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Pip & Flinx #2
Bloodhype
It caused instant addiction, followed by an excruciating slow death, and there was no known antidote.
It was a killer!
Supposedly the drug had been totally eradicated from the humanx galaxy years before. At least that's what everyone thought. But somehow, mysteriously, that dreadful substance was back in circulation on Repler and threatening to wreak havoc throughout the known galaxy.
Someone, somewhere was secretly manufacturing Bloodhype, but nobody seemed to know where or who!
249 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
89 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
About the author
Alan Dean Foster
461Ìýbooks1,954ÌýfollowersBestselling science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was born in New York City in 1946, but raised mainly in California. He received a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1968, and a M.F.A. in 1969. Foster lives in Arizona with his wife, but he enjoys traveling because it gives him opportunities to meet new people and explore new places and cultures. This interest is carried over to his writing, but with a twist: the new places encountered in his books are likely to be on another planet, and the people may belong to an alien race.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
November 24, 2017
This is my first real hiccup when reading the series in chronological order, but fortunately, it's not too bad. We still get huge action and stakes and uneasy alien alliances and a close up of the really big bad we've been teased with for the first eleven books.
But here's the funny bit: Pip and Flinx are minor characters!
It's not bad in absolute terms, just bad if you're wanting a real Flinx adventure where he's center stage.
Enter a really nasty and lethal drug, piece-of-work dealers, super-spies who are aliens, privateers, questionable alliances with nasty reptiles, and a ton of action. On its own, I'd just classify this as a Humanx novel with a short but important cameo. It's very golden-age SF. :) Light, fun, fast.
Sometimes, that's exactly what we need. :)
But here's the funny bit: Pip and Flinx are minor characters!
It's not bad in absolute terms, just bad if you're wanting a real Flinx adventure where he's center stage.
Enter a really nasty and lethal drug, piece-of-work dealers, super-spies who are aliens, privateers, questionable alliances with nasty reptiles, and a ton of action. On its own, I'd just classify this as a Humanx novel with a short but important cameo. It's very golden-age SF. :) Light, fun, fast.
Sometimes, that's exactly what we need. :)
July 28, 2021
This is one of Foster's earliest novels, and while it appears in lists of his Pip & Flinx novels with various numbers (anywhere from 2 to 10; how does that work?) next to the title, I don't think it fits too comfortably in that view. Pip and Flinx are minor characters in the novel, and it's definitely set in a good corner of the Humanx Commonwealth universe, but it's not their story. It's a fast-paced interstellar adventure about the dangers of the drug trade, in which the Tar-Aiym, the Aaan, the Vom, and other familiar Foster creations all play a part. There are some sexist attitudes and situations that will bother some people now, though I'm sure it didn't at the time of publication. While it's not among his very best works, I think it's worth reading for some escapist fun.
April 9, 2010
The confusing part of this book is where it fits within the other Flinx Pip universe. It is a poser. But Foster wrote it second.
This novel stands on its own two legs, and is a very good story. Read it even if you are not a Flinx and Pip fan.
The Vom, an evil entity of immense power and ability traveled into a galaxy controlled by the Tar Aiym thousands of years before the events of the novel. The Vom is a carnivore on an immense scale. Its sustenance, however is not meat, but the actual force of sentient life. It attacks a planet, and systematically devours everything alive on the planet until its a desolate rock, then travels to the next planet. The Tar-Aiym, a warlike superior alien race figured out what the VOM was and forced it onto a single planet, which was gutted of life by the VOM.
The VOM however then had no matter to digest and was forced by a special Tar-Aiym merged with a machine entity and guardian ships to never leave, where the VOM was stuck.
Thousands of years go by, and the AAnn, a reptilian galactic rival of humanity comes across this derelict rock and finds the VOM. Only seeing it in its most limited state, certain scientists take it to a world controlled by humanity's government (the Commonwealth), a world called Repler, that is basically inimical to the desertlike AAnn because its mostly water. The AAnn, a race of supreme confidence, start to do experiments on the VOM, not realizing what they are dealing with.
