Beginning Operations by James White - 4 stars

[Amy N.]

Take ER, cross it with a bit of Sherlock and a lot of Star Trek, and you have James White's Sector General series. The basic premise, and setting, can be summed up in two words: alien hospital. If that combination of words excites you, this is probably a series you should pick up. The concept first started as a series of short stories published in sci-fi magazines back in 1957, and went all the way till the author's death in 1999. Each story deals primarily with the diagnosis and treatment of an alien species, a process often complicated by lack of knowledge about a new species. The worldbuilding is fascinating but the characters are thinly drawn and not really the focus.

I really enjoyed this book, though since it's the first one, you can kind of see a young writer straining at his limitations. From my perspective of having already read the second omnibus, it is even more obvious that James White matures as he goes on, so while some things (characterization, pacing, period sexism, though it's mitigated by the fact that the buxom nurse becomes a doctor in the second omnibus) are a bit shaky, it's forgivable since I know he improves. There is also the constant reintroduction of characters and concepts we are already familiar with since this is a compilation of magazine short stories; sometimes he copy pastes descriptions from the previous story word for word, which is a bit trying when you're reading it all at once. Overall, though, I'm glad I found this series, and I am devouring the rest of it in short order.

[[deleted user]]

You had me at your first sentence. This is an odd paring but fascinating. Good review.

[AsimovsZeroth]

I have to agree with Rachel on that one. I read the first sentence and opened a new tab to add the book as I continued to read your review! Thanks for the lovely review, Amy!

[annapi]

Ooh, sounds like something I could get into!

[Jgrace]

annapi wrote: "Ooh, sounds like something I could get into!"

And I thought of Anna as soon as I read this review! It also sounds like something I might like.

[annapi]

I just looked it up, and the first book, Hospital Station, was published in 1962! (Beginning Operations is an omnibus.) How did I ever miss this when I started getting into sci-fi in my teens?! I have never heard of James White before.