Name this sci-fi book? Anyone?

Cafe Society
1

(Hope this lands in the right forum; please relocate as needed.)

This is a book I would have read about 20 years ago, and I wondered if anyone would supply me with its title. Basic plot points that I do remember:

[ul]
[li]Human colony on a heavy-gravity world, where earth-like animals have adapted heavy-gravity-specific features.[/li][li]Outside the main compound/city, it is extremely dangerous, due to all the animals out to eat you.[/li][li]One of the weopons used was, I think, a “needler” of some sort, shooting high-velocity slivers of metal.[/li][/ul]

Sorry, it doesn’t seem like much to go on. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

2

Possibly Harry Harrison’s Deathworld stories.

3

I would say that DrFidelius nailed it. I’d rate it up from possible to probable.

A couple of questions:

  1. Was the weapon in a writst holster that was powered? That is, is whapped! the gun into one’s hand?
  2. Did the protagonist have a girl friend who always kissed with her eyes open, like all of her kind?

If so, you’ve definitely got the “Deathworld” books.

4

Thanks a bunch for the Deathworld suggestion DrFidelius and LiveOnAPlane - I don’t remember enough of the story to confirm, but I will borrow it from the library and check back in with you all. Thanks again.

5

Enjoy! Those are really good books. When you get through them, I’d suggest you also take a look at his “Stainless Steel Rat” novels as well.

My favorites, though, will always remain the “Deathworld” novels.

6

Just checking back - I got the book from the library, and yes Deathworld is the one of which I was thinking. I’m reading it now, and it’s going well. Thanks DrFidelius and LiveOnAPlane.

I will try some more of his books after I’m done with this one - I definitely remember this style from books I read in high school (oh, those many years ago). Our physics teacher had a shelf full of sci-fi (mixed quality), and I would borrow a book to read, usually finishing overnight. It’s interesting reading science fiction from the Golden Age or somewhat thereafter - they have FTL travel and interplanetary colonization, but library books are archived on tapes, for example.

7

I reread the “Deathworld” books not long ago; they really stand up as good adventure and pretty good science fiction. The first book has a neat twist:

The situation (every other life form on the planet trying to kill the human colonists) has been getting worse and worse over the years. It turns out that there’s a telepathic feedback between the humans and the planet’s native life which causes the planet’s animal and plant life to keep evolving into more hostile forms because of the humans’ fear and hostility, which causes the humans to be even more hostile, in a vicious circle.

8

Damn it – could a Mod please fix my coding? I meant that last part to be in a spoiler box.

If you like the “Deathworld” books, you might enjoy Harrison’s “Stainless Steel Rat” books and his “Bill, the Galactic Hero” satires. Fun stuff.

9

And “Star Smashers of the Galactic Rangers.” Spot-on parody of the whiz-bang boy’s adventure space opera.