kurt_h's Full Review: Fred Saberhagen - Berserkers:the Beginning: Librar...
"Berserker" is a collection of short stories by Fred Saberhagen set in his BERSERKER universe. The Berserkers are cybernetic AI that control space going war vessels with only one object in mind: destroy all life. These war machines are remnants of an ancient war which finally exterminated both sides and left these self-repairing, self-perpetuating war machines loose in the galaxy. The Berserker is more than just AI, as at the core of each ship is a complex that has a radioactive element that is allowed to change the programming structure of the Berserker. In other words the Berserker has a form of creativity, one that allows them to try new stratagems as they fight intelligent, space faring life. They have a relatively easy time of things until they run into the space occupied by that most irascible of species: humans. These short stories show how humans, honed by centuries of infighting with other humans, learn to overcome, go around and win against all odds against an implacable foe. These short stories take place in the early encounters with the Berserkers as mankind and machine feel each other out, and test responses. Consider this the prelude to larger things.
Fred Saberhagen ranks with Ray Bradbury as one of the foremost storytellers of our time. With the Berskers, Mr. Saberhagen tells stories large and small, from simple romances to galaxy wide wars. And yet, at every turn, he gives us insight into what will allow us to overcome the Berserker foe: our humanity. We are an irascible, unpredictable and unknowable foe for the Berserkers. We turn defeat into victory, loss into gain and death into life for absolutely no knowable reason at all. Love, friendship, honor and respect are unknowable to the Berserkers and they all play into the hands of man.
If you like implacable killing machines that are FRIENDLY to man, check out Keith Laumer's BOLO books, about killing machines with a heart. For straigh war SF, go to David Drake's HAMMER'S SLAMMERS universe, for mercenaries that make sure you get what you pay for.
The Berserkers are the REAL THING, you can keep your Borg, Daleks, Doomsday Machines and BEMs. Nothing stops a Berserker, except the unknowable heart of man.
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