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Pip & Flinx #6
Flinx in Flux
When Flinx, no stranger to galactic intrigue, found an unconscious woman on a riverbank deep in the jungles of Alaspin, he took it in stride. When he learned that the woman, Clarity Held, was a brilliant scientist abducted from a remote outpost on inhospitable Longtunnel by a group of fanatic assassins, he tried to help the beautiful Clarity back to her project. Unfortunately, the assassins were still at work. They would do anything to stop the research on Longtunnel and would kill anyone or anything that got in their way....
THE ADVENTURES OF FLINX OF THE COMMONWEALTH:
FOR LOVE OF MOTHER-NOT
THE TAR-AIYM KRANG
ORPHAN STAR
THE END OF THE MATTER
BLOODHYPE
FLINX IN FLUX "From the Paperback edition."
THE ADVENTURES OF FLINX OF THE COMMONWEALTH:
FOR LOVE OF MOTHER-NOT
THE TAR-AIYM KRANG
ORPHAN STAR
THE END OF THE MATTER
BLOODHYPE
FLINX IN FLUX "From the Paperback edition."
ebook
First published June 1, 1988
125 people are currently reading
659 people want to read
About the author
Alan Dean Foster
471Ìýbooks1,963ÌýfollowersBestselling 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 54 reviews
November 11, 2017
High-energy action and adventure in the form of a boy and his dragon meets his biggest nemesis yet. A young girl.
I mean, it's not all as bad as that, of course, and Flinx has had plenty of girls after him but he's never been in quite the right frame of mind since he was being chased by assassins, trying to save the universe, trying to discover who his father is... that kind of thing. And he also has his first love in the form of his minidrag, so there's always that...
But still, these things do finally catch up with a boy. ROMANCE. *gasp* *shock* *swoon*
Well, not so much swoon. I've read better romance... all over the place... but it's decent. I suppose the best parts are where we get to spelunk, meet new alien races, foil eco-gene-terrorists, meet up with uberpowerful friends, and discover that things are going to hell in a handbasket right on the outer reaches.
All in the day, right?
As an adventure, it's still top-notch. I can't even tell that it's YA but it has all the hallmarks and it's always an easy and fun read. In other words, it's good for the whole family and even crusty old SF hounds like me. :)
I mean, it's not all as bad as that, of course, and Flinx has had plenty of girls after him but he's never been in quite the right frame of mind since he was being chased by assassins, trying to save the universe, trying to discover who his father is... that kind of thing. And he also has his first love in the form of his minidrag, so there's always that...
But still, these things do finally catch up with a boy. ROMANCE. *gasp* *shock* *swoon*
Well, not so much swoon. I've read better romance... all over the place... but it's decent. I suppose the best parts are where we get to spelunk, meet new alien races, foil eco-gene-terrorists, meet up with uberpowerful friends, and discover that things are going to hell in a handbasket right on the outer reaches.
All in the day, right?
As an adventure, it's still top-notch. I can't even tell that it's YA but it has all the hallmarks and it's always an easy and fun read. In other words, it's good for the whole family and even crusty old SF hounds like me. :)
January 29, 2016
While taking Pip's offspring back to their homeworld, Alaspin, Flinx stumbles across the unconscious and badly injured body of a young woman. Being a good chap, he decides he's not going to let her get eaten by Alaspin's native fauna and takes her back to his ship to see if he can't help heal her and get her home...
This is the set-up for this fantastic book and you wouldn't believe where it goes from there. Suffice it to say, it involves eco-terrorism, genetic engineering, gunfights, kidnapping, a short dungeon-crawl and even a first contact with an entirely new intelligent species. Old friends from previous books turn up unexpectedly, with bad tidings of a colossal new threat. I'm tired just from thinking about it all; Flinx must be knackered!
I loved every minute of this book; it's definitely one of the best installments in the Humanx Commonwealth series... and with an ending like this one, I can't wait to get cracking on the next book! :-D
This is the set-up for this fantastic book and you wouldn't believe where it goes from there. Suffice it to say, it involves eco-terrorism, genetic engineering, gunfights, kidnapping, a short dungeon-crawl and even a first contact with an entirely new intelligent species. Old friends from previous books turn up unexpectedly, with bad tidings of a colossal new threat. I'm tired just from thinking about it all; Flinx must be knackered!
