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Last Human
(Red Dwarf #3)
by
Lister gazed out of the porthole and catalogue the series of disasters that had led him to this point in space and time: the bad decisions, the poor career choices, the unreliable friendships that had led him here - on a prison ship bound for the most inhospitable penal colony in the outer cosmos... and all he'd ever wanted was to be a soft metal guitar icon. This is the b
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The Final Chapter
28 May 2016
It has taken ages for me to get around to reading this book, namely because when my sister first bought it back in 1995 she told me that I couldn't read it until she had finished it. I'm not sure if that ever came about – her reading it that is – however over Christmas, when I was back in Adelaide for a few weeks, I asked her if I would be able to borrow it (half expecting her to say no, namely because she hadn't got around to reading it yet) and fortunately she had ...more
28 May 2016
It has taken ages for me to get around to reading this book, namely because when my sister first bought it back in 1995 she told me that I couldn't read it until she had finished it. I'm not sure if that ever came about – her reading it that is – however over Christmas, when I was back in Adelaide for a few weeks, I asked her if I would be able to borrow it (half expecting her to say no, namely because she hadn't got around to reading it yet) and fortunately she had ...more
Disappointing. The bits where it stayed close to the TV series are tedious (e.g. the Cat's variations on "this is deader than plaid") and the original bits don't make sense. I treat this as the fourth novel in the series, although it was published before Backwards. However, there are really two alternate third novels, which don't fit into the same continuity, and this is the lesser of the two.
The book is called "Last Human", but it also reintroduces Kochanski as a member of the crew (as seen in ...more
The book is called "Last Human", but it also reintroduces Kochanski as a member of the crew (as seen in ...more
I'm sad to say that this is even more of a letdown then Backwards was. It seems that Naylor needs Grant more then vice versa. At least when it comes to writing in the Red Dwarf universe. This book just wasn't that funny or even true to the characters. As a science fiction novel in it's own right it wasn't bad but then again, it wasn't great.
The plot is so full of holes I feel it's been a marksman's target and I couldn't get over the feeling that this had just been cobbled together as part of a ...more
The plot is so full of holes I feel it's been a marksman's target and I couldn't get over the feeling that this had just been cobbled together as part of a ...more
3.75 stars.
The first of two books that both are direct sequels to the second Red Dwarf novel, Better than Life. After the writing team of Grant Naylor went their separate ways they still had a deal to write two more books so each took the story in their own direction, completely separately from each other. This one was penned by Doug Naylor, who also continued the TV series from this point on. As this was released first novel I chose to start with it.
While I didn't hate this book I wasn't over ...more
The first of two books that both are direct sequels to the second Red Dwarf novel, Better than Life. After the writing team of Grant Naylor went their separate ways they still had a deal to write two more books so each took the story in their own direction, completely separately from each other. This one was penned by Doug Naylor, who also continued the TV series from this point on. As this was released first novel I chose to start with it.
While I didn't hate this book I wasn't over ...more
This is a Red Dwarf novel but written by only one of the two creators, and I think that it suffers a little as a result of that. I’ve actually read one of Rob Grant’s novels as well, and that wasn’t particularly good either, whereas I do like the two other Red Dwarf books that they wrote together, and Better Than Life in particular.
That brings me on to one of my main problems with this, which is that they essentially self-plagiarise, taking scenes and lines of dialogue verbatim from the show. I ...more
That brings me on to one of my main problems with this, which is that they essentially self-plagiarise, taking scenes and lines of dialogue verbatim from the show. I ...more
While not as funny or as relatable to the BBC series as Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers or Better than Life, the third Red Dwarf book entertains! Written solely by Doug Naylor, Last Human picks up where Better than Life concludes and brings Lister's story full-circle.
