f13.net forums - The War Against the Chtorr, David Gerrold

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
April 18, 2024, 03:09:35 AM

we're back, baby

http://www.gerrold.com/

I just found his (David Gerrolds) website and see that he is working on book 5 and 6 and possibly 7 for his War Against the Chtorr series. For me this is great news as I feel that this series is one of the best "Invaded Earth" series ever written. I've seen others here post similar recommendations about this series so I thought I would spread the news.

I first read these books back in the late 80's I think and at the time there were only 3 available in the series. I have just found out that a fourth had been printed some time ago and somehow I missed it as I've been keeping half an eye open for this series to come back into print for many years.

So now I gotta blow a bunch of money on Amazon and try and get all four books in anticipation of the release of the 5th Book (hopefully some time this year as David claimed to be mostly done with it around July or August of last year).

The War against the Chtorr is different from other Invaded Earth stories in that the initial stages of the interstellar invasion are simply terraforming steps, the introduction of new biology into Earths ecosystem with predictibly damaging results. The human race seems doomed from the outset with thier best hope bieng able to achieve a 'living relationship' with thier new alien overlords. The stories are very well told and though not heavy into scientific detail are at least scientifically plausible while still providing lots of fun action and neat little tech thingies to make your mind wonder where we are going.

I've recently reread the first two books in this series and when I noticed that the first book was initially released in 1983 I realized that many of the fantastic advances predicted in these stories have actually come to pass. Among the other things he mentions is a ubiquitous internet, and wide spread addiction to massively multiplayer games. William Gibson was widely hailed for his prescience in describing these things in Neuromancer which, I think I recall, was also released in 1983 so it surprising that Gerrold is not given more credit for his prognostications.

Anyway, I highly recommend The War Against the Chtorr if you haven't read it and if you have read it then I'm sure you will be as pleased as I am to see that after 20 years the story will finally have a chance to get finished.

I've only read the first one and heard my friends who've read all of them bitch about how he needs to finish the series. I liked the first one. It had a pulpy, less political Starship Troopers feel to it. It's worth a read.

Quote from: HaemishM

I really like his alien species and all the work he's done on the ecology of the chtorr.
I'm not so keen on his characters and his future society - he has some weird philosophies he's using the books to get across, and I could really do without.
But I'd love to see the series finished and unfortunately he's been finishing them for quite some years now - but looking at his blog, it seems like it's for real this time.

Quote from: Murgos

Don't get your hopes up too high. His website has said that for a few years now.

Damn fine series though. I rate it as the best alien invasion written. The first four books are well worth the read.

***SPOILER***
Not sure if I want to read about Lizard's death in book five though. Assuming he ever finishes it.

20 years since book 1? Good Grief. At least book 4 explained SOME things, even if our hero was still an idiot (I think in book 4 he's more of an idiot than usual, or even book 3).