I loved every minute of this book; it's definitely one of the best installments in the Humanx Commonwealth series... and with an ending like this one, I can't wait to get cracking on the next book! :-D
May 26, 2010
The first 3 or 4 books of this series were out when I was younger, and Flinx fired my imagination with his psionic talents, his flying, venom spitting snake, pip, and him being an orphan raised on the streets.
This book advance Flinx's story a minuscule amount, just enough to get you to read it. There is also an interstellar evil introduced briefly, that Flinx is supposed to save the universe from (as of book 13 this still has not happened). This book marks a change in the series; at this point the publisher and author realized that Pip & Flinx are a cash cow and started milking it. So from here out you get very little advancement on Flinx's story.
I wanted for Flinx to develop and use his psionic talents. The series is now something like 13 books and his mental talents are still unreliable and pretty much useless; this was a very, very, very big disappointment to me for the series as a whole.
This book advance Flinx's story a minuscule amount, just enough to get you to read it. There is also an interstellar evil introduced briefly, that Flinx is supposed to save the universe from (as of book 13 this still has not happened). This book marks a change in the series; at this point the publisher and author realized that Pip & Flinx are a cash cow and started milking it. So from here out you get very little advancement on Flinx's story.
I wanted for Flinx to develop and use his psionic talents. The series is now something like 13 books and his mental talents are still unreliable and pretty much useless; this was a very, very, very big disappointment to me for the series as a whole.
July 5, 2021
This is the sixth book in Foster's long-running Pip & Flinx series, and is one of the most engaging. After a hiatus of better than a decade, the pair came back strong in a story of eco-terrorism, political machinations, high-orbit hi-jinx, not to mention romance, as Clarity Held makes her entrance to the series in a dramatic fashion. Pip and Flinx are always good for a fun, page-turning read.
June 19, 2020
Unfortunately, a rather hum-drum adventure for Flinx and Pip (or, at least, for me).
While packed with the typical in-depth world-building that I love Alan Dean Foster for, the plot and characters in this novel left much to be desired. My favourite parts about any ADF novel are his aliens - they’re always developed with such detail they feel like they actually exist in our universe. In truth, he’s always been an inspiration of mine when it comes to creating alien races.
Yet, his humans, at least in this book, are a little dry. Flinx was much more interesting when he was a young teenager learning his place in the universe. Now, he’s nineteen, but he carries on as if he were a fifty-year-old man. It doesn’t feel like he changes much over the novel - love (if that's what is was) should have softened or hardened him, or had some effect on him. But, as they had no chemistry whatsoever, I felt like Clarity was a passing interest of his. This could also be because she had no personality or addition to the plot aside from needing rescue/protection (she seriously could have died at any point after arriving on Longtunnel and the story would have stayed the same).
Yet, it’s easy to read. ADF excels, as usual, at describing aliens and alien worlds with such detail and creativity they feel as if they should exist. Maybe that’s my main issue with this novel - most of it takes place inside a CAVE, or on a Terran colony, where there are no aliens or cool cultures to learn about. Flinx, when he’s just mulling over his family history, is kind of a buzzkill. And while he is full of doubt, his precociousness gets irritating quickly.
Hopefully, in the next one, we get more aliens and Flinx lightens up a bit.
While packed with the typical in-depth world-building that I love Alan Dean Foster for, the plot and characters in this novel left much to be desired. My favourite parts about any ADF novel are his aliens - they’re always developed with such detail they feel like they actually exist in our universe. In truth, he’s always been an inspiration of mine when it comes to creating alien races.
Yet, his humans, at least in this book, are a little dry. Flinx was much more interesting when he was a young teenager learning his place in the universe. Now, he’s nineteen, but he carries on as if he were a fifty-year-old man. It doesn’t feel like he changes much over the novel - love (if that's what is was) should have softened or hardened him, or had some effect on him. But, as they had no chemistry whatsoever, I felt like Clarity was a passing interest of his. This could also be because she had no personality or addition to the plot aside from needing rescue/protection (she seriously could have died at any point after arriving on Longtunnel and the story would have stayed the same).
