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Fred Saberhagen



"Berserker' Prey"
(also as "Pressure")
© IF, Jun 1967
The Book Of Saberhagen, 1975
The Ultimate Enemy, 1979
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ idea award


"Coils" (nv)
(with Roger Zelazny)
© 1980, Ace Books
--sf novel : 1983 Locus /20
--/ cool sf novel
--/ wonder award
--/ style award


"A Coldness In The Blood" (nv)
(Dracula series 8)
© Tor Books, 2002

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"The Face of the Deep"
(Berserker Series)
© 1966, IF
Berserker, 1967
The Berserker Wars, 1981
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


Great space thriller from the "Berserker" series, which is surprisingly enjoyable pulp-style adventures, written in a hard-boiled, intense manner. Normally I do not read military science fiction, but this series stands well above usual fare. The enemy is impossibly strong and vicious, to the point that human effort seems to be almost irrelevant - so soldiers are forced to rely more on faith and ideas, rather than warfare. Berserkers are almost invincible killing machines spreading across the Galaxy, regarding humans as, well, just a little speck of biological matter. However, all stories end in human victory. Go figure (and pat Saberhagen on the back). Here a soldier wakes up in a transparent escape pod, realizes that he is also trapped in an asteroid field of some sort and that there is a Berserker trapped in this field as well. A tale of survival and a "battle of the brains" follows. Recommended.
review: 12-Sep-06 (read in 2001)

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"Fortress Ship"
(also as "Without A Thought")
(Berserker series #1)
© 1963, IF
Berserker, 1967
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"Goodlife"
(Berserker series)
© Worlds Of Tomorrow, Dec 1963
Berserker, 1967
--/ cool space sf story
--/ wonder award

"The Lifehater"
(also as "The Peacemaker")
© 1964, IF
Berserker, 1967
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"The Peacemaker"
(also as "The Lifehater")
© 1964, IF
Berserker, 1967
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"Period Of Totality"
© IASFM, Spr 1977
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ rare find


"Pressure"
(also as "Berserker' Prey")
© IF, Jun 1967
The Book Of Saberhagen, 1975
The Ultimate Enemy, 1979
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ idea award


"Recessional"
© Destinies, Fll 1980
Earth Descended, 1981

"Sign Of The Wolf"
(Berserker Series)
© 1965, IF
Berserker, 1967
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"StarSong"
(Berserker series)
© IF, Jan 1968
The Book of Saberhagen, 1975
The Ultimate Enemy, 1979
--story : Best SF 1969
--/ cool space sf story
--/ wonder award

"To Mark The Year On Alzaroc"
© Science Fiction Discoveries, ed.F.Pohl, 1976
Earth Descended, 1981

"Without A Thought"
(also as "Fortress Ship")
(Berserker series # 1)
© 1963, IF
Berserker, 1967
--/ fourth place space sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


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"SF&F Reading Experience" is part of "Dark Roasted Blend / Thrilling Wonder" family of sites. We try to highlight the most entertaining and rewarding science fiction and fantasy, with emphasis on memorable reader experience, not necessarily general acceptance by the critics. Have fun, and delve into our extensive ratings and reviews!

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