science fiction

Bill, The Galactic Hero - Harry Harrison Book Review

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"Bill, The Galactic Hero"
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Review Summary
Bill, a very stupid grunt gets conscripted as a very small cog in the Emporers war machine.
An absurd take on the science fiction war -from the point of view in the smallest part of the place - very funny, with lots of sly sideswipes at other authors\pieces of work.

Andrew Banks, Resident Scholar

This is a parody of futuristic military regimes. Bill, an ordinary farmer, is drafted into the army and conditioned to be a fighting grunt. Everyone is out to get everyone else, and when Bill accidently breaks an obscure rule he gets in trouble too, and goes on the run.
Steve, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of Bill, The Galactic Hero
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 30%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - very upbeat - humorous or laughable
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - rescue mission/escape from confinement
Training/Apprent. Yes
Working up the ranks of... - armed forces
Parody Yes
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - infantry soldier - farmer
Age: - a teen - 20's-30's
Eccentric: Yes - deluded
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - bulging muscles

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a substantial amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Domed/Underground City
Spaceship setting: - futuristic human warship
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - unfriendly aliens - big overbuilt futuristic city
Planet outside solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed - some scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - mostly dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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