BILL, THE GALACTIC HERO
Harry Harrison’s classic story of the hilarious perils of deep space, Bill, the Galactic Hero, is reissued following its recent adaptation as an indie student film by director Alex Cox.
Bill, the Galactic Hero sees our hapless hero face countless perils, more than often resulting in hilarious atrocities. From that first unfortunate recruitment into the Space Troopers after being drugged and hypnotised, to a lost week spent on the planet Helior, more than often ending in disaster for Bill.
Bill dreamed of being a technical fertilizer operator, but Space Trooper officer Deathwish Drang has other plans for him, recruiting him for the endless fight against the Chingers.
After his unfortunate recruitment into the Space Troopers, Bill tries to constantly avoid danger, but he more than often finds himself being thrown head first into it, and when he’s not facing the towering lizard enemies in the form of the dreaded Chingers, or being unwillingly recruited as a spy, he’s more than often finding himself being thrown into imminent danger and heroism. With each accidental feat of heroism more than often resulting in some of the most amusing mishaps that seem to be never ending, poor hapless Bill just can’t catch a break, even when he’s gifted with an extra right arm.
A hilarious read with a sinister streak and who’s influence is still felt in science fiction today, from the humorous and more than often perilous adventures of Futurama‘s Fry and Bender, to the unfortunate and hilarious mishaps of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Bill, the Galactic Hero has helped to inspire countless others, bringing a touch of sinister hilarity to the science fiction genre.
Definitely worth a read if you’ve never picked it up before, and if you like your sci-fi with a pinch of sinister humour and satire then you’ll certainly find it entertaining.
INFO: BILL, THE GALACTIC HERO / AUTHOR: HARRY HARRISON / PUBLISHER: GOLLANCZ / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
