Richard Peters (5)

Before I start my review I should say that Im not usually one for collections of short stories mainly because I love the chance to get into a book, to lose myself and get absorbed in it but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of detail and depth of story that Richard Peters managed to fit into a limited amount of words.

Chapter 1,'The Federal Government Inc.' was a scary but all too plausible look at what could happen if we let things continue down the path we are already on now (ie; show more uncaring towards our fellow man, apathy, a Big Brother Orwellian society ...) It was all too alien and yet eerily realistic at the same time.

Chapter 6. 'Even The Gods Can Learn' I liked very much. It reminded me of the style of Ray Bradbury -who is one of my favourite writers- and it told a tale of what happens when mans own sense of superiority takes precedence over all else, even down to not caring what other civilizations must think of us. Vanity and ego don’t count for much when you are at the mercy of a superior power that doesn’t recognize your so-called 'might'…

The sneak preview at the end of forthcoming book 'Operation Enduring Unity' had me compelled and eager to find out what happens next in a situation that has society smoldering like a powder keg waiting to ignite. A thoroughly enjoyable read, if you don’t mind your perception of the world you live in to be questioned and shifted to a slightly more uncomfortable view… show less

This is a short story about a humankind's first trip to another planet with confirmed advanced lifeforms, and the crew's interactions with those lifeforms on arrival. I found the division of the personnel into factions to be an interesting scenario, though the factions were a bit stereotypical. I think the other lifeforms were novel and might have provided the basis for something really interesting, if they had been a larger component of the story. This is a short quick read. If you like show more short stories, give it a try. show less

Even the Gods Can Learn by Richard Peters is a good piece of science fiction.

Humanity sends a mission to another planet outside of our solar system, which they believe to be inhabited by intelligent life. During the 3 year journey (from their perspective, 45 years to someone still on Earth), the crew devolves into two factions: military and scientists. The military personnel believe that the scientists are going to mutiny, and the scientists believe that the military personnel are mindless show more brutes. They finally arrive at their destination, only to have trouble gaining the aliens’ attention because the humans are viewed as pets.

Even the Gods Can Learn is an ok short story for anyone looking to fill an hour or two. show less