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tjrtucker's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
dee9401's review against another edition
5.0
Like the first time you read Vonnegut. Amazing, mind blowing, literature at its most experimental and its highest expression.
jmkemp's review against another edition
5.0
This was a difficult read. At first it seemed incoherent trash, and I put it down frequently. Having finished it I believe it is a work of genius.
Only the relative shortness made me keep picking it back up.
I picked it to read as it seemed like it would be a hard SF space flight story. To some extent it is, however what it really covers is the ascent from insanity of the lone survivor of the failed two man mission to Venus. The seemingly incoherent start is merely a reflection of the main character's madness and lack of grip on reality. Slowly we are presented with many different explanations for what may have happened, which grow more and more plausible as the character recovers. Although it is never properly resolved, but it doesn't need to, the point of the story being about the effects of long term travel in a confined space.
Only the relative shortness made me keep picking it back up.
I picked it to read as it seemed like it would be a hard SF space flight story. To some extent it is, however what it really covers is the ascent from insanity of the lone survivor of the failed two man mission to Venus. The seemingly incoherent start is merely a reflection of the main character's madness and lack of grip on reality. Slowly we are presented with many different explanations for what may have happened, which grow more and more plausible as the character recovers. Although it is never properly resolved, but it doesn't need to, the point of the story being about the effects of long term travel in a confined space.
eliaseuler's review
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tommygoes's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
neartaking's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
aisreading_'s review
3.0
I thought the book was quite interesting, I was invested in finding out what Harry knew. I liked the ambiguity but overall a decent read
david_agranoff's review against another edition
4.0
The first read of my 2019 retro-sci-fi reads is a re-read of the Barry Malzberg classic Beyond Apollo. I first read this ten years ago, but I thought I would have more of context for it now. I did some research recently on BNM's career and history.
This short novel is the essence of out of date science fiction. It is about the first expedition to Venus a planet that we now know is too hot to visit. We have lots of great pictures in orbit but the idea of going to land on Venus is pretty silly. I like reading the out of date stuff because you get an idea of the imagination was at the time, in this case, 1972. Clearly, in the space race, the Apollo missions were coming to an end and no one really knew where the space exploration was going after the Apollo program. This story suggests a disaster during a 1976 Mars landing and the idea that we would be sending people to Venus in 1981 is pretty optimistic.
In many ways, BO is like a slightly harder sci-fi take on similar ideas that Lem explored in Solaris. He keeps it in the solar system and takes advantage of early 70's free love attitudes. I mean there is lots of adult language and tons of sex that feels very out of place and a bit awkward.
The narrative is told from the POV of Harry Evans first officer on the Venus expedition mostly in first person unreliable style. This works pretty well especially when his sanity starts slipping. Was he in psychic communication with Venusian Snake people or is he losing his mind? The theme of the novel appears about the idea that the vast-ness of space may just be too much for our puny little brains.
I am not sure I would call this short novel a masterpiece but it is a quick and interesting read. The author's contribution to the genre may be more as an agent and editor but he is giant and I give this novel a lot of respect. You have to keep the era written in mind or you'll have a lot to laugh off. That said I glad to have this on my shelf.
Note: This book was recommended to me by my friend Robert Garfat the first time I met him when I walked into his book store in Victoria Canada. I knew the man had good taste right away and left with this book and some Spinrad I came in there to find.
Full podcast breaking down the novel I did with James Reich:
https://soundcloud.com/dickheadspodcast/dick-adjacent-1-beyond-apollo-with-james-reich-malzberg-spectacular-part-2
And my interview with Barry for the Dickheads (PKD) podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/dickheadspodcast/interview-12-barry-malzberg-malzberg-spectacular-part-1
This short novel is the essence of out of date science fiction. It is about the first expedition to Venus a planet that we now know is too hot to visit. We have lots of great pictures in orbit but the idea of going to land on Venus is pretty silly. I like reading the out of date stuff because you get an idea of the imagination was at the time, in this case, 1972. Clearly, in the space race, the Apollo missions were coming to an end and no one really knew where the space exploration was going after the Apollo program. This story suggests a disaster during a 1976 Mars landing and the idea that we would be sending people to Venus in 1981 is pretty optimistic.
In many ways, BO is like a slightly harder sci-fi take on similar ideas that Lem explored in Solaris. He keeps it in the solar system and takes advantage of early 70's free love attitudes. I mean there is lots of adult language and tons of sex that feels very out of place and a bit awkward.
The narrative is told from the POV of Harry Evans first officer on the Venus expedition mostly in first person unreliable style. This works pretty well especially when his sanity starts slipping. Was he in psychic communication with Venusian Snake people or is he losing his mind? The theme of the novel appears about the idea that the vast-ness of space may just be too much for our puny little brains.
I am not sure I would call this short novel a masterpiece but it is a quick and interesting read. The author's contribution to the genre may be more as an agent and editor but he is giant and I give this novel a lot of respect. You have to keep the era written in mind or you'll have a lot to laugh off. That said I glad to have this on my shelf.
Note: This book was recommended to me by my friend Robert Garfat the first time I met him when I walked into his book store in Victoria Canada. I knew the man had good taste right away and left with this book and some Spinrad I came in there to find.
Full podcast breaking down the novel I did with James Reich:
https://soundcloud.com/dickheadspodcast/dick-adjacent-1-beyond-apollo-with-james-reich-malzberg-spectacular-part-2
And my interview with Barry for the Dickheads (PKD) podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/dickheadspodcast/interview-12-barry-malzberg-malzberg-spectacular-part-1
togdon's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh, just one step better than a hate-read. The whole thing was a slog.
adamantium's review against another edition
3.0
So good and so frustrating. I picked this up for a dollar and chose a cover that wasn't as good as the one pictured, but I honestly didn't want the Titty Cover. Anyway, this is a really fantastic book and achievement of craft, but it has the most boring 60s/70s science fiction sexual politics imaginable, to a degree that almost embarrassing. I couldn't put it down, but I still feel unsatisfied with it. No puns intended.