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151st out of 763 books
—
659 voters
Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future (Santiago #1)
by
Mike Resnick
Bandit, murderer, known to all, seen by none...has he killed a thousand men? Has he saved a dozen world? His legend is as large as the Rim itself, his trail as elusive as a wisp of starlight in the empty realms of space. The reward for him is the largest in history.
Mass Market Paperback, 376 pages
Published
August 15th 1992
by Tor Science Fiction
(first published March 1986)
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This is another of my favorites, and in my opinion is Resnick's best story and contains his best writing by far. The book is filled with larger-than-life characters crafted to be similar to Paul Bunyan or Johnnie Appleseed, and the whole thing blends and builds to a wonderful mythic climax.
The story is about the elusive and most feared Santiago and how Sebastian Cain aka The Songbird travels the galaxy to hunt down and kill Santiago to collect the large bounty on his head. On his journey Cain comes across the most entertaining characters who may or may not help him in finding the elusive Santiago.
Overall this was an entertaining book. The beginning was a little confusing for me, having to get straight all the characters and their names and how they fit into the story.
Overall this was an entertaining book. The beginning was a little confusing for me, having to get straight all the characters and their names and how they fit into the story.
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From Amazon, August 27, 2006: If I could give this a 6-star rating, I would.
I tend to prefer fantasy, with medieval-type settings, with some magic or things of similar nature. This book doesn't even come close, and yet it is one of my favorite books; one of only a handful that I enjoy re-reading.
It starts out as a corny space opera/wild-west style story. You might groan, thinking you have picked up one of the silliest stereotyped stories ever written. (I did, the first time I read it). And yet...more
I tend to prefer fantasy, with medieval-type settings, with some magic or things of similar nature. This book doesn't even come close, and yet it is one of my favorite books; one of only a handful that I enjoy re-reading.
It starts out as a corny space opera/wild-west style story. You might groan, thinking you have picked up one of the silliest stereotyped stories ever written. (I did, the first time I read it). And yet...more
This would also have been a 4.5 star review if I could, but I rounded up because the book was just so much fun. I don't like most comedies, even under the guise of science fiction, but this book manages to be light-hearted (there are a lot of deaths) and funny while still maintaining a serious undercurrent and not overusing puns and popular culture references. I also liked the ending. Overall, the book is warm, fuzzy, simple, and fun. Highly recommended.
I’m not sure when my desire to be a writer first sparked, but I can tell you when it roared into full flame; it was the day Mike Resnick spoke at my high school. I was a junior, and I’d been a voracious reader for years. I’d even written a short story for my English class, taught by one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Henry. It might have been Mrs. Henry who arranged Resnick’s visit.
To be perfectly honest, the thing that sealed the deal for me was Mike talking about how he slept as late as he want...more
To be perfectly honest, the thing that sealed the deal for me was Mike talking about how he slept as late as he want...more
Dear Kenny,
Thanks for your last letter. Glad I could remind you of a favorite novel from long ago, and I’m glad to have joined the club of “People that read the *%^#ing classics” as you so eloquently put it.
Got another one for you, not quite as old, and not quite as famous, but so much fun. Have you heard of Mike Resnick? He’s written quite a few books, none of which I had read before I picked up Santiago. This is another recommendation from Card’s interview with GoodReads. In the interview he t...more
Thanks for your last letter. Glad I could remind you of a favorite novel from long ago, and I’m glad to have joined the club of “People that read the *%^#ing classics” as you so eloquently put it.
Got another one for you, not quite as old, and not quite as famous, but so much fun. Have you heard of Mike Resnick? He’s written quite a few books, none of which I had read before I picked up Santiago. This is another recommendation from Card’s interview with GoodReads. In the interview he t...more
Three Stars
Good story with a different feel than most Science Fiction.
On the good side, there were colourful characters, and an interesting back story. This reminded me of a the Clint Eastwood Bounty Hunter Spagetti Westerns like "A Few Dollars More" and "A Fist Full of Dollars." The setting reminded me very much of Josh Whedon's "Fifefly" Tv Series (And "Serenity" the Motion Picture follow-up). Basically this story could have been set in any story-adventure world, fantasy, modern, future. It ha...more
Good story with a different feel than most Science Fiction.
On the good side, there were colourful characters, and an interesting back story. This reminded me of a the Clint Eastwood Bounty Hunter Spagetti Westerns like "A Few Dollars More" and "A Fist Full of Dollars." The setting reminded me very much of Josh Whedon's "Fifefly" Tv Series (And "Serenity" the Motion Picture follow-up). Basically this story could have been set in any story-adventure world, fantasy, modern, future. It ha...more
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I had never read a Science Fiction before and the only reason I picked up this one was because it said it is like a western in Science Fiction. This book had more pages than I usually read at that time. But when I started to read I could simply not put the book down. I had to force myself to put it down so I could go to work next day without being like a zombie. I read on the tram and on the bus and in the breaks at work and immediately when I came home I continued reading, not even putting the...more
You gotta love a book with character names such as: "Sebastian Nightingale Cain" aka "The Songbird", "The Angel", "Poor Yorick", "Jolly Swagman", "Man-Mountain Bates", "Virtue McKenzie" aka the "Virgin Queen", and "Moonripple". And all of these colorful characters want to know where the uber criminal/terrorist "Santiago" currently resides. Some want to kill him, others want to kiss him, many want to capture him, one wants to steal from him and another wants to interview him. Resnick broke the mo...more
1 like · like · see review
On the galactic frontier, the name of Santiago strikes fear into the hearts of men. The bounty hunter Sebastian Cain decides to finally go after the most wanted man in the galaxy. This is his story.
I picked this up purely because I've loved the Resnick stories that I've heard on Escape Pod. This seems to be an older work and is more light-hearted than the stuff I've encountered before. It was easy to read and not too taxing. The ending also wasn't too much of a surprise.
