Psycho Shop“A dark acid curio, brisk, fast, memorable, a rare improvisational duet from two of our best.”—Greg Bear “Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction.” —Harry Harrison, author of Adventures of the Stanless Steel Rat “Let there be light, and let there always be Roger Zelazny.”—Philip José Farmer, author of To Your Scattered Bodies Go From Publishers Weekly: This odd novel, left incomplete when Bester died in 1987, was finished by Zelazny, who himself died in 1995. In his introduction, Bear refers to Bester (The Deceivers) and Zelazny (Donnerjack) as masters of SF jazz, geniuses of improvisation, and the book has that feel to it. The plot is full of bizarre twists and turns. Neat ideas surface and disappear in an eyeblink and characters transform radically from one page to the next. Alf Noir, an investigative reporter, is sent to Rome to look into the mysterious Black Place of the Soul-Changer and its enigmatic proprietor, Adam Maser. Alf discovers that Maser is a Psychbroker, a sort of pawnbroker of the spirit, dealing in emotions, talents and psychological traits. Want more courage, the ability to see into the infrared, an understanding of ancient Persian? Maser will trade it to you for your mind-reading ability, or a rare coin, or perhaps for the secret of the collective unconscious. Alf discovers that Maser isn't human, but a highly evolved cat from the far future. Nothing is what it seems and no one can be trusted, not even Maser's sexy assistant, an evolved snake with whom Alf has an affair. There's much fun to be had here, but the book doesn't represent either writer in top form. Bester's style in the first part of the novel seems dated, and things don't gel until Zelazny takes over halfway through the book. Vintage has brought Bester's finest work back into print, and for this it deserves praise, but this novel is most likely to appeal to Zelazny's much larger readership. |
From inside the book
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Page 38
... Rinso . " " Rinso it is . " " What's yours ? " " When I was a college jock they used to call me Blackie . " " Blackie it is . ” That seemed to ease him . “ Now what's the new sales pitch he's talking about ? " Another gimmick in ...
... Rinso . " " Rinso it is . " " What's yours ? " " When I was a college jock they used to call me Blackie . " " Blackie it is . ” That seemed to ease him . “ Now what's the new sales pitch he's talking about ? " Another gimmick in ...
Page 41
... Rinso tore his eyes away from an amazed inspection of the room and demanded , " What the hell is going on in this museum ? " " Tell him , Blackie . " " The deal stands just as agreed , ” I said . “ No ifs , ands , or buts . Your sixth ...
... Rinso tore his eyes away from an amazed inspection of the room and demanded , " What the hell is going on in this museum ? " " Tell him , Blackie . " " The deal stands just as agreed , ” I said . “ No ifs , ands , or buts . Your sixth ...
Page 44
... Rinso pleaded . " I've got to get out of this freakshow . This is no place for a nice Jewish boy from the Bronx . " " Right , Rinso . Go with Svengali and let him do his thing , but I'm warning you : once you've seen his psych- shop ...
... Rinso pleaded . " I've got to get out of this freakshow . This is no place for a nice Jewish boy from the Bronx . " " Right , Rinso . Go with Svengali and let him do his thing , but I'm warning you : once you've seen his psych- shop ...
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Common terms and phrases
Adam's Alfred Bester android artist asked began Black Hole body bottle Cagliostro caught clones colosodian Count Alesandro course Dammy damn demiurge Dominoid drink Eryx Etruscan everything eyes face forward front door Gaffy gave gestured girl Glory going Gomi Graylon GREG BEAR grinned guys hair hand Hawking radiation heard hell Hellhole hitching post Hugo Award Iddroid inside Kaleideion Kelly lady later laughed looked M'sieur Macavity Maître Maser Mother Shipton moved never nice nodded opened Ouroboros Prandy reached replied Rinso Roger Zelazny rose Sam Katz seemed shoulder Shrdlu singularity sixth sense skin smiled sort sound Ssss stared Stars My Destination stood story sure talk tell Thank there's thing thought threw Tigab told took turned Urtch voice Wait wall What's wish wrist Zelazny