The first volume in Varley's stupendous trilogy. What set Varley apart for me was that his stories start with premises that other writers would write whole books about. But in Varley, they are just part of everyday life. Titan is an adventure story that is, in many aspects, in the Edgar Rice Burroughs tradition (think John Carter of Mars), but of course Varley takes it far far beyond anything Burroughs wrote or could have published in the early 20th century. For his sensibility and unrestrained look at sex and all its variations, Varley is most reminiscent of Heinlein. Sad to say that after this trilogy his subsequent work has not been terribly interesting. ( )

Moderately paced throughout book till the last few pages, with some surprising plot twists. Depiction of intimate relationships could have been left out; too much emphasis on the characters as sexual beings. Fairly large scope, but not as detailed world-building as Vernor Vinge for instance. ( )

I'll never forget the day I walked into the living room and picked up my roommate's half-finished book and was swept away to the fantastical worlds of John Varley. I thought I would die waiting for her to finish so I could have it back. My own copy is beat up, broke backed, ragged at the edges and covered with chocolate ice cream stains and sand because I took it everywhere I went. I even had it autographed when John Varley did a reading at Berkeley's Dark Carnival. Probably this volume is way too damaged to be collectible, but I don't care: it's all about the memories of an author who changed my reading life.

A fairly average story, of an encounter with a strange artifact, which of course turns out to be alien. It often seems more obsessed with how the characters look with no clothes on, and whether they are skinny enough, than with the actual story. Almost a bit like the bad Heinlein.

Clearly there is supposed to be sexual role and identity commentary here, but I am not sure it works particularly well.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2006/12/titan-john-varley.html ( )

A fairly average story, of an encounter with a strange artifact, which of course turns out to be alien. It often seems more obsessed with how the characters look with no clothes on, and whether they are skinny enough, than with the actual story. Almost a bit like the bad Heinlein.

Clearly there is supposed to be sexual role and identity commentary here, but I am not sure it works particularly well.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2006/12/titan-john-varley.html ( )