Book reviews

Tom Paine Maru
L. Neil Smith Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
L. Neil Smith Books
New book search
L. Neil Smith Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Tom Paine Maru
"YD-038 (yes, that's his name and serial number: he pronounces it Whitey O'Thraight)finds himself the sole noncom on an interstellar expedition launched by his rigidly millitaristic society. Poor planning leads to millitary disaster and marooning on a barbaric human colony planet, which only Whitey and his superior, Lieutenant Enson Sermander, survive. A cryptic group of strangers rescues them from prison. After rescue, Whitey finds that he must unlearn all his values to survive aboard the anarcho-capitalist expeditionary ship Tom Paine Maru as he juggles conflicting loyalties, his own social clumsiness, Sermander's dominance games, a most unlikely romance, and an expedition to save an alien planet from nuclear destruction."
Brian R. Hughes, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Tom Paine Maru
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 30%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - alternate history
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - stranded on alien planet, fighting aliens to survive
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - infantry soldier
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - infantry soldier
Eccentric: Yes - obsessed - deluded
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an above average amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Desert - Forests
Spaceship setting: - really, really giant spaceship/station
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - humans in a primitive/fantasy society - inhabited by friendly aliens - primitive aliens - very controlled society
Planet outside solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - very explicit references to deaths and torture
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - descript of touching personal anatomy - weird alien sex - actual description of sex - description of breasts - descript. of private male anat. - descript. of non-breast female anat.
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to Tom Paine Maru
The Nagasaki Vector by L. Neil Smith
Hiero's Journey: A Romance of the Future by Sterling E. Lanier
Gunpowder Empire - Crosstime Traffic 1 by Harry Turtledove
On the Beach by Nevil Shute
Curious Notions - Crosstime Traffic 2 by Harry Turtledove


Click here for more information about this book


L. Neil Smith Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Christie Robnett  

SCHOLARS:


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Funny Videos
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Lynne Ewing 12:54:48 AM
Cassie Edwards 11:48:31 PM
Robert Segarra 6:23:18 PM
Deric Longden 3:20:15 PM
Colin Forbes 6:05:12 AM
Sue Grafton 5:50:04 PM
Jean M. Auel 12:32:16 PM
Livia Bitton-Jackson 11:27:55 PM
Mildred D. Taylor 12:30:06 AM
Dave Pelzer 1:03:36 AM
Mary Downing Hahn 8:19:22 PM
Anonymous 5:32:56 PM
Peter Abrahams 12:30:02 PM
Aline Countess of Romanones 9:56:28 PM
Suzanne Weyn 7:00:09 PM
Kim Rich 3:01:03 AM
Graham Greene 2:05:45 AM
Bo Caldwell 8:30:53 PM
Diana Marcellas 2:58:23 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 3:22:21 PM

Silicon Valley
More message boards