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xssurdinynexes
, August 23, 2007
(view all comments by xssurdinynexes)
I knew absolutely nothing about William C Dietz when I bought this book for a buck at Goodwill. However, after reading Steelheart I promptly bought four more of his novels. I enjoyed Steelheart immensely my friends. This tale concerns an android named Doon who has to be one of the best characters I have ever run across. For an android he is a very complex individual with motivations that are only hinted at but make him very interesting. He finds himself on a planet that has suddenly become very hostile to himself and everyone else unfortunate enough to have settled there. To make matters worse a race of fanatical aliens called the Zid want to destroy all machinery and advanced technology as a way to make them closer to their God.
They have several very nasty ways of accomplishing this...including smashing in the heads of heretics with a ceremonial hammer during church services no less.
Doon enjoys life(and why not, he has a human and another android in love with him), therefore he can get extremely militant when he has to. And he has to...quite often. If things aren't quite complicated enough Doon has a "bug" ....another android's cpu that is trying to take over his brain. The bug or rider as its called was picked up when Doon replaced his destroyed arm with the arm of a dead scientist android named Sojo. Sojo was on a mission to save the world and he tries to force Doon to comply despite our hero's far less ambitious personal goals...such as survival in a totally hostile enviroment.
.....Besides Doon there are some other very well realized characters like a 158 year old scientist who is desperately trying to save the decaying planet while nano tech bots work inside his body to keep his ancient flesh repaired enough for him to function. He desperately needs the data that only Sojo can provide even though Sojo now only exists inside of Doon's arm.
If you like more adult fantasy stuff as opposed to all the silly Harry Potter and Tolkein dreck out there ..this is a can't miss for you. I'm a huge fan of Robert E Howard and Doon is VERY much like a Howard hero (he even has steely blue eyes!) No dark hair though, his is platinum in order to cop some quick solar energy ever now and then. Hey, there are no McDonald's for robots folks. In summary, this is a great heroic fantasy/science fiction/ Android at large tale. I guarantee you will not be disappointed kids. I promise that after you read this you will never abuse another machine as long as you live!!!
PS if you liked Blade Runner you may expire with joy while reading this book. Steelheart rocks hard as steel.
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