Yet, it’s easy to read. ADF excels, as usual, at describing aliens and alien worlds with such detail and creativity they feel as if they should exist. Maybe that’s my main issue with this novel - most of it takes place inside a CAVE, or on a Terran colony, where there are no aliens or cool cultures to learn about. Flinx, when he’s just mulling over his family history, is kind of a buzzkill. And while he is full of doubt, his precociousness gets irritating quickly.
Hopefully, in the next one, we get more aliens and Flinx lightens up a bit.
July 18, 2021
2003 grade B
Series book F5
Flinx age 19
2021 grade B+ sort of.
Book 5 in this SciFi series of 6 although Flinx is a minor character in book 6. I liked it better this time at the start and wondered why.
The first half is pretty much grade A. After the predictable battle at the half way point, the story sadly slows down. First, the two protagonists spend about a half dozen days wandering around a dark cave system trying to find a way out, fumbling around and into monsters, and sharing emotional secrets. After they get out, the the story was even more predictable. And at the end it becomes just plain abstract. I still liked it better but that was partly because I pretty much automatically start speed reading when I get bored.
Never the less, it is a good and recommended book.
Series book F5
Flinx age 19
2021 grade B+ sort of.
Book 5 in this SciFi series of 6 although Flinx is a minor character in book 6. I liked it better this time at the start and wondered why.
The first half is pretty much grade A. After the predictable battle at the half way point, the story sadly slows down. First, the two protagonists spend about a half dozen days wandering around a dark cave system trying to find a way out, fumbling around and into monsters, and sharing emotional secrets. After they get out, the the story was even more predictable. And at the end it becomes just plain abstract. I still liked it better but that was partly because I pretty much automatically start speed reading when I get bored.
Never the less, it is a good and recommended book.
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
February 22, 2024
4.5 stars, rounded up this time. While most of the story was just OK, the finale left me wanting and wondering. Rating this book based partially on that, before I change my mind.
Oh, and I hope to see more of Maybe So.
Oh, and I hope to see more of Maybe So.
August 21, 2015
It's been a long time since I first read this book. And it was fun to read it again. The narrated versions of the books are very well done. In this book, which has Flinx on Alaspin returning Pips babies to the wild, Flinx finds himself wrapped up in an adventure related to a beautiful young woman he finds injured and in danger. She is at risk from a group of extremists. While Flinx spends time with her, he experiences his first romantic entanglement. Over time, and additional dangers and adventures, he has to decide what that means for him, especially when she has different life goals.
I was surprised at how much Flinx revealed about himself in this book. And some of it does come back to bite him. At the same time, he is growing and changing. While we all wonder who we'll turn out to be, for Flinx those questions are much more complicated. Events in the book lead to him learning more about himself and what he can do. However, there is still much that is uncertain.
At the end of the book, we learn about a new threat that is likely to take some time to fully understand and deal with. We also get to see some friends from a previous book, and it is foreshadowed that we'll see them again in the future. I'm looking forward to that time.
I was surprised at how much Flinx revealed about himself in this book. And some of it does come back to bite him. At the same time, he is growing and changing. While we all wonder who we'll turn out to be, for Flinx those questions are much more complicated. Events in the book lead to him learning more about himself and what he can do. However, there is still much that is uncertain.
At the end of the book, we learn about a new threat that is likely to take some time to fully understand and deal with. We also get to see some friends from a previous book, and it is foreshadowed that we'll see them again in the future. I'm looking forward to that time.
March 31, 2023
Flinx has seen it all and done even more; he's met ancient artificial intelligences, he's saved entire races, and there is no one in the galaxy like him. Now he must protect a genetic engineer from a self-righteous terrorist organization, and only one thing stands in his way: his greatest challenge yet: the opposite sex...
Sometimes you read more of a particular author than you intend to; hence, in the last year, I've read three Alan Dean Foster novels. They've all been of the Commonwealth, and two of them - one of which is the focus of this review - were Flinx & Pip adventures. It doesn't seem like the kind of series where you have to adhere to chronological order, which is probably a good thing, since I only really pick these books up at library sales, like the one down south that I got this from last July. I certainly don't see Foster becoming one of my all-timers, but these are fun books, and I'll try to convey some of that harmless fun to you after I summarize Flinx in Flux.
