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Little Fuzzy by H Beam Piper
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Little Fuzzy (original 1962; edition 2007)

by H Beam Piper (Author)

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1,1804016,596 (3.85)99
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:

A miner on the planet Zarathustra crosses paths with an adorable fuzzy creature -- and soon realizes that the little guy may possess human-like intelligence. This realization may throw the social and political balance of the planet into question, and several different groups are soon engaged in a heated race to gauge the smarts of the small fuzzy fellows.

.… (more)
Member:invisiblecityzen
Title:Little Fuzzy
Authors:H Beam Piper (Author)
Info:Cosmos (2007), Edition: Reprint, 252 pages
Collections:Your library, Currently reading, Wishlist, To read, Read but unowned, Favorites
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Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper (1962)

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English (39)  Swedish (1)  All languages (40)
Showing 1-5 of 39 (next | show all)
Charming story. The fuzzies are very cute, the main characters are sympathetic and the story line is relatively simple, but engaging. ( )
  zjakkelien | Jan 2, 2024 |
When John Scalzi mentioned this book on his blog, I knew it would be classic and quaint. But I expected it to be a little more timeless. I look forward to seeing what Mr. Scalzi does to update it.

In the meantime, I listened to the audiobook to see what the hubbub was about. Wow. Piper wrote a future that is just like our present, except we have travel to other worlds, contra-gravity, and verdicators (advanced lie detectors). I think I would like to have air cars, but only in rural settings like those in which the initial chapters of the book take place. Anything more urban and you just multiply the current traffic problems by a third dimension.

I would also not like to live in a world where every witness was subjected to verdicators. I don't think that any society would long endure that sort of mental fascism.

Overall, the story was interesting enough and pleasant enough. However, I found the writing fairly clunky, based on the examples above, plus space commodore, atomic age, constant discussion of sapience and mentation, and sun stones. I suppose they fit the view of the future seen from the early 1960s. But as I previously noted, they are pretty dated. I also disliked some stereotypical characters and a bit of deus ex machina at the end. Nevertheless it was enjoyable. Let's see what Scalzi has done with it. ( )
  zot79 | Aug 20, 2023 |
Read it yet again in anticipation of reading Scalzi's remake in the near future. Still a personal favourite, and a must read for anyone who enjoys sci-fi. ( )
  furicle | Aug 5, 2023 |
Very light and enjoyable. I am going to read more books by Piper.

Reading classic SF helps me remember much our culture has changed. Piper was a globalist - characters names were drawn from many countries and cultures. Refreshing to not read a story with only English and made-up names. However, most of female characters were "girls" who were "secretaries." Sigh. ( )
  tornadox | Feb 14, 2023 |
This was included on the Audible audiobook I read of John Scalzi's Fuzzy Nation, which was based or inspired by this book. The main story for both was how you decide whether a species is sentient.

In both, a new species is discovered on a planet being mined by a large corporation, and if the species is proven to be sentient, then the corporation will need to stop it's work there. So, of course, they bring out all their lawyers to argue against this, and their hired guns to try to make it a moot point. In both stories, there is one man who fights against them, the one that first discovered the creatures.

It's fairly interesting how they go about deciding exactly how to define sentient beings. ( )
  MartyFried | Oct 9, 2022 |
Showing 1-5 of 39 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (1 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Piper, H. Beamprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Ganim, PeterNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kalin, VictorCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Lehnert, H. P.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Roberts, JimNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Whelan, MichaelCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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Jack Holloway found himself squinting, the orange sun full in his eyes.
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He started for the kitchen to get a drink, and checked himself. Take a drink because you pity yourself, and then the drink pities you and has a drink, and then two good drinks get together and that calls for drinks all around. No; he’d have one drink, maybe a little bigger than usual, before he went to bed.
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Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:

A miner on the planet Zarathustra crosses paths with an adorable fuzzy creature -- and soon realizes that the little guy may possess human-like intelligence. This realization may throw the social and political balance of the planet into question, and several different groups are soon engaged in a heated race to gauge the smarts of the small fuzzy fellows.

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Book description
Zarathustra was a Class-III uninhabited planet, and the chartered Zarathustra Company owned it lock, stock and barrel. They developed it, they exploited it, and reaped huge profits without any interference from the Colonial Government.

But then, out of nowhere, came Jack Holloway - with a family of Fuzzies and a great deal of evidence that they were more than just cute little animals.

If the Fuzzies were a race of intelligent beings, then Zarathurstra would automatically become a Class-IV inhabited planet, and the Company's charter and privileges would be over.

The Chartered Zarathustra Company wasn't going to allow that to happen ...
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