The premise, that the good aliens are arriving just in time to save us from the bad aliens, is conceivable…but is not played out realistically here. It’s a good story, but too short. The action happens so quickly that there’s no time for the reader to accept the premise. No sooner do we learn that the bad guys are coming to get us then we learn that they’re here and we have to rely on the “good” guys to save us with their incomprehensible weaponry. And, before we have a chance to decide that something’s wrong, the protagonists tell us that they believe there’s something wrong. It’s not that this is a bad story…it’s just a good story that has been short-changed by being too short.

Along with all that, the female protagonist is insanely pacifistic and thinks that we didn’t have to kill the aliens, just because they were trying to preserve themselves via tricking us into supplying them with our radioactive minerals. She’s adamant that their destroying several large cities around the world is forgivable on the basis of a justifiable need. As the male hero states: if they are capable of killing several million of our people, then we should have no compunction killing a few of theirs to get the information we need to figure out what’s going on and what we really need to do.

Yes, the story is simplistic, but otherwise entertaining—and occasionally thought provoking. It’s also a quick read. ( )

I enjoyed the book even though it is a bit on the juvenile side. It has a nice premise. Earth is invaded and seems to be the battle ground of a war between two alien races. Both claim to be protecting Earth from the other race but there are doubts about this being true.

The book then is about resolving this question and reclaiming Earth and kicking out the Aliens. The end of book is not entirely believable but on the whole it was a typical light fast read for a Harry Harrison novel. The event is time stamped by a cameo visit of the US President who really has no part in the story other than setting the time. I had a chuckle when reading this.

Another thing about Harrison's books is the co-operation between Russia and the USA... He likes to feature this in several books.

As I said earlier... a bit on the juvenile side but a decent read nonetheless. ( )

Aliens land on earth with a thin story which falls through. The resolution on this book leaves much to be desired. ( )

хор,твердая,352 ( )