The Machine-Tar Aiym finding the VOM leaving, awakes from hiatus follows the VOM back to Repler, where a small capsule containing the Tar-Aiym part of the merged entity is captured by space miners and brought to the home of one of the more wealthy men on the water world --Kingsley.
Meanwhile, a certain starship captain of a trading vessel named Hammurabi discovers a breakin in his warehouse where he just offloaded cargo. When he stops the breakin, in a scene that shows Foster wit about fighting scenes, he finds that there is a very toxic drug called Bloodhype, mixed in with his cargo, but being shipped by a particularly repulsive man named Dominick Rose. Bloodhype, besides an incredible addictive quality is also extremely toxic.
In addition, the Commonwealth, which is controlled mostly by humans and an insectoid race called the Thranx have also discovered that there is an outbreak of Bloodhype and have traced its source to Repler as well. Bloodhype The United Church, a religious organization of immense power in the Commonwealth has dispatched two agents Kitten Kai Sung, a young beautiful woman and Porsupah, a seal like Tolian, to Repler where they meet with the local Thranx Agent in Charge, who tasks them with trying to track down its origins.
The two agents pretending to be rich playboys are captured by Rose's men just about the time that Hammurabi has visited Rose to get him to stop the drug trade. Rose threatens to have Russell Kingsley torture Kai-Sung unless Hammurabi gives him the bloodhype and Harrumabi agrees, but the Bloodhype is in orbit.
Subsequently, Flinx, who is working for Rose as a sanitation engineer helps Hammurabi and the agents escape again displaying that the young youth is much more than he seems. The quarter end up with Kingsley, who has the Tar-Aiym. The Tar-Aiym awakes and warns them all that the VOM is on the planet and must be destroyed.
While Flinx, who we know has special powers from the first novel, stays with the Tar AIym to "help", the agents and Hammurabi go to find the VOM to confirm its existence. They do not believe that the Tar Aiym is telling the truth.
They are captured and find themselves prisoners of the AAnn, along with Rose, who is also there. After a brief fight between Kai-Sung and Russell Kingsley, the VOM breaks out of its prison and starts fighting the Tar-Aiym Machine. Flinx of course helps.
The novel displays all of my favorite Foster themes. The characters are fun, the universe that we find ourselves in is well drawn. Further, some of the characters appear again in subsequent Foster novels. Also puzzle that must be solved is unique and the solution when it comes is cool. Finally, the very ending again illustrates again that Flinx is much more than he seems.
A winner.
This novel stands on its own two legs, and is a very good story. Read it even if you are not a Flinx and Pip fan.
The Vom, an evil entity of immense power and ability traveled into a galaxy controlled by the Tar Aiym thousands of years before the events of the novel. The Vom is a carnivore on an immense scale. Its sustenance, however is not meat, but the actual force of sentient life. It attacks a planet, and systematically devours everything alive on the planet until its a desolate rock, then travels to the next planet. The Tar-Aiym, a warlike superior alien race figured out what the VOM was and forced it onto a single planet, which was gutted of life by the VOM.
The VOM however then had no matter to digest and was forced by a special Tar-Aiym merged with a machine entity and guardian ships to never leave, where the VOM was stuck.
Thousands of years go by, and the AAnn, a reptilian galactic rival of humanity comes across this derelict rock and finds the VOM. Only seeing it in its most limited state, certain scientists take it to a world controlled by humanity's government (the Commonwealth), a world called Repler, that is basically inimical to the desertlike AAnn because its mostly water. The AAnn, a race of supreme confidence, start to do experiments on the VOM, not realizing what they are dealing with.
The Machine-Tar Aiym finding the VOM leaving, awakes from hiatus follows the VOM back to Repler, where a small capsule containing the Tar-Aiym part of the merged entity is captured by space miners and brought to the home of one of the more wealthy men on the water world --Kingsley.
Meanwhile, a certain starship captain of a trading vessel named Hammurabi discovers a breakin in his warehouse where he just offloaded cargo. When he stops the breakin, in a scene that shows Foster wit about fighting scenes, he finds that there is a very toxic drug called Bloodhype, mixed in with his cargo, but being shipped by a particularly repulsive man named Dominick Rose. Bloodhype, besides an incredible addictive quality is also extremely toxic.
