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Pip & Flinx #8
Reunion
Bestselling author Alan Dean Foster returns to his acclaimed Humanx universe, where a young human orphan called Flinx seeks to unlock the dangerous secrets of his past–and the uncertain prospects of his future with the aid of the formidable minidrag known as Pip. This mind-bending Pip and Flinx adventure is a roller-coaster ride into the unknown, filled with wonder and humor, and a host of deadly adversaries.
Using his enhanced empathic abilities, Flinx finesses his way into a top-secret security installation on Earth. Once there, he bamboozles a sophisticated AI program into releasing classified information about the Meliorare Society, the sect of renegade eugenicists whose experiments with human beings had horrified the civilized universe more than twenty years ago. After all, as one of the few Meliorare experiments to survive, Flinx has a right to know about his past. Especially since his telepathic powers seem to be evolving. The question is, evolving into what? The excruciating headaches afflicting Flinx with increasing frequency make him wonder if he will be alive to find out. . . .
Using his enhanced empathic abilities, Flinx finesses his way into a top-secret security installation on Earth. Once there, he bamboozles a sophisticated AI program into releasing classified information about the Meliorare Society, the sect of renegade eugenicists whose experiments with human beings had horrified the civilized universe more than twenty years ago. After all, as one of the few Meliorare experiments to survive, Flinx has a right to know about his past. Especially since his telepathic powers seem to be evolving. The question is, evolving into what? The excruciating headaches afflicting Flinx with increasing frequency make him wonder if he will be alive to find out. . . .
342 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
119 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
Alan Dean Foster
512 books2,044 followersBestselling science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was born in New York City in 1946, but raised mainly in California. He received a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1968, and a M.F.A. in 1969. Foster lives in Arizona with his wife, but he enjoys traveling because it gives him opportunities to meet new people and explore new places and cultures. This interest is carried over to his writing, but with a twist: the new places encountered in his books are likely to be on another planet, and the people may belong to an alien race.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
November 13, 2017
Flinx is on his self-discovery kick (as usual) and thanks to a bit of a logic hijinx on an AI, he's hot on the trail of the group who created him and people like him. Those gene-eng bastards! Enter new locations, strange planets, awesome man-eating plants and animals, and big surprises on grand scales.
Sound like formula? Well, yeah. It is. It's pretty much a standard for adventure, but these books are following the same trail like clockwork. :) Is that a problem? I personally don't think so. In fact, I think ADF has a really great thing going because Flinx as a character is leveling up. His powers, man! And all the hints of really really really BDO's out there using him for their own purposes? The grand-scale stuff is pretty awesome. Think Star Wars where most of the screen time is dealing with people and small stuff and simple survival and mini-quests and then plop everything into a huge WTF event like blowing up the death star to wrap everything up.
Yup. Pip and Flinx have that pretty much down. The big difference is always going to be in the truly cool way all this is weaving together on the macro scale. Loving it, even. :)
I'm not going to spoil the title of this one but it's perfect on many levels. Macro and micro. An old character comes back to raise mighty hell. I was pretty damn impressed with the end. :)
Sound like formula? Well, yeah. It is. It's pretty much a standard for adventure, but these books are following the same trail like clockwork. :) Is that a problem? I personally don't think so. In fact, I think ADF has a really great thing going because Flinx as a character is leveling up. His powers, man! And all the hints of really really really BDO's out there using him for their own purposes? The grand-scale stuff is pretty awesome. Think Star Wars where most of the screen time is dealing with people and small stuff and simple survival and mini-quests and then plop everything into a huge WTF event like blowing up the death star to wrap everything up.
Yup. Pip and Flinx have that pretty much down. The big difference is always going to be in the truly cool way all this is weaving together on the macro scale. Loving it, even. :)
I'm not going to spoil the title of this one but it's perfect on many levels. Macro and micro. An old character comes back to raise mighty hell. I was pretty damn impressed with the end. :)
February 9, 2016
There is more than one Reunion in this instalment of the Humanx Commonwealth series, one more obvious than the other.
