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Conference noted::sf

Title:Arcana Caelestia
Notice:Directory listings are in topic 2
Moderator:NETRIX::thomas
Created:Thu Dec 08 1983
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1300
Total number of notes:18728

833.0. "The Long Run, by Daniel Keys Moran ..." by BOOKS::BAILEYB (Crazy in the sunlight, yes indeed!) Wed Oct 04 1989 10:35

    I just finished "The Long Run" by Daniel Keys Moran, and would like to
    recommend it as a good read.  It is a sequel to an earlier book called
    "Emerald Eyes", but it is such a good standalone story that I didn't
    even realize it was a sequel till I was finished and was reading the
    "about the author" blerb in the back of the book.
    
    The story is set in the future (2069), the first half happens on earth
    the last half on the moon.  Earth has been "unified" under the auspices
    of the United Nations, and controlled by a parapolice force known as
    the PKF (peace keeping force), who's elite are cyborgs with superhuman
    characteristics.
    
    The "hero" is a teenaged boy named Trent, who is a genetically
    engineered human.  About seven years prior to the story, the complex
    housing the "genies", most of whom were telepaths, was nuked by a PKF
    Elite named Mohammed Vance, who is one of the central characters. 
    There were only three "genies" who escaped; Trent, Denice (daughter to
    the two most powerful telepaths in the complex), and her brother David. 
    Only Denice and Trent figure into the story.
    
    The story is about how Trent, a super-smart computer-type (known as a
    "Player") is hunted by the PKF, and eventually turns into the hunter. 
    One of the things I like best about the hero is that he eschews
    killing, even though the PKF have no qualms about it.  He has a sense
    of humor, and prefers to humiliate his enemy rather than destroy them.
    Trent's weapon of choice is a squirt gun filled with an anesthetic
    known as "fadeaway".
    
    There are a couple of references to DEC and VAXen in the book (not
    relevent, but interesting to those of us who work here).  The gist of
    the story revolves around the Info-Net, the PKF control of it, and an
    interesting description of a human (webdancer, Player) interfacing 
    with an "image" (ultracomplex intelligent program with a personality) 
    to "dance" on the net (highly illegal activity).  The term "Crystal 
    Wind" is used to describe the sensation of webdancing.
    
    I hadn't even heard of this author before, apparently he's only in his
    mid-20s and so I'm hopeful that I'll be able to read other good books
    by him in the future.  I'd compare this book in many ways to some of the
    'Lije Baley (Robot) books by Asimov, in terms of the way the action is
    paced and the fact that the hero uses his brain to get into and outta
    tight situations, rather than resorting to blasting.  However, for
    those who like the battles and blasting, the PKF do enough of that to
    satisfy.
    
    It's a very good book ...
    
    ... Bob
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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833.1_Armegeddon Blues_STARCH::WHERRYSerious WeirdnessWed Oct 04 1989 16:5810
This book is also by Daniel Keys Moran and is set in the same future/past 
history.  It can be read with or without reading either _Emerald_Eyes_ or
_The_Long_Run_.

_The_Long_Run_ is much more silly than either of the other two books.  I found
TLR to be amsuing, but the book was getting too flip by the end and much more
would have caused me to throw it onto the mass pike in a rain storm.

brad
833.2good read!GUESS::STOLOSThu Oct 26 1989 13:195
    i have to say i really enjoyed tlr it was fun and left some mysterous
    loose ends which i'm sure will be used later. enjoyed it so much
    i read 350 pages in 2 days (oh that's why i had a bad headache!).
    it should go over big everywhere...except maybe france;')
    pete
833.3ODIXIE::MOREAUKen Moreau;Sales Support;South FLSun Nov 13 1994 14:2926
RE: .1

>_The_Long_Run_ is much more silly than either of the other two books.  I found
>TLR to be amsuing, but the book was getting too flip by the end and much more
>would have caused me to throw it onto the mass pike in a rain storm.

Oh, I could not disagree more.  The entire book showed (IMHO) a *great* sense
of humor.  The bazooka in his bedroom, Trent's comments as he assists Melissa
in regaining her footing after he disarms her, the conversation with Vance as 
he is leaving Peaceforcer Heaven ("You are entirely too intelligent for my 
peace of mind", "And you don't sound nearly desparate enough for mine"), the
sequence with the press conference, etc.  Trent was dedicated, competent, and
completely committed to his goal, but he still had time for gallows humor.

I re-read the book every month or so, just to enjoy the sense of adventure,
and (I dare say) *FUN* that pervades the book.


By the way, did you know that there is a new book out set in the same universe?
It is called "The Last Dancer", ISBN 0-553-56249-5.  It has Denice and David
Castanaveras and the rest of the gang, but *not* Trent.  The afterword says
that Moran is working on a new Trent book, due out "in fall of 1994".  We will
see, considering that it is almost winter 94 as I write this, and there is no
sign of the book...

-- Ken Moreau
833.4still can't find it!NEMAIL::CARROLLJEven a clown knows when to strikeMon Nov 14 1994 13:4513
    re -.1
    
    	One nit - Trent did show up in The Last Dancer ( how could you
    forget the clown makeup? :-) ), and I was whole-heartedly glad to see
    him there.
    
    	I've managed to find Armageddon Blues, Emerald Eyes and The Last
    Dancer at used book stores - but is The Long Run available *anywhere*? 
    It's my favorite book of the trilogy and i can't find it anywhere :-(.
    
    			Wishing DKM wrote more stories....
    
    					Jimbo
833.5ODIXIE::MOREAUKen Moreau;Sales Support;South FLMon Nov 14 1994 21:0422
RE: .4

I found The_Long_Run in a used bookstore.  As far as I know it is out of
print, but the ISBN # is 0-553-28144-5, copyright 1989, published by 
Bantam/Spectra.

I am only on page 150 (where Ripper is giving Denice a hard time because
she isn't doing her job), so I haven't encountered Trent yet.  But, boy, is
there a lot of setup here.  Sedon, Devane, Obodi, Ripper, Camber Tremodian
and Robert Yo, this is getting *very* interesting.

-- Ken Moreau

P.S. Politically incorrect comment follows: press <NEXT UNSEEN> if easily
     offended.


I hate this: whole racks of major chain bookstores are crowded with lousy
AD&D "novels", plus other whole racks are crowded with lousy Star Trek and
Star Wars universe novels, and Daniel Keys Moran can't even keep his books
in print.  There is no justice in this world...  (grouse, grouse, complain,
complain, whine, whine, ...)  :-(
833.6the search goes on...NEMAIL::CARROLLJEven a clown knows when to strikeTue Nov 15 1994 14:0810
    re -.1
    
    	Why'd ya put that behind a spoiler?  - I whole heartedly agree!
    
    	Though I'd add Ellison, Hawke, Butler, Knight and a slew of others
    to the list . . .
    
    	Thanks for the info on TLR - I'll keep on looking ( sigh )...
    
    						- jimbo
833.7ODIXIE::MOREAUKen Moreau;Sales Support;South FLMon Apr 24 1995 11:547
I went to my used bookstore and picked up a copy of both "Emerald Eyes" and 
"The Long Run" in decent condition.  If anyone is interested in either of 
these books, send mail to ODIXIE::MOREAU and we can work something out.

First come, first served...

-- Ken Moreau
833.8ODIXIE::MOREAUKen Moreau;Sales Support;South FLWed Apr 26 1995 20:543
The Long Run has been claimed, but Emerald Eyes is still available.

-- Ken Moreau