In addition, the Commonwealth, which is controlled mostly by humans and an insectoid race called the Thranx have also discovered that there is an outbreak of Bloodhype and have traced its source to Repler as well. Bloodhype The United Church, a religious organization of immense power in the Commonwealth has dispatched two agents Kitten Kai Sung, a young beautiful woman and Porsupah, a seal like Tolian, to Repler where they meet with the local Thranx Agent in Charge, who tasks them with trying to track down its origins.
The two agents pretending to be rich playboys are captured by Rose's men just about the time that Hammurabi has visited Rose to get him to stop the drug trade. Rose threatens to have Russell Kingsley torture Kai-Sung unless Hammurabi gives him the bloodhype and Harrumabi agrees, but the Bloodhype is in orbit.
Subsequently, Flinx, who is working for Rose as a sanitation engineer helps Hammurabi and the agents escape again displaying that the young youth is much more than he seems. The quarter end up with Kingsley, who has the Tar-Aiym. The Tar-Aiym awakes and warns them all that the VOM is on the planet and must be destroyed.
While Flinx, who we know has special powers from the first novel, stays with the Tar AIym to "help", the agents and Hammurabi go to find the VOM to confirm its existence. They do not believe that the Tar Aiym is telling the truth.
They are captured and find themselves prisoners of the AAnn, along with Rose, who is also there. After a brief fight between Kai-Sung and Russell Kingsley, the VOM breaks out of its prison and starts fighting the Tar-Aiym Machine. Flinx of course helps.
The novel displays all of my favorite Foster themes. The characters are fun, the universe that we find ourselves in is well drawn. Further, some of the characters appear again in subsequent Foster novels. Also puzzle that must be solved is unique and the solution when it comes is cool. Finally, the very ending again illustrates again that Flinx is much more than he seems.
A winner.
April 8, 2016
This... this... this was a weird one.
This was the second book in the series the author wrote but, within the chronology of the series, it's actually quite near the end. When you read the series in chronological order, rather than publishing order, like I am, this causes some strange side-effects.
A lot of the character development our hero has undergone in previous/future books suddenly disappears, which is quite jarring. The revelation about Pip's gender that occurs about halfway through the series is 'forgotten', so the minidragon's pronouns are reversed (again). Man, this is as bad as trying to talk about time travel!
Additionally, Foster has chosen to make Pip and Flinx background characters in their own series, with the majority of the action focusing on three new protagonists. Pip and Flinx hang around in the shadows, only making very rare appearances in the narrative. After reading goodness knows how many books with the two of them as the main protagonistsl, this gives the book a bit of a strange feel that it took me a while to get used to.
The book isn't short of action, though. In fact, tonally, it feels a lot like a black and white 1950s science fiction movie (but with better special effects; thanks imagination!) as it romps along. The stakes are high and uneasy alliances are forged only to be broken and reforged again! The fate of the entire galaxy hangs in the balance!
In other words, like the rest of the series, it's a lot of fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. I just wish I could have shaken off that slightly off-kilter feeling while I was reading it... Oh, and I really could have done without the spanking scene; that was just disturbing...
This was the second book in the series the author wrote but, within the chronology of the series, it's actually quite near the end. When you read the series in chronological order, rather than publishing order, like I am, this causes some strange side-effects.
A lot of the character development our hero has undergone in previous/future books suddenly disappears, which is quite jarring. The revelation about Pip's gender that occurs about halfway through the series is 'forgotten', so the minidragon's pronouns are reversed (again). Man, this is as bad as trying to talk about time travel!
Additionally, Foster has chosen to make Pip and Flinx background characters in their own series, with the majority of the action focusing on three new protagonists. Pip and Flinx hang around in the shadows, only making very rare appearances in the narrative. After reading goodness knows how many books with the two of them as the main protagonistsl, this gives the book a bit of a strange feel that it took me a while to get used to.