On his continuing journey of self-discovery, Flinx doubles back on his path and ends up back on Earth again, for the second time (unlike most of us, he wasn’t born there). Perhaps it’s because of this that this episode didn’t grip me as immediately as some of the others. Perhaps it’s just because I’ve read so many of these books back-to-back now, that I’m starting to experience the beginnings of burn-out on the series. Maybe I’m just tired and grumpy! :-)
Flinx doesn’t stay on Earth long, though; a piece of evidence he discovers there sends him hurtling out across the universe once more. (He actually obtains this evidence through some rather dubious moral activity which some readers of this book have found to be out of character for Flinx. I’m happy to put it down to his increasing desperation, though; Flinx has never been a saint, after all).
He ends up in the galactic territory of the sinister AAnn race; reptilian, devious and warlike. While it’s not good news for our hero, I actually enjoyed having the AAnn so directly involved in Flinx’s adventures in this book (and the last, thinking about it) as they’d been a shadowy presence in the background of the series for what seemed like forever. They really take the spotlight here, with several chapters actually being written from the point of view of some of the AAnn characters.
As long time readers of Foster’s stuff will know, a new planet means a new menagerie of amazing but credible aliens. Foster’s imagination for this sort of thing never ceases to impress me.
Without spoiling anything, I think I’m safe to say that the ending of this book contains some pretty major events that will have a big impact on the series as a whole. I’m really itching to see where this is going now!
P.S. – I had to listen to this chapter on Audible as, for some reason, this book isn’t currently available for Kindle (which is how I’ve been reading the series up ‘til now). The narrator does a pretty good job, although his voice for Flinx is a couple of octaves deeper than I’d previously imagined.
On his continuing journey of self-discovery, Flinx doubles back on his path and ends up back on Earth again, for the second time (unlike most of us, he wasn’t born there). Perhaps it’s because of this that this episode didn’t grip me as immediately as some of the others. Perhaps it’s just because I’ve read so many of these books back-to-back now, that I’m starting to experience the beginnings of burn-out on the series. Maybe I’m just tired and grumpy! :-)
Flinx doesn’t stay on Earth long, though; a piece of evidence he discovers there sends him hurtling out across the universe once more. (He actually obtains this evidence through some rather dubious moral activity which some readers of this book have found to be out of character for Flinx. I’m happy to put it down to his increasing desperation, though; Flinx has never been a saint, after all).
He ends up in the galactic territory of the sinister AAnn race; reptilian, devious and warlike. While it’s not good news for our hero, I actually enjoyed having the AAnn so directly involved in Flinx’s adventures in this book (and the last, thinking about it) as they’d been a shadowy presence in the background of the series for what seemed like forever. They really take the spotlight here, with several chapters actually being written from the point of view of some of the AAnn characters.
As long time readers of Foster’s stuff will know, a new planet means a new menagerie of amazing but credible aliens. Foster’s imagination for this sort of thing never ceases to impress me.
Without spoiling anything, I think I’m safe to say that the ending of this book contains some pretty major events that will have a big impact on the series as a whole. I’m really itching to see where this is going now!
P.S. – I had to listen to this chapter on Audible as, for some reason, this book isn’t currently available for Kindle (which is how I’ve been reading the series up ‘til now). The narrator does a pretty good job, although his voice for Flinx is a couple of octaves deeper than I’d previously imagined.
August 30, 2021
This is another good installment in the ongoing adventures of Flinx and his marvelous minidrag friend, Pip. Flinx's obsession to track down his parentage takes him to Earth and an encounter with the church library, from which he takes off for a confrontation with the AAnn and an adventure on another marvelously odd and vividly constructed Humanx Commonwealth planet. (And there are a couple of surprise reunions, too, as the title promises.) Foster's ability to create complex aliens and their equally interesting societies is on full display here. Flinx has grown and changed a bit since the previous adventure, and his mental abilities are stronger, too. Though the majority of the books in the Humanx setting can be read in any order, I'd suggest reading Flinx & Pip stories chronologically. This first edition has a cover painting by Roger Hunt which makes Flinx looks a lot like a young Alan Dean Foster.