The book opens with a shot of this anti-genetic-manipulation terrorist group meeting to discuss their evil plans. Then we see Flinx dropping off all of Pip's baby minidrags off on their homeworld. Before he can leave the planet, though, he stumbles across a beautiful yet beaten up and unconscious woman. He takes her to the hotel and nurses her back to health. When she awakens she explains that the aforementioned terrorists kidnapped her and beat her for information before she escaped. Flinx promises to get her back to her people and fulfills that promise regardless of the terrorists attacking them in their sleep. Her company has made its home in the middle of a subterranean ecosystem on a newly discovered world and they engineer simple lifeforms to act as interactive carpet, yummy food, and others quirky things. Despite Flinx and the girl's conflicting feelings for each other, all is well till the zealots attack the cave system.
How did I feel about the plot? Well, I liked it well enough. I occasionally got the premonition of boredom but was never truly bored with the narrative. It was a bit predictable and the whole terrorist-sideplot was never really resolved, but I did like how the book drew from past books in the series like Foster really wrote with a chronology; these kind of adventure books don't always have that, so it was nice to see it here. As far as prose goes, Foster writes as Foster writes; it's not beautiful, but it's slightly above that of your average tie-in-novel. He conveys what he needs to convey.
The characters were mostly consistent but not completely so. The romance between Flinx and his seemingly devoted girl hinged on his own self-acceptance and his rampant telepathic abilities, and while the relationship had a nice sentiment, it was never... touching to me. I never felt the weight that should've been inherent with the story. Its resolution is a bit flighty too, the kind of thing that I wanted to happen with a bit more girth to it. Flinx's telepathic abilities are a big part of the book, especially when we get to , but that too could have had a bit more substance. It was good stuff, just felt a bit.. inconsequential? Clunky?
The Commonwealth Universe is still cool. It wasn't as intriguing to me as it was in Orphan Star the other Pip & Flinx I've read (probably because the settings of the two books are very different), but it was still nice. I just don't know how well things from this book - - are actually followed up upon in other ADF books. I don't know if the series is as consistent as reading two of them would have you believe. I mean, I hope they are, but my gut kind of doubts it. Before I go, I did have one other thought when reading this book so shortly after another adventure SF novel by early Andre Norton: I think that the distinction between the two writers shows when authors were getting their inspiration mainly from print (like Norton) and the screen (ie Foster). I have no evidence to back up that Foster watched a lot of Star Trek or Lost in Space or whatever it might be, but it does feel like the tonal center of the stories kind of run perpindicular along those lines. An interesting topic for study by someone more knowledgeable than I.
Overall, a rating? 6.5/10. It didn't bore me enough to risk the dreaded two-star-rating, but it is a little dull all the same. I think I'm pretty neutral on Foster, although I have at least one more I have to read: Quofum, the penultimate Flinx adventure. Why do I have to read that one? Well, my girlfriend bought it for me for Christmas. Simple as that. I have another ADF novel that I've had for over two and a half years at this point that I should get around to reading again, but I'm in no rush. Foster is fun but I would like to make further literary inquiries with other names. Not to say I won't be back, though. As they always say, it's hard to keep a good minidrag down...
Sometimes you read more of a particular author than you intend to; hence, in the last year, I've read three Alan Dean Foster novels. They've all been of the Commonwealth, and two of them - one of which is the focus of this review - were Flinx & Pip adventures. It doesn't seem like the kind of series where you have to adhere to chronological order, which is probably a good thing, since I only really pick these books up at library sales, like the one down south that I got this from last July. I certainly don't see Foster becoming one of my all-timers, but these are fun books, and I'll try to convey some of that harmless fun to you after I summarize Flinx in Flux.