Not the Resnick standard...more
I picked this up purely because I've loved the Resnick stories that I've heard on Escape Pod. This seems to be an older work and is more light-hearted than the stuff I've encountered before. It was easy to read and not too taxing. The ending also wasn't too much of a surprise.
Not the Resnick standard...more
A friend recommended this to me, saying that "Santiago" reminded him of "Firefly." Being the Joss Whedon obsessed fan that I am, I was immediately intrigued so I picked up a copy of this and the sequel novel, "The Return of Santiago."
And now that I've read half of the saga (which, thankfully "Santiago" is a self contained book), I'm not sure I'm in any kind of hurry to pick up the next installment. It's not that "Santiago" is necessarily a bad book--it's not. It's just not necessarily a great bo...more
And now that I've read half of the saga (which, thankfully "Santiago" is a self contained book), I'm not sure I'm in any kind of hurry to pick up the next installment. It's not that "Santiago" is necessarily a bad book--it's not. It's just not necessarily a great bo...more
This is one of my favourite SF books of all time. Resnick creates an interesting universe (not unlike Josh Wheldon's Firefly) filled with oddball characters and uses it to weave a tale of galactic adventure.
It starts with a run-of-the-mill getting a tip about the galaxy's biggest criminal and sets him on a course to find and take down Santiago. Along the way, he runs afoul of any number of nasty and/or kooky characters who seek to waylay him on his mission.
It starts with a run-of-the-mill getting a tip about the galaxy's biggest criminal and sets him on a course to find and take down Santiago. Along the way, he runs afoul of any number of nasty and/or kooky characters who seek to waylay him on his mission.
What a great book!
A cast of characters who take their names from a balladeer, all focused on taking out the King of the Outlaws.
Who it turns out is pretty much in the same role as the captain in Resnick's Starship series.
Bounty hunters, journalists, thieves, tramps, swindlers and killers.
A tapestry of humanity, woven together for a fun read. Not a classic by any means, but a great read and re-read.
A cast of characters who take their names from a balladeer, all focused on taking out the King of the Outlaws.
Who it turns out is pretty much in the same role as the captain in Resnick's Starship series.
Bounty hunters, journalists, thieves, tramps, swindlers and killers.
A tapestry of humanity, woven together for a fun read. Not a classic by any means, but a great read and re-read.
This one was a pleasant surprise. Liked it far more than I expected. Very character driven story, with an interesting myth like feel to it that was reminiscent of the old west. Though the ending was a bit weak (and the unnecessary epilog even more so), I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Some fun crazy characters in this one, though at times they could become a bit over the top.
Just started into this. It's been a while since I've read any Resnick, but he has a certain pulpy style that I love. Somewhere--maybe the blurb on this book--I read that he considered himself a fabulist, and what he wrote, fables or tall tales. The Paul Bunyans and Pecos Bills of the future--often spinning their own stories bigger than life.
Fantastic book. Wild-west-meets-sci-fi, very Firefly-esque. But even on its own merits, it is a terrific book; it's an exciting page turner, with enough twists, backstabs, and double-crosses to keep even seasoned genre experts guessing. Highly recommended.
This is, quite honestly, my favorite book of all time. I reread it at least once a year. Anyone who is a fan of the Firefly TV series should have this on their must-read list. I first read this in junior high and have never stopped loving it.
Santiago is the sci-fi equivalent of a Wild West manhunt with spaceships taking the part of horses, laser pistols standing in for six shooters, and aliens playing the role of the Indians (in one instance, quite literally). At times, it's just plain bad, but it's also a lot of fun. Despite a rough start, which follows a tiresome meet-and-greet formula, you will be laughing one moment and rolling your eyes the next. The author's genius creation is Black Orpheus, an incarnation of the mythical anci...more
Those who know me should have known right away this would be the first five star book I'd post... Best sci-fi mythology ever. Star Wars/Star Trek are second rate compared. Certainly would make a better movie than either franchise.
Who was the mythical rebel leader known to the galaxy as Santiago? Did he really exist or was he just a symbol, or both? The search to find him leads to surprising answers.
Good book, Fresh--if obvious--plot twist. Not so much SF or fantasy as a horse opera set in space, but that worked for George Lucas.
Liked using the verses of doggerel as a devise for propelling and explaining the plot. (Especially cute that almost all were admitted to be in error.)
Liked using the verses of doggerel as a devise for propelling and explaining the plot. (Especially cute that almost all were admitted to be in error.)
A tongue-in-cheek space opera. A fun little sci-fi adventure with just the right amount of humor and a soupcon of violence.
Firefly before Firefly. A space-western bounty-hunter amalgamation that immerses the reader in an atmospheric setting.
Way before Firefly - this is an awesome combination of myth, spaghetti western, and space opera.
Dec 11, 2009
John
is currently reading it
Not every hero starts out that way. Not every bad guy is a bad person.
Loved all of the worlds in the universe like Star Wars and Star Trek.
This is an amazing SF adventure/mystery/epic. I loved this book.
Think Firefly, fifteen years before Firefly. Fun stuff.
Wild west meets galactic empire. Liked it.
It was pretty good. I love the characters!
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action/Adventure ...: September Space Opera Book Discussion: Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future by Mike Resnick *Spoilers* | 17 | 27 | Oct 10, 2012 01:36pm | |
| Trigun | 2 | 12 | Dec 07, 2011 03:21pm |
Michael "Mike" Diamond Resnick (born Chicago, March 5, 1942), better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is a popular and prolific American science fiction author. He is, according to Locus, the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short science fiction. He is the winner of five Hugos, a Nebula, and other major awards in the United States, France, Spain, Japan, Croatia and Pola...more
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