Hal Spacejock, Incompetent Pilot
I've been an avid user of yWriter since its second incarnation. I originally found the novel writing assistant program when I was Googling for...novel writing assistant programs. When I found the program, I found the domain name a little intriguing. Spacejock, it says. Looking around, I found that the creator of the great software, Simon Haynes, had used the program to make his own novels, about an incompetent freight ship pilot, Hal Spacejock. I was drawn to it immediately. However, living where I am, I was used to not expecting much from advertised novels; I rarely get to read them anyway. I instead continued using yWriter 2, then 3.
Recently, I heard the news that yWriter 4 was out. So I went to Spacejock to get a copy. It was then when I saw it. Hal Spacejock, the first novel, has been released as a FREE E-BOOK. Egad, I finally get to read the novel. Happy days! I immediately downloaded the e-book (and yWriter 4, of course) and spent the rest of my workday reading it (don't tell my boss).
As expected...No, actually, I didn't expect the level of humor would so high. Had I known it, I'd have read it at home. Multiple times I burst out in a mad fit of giggles. I couldn't really laugh out loud like I wanted to, since my boss was sitting just a stone throw away. I couldn't prepare for the funny bits, too; they come at random intervals like prime numbers, but when they do, they don't tickle the funny bone, they grab and squeeze every last bit of laugh out of it. I particularly enjoy the time when Hal offered Navcom, his Navigational Computer, a change of sides when the only chess pieces he had left were his king and a pawn, surrounded by Navcom's black pieces. I enjoyed Navcom's reply to the request, too.
And there's Clunk, the old, rusting robot. Trusting and loyal to Hal after he saved him from destruction on multiple occasions. Sure, some of those occasions were Hal's fault, but Clunk follows him anyway. More easily and gladly after Hal buys him from his previous owner, who had originally wanted to scrap him to save on taxes. Saving Hal's live seems to be his job now, from piloting his ship, maintaining regular operational conditions, up to actually rescuing him from bad guys intent on stealing their cargo. No matter how old Clunk was, model or actual age, he was a pretty good sidekick for Hal. An unfamiliar person could even mistake Clunk for the hero and Hal for the sidekick, with the pilot matching the mold of an incompetent sidekick very well.
Overall, the book's plot seemed straightforward enough. However, twists and turns changed a lot of plans and the plot became a tangle. Pure gold tangle, mind you. Everyone has their own goals, their own drive, their own conflicts. Everyone was very believable from start to finish. Their choices were believable, considering how well Haynes developed their background.
Some events and characters don't get full background information, though, and was explained through a line or two (or paragraphs), intended only to give context to whatever was happening at the time, rarely to be used ever again. Used once or twice, it may not be noticeable, but there were quite a few of them in the book. Nevertheless, the humor was good enough to cover all and any weak points, including joke recycling. I count two usages of "I'm afraid I can't do that, (name)." said by computers to deny usage. It's good, but over usage tends to weaken the meaning, methinks.
I think it's due time I whip out my Visa and get them books off Amazon.
Cheers,
SQ
Recently, I heard the news that yWriter 4 was out. So I went to Spacejock to get a copy. It was then when I saw it. Hal Spacejock, the first novel, has been released as a FREE E-BOOK. Egad, I finally get to read the novel. Happy days! I immediately downloaded the e-book (and yWriter 4, of course) and spent the rest of my workday reading it (don't tell my boss).
As expected...No, actually, I didn't expect the level of humor would so high. Had I known it, I'd have read it at home. Multiple times I burst out in a mad fit of giggles. I couldn't really laugh out loud like I wanted to, since my boss was sitting just a stone throw away. I couldn't prepare for the funny bits, too; they come at random intervals like prime numbers, but when they do, they don't tickle the funny bone, they grab and squeeze every last bit of laugh out of it. I particularly enjoy the time when Hal offered Navcom, his Navigational Computer, a change of sides when the only chess pieces he had left were his king and a pawn, surrounded by Navcom's black pieces. I enjoyed Navcom's reply to the request, too.
And there's Clunk, the old, rusting robot. Trusting and loyal to Hal after he saved him from destruction on multiple occasions. Sure, some of those occasions were Hal's fault, but Clunk follows him anyway. More easily and gladly after Hal buys him from his previous owner, who had originally wanted to scrap him to save on taxes. Saving Hal's live seems to be his job now, from piloting his ship, maintaining regular operational conditions, up to actually rescuing him from bad guys intent on stealing their cargo. No matter how old Clunk was, model or actual age, he was a pretty good sidekick for Hal. An unfamiliar person could even mistake Clunk for the hero and Hal for the sidekick, with the pilot matching the mold of an incompetent sidekick very well.
Overall, the book's plot seemed straightforward enough. However, twists and turns changed a lot of plans and the plot became a tangle. Pure gold tangle, mind you. Everyone has their own goals, their own drive, their own conflicts. Everyone was very believable from start to finish. Their choices were believable, considering how well Haynes developed their background.
Some events and characters don't get full background information, though, and was explained through a line or two (or paragraphs), intended only to give context to whatever was happening at the time, rarely to be used ever again. Used once or twice, it may not be noticeable, but there were quite a few of them in the book. Nevertheless, the humor was good enough to cover all and any weak points, including joke recycling. I count two usages of "I'm afraid I can't do that, (name)." said by computers to deny usage. It's good, but over usage tends to weaken the meaning, methinks.
I think it's due time I whip out my Visa and get them books off Amazon.
Cheers,
SQ