The first in a series of loony escapades of a country bumpkin turned soldier. In truth it felt more like a prequel, explaining the origins of Bill's involvement with the Troopers, his two right arms, and his tusks. It was a very quick read and definitely had its funny moments, but it would probably be funnier to someone who doesn't deal with painfully inane bureaucracy in real life. I have a feeling the next books will be better now that the characters are established. ( )

I read BILL, THE GALACTIC HERO by Harry Harrison, when I was eleven. I'd picked it up hoping for a Star Wars-style romp full of spaceships and explosions. What I got was SF's answer to Catch-22: dazzlingly cynical, snortingly funny, Bill's story changed my outlook forever. I reread it again yesterday and it was every bit as terrific as the first time. ( )

The satire/parody is so dark, and perchance accurate(?), that it almost isn't funny. ( )

This book is an interesting read, but for unusual reasons. Its as if Harrison sets out to write a terrible book, and learns new techniques to achieve this terrible along the way. An example of his mastery of the art:

"A hundred bucks a month was good money, though, and Bill saved every bit of it. Easy, lazy months rolled by, and he regularly went to meetings and reported regularly to the G.B.I., and on the first of every month he would find his money baked into the egg roll he invariably had for lunch. He kept the greasy bills in a toy rubber cat he found on the rubbish heap, and bit by bit the kitty grew. "

It seems to me that this book is so terrible it has to be deliberate, and its good to see that Wikipedia agrees:

"Bill, the Galactic Hero is a satirical science fiction novel by Harry Harrison, first published in 1965.

It is a response to Heinlein's controversially militaristic Starship Troopers. The overall plot is similar, the details rather less so; and Harrison makes the most of an opportunity to spoof the work of other authors including Isaac Asimov, "Doc" Smith, and Joseph Heller. Harrison reports having been approached by a Vietnam veteran who described Bill as "the only book that's true about the military". "

This book is a study in bad writing, and that's what makes it great. This book is entertaining, stupid, and funny. You wont to be a better person at the end, but you wont be bored while reading it either. To be clear -- I loved this book and its paranoia-like universe.

http://www.stillhq.com/book/Harry_Har... ( )

All you really need to know is this: the eponymous protagonist ends up with two left arms sewn on to the same side, the extra having been provided by a fellow solider and close friend after his death. This is one of the cleverest and most brutal war satires of the 20th century, and Harrison's contribution to worthwhile literature, and it's a quick read besides. ( )

If you are big and stupid, be careful when you say yes.

This is exactly what Bill is, however, and he mentions to get himself signed up into the military.

From there, the military and sf satire is piled on thick as he gets into all sorts of trouble, time after time after time. No trouble that makes you instantly heaps smarter by mutagen or something, unfortunately for him.

Often amusing.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2007/12... ( )

Sometimes you can't go home again. I remembered reading this with fond memories as an adolescent, but upon returning to it as a book-group selection I found it rather turgid as a satire. This is particuarly since Bill just turns out to be too much of a victim to feel much sympathy for. The novel is still probably worth reading once if you're in the right frame of mind, or if the current stream of military recruitment commercials is starting to drive you crazy; the opening sequence and the epilog ARE classic. ( )