Even after four previous capers on the various planets of Harrison's high-tech (but recognizably hip) 25th century, the freshness of the author's language overcomes a somewhat predictable plot structure to make this outing by his favorite future antihero, Slippery Jim DiGriz, thoroughly entertaining. This installment (following The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! ) finds the con man/hero under sentence of death by slow-acting poison after he has (almost) robbed an impenetrable Mint. To acquire the antidote he must contract with his natural foe, the military types of the Galactic League. Thus he agrees to retrieve an alien artifact from a prison planet occupied by assorted religious maniacs, TV junkies and Survivalist recluses. What better time, then, to start a rock 'n' roll band? Combing military service files for signs of both combat capacity and musical ability (DiGriz finds they are virtually incompatible) he assembles the Stainless Steel Rats band and proceeds to get himself and his three unlikely commando sidekicks (Steengo, Floyd and Madonette) arrested, sentenced and deported to the prison planet. Once there, the prefab four demonstrate their good humor and hand-to- hand combat abilities encountering the nouveau Vikings, fundamentalist Shepherds, troglodytes and even Feminist Separatists as they race the clock in search of the mysterious artifact. The breakneck pace and DiGriz's offbeat interior monologue keep the plot airborne, and both SF hardcore and mainstream readers should find this an enjoyable adventure. (Mar.)
Things aren't going well for Slippery Jim diGriz. First there was the robbery of the Mint on Paskönjak that went terribly wrong, and then that little matter of a death penalty, and an extremely unpleasant execution after that. And last but not least, there's the deal Slippery Jim cuts with the authorities, which, on reflection, doesn't look much better than slow death.
In exchange for his life, Slippery Jim must retrieve a missing alien artifact from the planet Liokukae-a dumping ground for the Galactic League's misfits, murderers, maniacs, and the incurably obnoxious. Under cover as the leader of the rock band The Stainless Steel Rats, Slippery Jim violates every law of the land-including the musical ones. He has thirty days to bring back the artifact...or the slow-acting poison the League has fed him will kick in, and Slippery Jim diGriz will be history.
Things aren't going well for Slippery Jim diGriz. First there was the robbery of the Mint on Paskönjak that went terribly wrong, and then that little matter of a death penalty, and an extremely unpleasant execution after that. And last but not least, there's the deal Slippery Jim cuts with the authorities, which, on reflection, doesn't look much better than slow death.
In exchange for his life, Slippery Jim must retrieve a missing alien artifact from the planet Liokukae-a dumping ground for the Galactic League's misfits, murderers, maniacs, and the incurably obnoxious. Under cover as the leader of the rock band The Stainless Steel Rats, Slippery Jim violates every law of the land-including the musical ones. He has thirty days to bring back the artifact...or the slow-acting poison the League has fed him will kick in, and Slippery Jim diGriz will be history.
The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the Blues
The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the Blues
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169788303 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brilliance Audio |
| Publication date: | 04/12/2011 |
| Series: | Stainless Steel Rat Series , #8 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Videos
