The Stainless Steel Rat Joins the Circus by Harry HarrisonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
That old black magic…Harrison has got his mojo back with this Stainless Steel Rat adventure! Maybe it's just my pandemic state of mind, but I found this novel had the same charm as the first couple of books. Perhaps because he may have considered this to be the last of the series.
Jim DiGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat, is feeling his age. It's getting more difficult to stay in shape, he no longer has the physical stamina of his younger years, and the temptation to spend more time relaxing with his darling Angelina is strong. Unfortunately, he is approached by the self-styled “richest man in the galaxy" who makes him an offer he can't refuse. Greed overcomes good sense and Jim and Angelina are off to a backwater planet to join the circus as a cover for their venture.
Naturally, the criminal life does not run smoothly. The Stainless Steel couple must rely on their twin sons, James and Bolivar, to pull their chestnuts out of the fire. The boys have learned well from dear old mom and dad. The worst thing that can happen to a conman has happened—Jim has been played by another slippery character.
There was a tinge of sadness as I read. There are amusing details that I doubt younger folk will ever understand. Who still remembers Roach Motels? Does anyone comprehend why an explosive called Playtexx made me smile? Despite that, Harrison writes things like burner phones that feel rather modern. An interesting mix of up-to-date and out-of-date.
Slippery Jim Digriz, with his penchant for booze and cigars, is a remarkable character that Harrison obviously enjoyed writing. Coming up with convoluted cons must have been great fun. He ends this book with the words “The End?” and seems unsure about the future. Now we know that there is one more, but that is well into my future if I stick to my reading plans.
Book number 411 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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