June 30, 2010
I have read not only all of the flinx and pip novels but almost all of Foster's other novels. This novel was not up to the beginning of the series -- Tar Aym Krang, Orphan Star, End of the Matter, Bloodhype, but was better than the last two books wich seem merely to be written to extend the series until Foster can figure out how to end it.
June 15, 2013
Though I rated this four stars, I am disappointed at a few aspects of this mid-point installment of the Flinx and Pip saga. There was a gap in time between the last novel and this one, and it shows. In the opening quarter or so of the story Flinx behaves almost like a completely different character from the rest of the series. I may have missed a crucial plot point due to the inevitable stresses and adventures of my own rather less epic life, but why I wonder is Flinx so driven to find every scrap of information about his parents even to the point of disregarding his impact on others? Why is it important enough to cause explosions and ruin innocent bystander's lives, albeit temporarily?
Also I am distracted by what appears to be hasty writing. Does he really use the word "irregardless" several times throughout the narrative? I'm no grammar Nazi, but these small oversights are enough to yank one out of immersion in the story. For that is why I read these books --immersion in the fantastic universe Foster has created.
In spite of the rocky beginning and other easily forgiven minor problems, it is in the end that fantastic universe of the Humanx Commonwealth that warrants the four stars from me. Here abide wonderful alien species and ancient artifacts outré enough to raise goose bumps on even the most jaded of hard science fiction geeks. Here, Foster delivers the goods like no other. I'm still on a classic space opera high several days ofter completing this installment. It also did not escape my notice that although there is a reunion with a character from a previous book in the series, this may not be the reunion referred to in the title -- a nice touch.
Also I am distracted by what appears to be hasty writing. Does he really use the word "irregardless" several times throughout the narrative? I'm no grammar Nazi, but these small oversights are enough to yank one out of immersion in the story. For that is why I read these books --immersion in the fantastic universe Foster has created.
In spite of the rocky beginning and other easily forgiven minor problems, it is in the end that fantastic universe of the Humanx Commonwealth that warrants the four stars from me. Here abide wonderful alien species and ancient artifacts outré enough to raise goose bumps on even the most jaded of hard science fiction geeks. Here, Foster delivers the goods like no other. I'm still on a classic space opera high several days ofter completing this installment. It also did not escape my notice that although there is a reunion with a character from a previous book in the series, this may not be the reunion referred to in the title -- a nice touch.
January 29, 2018
The Reunion in the title is not all positive, Flinx is still searching for information about himself, and finds more than he wants to about his future. Go action and a nice continuation of the story line. Good series, check it out.
February 26, 2024
Barely 4 stars. Rather uneven storytelling, imo.
July 11, 2017
Reunion is the 7th book chronologically in the Pip & Flinx series. This installment finds Flinx continuing to follow every lead he can to learn more information about his biological parents. An espionage mission into a library on Earth leads to an excursion into the AAnn Empire. Foster's worlds are always inventive, but this particular planet is by design a bit less interesting than the prior few worlds Flinx has visited. Pyrassis is primarily a rock planet, with plenty of rocks and minerals and (seemingly) nothing interesting enough to draw the attention of sentient beings. The native life forms on this planet provide a few interesting encounters, as the camouflage capabilities are unique in how deadly they function.
More than any other book in the series, Reunion requires a reader to have read the earlier books in the series to fully enjoy it, but the constant callbacks to earlier events makes the momentum of the story suffer as a result. In all the infinite cosmos, Flinx seems to be getting drawn into some pretty convenient dramas that no other human has ever discovered. In particular, the earlier books The Tar-Aiym Krang and Orphan Star are revisited to bring in unique plot devices and characters, but they're not the interesting parts of those books (such as the Ulru-Ujurrians or Truzenzuzex). Just writing those last two sentences is probably enough to scare non-science fiction fans away from this series, but when Foster is firing on all cylinders he has created some of the best adventure stories and original settings in the genre.
