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Mutually Assured Destruction on a cosmic scale May 16, 2004 (6 of 6 found this helpful)
If, somewhere in this universe two interstellar enemies assumed the trait humanity demonstrated during the 20th Century, took 'I'd rather be dead than Red' to the ultimate logical extreme, killed one another off entirely after having set their killing machines on autopilot, just to make certain, you'd have the 'other side' in the Berserkers series. Mankind innocently encounters the machines somewhere in his future and finds himself at war with them.
This series appears on the surface to be a relatively simple, fairly shallow-but-entertaining set of stories. Maybe that's the way it was intended. But if you scrape off the surface and consider the implications I believe you'll appreciate it more.
This book and all those in the Berserker series are worth reading for their intertainment value. If you pause afterward and ponder what the author might have been saying about humanity, so much the better.
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Good premise but I found it kind of dry. Jun 8, 2005 (5 of 5 found this helpful)
I liked the idea of the man versus machine, but felt that none of the characters were really developed. Although it was competently written, it seemed more like an outline than a finished book.
I like some of Saberhagen's Berserker short stories, and bought this book on the basis of those, but the book just didnt hold my interest. About halfway through I found myself skimming through it, and realized I just wasnt connecting with the book. I found the premise more compelling than the actual reading. Some good moments, but it just didnt grab me emotionally. Saberhagen's style is terse and dry, and I prefer writers with a more poetic style.
Like Asimov's 'Foundation', it is really a collection of separate stories, so it lacks the continuity and plot threads of a fully realized novel. Not bad, but I wouldnt rate it a classic.
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This is a must-read for Sci-Fi fans. Jun 5, 2002 (2 of 2 found this helpful)
This week I read "Berserker" by Fred Saberhagen. If you are a "Star Wars" fan, you will hate this book. Originally written in 1967, it contains most of the plots that George Lucas "adapted" for his well-known movies. What Lucas didn't manage to capture was Saberhagen's direct, no-nonsense style. His ideas are unique and fresh, even after all these years.
The big thing he does that many sci-fi authors fail to do is he creates believable technology that withstands the march of time. I think the key is: he doesn't explain _how_ the technology works, just _what_ it does. I plan to continue reading works by this author until I have read them all, and then start over again.
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Quite excellent Jun 25, 2003 (4 of 5 found this helpful)
Berserker is a true classic. The theme of humanity fighting machines has been used many different times: in the fiction of Gregory Benford and Greg Bear; in television shows like Star Trek; and in movies like the Matrix and the Terminator. It is refreshing to read one of the earliest versions of this story because Saberhagen's writing - which was doubtlessly an inspiration to others pursuing similar stories - remains distinct and his stories unique.
The structure of this Berserker book is a bit loose - it has perhaps 10 stories bracketed by the narration of an alien historian (whose introduction to the book is one of its finest parts). This narration has an intentionally Homeric effect - Saberhagen clearly had Greek epics in mind. Some of his characters recall figures in Greek mythology: the stoic Johann Karlsen, the vengeful Hemphill, and the vain Felipe Nogara.
The stories themselves are very well-crafted. Saberhagen applies an admirable minimalism when writing, though at times he will indulge in descriptive prose (most notably in the excellent final story). Humanity is depicted with both its flaws and virtues, as the struggle against the Berserkers brings out the best and worst in us.
Other reviewers disliked the loose structure - I rather liked it. Novels can often tightly confine their worlds and limit them. These somewhat connected stories hint at a much larger and grander story arc with all manners of other untold stories.
Finally, if you stumble on the audio edition of this, I would strongly recommend it. The narrator who handles the Campan historian is excellent; the second narrators rendition of the voices of Berserkers is truly chilling.
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Mutually Assured Destruction on a cosmic scale May 17, 2004 (1 of 1 found this helpful)
If, somewhere in this universe two interstellar enemies assumed the trait humanity demonstrated during the 20th Century, took 'I'd rather be dead than Red' to the ultimate logical extreme, killed one another off entirely after having set their killing machines on autopilot, just to make certain, you'd have the 'other side' in the Berserkers series. Mankind innocently encounters the machines somewhere in his future and finds himself at war with them.
This series appears on the surface to be a relatively simple, fairly shallow-but-entertaining set of stories. Maybe that's the way it was intended. But if you scrape off the surface and consider the implications I believe you'll appreciated it more.
This book and all those in the Berserker series are worth reading for their intertainment value. If you pause afterward and ponder what the author might have been saying about humanity, so much the better.