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My Name is Legion - PicardRex - 03-16-2009
Not sure if this has already been posted, but I just thought I'd bring up this pretty good book by Roger Zelazny. It tells the story of a man for hire who lives outside the system. Reminded me a lot of Jack, not necessarily in method or story, just general similarities. Thought some of you guys and gals might be interested.
Also, in the Politcal forum there is a thread about those Fusion Centers and a big point of this book is a computer system that has every bit of info on everyone in the world, well almost everyone. Makes you wonder sometimes about how prophetic these sciene-"fiction" writers can be.
My Name is Legion - Bluesman Mike Lindner - 03-16-2009
PicardRex Wrote:Not sure if this has already been posted, but I just thought I'd bring up this pretty good book by Roger Zelazny. It tells the story of a man for hire who lives outside the system. Reminded me a lot of Jack, not necessarily in method or story, just general similarities. Thought some of you guys and gals might be interested.
Also, in the Politcal forum there is a thread about those Fusion Centers and a big point of this book is a computer system that has every bit of info on everyone in the world, well almost everyone. Makes you wonder sometimes about how prophetic these sciene-"fiction" writers can be.
No 2 ways about it, PicardRex. Think of Heinlein's radar-scattering boat in BETWEEN PLANETS. Stealth! But I'm hard-pressed to think of =any= sf writer who foresaw how powerful computers would become, and how fast.
My Name is Legion - Ken Valentine - 03-17-2009
Bluesman Mike Lindner Wrote:No 2 ways about it, PicardRex. Think of Heinlein's radar-scattering boat in BETWEEN PLANETS. Stealth! But I'm hard-pressed to think of =any= sf writer who foresaw how powerful computers would become, and how fast.People have been working on stealth technology ever since the invention of radar. Heinlein's radar-scattering boat was nothing new.
He did however come up with the idea of telephone answering machines -- and people monitoring their calls -- in the novel you mention. Also, back in the 1950's, he had people using hand-held telephones.
Funny thing though . . . after all those centuries in the future, people still used slide rules.
In his first novel THE PROBABILITY BROACH, (1979) L. Neil Smith came up with the idea of lap-top computers.
Ken V.
My Name is Legion - Legion - 04-02-2009
PicardRex Wrote:Not sure if this has already been posted, but I just thought I'd bring up this pretty good book by Roger Zelazny. It tells the story of a man for hire who lives outside the system. Reminded me a lot of Jack, not necessarily in method or story, just general similarities. Thought some of you guys and gals might be interested.
Also, in the Politcal forum there is a thread about those Fusion Centers and a big point of this book is a computer system that has every bit of info on everyone in the world, well almost everyone. Makes you wonder sometimes about how prophetic these sciene-"fiction" writers can be.
Take a look at my username.
My Name is Legion - KRW - 04-04-2009
Legion Wrote:Take a look at my username.
Meh...
My Name is Legion - PicardRex - 04-06-2009
Having read the book and having you point it out, it now is really obvious. I should have put two and two together, ah well.
What did you think of the book?
My Name is Legion - Mike Hanson - 04-07-2009
MY NAME IS LEGION by Roger Zelazny
An excellent, albeit dated (handfuls of punchcards as personal data entries, etc.) science fiction collection (three short stories). I guess you could say it is Zelazny's sci-fi take on the classic detective genre as high-tech mercenary for hire.
I commented on this book here a few years ago, calling the main "unnamed" character in the volume a "literary uncle of Jack," or something to that effect.
I purchased a U.K. First hardcover printing of LEGION online a few years ago only to receive a book whose dust jacket was disintigrating and whose main cover had a broken spine and was on it's last legs. I had the cover restored (which basically means replaced), and then I had a co-worker who is a wiz with graphics scan a paperback cover edition of LEGION, then print it out as a nice (larger of course) new shiny color dust jacket (which I inserted into the old plastic library sleeve previously occupied by the former crumbling dust jacket).
The pages inside are yellowing, but otherwise it is like holding a brand new book. Now if I could only get past that fact that British editors spell words like "specialization" with an "s" instead of a "z"!
It's fun, and as stated by others, above, a "still-relevant" read.
Ciao.
Michael
