Tuf Voyaging in Beyond Reality

Feb 11, 2021 carol. rated it it was ok

Shelves: awards-of-all-sorts, sci-fi, short-story-collections, meh, et-phone-home, ships-in-space

Originally published in 1986, 'Tuf Voyaging' contains seven stories largely published in Analog in 1985. You remember 1985, right? 'Money for Nothing,' 'A View to a Kill,' AIDS, Gorbachev, New Coke, Nintendo, and 'The Breakfast Club' all sound familiar? Yeah, that's right. The year where it seemed like the leaders just wanted to fight, greed was king and the youth movement was all about walking away from adults in the room. Clearly Martin was tapping into the zeitgeist, because his protagonist T Originally published in 1986, 'Tuf Voyaging' contains seven stories largely published in Analog in 1985. You remember 1985, right? 'Money for Nothing,' 'A View to a Kill,' AIDS, Gorbachev, New Coke, Nintendo, and 'The Breakfast Club' all sound familiar? Yeah, that's right. The year where it seemed like the leaders just wanted to fight, greed was king and the youth movement was all about walking away from adults in the room. Clearly Martin was tapping into the zeitgeist, because his protagonist Tuf is all about being misunderstood, calling out governments and nobles, and expressing his desire to be left alone with his cats.

The first story is 'The Plague Star' and lays the foundation for the rest. A band of four people tied together by greed lights on Tuf as the solution to their transport problems. "The man is an independent trader, of sorts. Not a very successful one... He must be getting desperate--desperate enough, I'd think, so that he'll jump at this opportunity... He'll give us no trouble. He's big, but soft, inside and out. He keeps cats, I hear. Doesn't much like people. Drinks a lot of beer, eats too much." It is novella-length at 120 pages and describes just how a humble space trader ends up in possession of an ancient 'seed' ship.

The remainder of the stories are basically Tuf going to different places in the universe and 'solving problems,' although there's a reoccurring visit to the Port of S'uthlam, a sophisticated space repair station. 'Loaves and Fishes' refers to how Tuf solves the problem of repairs at the Port. At 75 pages it's the second-longest story, while the remaining ones are under 50. 'Guardians' is fishing world beset by leviathans and whom Tuf offers to help. 'Second Helpings' is a return to Port looking for another miracle of the fishes. 'A Beast for Norn' and 'Call Him Moses' are next. You would almost think 'Beast' is going to be a morality tale after witnessing how Tuf, a vegetarian, imposes his no-meat rule on anyone visiting his ship, but, not at all. He treats animals as disposably as his clients do. Lastly is 'Manna From Heaven,' a final confrontation at the Port which contains a philosophical showdown with the Port Manager.

This felt very old-school sci-fi. The universe felt like it had less to do with cohesive world-building and more the sci-fi version of Star Trek. The ship, you see, is thirty kilometers long, normally crewed by two hundred, but able to be ran--largely--by one person after reading a few manuals. You can clone anything you like, from cat to T.rex, and the defense system includes monsters from the lesser-known pockets of the universe.

It's a great premise, and I was expecting something along the lines of 'humble man achieves power and imposes order to chaotic systems,' but instead it felt like half morality tale, half destructive wish fulfillment fantasy. Much like a djinn, Tuf often obeys the letter of the requests made to him--giving people what they ask for, but not what they need. In exchange, just a few million or so, to help him pay off his own debt. I'd have less problem with it if it wasn't clear from the story that hundreds, to thousands to millions were suffering while he let the leaders screw around, essentially punishing them until they agreed to his point of view. Early on, the Port Manager makes the point of how absolute power corrupts. While I'm not sure Tuf was corrupted, I think being an asshole plus having an excessive amount of power certainly facilitated his being an asshole on a very large scale. Larger questions of the stability of a society are indirectly referred to as a potential consequence, but neither Tuf nor the reader gets to see them.

I don't know about you, but I was giving serious consideration to Tuf as George R.R. Martin's alter ego. Drinking his dark beer, complaining about the quality of food on other planets, and basically complaining about how no one gives him the benefit of the doubt or treats him with suspicion when he does so very badly at conveying his ideas. His solution in 'Loaves and Fishes' takes 45 days of him isolating himself and working away without a word to anyone. (I suspect Tuf was working on the outline to GoT). I mean, tell me that this quote doesn't sound like George commenting on a policy of choice: "Yet, poisonous cynic that I am, I cannot help but suspect that ultimately the S'uthlamese may decide that some lives are more sacred than others."