Unfortunately Reunion misses the mark more often than not. Besides the interesting alien life forms that form an interesting survival story in the middle third of the book, the rest of the action never feels like anything even kind of threatening to our hero. In addition, Flinx develops a few abilities that are beginning to make him more superman than every-man. In this installment, Flinx computers expert computer hacker, capable of breaking into space stations and develops mental abilities capable of shutting down any threat to his safety. The reveal of the other person pursuing Flinx's parental records also didn't totally work for me as the added connection to Flinx's past felt cliched and unnecessary. The very ending of the book also uses a deux ex machina, however the reveal of what allowed it to take place made me chuckle.
More than any other book in the series, Reunion requires a reader to have read the earlier books in the series to fully enjoy it, but the constant callbacks to earlier events makes the momentum of the story suffer as a result. In all the infinite cosmos, Flinx seems to be getting drawn into some pretty convenient dramas that no other human has ever discovered. In particular, the earlier books The Tar-Aiym Krang and Orphan Star are revisited to bring in unique plot devices and characters, but they're not the interesting parts of those books (such as the Ulru-Ujurrians or Truzenzuzex). Just writing those last two sentences is probably enough to scare non-science fiction fans away from this series, but when Foster is firing on all cylinders he has created some of the best adventure stories and original settings in the genre.
Unfortunately Reunion misses the mark more often than not. Besides the interesting alien life forms that form an interesting survival story in the middle third of the book, the rest of the action never feels like anything even kind of threatening to our hero. In addition, Flinx develops a few abilities that are beginning to make him more superman than every-man. In this installment, Flinx computers expert computer hacker, capable of breaking into space stations and develops mental abilities capable of shutting down any threat to his safety. The reveal of the other person pursuing Flinx's parental records also didn't totally work for me as the added connection to Flinx's past felt cliched and unnecessary. The very ending of the book also uses a deux ex machina, however the reveal of what allowed it to take place made me chuckle.
October 15, 2007
Not only have I not read these books in the order they were written, but the order in which they were written is not really the order in which they should be read anyway. So I get a little confused.
Anyway, good news is that ADF has at least one, maybe two more Pip and Flinx books on the way. So contrary to what Gar and I were discussing, yes, ADF still does actually write NOVELS, not just movie tie-ins.
For those who are interested, here is the chronological order of the series, and the years in which they were written.
For Love of Mother-Not (1983) - read
The Tar-Aiym Krang (1972) - read
Orphan Star (1977) - read
The End of the Matter (1977) - read
Flinx in Flux (1988) - read
Mid-Flinx (1995) - gotta get a copy of this
Reunion (2001) - ready
Flinx's Folly (2003) - on the list
Sliding Scales (2004) - on the list
Running from the Deity (2005) - never even heard of it
Bloodhype (1973) - ready
Trouble Magnet (2006) - never even heard of it
Patrimony (forthcoming 2007) - wow! more!
Flinx Transcendent (forthcoming 2009) - wow! even more!
Anyway, good scifi all around, even if the stories seem to be a bit similar at times. Pip and Flinx are on the run, Pip and Flinx encounter giant ancient alient construct/deus ex machina, Pip and Flinx handily evade/defeat enemies, happy ending.
One other thing I'm beginning to suspect. The old TSR Star Frontiers game, I think, took a lot from this series. Time to whip that game out and check for a bibliography, as was the standard TSR habit with their games back in the day. I also need to check out the GURPS Humanx splatbook (out of print, of course and over $50 for a good copy).
Anyway, good news is that ADF has at least one, maybe two more Pip and Flinx books on the way. So contrary to what Gar and I were discussing, yes, ADF still does actually write NOVELS, not just movie tie-ins.
For those who are interested, here is the chronological order of the series, and the years in which they were written.
For Love of Mother-Not (1983) - read
The Tar-Aiym Krang (1972) - read
Orphan Star (1977) - read
The End of the Matter (1977) - read
Flinx in Flux (1988) - read
Mid-Flinx (1995) - gotta get a copy of this
Reunion (2001) - ready
Flinx's Folly (2003) - on the list
Sliding Scales (2004) - on the list
Running from the Deity (2005) - never even heard of it
Bloodhype (1973) - ready
Trouble Magnet (2006) - never even heard of it
Patrimony (forthcoming 2007) - wow! more!
