Sam Gunn Unlimited

Sam Gunn #1

by Ben Bova

The men and women who loved or hated the solar systems most infamous space cowboy, Sam Gunn, recount the rollicking story of his life. From the pen of the author who will have the greatest effect on the scientific world and the world as a whole. -- (Ray Bradbury)

Genres: Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction

342 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Ben Bova was born on November 8, 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1953, while attending Temple University, he married Rosa Cucinotta, they had a son and a daughter. He would later divorce Rosa in 1974. In that same year he married Barbara Berson Rose.

Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.

Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.

In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.

In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".

Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.

Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.

Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.

Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).

Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".

http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova

Reviews

[Russell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Supposedly most of the stories were written in the 80's but it felt more like the 50's or 70's, the "listening to an interview" method of telling the story got old very quickly, as did the "character" of Sam Gunn. The only good point was that for a book with so many sexual references the author never actually wrote a sex scene so at least we are saved from having to read that. I note that most of the stories were originally published in a magazine where he was the Editor.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

PERSONS ATTEMPTING TO FIND A MOTIVE IN THIS NARRATIVE WILL BE PROSECUTED;
PERSONS ATTEMPTING TO FIND A MORAL IN IT WILL BE BANISHED;
PERSONS ATTEMPTING TO FIND A PLOT IN IT WILL BE SHOT.
BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR

Sam Gunn is the twenty-first century's greatest entrepreneur and its most hated public figure. Visionary, scoundrel, lover, liar, he is small in stature but larger than life, and his story is that of space exploration itself. He will make and lose fortunes from Earth to the Asteroid Belt, one step ahead of his creditors, one step behind his grand dreams. Through all his varied careers, Sam's goal will always be the same: to go where no one had ever gone before...and come back with a profit. Here is the MAGNIFICENT tale of his amazing life, an adventure told by the men and women who loved or hated him but could never forget him as he carved out man's destiny amongst the stars.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read keeping in mind that it is science fiction that is over 20 years old. It is an entertaining read that does not get overly bogged down with scientific principles. I recommend this book for fans of Ben Bova and science fiction that holds your interest.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little juvenile but fun !

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

despite a sleazy cover picture, this was typically good Bova Sci Fi

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book