Soldier, Ask Not

by Gordon R. Dickson

Paperback, 1975

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

SPHERE (1975), Edition: 1st Printing, Paperback, 216 pages

Description

The black-clad mercenaries of the Friendly planets fought where their employer and their God dictated. On New Earth they pitted their fanaticism against the cold courage of the Dorsai. And the implacable hatred of one man, Tam Olyn. Olyn saw his brother-in-law shot down before his eyes. His quest for vengeance took him across half the civilised worlds, to Cassida and Frieland, to St. Marie and back to New Earth. He met men of all the splinter groups into which mankind had evolved an he used them all to bring about his revenge - until Padma the Exotic taught him how to use his speci.

User reviews

LibraryThing member brightcopy

Short book, but a long read. Definitely not some of Dickson's finest prose (though possibly not his worst, either). Given that it was written in 1967 and was one of his earliest Dorsai books, I'll have to let that slide.

I mainly read it to fill in the gaps in the Dorsai series, as the main

character is central to the later part of the series, and the events in the story are often referred back to. But the protagonist is intentionally unlikeable and unsympathetic up until the last few pages of the book. Though you see that coming a mile away, it still makes it hard to really be too interested in his story.

Plus, Dickson had two cities named "Blauvain". On two different planets. In two different planetary systems.

Blauvain.

This encompasses how a good editor could have improved this tale. But I suppose this early in his career, Dickson might have found it difficult to get one (or unnecessary given the quality of the writing of that era).

I'd suggest this book only if you are dedicated to having read the entire Dorsai series, most of which is far more interesting than this tale.

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LibraryThing member languagehat

"Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος -- begins the Iliad of Homer, and its story of thirty-four hundred years ago. This is the story of the wrath of Achilles. -- And this is the story of my wrath; I, Earthman, against the people of the two worlds so-called The

Friendlies, the conscript, fanatic, black-clad soldiers of Harmony and Association..." How's that for the opening of a science fiction novel? And when's the last time you saw a novel of any kind open with a line from Homer, in Greek? I love sf.

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LibraryThing member cabri

This book is very much of its time (originally published in 1967). It tells its story from the perspective of a man who is nearly completely amoral, indifferent to the needs of anyone else except how it impacts his own needs. Unfortunately he tells his story in a very flat, nearly monotonous

fashion as little he faces causes him to become enthusiastic or fearful or sympathetic. It's taken me a good 30 years to finally finish it because it is exactly the kind of thing I don't like; I only bothered to keep trying because it's considered a classic. I think it deserves the accolade 'classic' because it was revolutionary when it was first published, but nowadays it would have a difficult time finding a market.

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LibraryThing member darlingtrk

I think this book isbetter than Necromancer, but is not as good as Tactics of Mistake. Tam Olyn's character is a little too insistant on his integrity, especially regarding his objectivity. The validity of faith is finally affirmed at the end, while, for the most part its value is drown in Olyn's

perspective. The ending is a little pat, and Olyn's obsession a bit transparent, but the inside depiction of the Friendlies is indespensible to the Childe Cycle. It's possible that even this small group of reporters ... a group that can synthesize the splinters.

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LibraryThing member Lyndatrue

It's one of my favorite Dickson books. I often think that, to appreciate most books, especially Science Fiction, you need to read them at the time they were written (or at least try and place yourself in that era). I've read most of the Dorsai novels and stories, but this one was one of the few I

kept.

I may revisit this review, but I'm trying to put at least a note on anything I'm adding that deserves the commentary.

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LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

Humankind has split itself up, in order to direct its own evolution. It is not bad for pacing and character development. The principal character, Tam Olyn is well developed for the 1960's. I read it in 1967, so I this this is not the edition that I read.

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