Flinx Transcendent (forthcoming 2009) - wow! even more!
Anyway, good scifi all around, even if the stories seem to be a bit similar at times. Pip and Flinx are on the run, Pip and Flinx encounter giant ancient alient construct/deus ex machina, Pip and Flinx handily evade/defeat enemies, happy ending.
One other thing I'm beginning to suspect. The old TSR Star Frontiers game, I think, took a lot from this series. Time to whip that game out and check for a bibliography, as was the standard TSR habit with their games back in the day. I also need to check out the GURPS Humanx splatbook (out of print, of course and over $50 for a good copy).
May 27, 2010
This book advance Flinx's story a minuscule amount, just enough to get you to read it. Another of the "cash cow" variety.
Flinx does use his mental powers a bit in this one; it is too little and too late to really salvage that part of the story for me.
I wanted for Flinx to develop and use his psionic talents. The series is now something like 13 books and his mental talents are still unreliable and pretty much useless; this was a very, very, very big disappointment to me for the series as a whole.
Flinx does use his mental powers a bit in this one; it is too little and too late to really salvage that part of the story for me.
I wanted for Flinx to develop and use his psionic talents. The series is now something like 13 books and his mental talents are still unreliable and pretty much useless; this was a very, very, very big disappointment to me for the series as a whole.
November 14, 2024
Man, the cover Art blows. Who is this supposed to appeal to?
I didn't care for the first 75 or so pages...started mid-adventure where Flinx is trying to obtain info on his history. I didn't understand where exactly he was or what he was trying to get...a sybfile or something - a futuristic thumb drive. Dunno - it didn't make much sense & coming off the entertaining Mid-Flinx, this wasn't a very fun start.
It picks up once he leaves Earth/Terra for some far-flung planet in search of the missing thumb drive (I guess)...his journey takes him into AAnn territory.
Those dastardly AAnn remind me of the The Really Rottens, from the Laff-A-Lymipics, who only exist to provide a foil the The Scooby Doobies & the Yogi Yahooeys (amusingly, as I dreamt up my tortured analogy, I looked it up & the Rottens win twice & all three teams tie for the series finale). Anyway...
Once again, the duo wind up on a inhospitable planet & this is where ADF shines...creating enviro and creatures adept in those conditions...here, water becomes an issues and they have to march through the desert parched (reminded me of Eastwood's The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, where our Man with No Name is forced to walk through the desert nearly dying of thirst).
He ends up running from angry AAnn and runs into his evil sister and once again, the Krang shows up as does a massive planet-shaped space craft that's a 1/2 Mil years old.
I swear to all that's good & holy that the term "deus ex machina" needs to be mind-wiped from the language - I roll my eyes & silently judge every time someone uses it in their review, it's nice to know I'm smarter...but since I'm 8 books in on this series and have finished the Humanx ones - there's just not enough here to call it anything else - it's still a lazy explanation, but it gets to the point. I hated Ringworld for it. I hope ADF ties the plot knot before the end. Hell, even if he doesn't, I have enjoyed my time in the Commonwealth immensely. Thus far, nothing has risen to Icerigger levels of sci-fi vibes.
All in - didn't really dig this one, but I read during a busy month & my cat is circling the drain. Poor Theo.
I didn't care for the first 75 or so pages...started mid-adventure where Flinx is trying to obtain info on his history. I didn't understand where exactly he was or what he was trying to get...a sybfile or something - a futuristic thumb drive. Dunno - it didn't make much sense & coming off the entertaining Mid-Flinx, this wasn't a very fun start.
It picks up once he leaves Earth/Terra for some far-flung planet in search of the missing thumb drive (I guess)...his journey takes him into AAnn territory.
Those dastardly AAnn remind me of the The Really Rottens, from the Laff-A-Lymipics, who only exist to provide a foil the The Scooby Doobies & the Yogi Yahooeys (amusingly, as I dreamt up my tortured analogy, I looked it up & the Rottens win twice & all three teams tie for the series finale). Anyway...
