The Battle of Forever (1971)

A distinctly Logical book set in a future where emotion and humanity have been separated and man like versions of common mammals seem to run the earth. But other forces are operating, and what man considered a fair utopia is no more.

A remarkably complex and understandable narrative compared to other Vogt work I have read. Not perfect by any means, Vogt falling into some holes with his logic, and significantly dubious opinions of females, but entertaining none the less. ( )

I wish GoodReads was hip to letting folks upload cover images of earlier (or different) editions. The only reason I picked this up was because there was a hippo holding a gun on it and a floating egg headed guy. I wanted to strangle this book. It was like reading Slapstick again. I understand that Vogt was trying, in his style of writing and narrative, to truly show an advanced, cultured human and that my violent reaction towards that character's hella stupid decisions was a by-product of dealing with something like that. Nonetheless, such an annoying book, holy shit. ( )

One of the better later Van Vogt novels. Typical cryptic screwball ending, but it works here, creating that strange epiphanic aura that characterizes Van Vogt's best work. ( )