The High Crusade by Poul Anderson [Spoiler Free Review]

Thanks for watching!

[@rickkearn7100]

Love that opening at the very beginning of your video, Ira, with the planet, moon and asteroids. Too cool! Cheers.

[@chadsmith8966]

Recently read this fun book. It kinda reads like a 30’s to 50’s medieval adventure film (Errol Flynn in Robin Hood) but IN SPACE! The humor largely stems from the English village of a few thousand at first not understanding what they’ve gotten themselves into. They adapt with our monkish narrator slowly using more Sci-Fi terms being just in example or Sir Roger wearing an armored spacesuit into battle. A lot of great lines with one of (in my opinion) best scenes featuring One Eyed Hubert. If for any other reason, read it for the Englishmen hurling nukes from a trebuchet. Yes, they did that.

[@sfwordsofwonder]

You summed up my thoughts exactly, what a blast that book was.

[@vintagesf]

This sounds like so much fun. Will watch for it. Great review!

[@sfwordsofwonder]

It was a blast, I think you'll enjoy it Richard.

[@Tetsujin-28]

Another wild tale, another great review.

[@civoreb]

This book has been staring at me from the shelf next to my bed. Thank you for convincing me to try it finally as my next book!

[@sfwordsofwonder]

It's worth it, hope you enjoy it.

[@bartsbookspace]

Sounds like a blast! 😂 the only Paul Anderson I read is Tao zero. This sounds like the exact opposite of that book. If I find it in the wild, I will definitely pick it up.

[@sfwordsofwonder]

Yeah, he seems to have quite the range. This was a good one. Cheers Bart.

[@OmnivorousReader]

Sounds wild and a lot of fun - thanks for the nice review.

[@sfwordsofwonder]

Thanks, I think you might like it. I'd be interested to hear what you think if you did read it. Cheers.

[@OmnivorousReader]

@@sfwordsofwonder Pretty sure I would, I will certainly review it, if I get a chance to!

[@LiamsLyceum]

I have a copy of this and it’s definitely going to be my next Anderson read

[@sfwordsofwonder]

I'll be looking forward to hearing what you think about it. Cheers, Liam.

[@CptSamel]

Sounds good, I enjoy a lighthearted read!

[@CptSamel]

I've been reading Fafrd and Grey Mouser for the first time to try it out and I need break from the booze, brawling and strippers. I like fantasy & scifi but dont like books with too much violence and grimdark. Just ordered this book as my next read, thanks again for the review m8!

[@sfwordsofwonder]

I hope you enjoy it. I want to read the Fafrd and Grey Mouser books at some point, I'll make sure I'm in the mood for the strippers and booze, haha.

[@CptSamel]

@@sfwordsofwonder I read it and did indeed enjoy it! I especially liked how to medieval baron wasn't written as a backward dope, but as a crafty, devoted and flexible leader. The opening and closing scenes also frame the experience (which was mostly a lot of battles) into something much higher and an interesting sci-fi idea that the first humans in space were medieval starship hijackers who saved humanity!

[@JosephReadsBooks]

It is such a fun, crazy read 😂.

[@sfwordsofwonder]

It was great, just my level of absurdity. You helped inspire me to read this one after wanting to for years.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

@@sfwordsofwonder I'm glad I could be a bad influence 😂

[@BryanM.R.-wt9eb]

Hilariously pathetic alien invasion of Hundred Years War era England? This sounds freaking awesome! However, if our heroes make it back to Earth, I really hope they've gained some freaky alien medical technology since the Black Death is a mere two years away. I even like the joke of "The Year 1345 A.D. (By Earth Reckoning)" on the back cover. Well yeah, I can't imagine why any other planet would be using that dating scheme. 😂

[@sfwordsofwonder]

You'll have to read the book to see if they make it back. I'll just say the book didn't end the way I thought it would.

[@skooter6235]

I just finished the LOA version of The High Crusade. I wouldn’t call it great, it was very much of its time I guess, it came out in 1960, so before the new wave. So I will give it a pass. The science was equivalent to what you would maybe read in a comic book of the period.

[@sfwordsofwonder]

Agree about the science. I think this one is about the wildly fun story and characters.