Once again, the duo wind up on a inhospitable planet & this is where ADF shines...creating enviro and creatures adept in those conditions...here, water becomes an issues and they have to march through the desert parched (reminded me of Eastwood's The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, where our Man with No Name is forced to walk through the desert nearly dying of thirst).
He ends up running from angry AAnn and runs into his evil sister and once again, the Krang shows up as does a massive planet-shaped space craft that's a 1/2 Mil years old.
I swear to all that's good & holy that the term "deus ex machina" needs to be mind-wiped from the language - I roll my eyes & silently judge every time someone uses it in their review, it's nice to know I'm smarter...but since I'm 8 books in on this series and have finished the Humanx ones - there's just not enough here to call it anything else - it's still a lazy explanation, but it gets to the point. I hated Ringworld for it. I hope ADF ties the plot knot before the end. Hell, even if he doesn't, I have enjoyed my time in the Commonwealth immensely. Thus far, nothing has risen to Icerigger levels of sci-fi vibes.
All in - didn't really dig this one, but I read during a busy month & my cat is circling the drain. Poor Theo.
July 23, 2021
Copy bought second hand 2003... Languishing in TBR ever since, for some reason...
Seventh, chronologically, in the Flinx series, following Mid-Flinx (to which there are references) and preceding Flinx's Folly.
Opening on Earth where Flinx is still seeking information about his ancestry and moving deep into AAnn space, where he finds the thief who has absconded with his data is his sister Mahnahmi...
While surviving several near-death experiences Flinx survives, still not knowing his background. Seeds are sown (sorry) linking the previous book and future volumes.
Seventh, chronologically, in the Flinx series, following Mid-Flinx (to which there are references) and preceding Flinx's Folly.
Opening on Earth where Flinx is still seeking information about his ancestry and moving deep into AAnn space, where he finds the thief who has absconded with his data is his sister Mahnahmi...
While surviving several near-death experiences Flinx survives, still not knowing his background. Seeds are sown (sorry) linking the previous book and future volumes.
November 6, 2024
Alan Dean Foster's Flinx and Pip series has been one I've been reading for going on 40 years now, maybe longer, though I still haven't finished it completely.
This is one of my favorites, though. Flinx continues his quest to discover more about his origins including the Meliorare society and his family. At the same time, he remains on the run from various groups who are trying to hunt him down.
In this installment, Flinx travels back to old Earth and finds a "lead" that leads him on something of a wild goose chase and several different planets in another system controlled by the hostile Aan. I won't spoil the "reunion" of the title, but will say that several events from previous books are recalled. It honestly makes me want to go back and re-read the earlier books in the series.
At any rate, I thought this was a good and fun read. If you've read the earlier books in the series, you'll likely enjoy this one, too. This is just a fun space opera with interesting travels and characters.
This is one of my favorites, though. Flinx continues his quest to discover more about his origins including the Meliorare society and his family. At the same time, he remains on the run from various groups who are trying to hunt him down.
In this installment, Flinx travels back to old Earth and finds a "lead" that leads him on something of a wild goose chase and several different planets in another system controlled by the hostile Aan. I won't spoil the "reunion" of the title, but will say that several events from previous books are recalled. It honestly makes me want to go back and re-read the earlier books in the series.
At any rate, I thought this was a good and fun read. If you've read the earlier books in the series, you'll likely enjoy this one, too. This is just a fun space opera with interesting travels and characters.
July 20, 2020
Being a dictionary and a slide rule
This book, like most of the author's works I've read, lets you take your mind for a refreshing spin. If you don't end up smarter than when you arrive, you obviously have a photographic memory and an Oxford dictionary. The earlier Flinx books don't have the same emphasis on archaic words that are exactly descriptive of meaning. If you want a real brain teaser --read the friends and enemies books to find an entire story written about lava just so Foster can use a pun. After all, how many authors fake their own footnotes to support their own science?
