James Bolivar diGriz, alias “Slippery Jim” is no longer a stainless steel rat in the wainscoting of society…well, at least he is no longer solely a stainless steel rat. Though his thieving ways are not yet behind him, Jim diGriz is firmly entrenched as the top agent in the Special Corps, that feared branch of the law headed by the most notorious criminal of all time, Harold P. Inskipp.
When his wife is kidnapped by the revenue service out of their current home on the planet Blodgett, Slippery Jim leaps into action, gathering up his two teenage sons from their military boarding school (and penitentiary) to spring mom and wreak havoc on the tax bureau at the same time. As is often the case with his adventures, personal conflict often leads to bigger problems, and Jim diGriz soon finds himself commandeered to save humanity from galaxy-wide destruction.
Sounds simple, eh? It is for the Stainless Steel Rat…at least until his most feared enemy comes on the scene–the infamous gray men.
I am fast approaching the ten-year anniversary of Stainless Steel Droppings, and it felt fitting to sit down on a Saturday morning to re-read one of the novels featuring the character for whom this blog pays homage. The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! is the fourth novel published featuring author Harry Harrison’s well-known and beloved rascal, Slippery Jim diGriz.
Though he later wrote three prequel novels focusing on diGriz’s early criminal career, my recommended order of reading the novels is to start with The Stainless Steel Rat, followed by The Stainless Steel Rat’s Revenge and The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World. All three novels can be found in one collection titled The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat. It was with this collection that I first developed my passion for Harry Harrison’s creation.
The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! is built upon and references events that occur in the previous three novels, and though Harrison does an admirable job of succinctly getting the reader up to speed when these early adventures are mentioned, there is too much pure fun to miss out on if you don’t start at the beginning. The relationship of Jim diGriz and his wife is built within the first two novels, and it is in The Stainless Steel Rat’s Revenge that we are first introduced to the villainous gray men.
At 155 pages, The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! is a quick read, and Harry Harrison makes it easy to keep the pages turning because a great deal happens in rapid succession, with the story becoming more madcap as it hurtles towards its conclusion. The Stainless Steel Rat novels are admittedly light entertainment, though in them Harrison does manage to espouse viewpoints on a variety of issues, most notably killing and the use of the death penalty as punishment for murderers.
The strength of The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You!, as in the previous three novels, lies in the boastful yet equally self-deprecating titular character. There is a touch of the Old Boy’s Club in these stories, though Harrison makes an effort to address attitudes of male chauvinism, particularly in this novel.
The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! gets the whole family involved, with Jim’s equally brilliant and criminally adept wife and his twin sons, James and Bolivar, taking part both on screen and off. The novel has a heavy dose of the ridiculous, with salvation often quite convenient…after Slippery Jim is put through a good bit of hell first. I posit that these novels maintain a healthy devotion among some science fiction fans because Harry Harrison does not allow the humor to become farcical, and because he has created characters that you want to cheer on. If Han Solo is the kind of loveable rogue for whom you have a soft spot, you are going to like Slippery Jim as well.
It was a great trip down memory lane with this novel, and I am pleased to have my first completed read of 2015 be a Stainless Steel Rat adventure. I am particularly fond of the first five novels in this series, and they have remained fun despite many re-reads over the years.
My Rating: 7.5/10 Who knew crime could be so fun?
Paul Lehr (1930-1998) is one of the masters of science fiction book cover illustration. Whenever I am on the lookout for paperback copies of classic science fiction and discover that a Paul Lehr cover exists, that is the one I track down. I am not a big fan of many of the covers for The Stainless Steel Rat novels. Richard Powers’ surreal covers for the first three novels are among the few exceptions. But the cover for The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! is outstanding.
Paul Lehr’s painting may not have been meant to reference anything specific in the novel, but it can be a nice stand in for the military planet or the various alien war vessels that are present in the book. In the end it makes no difference to me, it is simply an image I am drawn to, all the more so because it has been a part of my visual memories for over three decades.
I have what author Anne Fadiman would call a “courtly love” for books, in that I like to buy pristine books and keep them pristine. I don’t have her “carnal love” which allows for the dog-earring of pages, the breaking of spines, or marking on the pages themselves (frankly it makes me shudder to consider it). But with used books I am not as concerned about their condition as I am about their existence.
I may not want to loan out the books I purchase new to others, but I love the idea that old classic science fiction paperbacks, in particular, have traveled a bit and I don’t mind finding a well-loved copy in order to get the book with a cover image that I like. Of course, my courtly love habits also mean that I sometimes own multiple copies of books I treasure, as each time I find a version in slightly better shape, I pick it up.
Such is the case with The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You!. The previous owner had to have been at least something of a courtly lover of books, at least in the way he read and cared for them. How do I know? Well, I have a handful of books that were once owned by the same individual that I have purchased at a local used bookstore. In this particular novel, you can see this on the first page:
He did write his name in the front of all his books, but I must admit that it makes me happy to know that he did. His penmanship was wonderful, and I’m thrilled that he bought this paperback novel in the month of its publication and brought it home and read it that same day. Though this paperback book looks at the moment as if it has never been read, I am comforted by the fact that not only was it read by its original owner, but that this Stainless Steel Rat fan has now read it as well.