The book isn't short of action, though. In fact, tonally, it feels a lot like a black and white 1950s science fiction movie (but with better special effects; thanks imagination!) as it romps along. The stakes are high and uneasy alliances are forged only to be broken and reforged again! The fate of the entire galaxy hangs in the balance!
In other words, like the rest of the series, it's a lot of fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. I just wish I could have shaken off that slightly off-kilter feeling while I was reading it... Oh, and I really could have done without the spanking scene; that was just disturbing...
June 28, 2024
Never really got into this sci fi romp and it wasn’t really for me.
Part of a cycle of books, not necessary to read any of the others to follow what was going on in this one. Pretty much stand alone.
Part of a cycle of books, not necessary to read any of the others to follow what was going on in this one. Pretty much stand alone.
July 17, 2018
Bloodhype is an outlier int he Pip & Flinx series. Although it takes place eleventh chronologically, it was written second. I get the feeling that Foster didn't plan on doing a long series of books based on the two characters as this book jumps several years from For Love of Mother Not and features our protagonist and pet as secondary characters in the adventure. Also, instead of having anything to do with the menacing force slowly approaching out galaxy this book deals with a menacing force already here.
In Bloodhype there are two main storylines. The first involve one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs in the universe, called Bloodhype. The reason Bloodhype is so deadly is that it works on any species, and has extreme physiological affects in its users beyond just in the central nervous system. The other plot involves a giant organism that has been dormant for years but is rediscovered. What others don't know is that the organism is actually capable of ending all life on whatever planet it lands on, and possibly intergalactic travel.
While Pip & Flinx do show up later on, the main characters are Kitten Kai-Sung and Porsupah who are tracking the Bloodhype, Dominick Rose the drug dealer, and Captain Malcolm Hammurabi who gets involved as his ship was used in the transport. Foster obviously finds Kitten to be the most interesting of these characters, but I have no idea why. She's got pluck and a willingness to get sexual, but she lacks motivation to keep her interesting.
My main problem with the book is as a stand alone it is predictable from the get go. Once you see the set up with the two storylines, any fan can figure out the exact ending Foster is setting up to defeat the alien menage. In addition, as a Pip & Flinx book this feels totally out of place with the rest of the series. There's no explanation for why Flinx is here in the middle of everything, and his "relationship" with Kitten seems totally out of character with everything else we've seen in the series so far. The alien worlds visited also felt much more generic than the usual inventive and unique worlds from the majority of Foster's work.
In Bloodhype there are two main storylines. The first involve one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs in the universe, called Bloodhype. The reason Bloodhype is so deadly is that it works on any species, and has extreme physiological affects in its users beyond just in the central nervous system. The other plot involves a giant organism that has been dormant for years but is rediscovered. What others don't know is that the organism is actually capable of ending all life on whatever planet it lands on, and possibly intergalactic travel.
While Pip & Flinx do show up later on, the main characters are Kitten Kai-Sung and Porsupah who are tracking the Bloodhype, Dominick Rose the drug dealer, and Captain Malcolm Hammurabi who gets involved as his ship was used in the transport. Foster obviously finds Kitten to be the most interesting of these characters, but I have no idea why. She's got pluck and a willingness to get sexual, but she lacks motivation to keep her interesting.
My main problem with the book is as a stand alone it is predictable from the get go. Once you see the set up with the two storylines, any fan can figure out the exact ending Foster is setting up to defeat the alien menage. In addition, as a Pip & Flinx book this feels totally out of place with the rest of the series. There's no explanation for why Flinx is here in the middle of everything, and his "relationship" with Kitten seems totally out of character with everything else we've seen in the series so far. The alien worlds visited also felt much more generic than the usual inventive and unique worlds from the majority of Foster's work.
July 20, 2015
This one always seemed to break characterization for me, but I did enjoy significant portions of it.
My biggest frustration - series wide, not just this book - is that things don't remain consistent: Antidotes that do or do not exist, for example.
My biggest frustration - series wide, not just this book - is that things don't remain consistent: Antidotes that do or do not exist, for example.
