// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "Takeoff!" say to its friend? Let's get lifted.
 First edition (publ. Starblaze) | |
| Author | Randall Garrett |
|---|---|
| Genre | Science fiction and fantasy |
| Publication date | 1980 |
Takeoff! is by a 1980 collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories, pastiches, and parodies, by Randall Garrett.[1]
Contents
[edit]The collection includes Garret's novelette Despoilers of the Golden Empire, a pulp magazine yarn mixing space travel and classic swashbuckling themes to the point where the space-travelling characters fight with swords, bringing to mind the adventures of Flash Gordon, or the Barsoom stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs. The story is later revealed to be a mistelling of the history of conquistador Francisco Pizarro. First published in March 1959, the story was designed as an early April Fools' Day prank. It was re-published in collections such as Takeoff! and in a later anthology entitled Analog's Lighter Side edited by Stanley Schmidt.
Reception
[edit]Thrust called Garrett "one of the more under-rated writers in the field" of science fiction, noting that the collection features "Most of the odd little bits of his humorous writing".[2]
Spider Robinson reviewed Takeoff! for Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, and commented that "If you are a newcomer to or a very casual reader of SF, you may miss a lot of the jokes [...] but the well-read fan will find a lot of laughs here," and further noted that the illustrations by Kelly Freas are "as always, a joy."[3]
Tom Easton likewise reviewed Takeoff! for Analog, praising it as "a collection of parodies, pastiches, reviews in verse, and groaners guaranteed to rouse at least a grin."[4]
In Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Baird Searles noted that although "there are moments when Garrett descends to that level between freshman and junior, a lot of it is amusing even if I didn't do a lot of thigh slapping and gut busting."[5]
Amazing Stories lauded it as "a delightful collection which people who know Randall Garrett have awaited for years,"[6] while Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer stated that it "provide(s) an entertaining chance to enjoy some more works of a writer whose works are beginning to gain well deserved recognition as classics."[1]
Reviews
[edit]- Review by Donald M. Hassler (1986) in Fantasy Review, October 1986
References
[edit]- 1 2 Bryant, Lynn (October–November 1988). "Book Reviews". Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer (83). World Wide Wargames: 44–45.
- ↑ Brown, Steve (Summer 1980). "Reviews books, etc". Thrust (15): 44–45.
- ↑ Robinson, Spider (August 1980). "The Reference Library". Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: 169–170.
- ↑ Easton, Tom (October 1980). "The Reference Library". Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: 168.
- ↑ Searles, Baird (November 1980). "On Books". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine: 17.
- ↑ Staicar, Tom (May 1981). "The Interstellar Connection". Amazing Stories: 7.