It's a more complete story than the episodic first two books, and this seems to be its biggest flaw. The first two Red Dwarf books worked so well because they added to stories seen in the BBC series, but Last Human effe ...more
It's a more complete story than the episodic first two books, and this seems to be its biggest flaw. The first two Red Dwarf books worked so well because they added to stories seen in the BBC series, but Last Human effe ...more
Not the best book in the series of red dwarf books, really only for the super-fans of the series. It's a bit of a mash-up from various episodes and because of that it doesn't flow as well as the other books. You can find lots of plot holes too, for example the book is called "Last Human" but there is another human called Kochanski, so right away the title is confusing. Maybe if this book was better edited I would have rated it as high as the other books in the series. I still laughed though and
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Definitely better than 'Backwards'. The plot had a nicer flow and the characters were far more natural. 'Backwards' was a little too clinical for my taste, whereas 'Last Human' was far more... human (for want of a better term). Really enjoyable end to a fantastic series of books.
Reread - Jan 2020 ...more
Reread - Jan 2020 ...more
Bloody rubbish. From reading this and then reading "Backwards" by Rob Grant you can see who teh talent really was out of teh two of them. It's a shame that it was Doug Naylor who kept on writing the show, one can only imagine how good Red Dwarf could have been had Rob Grant stuck around.
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I have been a fan of Red Dwarf since it first came out in 1988. A truly brilliant show by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. I have seen all the episodes up to Season 11 so far and frankly feel that after Season 8 it started to fall a bit for me. Still a fan though.
I have also read the first two books Infinity Welcomes Careful Drives and Better Than Life and totally loved them. This book and Backwards were unknown to me until recently when I discovered that the first two are available in Audio and read ...more
I have also read the first two books Infinity Welcomes Careful Drives and Better Than Life and totally loved them. This book and Backwards were unknown to me until recently when I discovered that the first two are available in Audio and read ...more
Another masterful comedy-scifi novel, full of fun and adventure and weirdness.
This third book in the series focused more heavily on Kryten (android) and Rimmer (holographic entity) and did a fantastic job of developing their characters. Cat took a backseat, which was fine, and the author reintroduced Kriss Kochanski—Lister's long dead girlfriend, who was a perfect addition to their team.
The sci-fi elements were plentiful: mind prisons, instantaneous gene-editing, cross-dimensional evil twins, ...more
This third book in the series focused more heavily on Kryten (android) and Rimmer (holographic entity) and did a fantastic job of developing their characters. Cat took a backseat, which was fine, and the author reintroduced Kriss Kochanski—Lister's long dead girlfriend, who was a perfect addition to their team.
The sci-fi elements were plentiful: mind prisons, instantaneous gene-editing, cross-dimensional evil twins, ...more
Yeah, I should have read these in order. I think that while part of my problem was the story itself and plotholes that several other reviewers have noted, I was also put off by the narrator. He made Lister sound like a complete arse, Cat was a non-player, Rimmer was a bigger wuss than before, and Kryten was...well, he was about the same, I guess.
I didn't like how Kryten turned himself into a human and then decided that he could upload a computer virus to himself and cause the giant tornado to c ...more
I didn't like how Kryten turned himself into a human and then decided that he could upload a computer virus to himself and cause the giant tornado to c ...more
I'm a big fan of the show, so I was able to imagine the characters' looks, voices, accents and mannerisms. I can't tell if the made the book better or worse. Maybe it raised my expectations too high. Or maybe it gave the jokes that little bit of extra humour they needed. Either way, I'm glad to be done with the book. The ending was trite, Cat seemed to be a boring cameo (despite being such an entertaining character in the show) and at least a quarter of the book could have been edited out by rem
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Not as good as the previous two books in the series. The characters don't seem as fleshed out in this book, as if the author doesn't know them very well. In fact, at one stage it was written 'said Rimmer' when it was clearly something the Cat was saying. Just a typo but it sums up the feeling I got throughout the book. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I was hoping for after the first two books.
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Pretty awful, nowhere near as fun as the previous two. This one focused way too much on a bad story (something that wasn't exactly the strong point of the others), and included none of the stupid jokes or character building that we'd typically associate with Red Dwarf.