January 22, 2016
Alan Dean Foster is one of my top 5 favorite writers, and the commonwealth books are my favorite works. These are great quick reads, you are almost done before you realize you started. Flinx & his pet dragon Pip are great heroes. Very recommended
March 23, 2025
Audible/Kindle (purchased Audible, didn't use credit)
The reader sounded vaguely like Jon Hamm, the guy from Mad Men. Not sure he's the right voice for the series (I think he reads them all, but he's not unlistenable (yes, that's a word).
2.5 stars rounded down (I guess, I didn't really enjoy this outing - had it moments towards the end).
I wouldn't call this a Pip/Flinx book as they are minor characters. Chronologically, the 11th book, but I didn't find that it was a very neat fit. Clearly ADF was still working out his universe at the time...this reads like a early Humanx story with a Flinx cameo.
Flinx isn't shy around girls here - and on one occasion, makes an overt request of the female Agent, Kitten that is completely out of character. I thought he was pining over Clarity Held, but that character was 30 years or so in the future when ADF wrote the scene. Flinx's powers aren't very strong either. Was the Teacher even in this (might have missed it because I relied much more on Audible than actually reading the Kindle)
I found the story very confusing and convoluted, and for the first 30% didn't really have a grasp on what was happening. 70's era SciFi writers went out their way to make to tangle their narrative - because in the future, nothing makes sense (Ringworld is spades). Something about a super drug, a Skua September proto dude & Church Super Agent/Bond Girl & a evil blob.
This isn't a fun read...it's certainly no MidFlinx - and honestly since the horrible Sliding Scales and the equally lazy, Running from the Deity, I'm losing interest in the series (but, I bought the whole set, so I'll finish them I guess).
The reader sounded vaguely like Jon Hamm, the guy from Mad Men. Not sure he's the right voice for the series (I think he reads them all, but he's not unlistenable (yes, that's a word).
2.5 stars rounded down (I guess, I didn't really enjoy this outing - had it moments towards the end).
I wouldn't call this a Pip/Flinx book as they are minor characters. Chronologically, the 11th book, but I didn't find that it was a very neat fit. Clearly ADF was still working out his universe at the time...this reads like a early Humanx story with a Flinx cameo.
Flinx isn't shy around girls here - and on one occasion, makes an overt request of the female Agent, Kitten that is completely out of character. I thought he was pining over Clarity Held, but that character was 30 years or so in the future when ADF wrote the scene. Flinx's powers aren't very strong either. Was the Teacher even in this (might have missed it because I relied much more on Audible than actually reading the Kindle)
I found the story very confusing and convoluted, and for the first 30% didn't really have a grasp on what was happening. 70's era SciFi writers went out their way to make to tangle their narrative - because in the future, nothing makes sense (Ringworld is spades). Something about a super drug, a Skua September proto dude & Church Super Agent/Bond Girl & a evil blob.
This isn't a fun read...it's certainly no MidFlinx - and honestly since the horrible Sliding Scales and the equally lazy, Running from the Deity, I'm losing interest in the series (but, I bought the whole set, so I'll finish them I guess).
January 8, 2020
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT
Look, this book is for the most part a par-for-the-course, satisfactory sci-fi. Normally I'd give something like this three or even four stars.
If not for the drop-dead-gorgeous sex-kitten secret agent whose name is even literally "Kitten" . At first she just seemed mildly off-putting and even seemed to have the germ of a fun character somewhere when you looked past the absurd level of sexualisation piled upon her by the author.
But then came the super-gross scene where she publicly trades sex with the teenage Flinx for her freedom. I actually had to put the book down and pace the room for a while. This is where the book goes from being a product of its times to just being completely appalling.
But I soldiered on, and things seemed rather better until the conclusion, which involved an actual non-consensual spanking scene. Alas, I was in the break room at work so was unable to repeat the whole throw-and-pace reaction for fear of alarming my colleagues.
I'm at a loss as to what happened here, as the previous books I'd read in this series didn't include anything near this egregious. Where I'd previously been enjoying the creative world-building I'm now feeling soured on the whole series. I'm just kind of sad.
Look, this book is for the most part a par-for-the-course, satisfactory sci-fi. Normally I'd give something like this three or even four stars.
