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11th out of 46 books
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88 voters
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Helm
by
Steven Gould
After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain ...more
Paperback, 480 pages
Published
February 15th 1999
by Tor Science Fiction
(first published 1998)
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Sometimes trashy sci-fi can be the best kind of fun. Helm is a fun, cool, fast-paced adventure story. Here's the book's description (snagged from the back cover):
"After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few pre...more
"After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few pre...more
I read this book after reading and enjoying a few other books from the same author. It's a sci-fi / fantasy novel, similar to his other books. Unfortunately, it's missing the best part of his other writing, and accentuates the worst.
The book starts off on a dying world. We learn that the people are recovering from religious leaders that used advanced technology to brainwash large numbers of people into supporting them blindly, which of course starting giant religious wars. The re...more
The book starts off on a dying world. We learn that the people are recovering from religious leaders that used advanced technology to brainwash large numbers of people into supporting them blindly, which of course starting giant religious wars. The re...more
Book Description:
After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain all of Earth's scientific knowledge.
Once in a generation, the heir to the province of Laal be...more
After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain all of Earth's scientific knowledge.
Once in a generation, the heir to the province of Laal be...more
Interesting ideas. I liked that nearly all of the book is set in a kind of medieval times (complete with kings, stewards, mounted cavalry, archers, sword fighting, etc.) with just a hint of sci-fi (mainly in with regards to the helm). Other reviewers have suggested that the helm is similar in function to the TV show Chuck, but I think it's more like how dolls are imprinted in Dollhouse, albeit in a more passive way (the helm's personality doesn't take over the wearer but just augments/supplement...more
Basic test [yes/no:]: Would I recommend you read this book or not. Was it worth the few hours spent reading it? Am I pleased that I spent the time reading it? --- Yes ---
After a bit of a slow start, the book is pretty absorbing. The plot moves pretty quickly and was entertaining. There are a few really nice heroic moments as well.
However, the book itself is just okay. It's a bit predictable, and the characters aren't really all that interesting. The inevitable traitor is predictable as are most of the developments.
Aikido plays an important role in the book, which is a mixed blessing. The author's descriptions of Aikido are very goo...more
However, the book itself is just okay. It's a bit predictable, and the characters aren't really all that interesting. The inevitable traitor is predictable as are most of the developments.
Aikido plays an important role in the book, which is a mixed blessing. The author's descriptions of Aikido are very goo...more
Im actually not reading this version but the crowdsouce proofreading ebook version. so far its great!
My book of choice for infecting people with the Aikido bug.
It was okay. It was recommended to me as a post-apocalyptic book which was, but only in the loosest sense. The feudal society was interesting but there was way too much focus on Aikido. It was almost like a religion. Gould used a lot of technical terms that I'm sure would be familiar to practitioners of Aikido but weren't really explained very well in the book so I had to infer their meaning. The descriptions of the moves were confusing and not particular interesting to read.
Th...more
Th...more
Some possible subtitles:
How Aikido Saved a Kingdom
I Hope You Like Aikido!
Got Aikido?
Lots Of Long Descriptions of How Awesome Aikido Is
The Author is Really Into Aikido
How Aikido Saved a Kingdom
I Hope You Like Aikido!
Got Aikido?
Lots Of Long Descriptions of How Awesome Aikido Is
The Author is Really Into Aikido
Not Gould's best book; it drags a little, and I don't think he does an very good job of explaining the mythology and tradition built up around the "helms", so that the reader is even more in the dark than the characters in the beginning. It all comes out in the end, but I can see where a lot of readers wouldn't get that far.
Steven Gould's grown-up masterwork. This book is fantastic, sweeping, thought-provoking speculative fiction and it's a shame it's not more well-known than it is.
Chas.
added it
Carrie
marked it as to-read
Paul Michael
marked it as to-read
Andy
marked it as to-read
Eric Frisbee
marked it as to-read
Doug
marked it as consider
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Steven Charles Gould is an American science fiction author. His novels tend to have protagonists fighting to rid government of corrupt antagonists. The struggle against corruption is the focus, rather than the technology.
More about Steven Gould...
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