Coventry or the American West. R.A.H sent his libertarians to the moon and beyond. In the context of this book- absent space flight, an Urban Monad makes sense. One reviewer is reminded of the apartment blocks of the Soviet Steppes or HUD housing enclaves and points up the creative contrast. Another, not meeting the criteria outlined in paragraph one (above) fails to grasp the irony and misses the underlying them of the work all together.

Political polemic takes a back seat to this creative and swashbuckling novel. It stands with the works of Heinlein and bypasses the ponderous pontifications of Ayn Rand.

Highly recommended for the flexible, thinking reader.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic foreshadowing of Dubya's America
Review: This is not a typical science fiction book--in fact I first came across this book in an undergraduate political science course. The book is not really college level reading but the underlying themes definitely are. This book looks at the balance between freedom and security. It will definitely make you think.

Rating:
Summary: Coming True
Review: Todos Santos is a gigantic self-governing building, or arcology, built near L.A. Needless to say, the arcology, which is quite successful and productive, is the target of protesters. When three protesters sneak into the works of the arcology, and make it appear that they are going to blow up crucial equipment, two of them get killed for their trouble. L.A. insists on the arrest of the Todos Santos manager who ordered them killed. Todos Santos (the point of the Oath of Fealty of the title is that responsibilities and loyalties run both up and down)seek to get him out by whatever means necessary.

While it is an interesting concept, there is a problem--this is very much a one-note melody. Niven makes the point that people living in such a structure would be different from what we are used to, and he makes it, and makes it until you're tired. And while the Todos Santos people are clearly all saints, fighting the good fight, you're left wondering what would happen if they were using the many resources at their disposal in a less worthy cause . . .

Still, a good read, with interesting characters, and it leaves you thinking, which is always a Good Thing.

Rating:
Summary: Mall of America
Review: When I first read this book, Mall of America was opening up in MN, and I was visiting up there. I was struck by how much it reminded me of the main shopping area in Oath of Fealty. The characters are dry in this book...but it gives you some intersting ideas to think about.