If not for the drop-dead-gorgeous sex-kitten secret agent whose name is even literally "Kitten" . At first she just seemed mildly off-putting and even seemed to have the germ of a fun character somewhere when you looked past the absurd level of sexualisation piled upon her by the author.
But then came the super-gross scene where she publicly trades sex with the teenage Flinx for her freedom. I actually had to put the book down and pace the room for a while. This is where the book goes from being a product of its times to just being completely appalling.
But I soldiered on, and things seemed rather better until the conclusion, which involved an actual non-consensual spanking scene. Alas, I was in the break room at work so was unable to repeat the whole throw-and-pace reaction for fear of alarming my colleagues.
I'm at a loss as to what happened here, as the previous books I'd read in this series didn't include anything near this egregious. Where I'd previously been enjoying the creative world-building I'm now feeling soured on the whole series. I'm just kind of sad.
October 25, 2020
Weakest book in the series
I've read every book in the Pip & Flinx series & consider this the least interesting & most poorly written. In essence, with a few plot adjustments the story could exclude any reference to Pip & Flinx - who make only minimal appearances, anyway - & be marketed as a standalone novel. Each of the other major characters is one-dimensional & none are particularly likeable apart from Captain Malcolm "Mal" Hammurabi, a thinly-disguised, more intelligent version of Skua September, who appears in other books in this series & is a major character in The Icerigger Trilogy. By comparison, several of the Aan characters appear more nuanced which, I assume, was not the Author's intention
In summary, I don't recommend this book as it adds little or nothing to the ongoing Pip & Flinx storyline
I've read every book in the Pip & Flinx series & consider this the least interesting & most poorly written. In essence, with a few plot adjustments the story could exclude any reference to Pip & Flinx - who make only minimal appearances, anyway - & be marketed as a standalone novel. Each of the other major characters is one-dimensional & none are particularly likeable apart from Captain Malcolm "Mal" Hammurabi, a thinly-disguised, more intelligent version of Skua September, who appears in other books in this series & is a major character in The Icerigger Trilogy. By comparison, several of the Aan characters appear more nuanced which, I assume, was not the Author's intention
In summary, I don't recommend this book as it adds little or nothing to the ongoing Pip & Flinx storyline
November 13, 2023
... und noch ein Buch abgebrochen, an dem ich schon seit Monaten rumknabbere.
Früher war Alan Dean Foster einer meiner Lieblinge, doch ich kann seinen Stil jetzt nicht mehr sonderlich leiden.
Es gibt sehr viele geschwätzige und "humorvolle" Dialoge. Wenn es mal dramatisch und spannend wird, lässt Foster das ganze dadurch wieder ins Albern-Harmlose hinübergleiten. Ich finde das ärgerlich.
Die Handlung wäre an und für sich nicht schlecht, man ist schon neugierig, wie es weiter geht. Aber mir machte das Lesen einfach keine Freude.
Darum geht es: Im ersten Handlungstrang geht es um ein unheimliches, amöbenartiges Wesen, das fast übernatürliche Fähigkeiten hat und kaum zu töten ist.
Im zweiten geht es darum, wie die Geheimpolizei versucht, die Verbreitung einer hochgefährlichen neuen Droge zu verhindern.
Früher war Alan Dean Foster einer meiner Lieblinge, doch ich kann seinen Stil jetzt nicht mehr sonderlich leiden.
Es gibt sehr viele geschwätzige und "humorvolle" Dialoge. Wenn es mal dramatisch und spannend wird, lässt Foster das ganze dadurch wieder ins Albern-Harmlose hinübergleiten. Ich finde das ärgerlich.
Die Handlung wäre an und für sich nicht schlecht, man ist schon neugierig, wie es weiter geht. Aber mir machte das Lesen einfach keine Freude.
Darum geht es: Im ersten Handlungstrang geht es um ein unheimliches, amöbenartiges Wesen, das fast übernatürliche Fähigkeiten hat und kaum zu töten ist.