The book opens with a shot of this anti-genetic-manipulation terrorist group meeting to discuss their evil plans. Then we see Flinx dropping off all of Pip's baby minidrags off on their homeworld. Before he can leave the planet, though, he stumbles across a beautiful yet beaten up and unconscious woman. He takes her to the hotel and nurses her back to health. When she awakens she explains that the aforementioned terrorists kidnapped her and beat her for information before she escaped. Flinx promises to get her back to her people and fulfills that promise regardless of the terrorists attacking them in their sleep. Her company has made its home in the middle of a subterranean ecosystem on a newly discovered world and they engineer simple lifeforms to act as interactive carpet, yummy food, and others quirky things. Despite Flinx and the girl's conflicting feelings for each other, all is well till the zealots attack the cave system.
How did I feel about the plot? Well, I liked it well enough. I occasionally got the premonition of boredom but was never truly bored with the narrative. It was a bit predictable and the whole terrorist-sideplot was never really resolved, but I did like how the book drew from past books in the series like Foster really wrote with a chronology; these kind of adventure books don't always have that, so it was nice to see it here. As far as prose goes, Foster writes as Foster writes; it's not beautiful, but it's slightly above that of your average tie-in-novel. He conveys what he needs to convey.
The characters were mostly consistent but not completely so. The romance between Flinx and his seemingly devoted girl hinged on his own self-acceptance and his rampant telepathic abilities, and while the relationship had a nice sentiment, it was never... touching to me. I never felt the weight that should've been inherent with the story. Its resolution is a bit flighty too, the kind of thing that I wanted to happen with a bit more girth to it. Flinx's telepathic abilities are a big part of the book, especially when we get to , but that too could have had a bit more substance. It was good stuff, just felt a bit.. inconsequential? Clunky?
The Commonwealth Universe is still cool. It wasn't as intriguing to me as it was in Orphan Star the other Pip & Flinx I've read (probably because the settings of the two books are very different), but it was still nice. I just don't know how well things from this book - - are actually followed up upon in other ADF books. I don't know if the series is as consistent as reading two of them would have you believe. I mean, I hope they are, but my gut kind of doubts it. Before I go, I did have one other thought when reading this book so shortly after another adventure SF novel by early Andre Norton: I think that the distinction between the two writers shows when authors were getting their inspiration mainly from print (like Norton) and the screen (ie Foster). I have no evidence to back up that Foster watched a lot of Star Trek or Lost in Space or whatever it might be, but it does feel like the tonal center of the stories kind of run perpindicular along those lines. An interesting topic for study by someone more knowledgeable than I.
Overall, a rating? 6.5/10. It didn't bore me enough to risk the dreaded two-star-rating, but it is a little dull all the same. I think I'm pretty neutral on Foster, although I have at least one more I have to read: Quofum, the penultimate Flinx adventure. Why do I have to read that one? Well, my girlfriend bought it for me for Christmas. Simple as that. I have another ADF novel that I've had for over two and a half years at this point that I should get around to reading again, but I'm in no rush. Foster is fun but I would like to make further literary inquiries with other names. Not to say I won't be back, though. As they always say, it's hard to keep a good minidrag down...
April 1, 2015
Another in the superb Flinx and Pip series.
This time Flinx finds himself playing rescuer to a beautiful and intelligent woman. Flinx, now 19, is immediately attracted to her, even though she’s a few years older, which drags him out of his normal reticent ways. Especially, when she gives him signals that she likes him as well.
Thus starts another adventure for Flinx, his pet mini-drag Pip, and one of Pip’s children, a small mini-drag called ‘Spark�.
This story has all the great writing I’ve come to expect from Alan Dean Foster and like the other books in the series, I was completely immersed in Flinx� world and problems. It’s a real joy to see Foster’s “boy� grow up and start to realize his true mental powers (I won’t spoil it by telling you what new things he gains).
This time Flinx finds himself playing rescuer to a beautiful and intelligent woman. Flinx, now 19, is immediately attracted to her, even though she’s a few years older, which drags him out of his normal reticent ways. Especially, when she gives him signals that she likes him as well.
Thus starts another adventure for Flinx, his pet mini-drag Pip, and one of Pip’s children, a small mini-drag called ‘Spark�.
