Nightflyers (1980)

Novella/short story sf collection from the 1970s. Martin’s complex characters and extremely grim but not entirely fatalistic worldbuilding were underway, but sometimes missed their mark. The story that affected me most, And Seven Times Never Kill Man, involving aliens genocidally slaughtered by a human cult, has a denouement that left me pretty confused about the mechanics, but was still creepy. For devoted fans only, I think. ( )

I made the mistake of thinking this was a novel with six chapter titles. It is not. George R. R. Martin's "Nightflyers" is a novella followed by five more shorts.

This was my first GRRM.

The very first sentence of the very first story turned me off of him. Sentence eleven of the same page, same story—pg 1, "Nightflyers"—solidified my dislike of the story and its author.

I understand that George thought he was being witty with his first sentence—doing as Horace had suggested writers do long ago; though if George tried, he could not come up with a first sentence that would be more inflammatory to what IS around 33% of the world's population.

The first sentence of "Nightflyers" was very much in memoriam of that prideful and ignorantly cynical humanist Erasmus. The eleventh sentence was even more like Erasmus. I don't know why the Erasmus' of the world are driven to place their cruelty upon that which they have no faith in. I am justified in bitching out-right about it, because I am forced to digest their sneak-attacks in the likes of Sci Fi novellas, books for children, and television (all of which GRRM has infected by the grace of the masters).

It would have been more productive for the now cancerous Christopher Hitchens to have spent his time on atheism, if atheism consisted of anything other than laughing at creationists and prodding them with the intellectual sticks which they have hoisted in place of their God-given phalluses. It would have been more productive for GRRM to stick to Sci Fi, instead of using it as a platform to proclaim Jesus of Nazareth long dead and turned to dust with Kleronomas when volcryn passed close to Daronne.

Now.

As I was saying, I wasn't impressed with "Nightflyers". You have the token black woman, some damned demon of a mother that probably is the likeness of GRRM's mother, and some weakling son. What I DID like about it was when the demon mother used telekinesis to animate the dead. Every story here contained zombie like characters. Speaking of which...

The second story, "Override" was by far my favorite. You have blue collar corpse handlers with dead-man crews working an alien planet for peculiar crystals. It was great. I loved it.

The third story, "And Seven Times Never Kill Man" I disliked. It centered around religion. Go figure. I couldn't make heads or tails out of it—which makes sense. Atheists don't have an understanding of any other faith but the faith that they place in atheism. I believe Martin uses religion as atheists claim believers use religion—as a toy.

"Nor the Many-Colored Fires of a Star Ring" was fairly exciting, but the end was sagging.

"A Song for Lya" I had a love-hate relationship with. Again with the religion. It was like a woman—very emotive and wordy.

It is said of GRRM that his works are dark and cynical. I like that. I may come back for more, being somewhat of a sadist. ( )

Nightflyers is a collection of stories concerned, in the main, with science fiction style horror. The title story is the quest for an alien ship. The journey does not go well, as many people start to forget to stay alive.

Overall, this is an extremely high quality collection, coming in at a 3.83 average per tale.

Nightflyers : Nightflyers [short story] - George R. R. Martin
Nightflyers : Override - George R. R. Martin
Nightflyers : Weekend in a War Zone - George R. R. Martin
Nightflyers : And Seven Times Never Kill Man - George R. R. Martin
Nightflyers : Nor the Many-Colored Fires of a Star Ring - George R. R. Martin
Nightflyers : A Song for Lya - George R. R. Martin

Scary spaceship slaughter single.

4 out of 5

Deadman prospects look bloody picky.

4 out of 5

My side, your side, it is all killpoints to me.

3.5 out of 5

Space preacher cult gets pyramid power taste of their own prior killer solution.

3.5 out of 5

Experimental energy overload universal lightshow.

4 out of 5

Post suicide Union Joining rejection.

4 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2007/02/nightflyers-george-r-r-martin.html ( )

And Seven Times Never Kill Man (I think I get it. The little furry creatures are killing the humans by using their powers to drive them insane. While you feel sorry for the furry creatures.)
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Nor the Many-Colored Fires of a Star Ring (Dark, cool, man is looking for something it can't beat so he can call it God.)
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Override (Cool original idea, cool writing. Zombies for hire.)
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Weekend in a War Zone (Cool funny writing, ok plot.)
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A Song for Lya (1975 Hugo Award Cool creepy symbiotic organism brings you into God but is it an alien God or the one that Man is looking for. Also will it bring man to a cutural standstill like the alien race. Not that much action but cool idea.)
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Nightflyers (Very cool. Great horror/thriller plot in a not to technical plot. Cool characters. Awesome. Plus spirits inhabiting computers.) ( )