I was reminded a great deal of James White's Sector General series, about a deep-space hospital that catered to beings of all natures. While Tuf Voyaging does manage to avoid a lot of the misogyny and cultural centrism that that time period can be known for, the collection has limitations. 'Guardians' is by far the least problematic story, and got Martin nominated for an award or two. 'The Plague Star' is interesting in it's fallout, although most of the players in the story are unlikable. Basically, I wanted more interesting problem-solving or discussion thereof and more aliens. Enjoyment hinges on being able to just let details go and see where the ride takes you. Oh, and it helps if you love cats. ...more

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Jun 09, 2010 Althea Ann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It took me a long time to get ahold of this book (I finally received it as a present!) Don't wait as long as I did to read it - this is a great book. It's certainly very different from the epic fantasy that Martin has become best known for, but fans of Martin are aware of his breadth of styles.
The book collects stories about Haviland Tuf, Ecological Engineer (and cat lover), that were originally published separately, but they come together as a coherent novel.
The first section is a classic "subt It took me a long time to get ahold of this book (I finally received it as a present!) Don't wait as long as I did to read it - this is a great book. It's certainly very different from the epic fantasy that Martin has become best known for, but fans of Martin are aware of his breadth of styles.
The book collects stories about Haviland Tuf, Ecological Engineer (and cat lover), that were originally published separately, but they come together as a coherent novel.
The first section is a classic "subtraction" story. Tuf, a minor space trader, owner of the ship 'Cornucopia Of Excellent Goods At Low Prices', is hired by a diverse group of disreputable types who suspect they know where to find untold booty - an intact 'seedship' of a defunct Empire, more powerful than anything now known to the galaxy. Unfortunately, disreputable characters tend to behave disreputably, and soon infighting and plots occur. Due to a combination of ingenuity and luck, Tuf ends up the sole owner of the ship, and sets himself up as an Ecological Engineer, available for hire to fix any sort of planetary problem.
Although he has a variety of comissions and adventures, he keeps getting called back to the planet of S'uthlam, a place (over)populated by a 'nice' but religious people who believe it is their manifest destiny to breed as much as possible. In the past, this has caused major problems with their planetary neighbors, who don't care to be overrun by S'uthlam. Now they are confined to their own planet - but they are running out of food and resources.
Tuf helps with improved agricultural strains and methods - but this just enables the S'uthlam to breed more rapidly. The hard-headed, tough Portmaster, Tully Mune, who knows her people have an even more serious problem than they realize, has to keep calling Tuf back... and drastic problems may call for drastic measures.
This book is clever, funny, entertaining - and also deals deftly with some of the most serious problems that we here on earth have, much like the S'uthlam, refused to engage. More than anything else I've read lately, I keep finding myself talking about this book to other people. ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Cheryl rated it liked it · review of another edition

Tolly Mune is the best character. The concept of a seedship is the best excuse for the stories.

If, like me, you're most interested in the Ecological Engineering theme, the best story is Guardians. The other intelligent and intense story is the last, Manna from Heaven. If, like me, you're not crazy about Tuf's personal style, esp. his sarcasm, the rest can be skimmed. Especially the first two.

Not particularly recommended, but fun enough if you like older SF shorts and for some reason can't get en ...more

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Jan 19, 2015 Batsap rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

I liked the structure of this novel. It consisted of loosely intertwined short stories, or episodes, following self-styled ecological engineer, Haviland Tuf, with an overarching story line. At times it felt like Martin was just playing around with types of worlds, societies and races he could devise, but it was always enjoyable to read what he came up with. He has an amazing imagination.
Haviland is an intriguing character. He's a a unique personality, and although we never really get to find ou ...more

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Jun 17, 2015 Todd rated it it was amazing

Before "Game of Thrones", Martin wrote this gem. This book is a series of thematically-linked short stories about the adventures of a man and his amazing genetic space ark, expertly crafted into a fun and highly inventive sf novel. ...more

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Sep 27, 2009 Frank Taranto rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, short-stories

Very good collection. Martin knows how to tell a wonderful story and Tuf is a great character.

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Aug 01, 2011 Brian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: wishlist

Really fun. So far, this is my favorite of the older George R.R. Martin works. It's just fun sci-fi, but the writing and the characters and the ideas that you expect from Martin are all there. There's even a minor character named Jaime. ...more

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