This story has all the great writing I’ve come to expect from Alan Dean Foster and like the other books in the series, I was completely immersed in Flinx� world and problems. It’s a real joy to see Foster’s “boy� grow up and start to realize his true mental powers (I won’t spoil it by telling you what new things he gains).
December 22, 2014
Pip & Flinx is always an enjoyable read. Only issue is his abilities. Either they are non-existent or all-powerful. I don't mind them being on the erratic side, but not if there is a huge difference in capabilities. Also, curious as to know why Flinx had to spill the beans about the Bear people. The chick he told shared his genetic experiment secret with someone else which caused himself to become captured for an experiment. So I would hope that he is a little more careful with the Bear people's secret.
March 3, 2016
Fun book. Foster tells a good tale and keeps things moving—sometimes a bit much exposition in the third-person omniscient point of view, but it's easy reading and goes fast. Reminds me of why I liked these as a teen, and good enough to keep reading and see what he's done with the series since.
November 21, 2009
Loving the way that Flinx is evolving as a person and as a character.
May 27, 2010
The first one I'd ever read of the "Flinx and Pip" series. Very good. Lead me to read the entire series.
February 4, 2012
Passable airplane reading. Otherwise soap opera. Sans the soap.
March 27, 2013
Picked up on a whim. Haven't read Flinx in years and never did finish the series. What good fun- I am now starting from the beginning and having a great time.
April 29, 2013
Great Book! I love all the Flinx books.
May 16, 2022
Foster, Alan Dean. Flinx in Flux. 1988. Pip and Flinx No. 5 (Chronological). Gateway, 2013.
Alan Dean Foster waited more than a decade to write a sequel to End of the Matter, which ends with Pip becoming a mother. But time does not move as fast in fiction as in life, which allows for Pip’s kids to still be flying toddlers who need to be repatriated. Flinx is now 19, and finally meets a young woman scientist who needs rescuing. But since Foster writes aliens better than people, he takes her to a planet called Longtunnel, where they meet some loveable aliens who are a lot smarter than they appear to be. The corporate villains don’t stand a chance. And as usual, it may be up to Flinx to save the universe. Old school planetary adventure. 3.5 stars.
Alan Dean Foster waited more than a decade to write a sequel to End of the Matter, which ends with Pip becoming a mother. But time does not move as fast in fiction as in life, which allows for Pip’s kids to still be flying toddlers who need to be repatriated. Flinx is now 19, and finally meets a young woman scientist who needs rescuing. But since Foster writes aliens better than people, he takes her to a planet called Longtunnel, where they meet some loveable aliens who are a lot smarter than they appear to be. The corporate villains don’t stand a chance. And as usual, it may be up to Flinx to save the universe. Old school planetary adventure. 3.5 stars.
November 23, 2022
Flinx rescues a damsel in distress and thereby finds himself, with her, the target of extremist terrorists. The plot is okay except for Flinx's not taking more precautions against attacks he should know would be coming. Some sections of dialog go on too long, as does the section where they are lost in caves. As the title suggests, it is also a sort of coming-of-age story, as Flinx introspects to decide what he wants to do when not sidetracked rescuing people. (Mild spoiler: He doesn't get that chance.) But since a major part of Flinx's character is that he is unique, that aspect of the plot does not extend well to the book's readers.
May 16, 2017
An enjoyable series about a hopeful future written by the fecund mind of Foster. The Flinx series was always my favorite and rereading (listening) to this was quite enjoyable.
As I remember, the series went stale some books past this, but it was still fun in this the sixth entry in the series.
Briefly, Foster's invention of the church, the humanx blending of humans and an insect race civilization, Flinx's empathic Alaspin miniature dragon, the innocent but incredibly intelligent Ujurrians, and Flinx's own empathic peculiarities and upbringing all make these books great entertainment.
As I remember, the series went stale some books past this, but it was still fun in this the sixth entry in the series.
Briefly, Foster's invention of the church, the humanx blending of humans and an insect race civilization, Flinx's empathic Alaspin miniature dragon, the innocent but incredibly intelligent Ujurrians, and Flinx's own empathic peculiarities and upbringing all make these books great entertainment.
