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angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
2.0
Reading some of the Grandmasters of Science Fiction. Probably not his best. And not so awful I couldn’t finish it. But certainly not the “laugh a page” experience it was made out to be. Just okay. I’ll have to try something in the Stainless Steel Rat series before casting further judgement.
colindalaska's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliantly funny and a biting satire on war.
The sequels start off bad and get progressively worse.
The sequels start off bad and get progressively worse.
jackdoud's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
While this book was probably biting satire when it was released it now comes across as campy schlock.
wcullen65's review against another edition
Funny, funny, funny.....a classic of the much under-rated SciFi comedy genre
stephengonefishing's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Bill, The Galactic Hero, is a character that reminds me of Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. A naïve country boy who gets drawn into unexpected adventures starting with the military. Yes he goes through his training he starts realizing everything he thought he knew, was a sham. Harry Harrison commentary on propaganda through his series of books. I first came aware of Harry Harrison with "the stainless steel rat" series. I would recommend anything that he writes
tarana's review against another edition
5.0
It's short, it's funny, it's clearly a 'speaking' piece. If you like scifi, read it.
jeremyhornik's review against another edition
3.0
Fun, wacky Harvey Kurtzman-era Mad Magazine style satire. Space opera Candide. Best on military stuff, I think.
ianbanks's review against another edition
3.0
A satire of both military bureaucracy and science fiction adventures this is a wild ride. There’s a lot of influences at play here, from Voltaire to Chesterton to Asimov and Heinlein but Bill manages to have a series of rollicking adventures that result in him escaping his fate and becoming part of the world that he hates. There’s a complex and deeply sad novel hiding in amongst all the slapstick and funny names but you almost manage to miss it because the story is so fast and madcap. Which is a shame because Harrison really does have a lot to talk about with this novel.