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thursday, October 13, 1977
daily nebraskan
page 15
Saboteur, sadistic woman inhabit 'Whipping Star'
By Mark Younc
Whipping Star, Frank Herbert, $1.50tBerkely Medafton
Books.
Picture a universe in which the do-gooders control the
government. Red tape is eliminated; legislation is sug
gested, approved and signed into law before lunch.
This super-government threatens to bring the entire
universe under its well-intentioned laws. Recognizing this
threat, the government creates a Bureau of Saboteurs.
This hardy band is dedicated to slowing the government
by fair means or foul.
book.rvlw
This is the universe Frank Herbert uses in his novel
Whipping Star. Herbert gained fame and fortune in the
early 70s with his novel Dune. Whipping Star was first
released at about the same time as Dime and somehow got
lost in the shuffle. ,
Dune is a classic science' fiction novel. Herbert's
characters exist in a rich, fully developed world. The work
is an action novel with subtle analogies of our own time.
Whipping Star is something else again; it's a grade B pot
boiler. "
Sadistic woman
For example, Mikie, saboteur extraordinaire, must stop
. You emu join
anytime!
Updatt lists ai vallabU
if you ovj, dias job
or hour.
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, Oct 14-22
Howell Theater
S3.00&M.00
,12th &R 472-2073
IK1 11;
BLUE OYSTER CULT
SPECIAL GUESTS
DLACIC OAK ARKANSAS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26 8 PM
Omaha Civic Auditorium
TicVeii S6 00 in dice, ilbl t the Auditorium Bo Offict nd
all Crand !it outleti
a sadistic woman from flogging the last known Caleban
to death. The Calebans are an invisible race who control
the jumpdoors. A jumpdoor, of course, is a means of
leaping, inter-dimensionally, from one end of the universe
to another.
All of the Calebans, except one, have disappeared.
Each time a Caleban Vanishes, other intelligent creatures
die or at best go insane. If the rich sadist has her way the
last Caleban is destroyed, the universe probably will go up
in smoke.
Mikie slowly ferrets clues to the mystery by talking
to the last Caleban, Fanny Mae: Talking to Fanny Mae
is a lot like talking to a Lewis Carroll character, fascinat
ing but tiring. Between bouts with Fanny, Mikie jumps
from planet to planet combating evil with a wallet full of
flashy gadgets. The situation becomes messier and more
confusing until only the impossible could help. Luckily,
the impossible happens-sort of.
In Whipping Star, Herbert combines a tight, well
, paved plot, ingenious devices and thoroughly engaging
. characters into a solid novel. There is little character
development and even less social significance. Whipping
Star will not raise your consciousness, but it will enter
tain you. What more do you want for a buck and a half?
story in The Worlds of Frank Herbert. It is a good story.
This time he uses a device that causes snakes to grow from
a man's skull. - ,
Unfortunately "The Tactful Saboteur" is the only first
rate story in this collection. The others tend to start off
well, but the situations within them cannot carry the
wooden characters for a full story. They are good trash
reading, perfect for the night before an accounting test,
but hardly worth a $1.75.
Neither Whipping Star not Worlds approaches Dune
in breadth of vision or matches its skillfully written plot.
Luckily, Herbert didn't try to write another classic.
Instead, in Whipping Star he pounded out an entertain
ing book for the hard-core sci-fi fan. Whipping Star de
served to be reissued and it deserves to be read.
Mikie returns
Mikie reappears in "The Tactful Saboteur'
the lead
The Lincoln Jazz Society
presents
if P-
ijl
Dexter Gordon
October 13 8:00 p.m.
O'Donnell Auditorium .
Nebraska Wesleyan Campus
Reserved Seats $4,00
Available at Dirt Cheap and at the door the
night of the concert.
One need only look at him to recognize a hard
blower, a boss tenor; even the saxophone appears
to take on new dimensions in his hands.
Bob Blumcnthal, Boston Phoenix
Supported by a grant from the Nebraska Arts Council
PLUS 2nd CHEAT HIT:
Row, ttats entertainment!
HARRY REEMS
DARBY LLOYD RAINS
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Continout shows from 1 1am. Latt show Fri-Sat
Must b 18-Hav 1.0. 1730 't)" St.- 433-4043
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