The Golden Globe

by John Varley
Ace Books; September 1999; ISBN 0-441-00643-4; 517 pp.;
reviewed by John W. Herbert



Although one must hesitate when one sees a cover blurb by that renowned master of literature Tom Clancy praising anyone as “the best writer in America,” in this case Tom is right on the money. Nobody does it better than John Varley.
Varley’s latest, The Golden Globe, is a tour across the solar system of Varley’s “Eight Worlds” universe (from Steel Beach and The Ophiuchi Hotline) and a tour through the mind of Sparky Valentine, one-time child star, now little-known actor, small-time con man, and barely one step of the law and/or the bad guys. At times funny, fast-paced, moving and always entertaining, The Golden Globe is a must read and Varley at his best. And that says a lot, because Varley at his worst is still better than most.
Okay, here’s the plan: we all get together and convince Ace Books that they pay John Varley too much money and that they should pay him less per book. This way, he'll have to publish a novel more often than once ever six years. Whatta ya think? Will it work?

originally published in UNDER THE OZONE HOLE Number 16, July 2005