March 19, 2024
Contrary to some of the reviews here, in this book Flinx does in fact grow in the understanding (if not control) of his empathic powers and uses them in a new and devastating way, comes to understand himself more as he matures, struggles with his first real romantic relationship, and gains a new sense of purpose. Not sure some of these folks have even read the book. Also, just because the author didn't make the same choices you would have preferred doesn't lessen the book. Write you own book.
Overall another great SF adventure from Alan Dean Foster. Will it blow you mind or change your life? Probably not. It it good? Yes, it is.
Overall another great SF adventure from Alan Dean Foster. Will it blow you mind or change your life? Probably not. It it good? Yes, it is.
April 16, 2020
Published in 1988 this comes about 12 years after the previous Pip and Flinx book and yet it rolls along as a good adventure story should. There's a little bit of a love element in this one but its never mushy; just a guy trying to learn about relationships while getting on with being Flinx. Also Pip has a young companion, one of Pip's offspring who latches on to Flinx's new friend.
Nice little story. The next in the series, Mid Flinx, written in 1995, sees our young hero on Midworld...
Nice little story. The next in the series, Mid Flinx, written in 1995, sees our young hero on Midworld...
December 11, 2024
On one hand, a good journey, with a lot of tension, drama, and vibrant settings.
On the other, the casual misogyny present throughout the books is getting a little old. I know this was written by a dude in the 80s, but it starts getting annoying and takes me out.
It sucks, cause every other aspect is great! If you can get around it, it's a good read. I particularly like the chapters in the tunnels of Longtunnel, it takes a core concept for a setting and brings it to life.
On the other, the casual misogyny present throughout the books is getting a little old. I know this was written by a dude in the 80s, but it starts getting annoying and takes me out.
It sucks, cause every other aspect is great! If you can get around it, it's a good read. I particularly like the chapters in the tunnels of Longtunnel, it takes a core concept for a setting and brings it to life.
June 20, 2017
Great New book of flynx and pip
Bought the book because of the author. It is just as good as his other books, however because of the timeline at the back of the book I believe I have read them out of order. Book is great, I just feel like I have missed a few things. Will have to do some research because I really love these books.
Bought the book because of the author. It is just as good as his other books, however because of the timeline at the back of the book I believe I have read them out of order. Book is great, I just feel like I have missed a few things. Will have to do some research because I really love these books.
September 19, 2017
Good deeds, poor returns.
Flinx meets Clarity and finally experiences love, heartbreak and betrayal. Clarity doesn't live up to her name and exhibits poor judgement, and various other weaknesses. Not much of a heroine. Flinx expands his abilities further and finds a focus for his life. Very good addition to the series.
Flinx meets Clarity and finally experiences love, heartbreak and betrayal. Clarity doesn't live up to her name and exhibits poor judgement, and various other weaknesses. Not much of a heroine. Flinx expands his abilities further and finds a focus for his life. Very good addition to the series.
July 28, 2020
Right Wing Sci-fi
I've yet to read more blatant right wing, anti environmental, and anti scientific fiction yet. When I read the line about the 'poor prospectors' (cultural grave robbers). I'd had enough. Couple that with the all too frequent self indulgence and self centered nature of the main characters leaves me with a distaste for this author and this series.
I've yet to read more blatant right wing, anti environmental, and anti scientific fiction yet. When I read the line about the 'poor prospectors' (cultural grave robbers). I'd had enough. Couple that with the all too frequent self indulgence and self centered nature of the main characters leaves me with a distaste for this author and this series.
January 9, 2025
Back reading these wonderful stories. It was so good to read again the author's wonderful ability to show characters' emotions (a central theme), morals and rationalisations. As in previous books the action is fast paced and we are introduced to amazing new life forms. Really looking forward to the next book.
January 11, 2018
Rekindling my enjoyment of Alan Dean Foster and his well fleshed out Commonwealth Universe. I had no idea I had fallen so far behind in the Flinx and Pip series. Foster has excellent characters and really cool sci-fi story lines. I look forward to catching up. Give his universe a try.
October 2, 2019
I enjoy this series and have not been disappointed with any part of it yet. I would love to mention how the stories are going and how the plot is shifted but I don't want to give away any part of the story, So I will just say This is a Good Read.
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