T. L. Sherred (1915–1984)

So, a sequel, but not really. I read the first book and I have a quick write-up on it on LT -- interesting plot that then meanders and then hard stop throw-up-you-hands ending. I didn't really like it overall.

I said in that review that I didn't know how they were going to do a sequel, and this really isn't. It's a whole separate story with separate characters and ideas, really only bringing over the central idea from the last book but then using it in a completely different way, although show more still a follow-on to the events of the last book.

This book is actually written by the author's friend -- Apparently and sadly, Sherred had a stroke and discontinued writing but his friend and fellow writer Biggle finished this book for him. And by finish, I'm guessing mostly write including most of the plot and characters. And man, what a difference. I like Biggle a lot and this book reads like a Biggle book from beginning to end.

This book would fit right in as a long form Star Trek story. Like most of Biggle's works, it is thoughtful, interesting, and fun to read. People solve problems through ideas not just action. I liked it a lot. show less

First contact. But the aliens just want us for a trade partner. And they've selected for our one contact, a washed up drunk.

This is a hard book to review. It started out with a good voice and an interesting premise. 4 star or better territory. But then it trod along slowly and mostly uneventfully for awhile. And then it suddenly went somewhere very fast, probably too far, and then just ended. The ending wants me to give it 2 stars or less, but I'll let the strong voice and interesting show more premise balance it out to 3 stars.

This is the only full length book that T.L. Sherred wrote. Sadly, he had a stroke and stopped writing very soon after this book was published. There is a sequel to this however, written in collaboration with his friend and fellow author Lloyd Biggle Jr. called Alien Main. ... I'm not sure where it's going to go though after the rather abrupt and final end to this book. show less

Four superb short stories; 'E for Effort', 'I for Iniquity', 'Cure, Guarenteed' (originally 'C for Cure'), and 'Que for Quiet'. Very dark, well- written little gems.

Reprint of Sherred's brilliant "E for Effort" and the three other stories that made his name when published in Astounding (1947-1954); in the words of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, "they are clear-cut, forceful and black." Alas, he wrote very little else before his death in 1985.