Russell Eric Frank

Reviews & Overviews by Rod Cameron

Author Title Reviewed

Eric Frank Russell WASP September 2000

Published by Price Pages

Victor Gollancz (2000) £9.99 Collectors ‘Trade’ paperback 175 pp

Great news! Wasp, generally regarded as Russell’s best novel, a clever and amusing spy story is back in print. Eric Frank Russell (1905 – 1978) was a British novelist and short story writer who had a witty and fast-moving style. Terry Pratchett writes on the cover "I’d have given anything to have written Wasp. I can’t imagine a funnier terrorists’ handbook".
The book is set on Jaimec, 94^th planet of the Sirian Empire which has been at war with Earth for nearly a year, and the Sirians have a huge advantage over us in terms of personnel and equipment. The hero is James Mowry, and his task is to be a ‘wasp’. To sap morale, cause mayhem and generally tie up the planet’s resources in a similar fashion to a wasp in a car distracting the driver and causing him to crash it. Intensively trained, his appearance surgically altered, James Mowry’s mission is simply to wage a one-man war on a planet of 80 million bandy aliens with a purple complexion.
It has to be said that the characterisation is not brilliant. But it was first published in 1957, when the writing and marketing of SF & F books was considerably different. I suspect today that Russell would be told by the publishers that it was a good outline and to go away and write a 1500 page trilogy! However, this book does stand in it’s own right, and I believe it merits being back in print.
BUT! Call me a cynic or what, but it seems to me that Gollancz (Orion) are just jumping on the band wagon of classic reprints, without fully capitalising on the process. £9.99 for 175 pages seems very expensive. Admittedly it is a trade paperback with a fancy cover and fold out ‘wings’. The cover feels nice to the hands, and the paper is an attractive cream colour. However, being 40ish% more expensive than other novels, it needs added value. It would be nice if this series of reprints had been considered in the same light as DVDs.
Why not include some added value to justify the higher price, and a reason for buying a new copy – apart from my original copy falling to pieces? For a start, the story would benefit from an introduction placing it in context – we all cut our teeth at early ages on books like this, but is today’s 10 year old going to understand why this book is so different from a more modern more ‘generous’ offering?
Other possible additional features could be, and I realise that Russell died in 1978, some sort of an interview with the author – there may be something documented or else a critical review by a respected author. A bibliography would also be helpful or at least some suggestions for further reading, such as "if you enjoyed this, then try Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat". Should none of the above be possible / available, then how about including some of his short stories, thus providing a more rounded picture of his works?

Author	Title	Reviewed
Eric Frank Russell	WASP	September 2000
Published by	Price	Pages
Victor Gollancz (2000)	£9.99 Collectors ‘Trade’ paperback	175 pp
Great news! Wasp, generally regarded as Russell’s best novel, a clever and amusing spy story is back in print. Eric Frank Russell (1905 – 1978) was a British novelist and short story writer who had a witty and fast-moving style. Terry Pratchett writes on the cover "I’d have given anything to have written Wasp. I can’t imagine a funnier terrorists’ handbook". The book is set on Jaimec, 94^th planet of the Sirian Empire which has been at war with Earth for nearly a year, and the Sirians have a huge advantage over us in terms of personnel and equipment. The hero is James Mowry, and his task is to be a ‘wasp’. To sap morale, cause mayhem and generally tie up the planet’s resources in a similar fashion to a wasp in a car distracting the driver and causing him to crash it. Intensively trained, his appearance surgically altered, James Mowry’s mission is simply to wage a one-man war on a planet of 80 million bandy aliens with a purple complexion. It has to be said that the characterisation is not brilliant. But it was first published in 1957, when the writing and marketing of SF & F books was considerably different. I suspect today that Russell would be told by the publishers that it was a good outline and to go away and write a 1500 page trilogy! However, this book does stand in it’s own right, and I believe it merits being back in print. BUT! Call me a cynic or what, but it seems to me that Gollancz (Orion) are just jumping on the band wagon of classic reprints, without fully capitalising on the process. £9.99 for 175 pages seems very expensive. Admittedly it is a trade paperback with a fancy cover and fold out ‘wings’. The cover feels nice to the hands, and the paper is an attractive cream colour. However, being 40ish% more expensive than other novels, it needs added value. It would be nice if this series of reprints had been considered in the same light as DVDs. Why not include some added value to justify the higher price, and a reason for buying a new copy – apart from my original copy falling to pieces? For a start, the story would benefit from an introduction placing it in context – we all cut our teeth at early ages on books like this, but is today’s 10 year old going to understand why this book is so different from a more modern more ‘generous’ offering? Other possible additional features could be, and I realise that Russell died in 1978, some sort of an interview with the author – there may be something documented or else a critical review by a respected author. A bibliography would also be helpful or at least some suggestions for further reading, such as "if you enjoyed this, then try Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat". Should none of the above be possible / available, then how about including some of his short stories, thus providing a more rounded picture of his works?