Date: 29 Jul 1982 1748-EDT
From: JoSH <JoSH at RUTGERS>
Subject: new "hard" sf

Is there some law that libertarian science-fiction writers have to
have the middle name "Neil"?  Believe it or not, that's what first
caught my eye on the cover of "Alongside Night", by J. Neil Schulman.
I bought it on the recommendation of Jerry Pournelle (to "anyone
interested in freedom") on the cover, and then realized what it was.

What it is is a good first novel.  Although I was unable to read it
with an unbiased eye, I believe it stands quite well on its own as an
adventure novel.  Indeed, though one would expect any awkwardnesses to
stem from forced references to his libertarian-inspired background
scheme, they don't: about the worst writing I can find is where he
describes the Weaver stance twice, making it somewhat distracting the
second time around.  Indeed, libertarian references can be marvelously
subtle: at one point the protagonist is given a sample cigarette by
the proprietor of a cannabis shop--on the cigarette is embossed a
small gold dollar sign.  And it is entirely believable that the
proprietor would have done that with full knowledge of his antecedents,
when you do catch the reference.

So even taken straight at face value, this is better than average
fare.  Though not as spellbinding as Heinlein, it would be enjoyed by
anyone who liked early Heinlein.  But, like J.P., I would especially
recommend this one to "anyone interested in freedom".  Its working out
of the principles of an "anarcho-propertarian" organization which is
still surrounded by a hostile State is more firmly grounded in reality
than some libertarian writing, which seems to assume that the State
has to vanish for any of this stuff to work.  This is the best book
I've read this year.

--JoSH