Im zweiten geht es darum, wie die Geheimpolizei versucht, die Verbreitung einer hochgefährlichen neuen Droge zu verhindern.
November 14, 2019
Enjoyable, light SF adventure. Similar to the works of Andre Norton, but more adult in tone. While the adult content is not explicit, it does seem exploitative at times. The sexual content is included to shock or titillate. It is not really central to the story, although it is somewhat important for the characterization.
The book is clearly a follow up to The Tar-Aiym Krang with another alien artifact central to the story (with an actual living alien this time.) Flinx and Pip appear as minor characters so it is not exactly a sequel to the first book.
I liked the first two books in the series to continue reading. Orphan Star is next on the list.
The book is clearly a follow up to The Tar-Aiym Krang with another alien artifact central to the story (with an actual living alien this time.) Flinx and Pip appear as minor characters so it is not exactly a sequel to the first book.
I liked the first two books in the series to continue reading. Orphan Star is next on the list.
May 20, 2022
The low point of Foster's entire career. I read everything of his in the 1980s as it was released, and I've reread most of his 1970s work many times.
This is the only Alan Dean Foster book or story that I not only do not like but actively hate.
If you like Foster as an author, please do not read this book.
If you like Flinx & Pip, do not read this book.
If you like stories that make sense, have an intelligent narrative flow, and leave you with a feeling of satisfaction, do not read this book.
If you read, do not read this book.
Don't listen to it on audio.
Don't even look up the summary.
Trust me. Even the flatulent emptiness of Dan Brown's oeuvre is better than this book.
This is the only Alan Dean Foster book or story that I not only do not like but actively hate.
If you like Foster as an author, please do not read this book.
If you like Flinx & Pip, do not read this book.
If you like stories that make sense, have an intelligent narrative flow, and leave you with a feeling of satisfaction, do not read this book.
If you read, do not read this book.
Don't listen to it on audio.
Don't even look up the summary.
Trust me. Even the flatulent emptiness of Dan Brown's oeuvre is better than this book.
February 18, 2024
The Aann find an almost-inert alien on a decimated planet and bring it to a remote planet inhabited by mostly non-Aann but which has a small Aann military outpost. The alien will consume any life form and absorb their life energy, and it gains extra strength from sentient life. It is extremely powerful and an intergalactic threat. Two humans and a raccoon-type being are investigating a dangerous drug ring when they get caught up in the fight to destroy the dangerous alien.
January 5, 2021
This is book #10 of a series. I have not read any of the other books in this series. It is part of the Pip & Flinx Universe, but I understand those characters have only a small role in this story. I attempted to read this as stand alone. That was a mistake. I did not have any reference points in this universe. It would be better to at least read book #1.
This is basically a crime story set in a future universe. I Did Not Finish. I had little interest since I was not familiar with the setting. Perhaps I will try again after I start at book #1.
Have a GoodReads.
This is basically a crime story set in a future universe. I Did Not Finish. I had little interest since I was not familiar with the setting. Perhaps I will try again after I start at book #1.
Have a GoodReads.
September 7, 2023
I've gotten into Alan Dean Foster of late and this is the third book of his I've read during the past several months. I tend to like his style of pulpy page turners that don't take themselves too seriously, with must enough hard since sprinkled in. But with all that said, I didn't know what to make of Bloodhype. For starters, it's one of the only books I recall reading without chapters. Beyond that, the story just didn't hold together for me. It seemed like a cross between an alien story and an allegory about the drug trade. Entertaining but could have been way better.
September 30, 2017
Flinx from afar.
Very different Flinx book, primarily written in numerous POVs, non of which were Flinx's. In fact Flinx doesn't appear until several chapters into the book. Was a excellent plot, but the numerous changes of view point were sometimes annoying. Was a interesting idea but didn't completely make it. Also missed Flinx although he was there, you were seeing him through the eyes of the other people which gave him a remoteness. Still enjoyed it a lot.
Very different Flinx book, primarily written in numerous POVs, non of which were Flinx's. In fact Flinx doesn't appear until several chapters into the book. Was a excellent plot, but the numerous changes of view point were sometimes annoying. Was a interesting idea but didn't completely make it. Also missed Flinx although he was there, you were seeing him through the eyes of the other people which gave him a remoteness. Still enjoyed it a lot.