This book, like most of the author's works I've read, lets you take your mind for a refreshing spin. If you don't end up smarter than when you arrive, you obviously have a photographic memory and an Oxford dictionary. The earlier Flinx books don't have the same emphasis on archaic words that are exactly descriptive of meaning. If you want a real brain teaser --read the friends and enemies books to find an entire story written about lava just so Foster can use a pun. After all, how many authors fake their own footnotes to support their own science?
April 21, 2023
His search for information on his origins leads Flinx to an AAnn desert planet and then to an ancient artifact in space. He has several scrapes with police, desert monsters, and AAnn along the way. It's an entertaining ride for the most part, but despite Flinx's own abilities and resourcefulness, he requires the help of other mysterious forces to save his ass more than once--not quite a literal deus ex machina, but pretty close. And after all that risk and effort, he ends up pretty much where he started.
January 5, 2025
Wonderfully of a trek of imagination and joyful story line
Was a treat to read to allow the mind to wonder upon exploration of a believable reality that felt possible. I couldn't put the book / escape.' ...down until finished!
Now longing for the next adventure!
I imagine that anyone would enjoy this next story and would be deeply amusing.
Thanks given to the Author for his imagining's!
Was a treat to read to allow the mind to wonder upon exploration of a believable reality that felt possible. I couldn't put the book / escape.' ...down until finished!
Now longing for the next adventure!
I imagine that anyone would enjoy this next story and would be deeply amusing.
Thanks given to the Author for his imagining's!
September 22, 2017
Book 8
Flinx is looking for information about his Father in the Earth archives. Almost in his grasp the computer is destroyed after giving a few clues. This causes a trip to the Aann Empire and a actual reunion. Action, detailed world building, clever twists and turns and a lurking plant make this a great addition to the series.
Flinx is looking for information about his Father in the Earth archives. Almost in his grasp the computer is destroyed after giving a few clues. This causes a trip to the Aann Empire and a actual reunion. Action, detailed world building, clever twists and turns and a lurking plant make this a great addition to the series.
January 30, 2023
Reunion
Somewhere along the line, I missed this book as well as a few others. With each book in the series is a different story that picks up from the previous book. I have the whole series on my kindle. So reading them in order makes more sense. Foster has always been a good read from any of his books.
Somewhere along the line, I missed this book as well as a few others. With each book in the series is a different story that picks up from the previous book. I have the whole series on my kindle. So reading them in order makes more sense. Foster has always been a good read from any of his books.
August 15, 2024
Reunion (Book 7 of the Pip & Flinx Adventures Series)
Well Flinx & Pip his minidrag on off on another adventure. What are they going to find, who are they going to reunite with and will they survive it all? Flinx has grown more into himself and has a little bit better control on his finicky Talents. Will they help or hinder him? Read on to discover the answer! ;)
Well Flinx & Pip his minidrag on off on another adventure. What are they going to find, who are they going to reunite with and will they survive it all? Flinx has grown more into himself and has a little bit better control on his finicky Talents. Will they help or hinder him? Read on to discover the answer! ;)
June 6, 2018
Since reading the first PIP & Flinx
I read the first in this series many moons ago and have anticipated the next book. It has not disappointed me in the lease. I have seven or eight more to go. A little at A time.
I read the first in this series many moons ago and have anticipated the next book. It has not disappointed me in the lease. I have seven or eight more to go. A little at A time.
October 23, 2018
Flinx and his mini dragon Pip, go to earth to try to discover Flinx's parentage. Adventures follow culminating in a reunion with the sister that Flinx never knew he had during a battle with the AAnn.
September 17, 2025
I do not like 15-year old Mahnamhi being described so sensually.
That being said, Reunion was overall an improvement over Mid-Flinx, it felt like more was happening, and Pyrassis is a pretty cool setting. Interested to see what happens next.
That being said, Reunion was overall an improvement over Mid-Flinx, it felt like more was happening, and Pyrassis is a pretty cool setting. Interested to see what happens next.
December 7, 2017
This novel got a bit tedious, though I do always enjoy Foster's descriptions of alien planets, and the weird creatures he comes up with always give me fun ideas for later encounters in various RPGs.