I may be a fool, but I am a sentimental one at that.
Excellent review and I too love my pristine books. People will pick up a book I’m halfway through (knowing this by the bookmark) and say, this book doesn’t even look read, you’ve gotta be faking this.
I haven’t read any Harrison but these seem really good.
I started reading that way when I was a kid because I was borrowing my uncle’s science fiction books and wanted to return them in the condition I borrowed them so that I wouldn’t get cut off from my source! It just stuck with me over the years. I hold books differently than, say, my wife does, but I don’t even notice it, it is all unconscious.
And thanks, Bryce. For the kind words and for knowing I’m not alone. 🙂
Exactly! I do it unconsciously, but I can’t help it. I want my books looking good. I do have to admit, it’s sometimes nice to have a used book I don’t have to care about, though I’m sure I don’t read it much differently!
I don’t either, I take good care of the beat up used ones I get too.
I have always loved the Stainless Steel Rat books. Classic! 🙂
They are fun, Tara. Hope your new year is going well thus far.
Thanks to you Carl, I’ve picked up I think two Stainless Steel Rat books (and one of them may be The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat), so now all I have to do is read them! I can see this 4th one being a wild ride, having the family along and all. does he explain all his lock picking tricks to his kids? does he tease them with stories of adventure? does he want his kids to follow in his footsteps or does he want them to lead a more law abiding life? would be interesting and hella fun to read about, is what I’m getting at!
The fellow who owned the book before you has amazing handwriting. I wonder if he was an artist? At first, I thought it was a custom ink stamp for his name, not hand written.
They seem to be naturals on their own…yet it is apparent from this one that they also learned a lot at school.
It is beautiful handwriting, isn’t it? I don’t think I could write that well no matter how hard I tried.
Carl, I read the early Stainless Steel Rat books when I was a kid. I have the later ones, but I haven’t found time to read them (where have you heard that excuse before?). Harry Harrison is one of my favorite SF writers. I admire his range and his humor. It’s great that you named your blog after one of his best known characters!
I have heard that excuse from myself, a million times over. Many of those being in response to other people’s end of year lists here lately!
I haven’t read the very latest one he wrote. I was very disappointed in The Stainless Steel Rat Joins the Circus, and a few paragraphs into the newest one made me want to chuck it aside. It may be okay, and maybe I should try it again, but at this point in my internal world I choose to believe the novels stopped with The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell.
He is good. I’ve enjoyed his Deathworld books and also Planet of the Damned and Planet of No Return. I still have his To the Stars trilogy on my shelves to read and a number of other books he wrote that I don’t own, but would like to read one day.
I too have a soft spot for old paperbacks that were obviously loved by their previous owner(s).
I listened to the audiobook version of The Stainless Steel Rat years ago and it was entertaining. My man has read most (or all?) of the series and really likes them.
For me, I enjoyed The Way of the Warrior quite a bit more, but I was in my late teens when I read it. I might see it differently now.
I haven’t heard of The Way of the Warrior. I’m sometimes reluctant to read things I only read as a teen, but many of those have actually stood the test of time, for me personally.
I wouldn’t mind listening to an audio version of The Stainless Steel Rat. That could be fun.
I’ll chime in to say, first, congrats on 10 years! That’s a good run. This Rat book is the next one up for me, and I’ll get to it one of these… well you know. I like the cover too. As for used books and their condition, the more pristine the better. I try to keep mine that way. But with used books we don’t always have a choice, do we? Signatures and dedications on the front flyleaf don’t bother me too much, if they aren’t awful. The quality of handwriting on this one would make it okay with me.
Thanks Richard, the 18th will mark the official 10 year anniversary.
I do know Richard, all too well. I don’t mind when I’m buying something new if someone has put their name in it. I don’t come across many used books where there are underlined or highlighted passages, but that may give me pause. Then again, there is something intriguing about what someone found so interesting that they had to underline it.
I just love books, old paperbacks with fantastic covers and new ones. I do try to keep them as pristine as possible.
You have talked me into trying this series and I will look for the ones you recommend. Not right away, because I have too much of a backlog. But maybe for the Sci Fi Experience next year.
Makes me sad that used bookstores are becoming harder to find, as I love going treasure hunting in them.
I understand the backlog, that is for sure!
The stainless steel rat was one of my first entrees into SF as a kid, and tragically I gave up reading after lifelong voracious reading until the age of about 27… I’m 38 now and with the help of a kindle have rediscovered my love of SF and of course The stainless steel rat. Thanks for the blog and than you Harry Harrison. And all of the other greats, I’m going to re-read you all and hopefully discover some greats I haven’t read yet. Best!