Planetfall

Arthur Byron Cover

The cover of this book says "In the bestselling tradition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". This novel is nowhere near the genius of Douglass Adam's book. It attempts to be humorous. Instead it is dull, dumb, and confusing.

Normally in my reviews I outline the plot. It's not worth the effort. The only redeeming quality of the book is the author does know his classic science fiction. The hero says things in Seldon's name (Asimov's Foundation series), groks things (Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, has a Xanthippian ambassador (Piers Anthony's Xanth series), works along Federation guidelines (Star Trek), and has a vegetable creature that reminds me of one I read a story about in (I believe) Virtual Unrealities by Bester. But the tongue in cheek references to great science fiction could not save this novel.

About half way through I skipped to the end. But the end did not make any sense as I started reading the last chapter, so I returned to where I was and forced myself to finish the book. When I reached the part I had already started once, it still did not make sense.

I found this book in a used book store. It is now out of print. Instead of bothering with this one, you can check for other, better science fiction.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Ship That Sang by Anne McCaffrey
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Nightfall by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg
Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Variable Star by Robert A. Heinlein and Spider Robinson
Moonrise by Ben Bova
All Seated on the Ground by Connie Willis
Beggars Ride by Nancy Kress