October 8, 2019
I still am very happy with this series and wish I had known about it sooner, this series is really good with many but not too many great characters. This is a Good Read.
June 22, 2021
A Little dryer than others.
September 28, 2023
Enjoyed the book as usual, but confused by the unexplained or discussed repair of the KK-drive between chapters 17 & 18.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2025
Continue to very much enjoy this series. In this book Mr Foster weaves a marvelous web of events and characters. Don't want to say too much to spoil anything. So much fun to read.
July 23, 2016
This book was a bit darker than the books earlier in Flinx's life and definitely should be read after the others. While I knew he wouldn't die, he does go through a long trial that was difficult to experience. It took a while before the titled reunion occurs, though I had predicted who it would be with.
The book begins with Flinx using his abilities in a way I found discomforting. While he is fine with theft, deception, etc., he typically is careful to avoid really hurting others, especially the innocent. This time he acts a bit out of selfish desperation, and not without some suffering. However, he didn't truly consider the longer term impact on one particular person, and he does leave her to deal with the consequences without much concern on his part. That didn't sit well with me, though he didn't have much ability to make amends at the time.
Afterwards, his adventures continue much as usual, with Flinx using his wits more than his talents. There are also a few events that occur, both within Flinx's ship and in the system he visits, that introduce some questions. The answers are likely to be a while in coming, though. I look forward to discovering them.
The book begins with Flinx using his abilities in a way I found discomforting. While he is fine with theft, deception, etc., he typically is careful to avoid really hurting others, especially the innocent. This time he acts a bit out of selfish desperation, and not without some suffering. However, he didn't truly consider the longer term impact on one particular person, and he does leave her to deal with the consequences without much concern on his part. That didn't sit well with me, though he didn't have much ability to make amends at the time.
Afterwards, his adventures continue much as usual, with Flinx using his wits more than his talents. There are also a few events that occur, both within Flinx's ship and in the system he visits, that introduce some questions. The answers are likely to be a while in coming, though. I look forward to discovering them.
August 22, 2016
I discovered Science Fiction as a genre around the time I was 12. It is my most favorite genre, and I spent most of my youth reading any and all SF I could get my hands on. I first met Flinx in "The Tar-Aiym Krang". I read other books in the series as they came out for a while. I am now back in the series. Each book in the series moves Flinx's life forward, but is a complete adventure in itself.
Flinx and his minidrag Pip continue the search for information about Flinx's past, information that the powers that be have determined is too dangerous to be allowed out. He follows the trail through Human agencies and through alien space to a relative he didn't know he had and an even older alien artifact that we have seen part of before.
I thoroughly this continuation of the story. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Flinx and his minidrag Pip continue the search for information about Flinx's past, information that the powers that be have determined is too dangerous to be allowed out. He follows the trail through Human agencies and through alien space to a relative he didn't know he had and an even older alien artifact that we have seen part of before.
I thoroughly this continuation of the story. I look forward to the next book in the series.
December 31, 2016
This is the first time I've picked up an Alan Dean Foster book since I was a kid. Now it makes sense why I found it so hard to finish some of them. Events that are supposed to be exciting and marvelous are conveyed in the past tense, with polysyllabic extrusions of verbal exactitude that made my auricular lobes shudder with extruberance.
That wasn't entirely fair. The man writes with excellent grammar, and has a an amazing vocabulary, but his apparent stylistic choice to always go for the most syllables possible in a sentence did make it hard to enjoy the story.
Despite that I did actually find myself enjoying some parts of it, probably partly due to the effect of nostalgia. If you liked the other Pip & Flinx books, read this. If not, I'd suggest moving on.
That wasn't entirely fair. The man writes with excellent grammar, and has a an amazing vocabulary, but his apparent stylistic choice to always go for the most syllables possible in a sentence did make it hard to enjoy the story.
Despite that I did actually find myself enjoying some parts of it, probably partly due to the effect of nostalgia. If you liked the other Pip & Flinx books, read this. If not, I'd suggest moving on.
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