March 3, 2018
When I first read this book thirty years ago I enjoyed it hugely, and it was with some excitement I planned to re-read it. There are elements which it builds into his commonwealth series that I still really enjoy, but I find the treatment of his principal female character a little more troubling than I used to, hence a reduction in the star rating from 4 to 3 compared to what I would have given thirty years ago.
January 12, 2023
This was more of a follow story for this series as the main plotline was not really on the main character of Flinx and Pip. It was a good read and the story was moved along fast and kept your interest. Its the third book in the chronological order of the series and helps to peek your interest in the MC Flinx. ADF didn't seem to have the full picture of this series on this book, but he went on to write ovwr 14 books in this world with MC. its a good easy read.
August 10, 2024
I've heard from people who have read the Pip & Flinx series fully through that the earlier books are a bit rougher and that it took some time for Foster to really flesh out his writing, and yeah, I can kinda tell.
The main issue is that I think initially, he wasn't that good at being descriptive. It's really easy to get lost in what he's trying to visualize and overall, Bloodhype doesn't flow that well, which isn't helped by Bloodhype not splitting itself into chapters. It definitely had potential, but the book is just too hard to follow to be that enjoyable of a read.
The main issue is that I think initially, he wasn't that good at being descriptive. It's really easy to get lost in what he's trying to visualize and overall, Bloodhype doesn't flow that well, which isn't helped by Bloodhype not splitting itself into chapters. It definitely had potential, but the book is just too hard to follow to be that enjoyable of a read.
November 30, 2017
I really like fosters writing style it is a comfortable read that is the best way I can term it, I first read this story ( books 1-2 and 3 ) when I was 8 to 9 years old and I noticed that now he has published many stories from pip & flinx which I will want to read this is a great series to read for its science and fantasy elements
January 13, 2018
La alettura di questo romanzo breve è stato come un bagno fresco nel mare in estate: un piacere per la mente e per il corpo, affaticati da mesi e mesi di distopie e tetraggini (anche se molte di ottimo livello). Alieni, colpi di scena, mondi alieni, scontri spaziali, il minidrago Pip, insomma la space opera ad un livello molto elevato. Una lettura meravigliosa, come altre di quest'autore!
January 20, 2019
This was my first Pip & Flinx book. As such, I'm giving it 5 stars (not 4.5) because not only is it a good story with some very very good lines in it, the book itself introduced me to a wonderful world of peoples of all species, some who get along just fine "Up the universe!" and some who don't ....
May 19, 2019
What was I thinking?
I remember liking this when I was a lot younger, but re-reading this series has shown me what juvenile, cliche ridden tripe these books were in every way from plot devices to characters and dialogue. I almost didn't finish this, but since I paid for it I might as well slog through the rest of the ones I have.
I remember liking this when I was a lot younger, but re-reading this series has shown me what juvenile, cliche ridden tripe these books were in every way from plot devices to characters and dialogue. I almost didn't finish this, but since I paid for it I might as well slog through the rest of the ones I have.
September 12, 2023
Flinx and Pip are minor characters here - they barely show up to help with part of a Deus ex Machina thing. A lot of random introductions to new characters, including a mysterious Other that I still don’t know the origin of. Also some off-putting 1980’s movies type sexism ( you want WHAT for your reward? ). If I re-read this series, I will skip this one.
November 8, 2019
This was sort of a retro book vs the series in chronological order, This was actually the second book but the 11th in order and Flinx was not a big part of it. The book on its own was good but with the expectations of a Pip and Flinx fan was a little disappointing. This was a Good Read.
October 24, 2016
I'm thoroughly enjoying reading the entire series from the beginning. This is another imaginative, fast paced, fun tale.
February 10, 2018
So. Think your a stoner?
April 13, 2018
Libro molto particolare, come la maggior produzione dell'autore. Trama instricata e che non stanca, con parecchi personagi interessati che emergono nel proseguio della storia. Miè piaciuto molto.
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