If you were to ask me in a year what the plot of the book is, I probably won't be able to recall. Completely forgettable, I'm quite disappointed given how much I enjoyed the first one. ...more
If you were to ask me in a year what the plot of the book is, I probably won't be able to recall. Completely forgettable, I'm quite disappointed given how much I enjoyed the first one. ...more
I really enjoyed the first two books, but this one had so many plot holes, even for science fiction, I just couldn’t deal with it. I mean, they land on a asteroid that has telephone poles and electricity? The inhabitants drive jeeps? “A rocket whined out of the barrel and sizzled across the penal colony before it exploded into the electric chain-link perimeter fence, shattering the concrete posts. “ Chain-link? Concrete? It just took me out of the story.
Kind of a disappointing book in terms of the greatness of the rest of the series. I definitely head-cannon this book as the fourth in the series of books based on the classic BBC/Dave comedy television series, immediately following Backwards.
Doug Naylor wrote a solid science fiction book, but it lacked the comedy, charm, and character awareness of the series it is based on.
Doug Naylor wrote a solid science fiction book, but it lacked the comedy, charm, and character awareness of the series it is based on.
This one differed from the TV show significantly. Thus it was full of surprises. You can see bits taken from the book that made their way into the TV show but that was it.
I found read by this a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Being able to see these characters in only vaguely familiar circumstances was great!
If you like/ed the TV show you will like the books as well!
I found read by this a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Being able to see these characters in only vaguely familiar circumstances was great!
If you like/ed the TV show you will like the books as well!
Although many would say that this is just a rehash of Red Dwarf scripts (confession: huge Red Dwarf fan!!!), I loved this book. The way Naylor weaves the satire and sarcasm of the show into a broader narrative is genius! Such colour, such vibrancy, such characters. Great read from a great writer - well done Mr Naylor. Can we have more please?
While I love the continued exploits of the crew of Red Dwarf, this is much more of a confusing mishmosh of storylines that intertwine in rather confusing ways. At times I felt I was perhaps listening to the audio book out of order it was so baffling, but, no, I was listening in order, the story itself was just all over the place. Disappointing.
This book is for those that have read the previous two novels or familiar with the characters from the TV show. All others will be totally lost.
It feels a little rushed and the author crow-bars in scenes from the TV series which I don't think where necessary and felt like padding to beef-up the book.
All in all I enjoyed it, even if the plot and characters are dealt with superficially. I would have liked a bit more astronomy and astrophysics. ...more
It feels a little rushed and the author crow-bars in scenes from the TV series which I don't think where necessary and felt like padding to beef-up the book.
All in all I enjoyed it, even if the plot and characters are dealt with superficially. I would have liked a bit more astronomy and astrophysics. ...more
Oct 02, 2018
Derelict Space Sheep
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review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction,
humour
42 WORD REVIEW:
A competent SF novel that broadens the Red Dwarf canvas but relies a little too much on prior knowledge of the show (while at the same time rehashing chunks of televised stories; these are the book’s weakest parts). Funny, but somewhat scattershot.
A competent SF novel that broadens the Red Dwarf canvas but relies a little too much on prior knowledge of the show (while at the same time rehashing chunks of televised stories; these are the book’s weakest parts). Funny, but somewhat scattershot.
If you have seen the television episodes then it is very recognizable. Almost all of the events happen also in the series. But it is still Red Dwarf humor, so per definition funny. Especially the metaphors are very funny.
It's Red Dwarf, but a book. Just imagine that. Because that's what this book is. Red Dwarf, but in book form. Only now people are allowed actual character development.
Honestly I had a whale of a time reading this ...more
Honestly I had a whale of a time reading this ...more
i love this book series. it is very, very close to the show that i remember
Like most other books in the series it's only worth reading if you're a fan of the TV series. There just aren't enough interesting parts in the book to stand out.
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I liked this book less than the first two. I think Naylor needed Grant to balance him out, as I found the first two books much more enjoyable.
Even less good than Backwards.
The better story of the two follow ups to Better than Life but not as funny as the first half of Backwards or as funny as the first book. So I dunno. Probably more 3.5 stars.
This was good in places but to be honest as a die hard red dwarf fan it didn't make sense after reading the other books and bits of it I just didn't enjoy.
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Douglas R. Naylor is a British comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer. He is best known as half of the writing team of the lnog-running BBC sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf (1988-2009), which is a worldwide cult hit.
Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio ...more
Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio ...more
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