Harry Harrison is perhaps most famous for his character Slippery Jim, The Stainless Steel Rat. Here we meet Jason dinAlt, whose cast in a similar mold. A semi-psychic professional gambler, Jason craves excitement more than money. So when he's approached for a do-or-die betting scheme, he has to go for it. Only it leads to him decided to go to Pyrrus, the deadliest planet in the universe. Every plant, insect, bird, and mammal exists solely to kill human life. The name of the planet is appropriate for though its citizens are perhaps the toughest in the universe, they are fighting an everlasting battle against a planet that is slowing killing them off. Jason has to solve the mystery of why Pyrran life is so hostile to humans. How quickly he can will influence just how many Pyrrans are left to appreciate his victory.
In the second story, Jason is kidnapped from Pyrrus by an ultra-moralist who wants to hold him accountable for past crimes. Jason manages to foil the kidnapping by wrecking the space ship they are on. This forces them to crash on a strange backwards planet. Jason has to fight his way up the ladder of several backwards and violent cultures (roughly cavemen, then early civilization, then Renaissance). This is a fun story as Jason gets to use his knowledge of science to work "magic" and advance up the ladder towards both survival and rescue. He relucatantly keeps his kidnapper with him, as the hopeless ethicist would otherwise die. So we get a steady stream of moral thought throughout the book, but Harrison keeps it light enough for the action and fun to be the real stars of this book.
In the final entry of the series, Jason is reunited with his Pyrran friends. He decides to lead some of them in an effort to tame a planet that is rich in minerals, but populated by vicious Mongol-type hordes that have wiped out all attempts at settling on their planet. Can the uber-tough Pyrrans succeed were all others have failed? If they can, you can be sure it will be in large part thanks to Jason's schemes and ideas. This book again looks at the clash of cultures and technology, but is almost a recreation of life under Genghis Khan or Tamerlane. It's another fun romp that moves along at a brisk pace.
All of these stories are fast, fun, and full of interesting SciFi technology and creatures. Harrison seems to be at his best when writing a witty, sarcastic character. Think of Roger Moore's James Bond and you're not too far from the mark. So this is an excellent collection for both Harrison fans as well as for people who just want a fun SciFi read. It includes a bonus short story at the end that briefly continues the adventures of Jason and his friends. Given all that, I have no problem giving this book five stars. It's not world-shattering fiction, but it is an awfully fun way to spend a bit of your time.
Deathworld
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