Customer Reviews (6)

Five good stories, the rest do not measure up
With a titillating title like Alien $ex, I was expecting stories a little more disturbing, perhaps something with a touch of the squishy to it, flavored with the tangy taste of repulsion.What I discovered was mostly mild, neither horrifying or $exual, and only vaguely imaginative.

Table of contents:
1) Her Furry Face by Leigh Kennedy
2) War Bride by Rick Wilber
3) How's The Night Life On Cissalda? By Harlan Ellison
4) The Jamesburg Incubus by Scott Baker
5) Man Of Steel, Woman Of Kleenex by Larry Niven
6) The First Time by K.W. Jeter
7) The Jungle Rot Kid On The Nod by Philip Jose Farmer
8) Husbands by Lisa Tuttle
9) When The Fathers Go by Bruce McAllister
10) Dancing Chickens by Edward Bryant
11) Roadside Rescue by Pat Cadigan
12) Omnisexual by Geoff Ryman
13) All My Darling Daughters by Connie Willis
14) Arousal by Richard Christian Matheson
15) Scales by Lewis Shiner
16) Saving The World At The New Moon Hotel by Roberta Lannes
17) And I Awoke And Found Me Here On The Cold Hill's Side by James Tiptree Jr.
18) Picture Planes by Michaela Roessner
19) Love And Sex Among The Invertebrates by Pat Murphy

The five good stories are 'Her Furry Face', dealing with an orangutan rather than an alien; 'Roadside Rescue', which really does display the strange $exuality of aliens; 'Scales', a story of infidelity with a Lamia; 'And I Awoke And Found Me Here On The Cold Hill's Side', a futuristic glimpse as to where mankind might head if copulation with aliens became a mainstream practice; and 'Love And Sex Among The Invertebrates', a post apocalyptic scientist tries to breathe life back into the world.

The rest of the stories all suffered from what I term "Abstracting and Distracting".Some SF tales, mostly the older pieces in the genre, tend to believe that the more abstract their prose is, the more "alien" it appears, when in reality it is simply too distracting to read.Chunky, clunky sentences strewn haphazardly across a page and using a form of "guess what I'm thinking" detachment does not make for a smooth story.I was particularly surprised at how awful Harlan Ellison's contribution to this anthology was, but even the masters must slip once in a while.Unfortunately, too many of the stories in this collection suffer this affliction, and there are too few good ones for me to recommend this book as a 'buy'.Grab it from the library, or find a used copy.

Only a couple of good stories...
... the rest was fairly disappointing and not well written.

Some strong stories, some weak
As advertised, 19 tales on the theme of sex involving humans and aliens.

Sex is an important part of our lives. It is not so far fetched to believe that the same might be the case for at least some alien species.But, this area is not one that has featured widely in SF writings. Aroundhalf of the stories here are published for the first time in thiscollection.

This is not a collection of erotic writing, indeed it is moredisturbing and sometimes funny than arousing.

Horror fiction has a muchstronger tradition of covering sexual matters and some of the stories herewander along the boundary of the two genres.

Particularly "The FirstTime" by K.W.Jeter. This gruesome story is not an easy read but it isalso one of the strongest in the collection.

"All My DarlingDaughters" by Connie Willis and Leigh Kennedy's "Her FurryFace" also dwell on aspects of the human condition that you wouldn'twant to discuss with your mother. Nonetheless, they are good stories thatuse the "alien" setting to good effect.

The collection is notconfined to such serious, or even disturbing material. There are somegenuinely funny stories here too. Especially the classic "How's theNightlife on Cissalda" by Harlan Ellison and "Man of Steel, Womanof Kleenex" by Larry Niven.

Many of the stories deal with the themeof aliens as a sexual threat to humans. From lighthearted stories such asPat Cadigan's "Roadside Rescue" to the macabre "DancingChickens" by Edward Bryant.

I'd rate about three quarters of thestories in here as being above agerage or better. A couple were rather weakand the book would have been better had they been left out but, overall,this is a good collection.

Some strong stories, some weak
As advertised, 19 tales on the theme of sex involving humans and aliens.

Sex is an important part of our lives. It is not so far fetched to believe that the same might be the case for at least some alien species.But, this area is not one that has featured widely in SF writings. Aroundhalf of the stories here are published for the first time in thiscollection.

This is not a collection of erotic writing, indeed it is moredisturbing and sometimes funny than arousing.

Horror fiction has a muchstronger tradition of covering sexual matters and some of the stories herewander along the boundary of the two genres. Particularly "The FirstTime" by K.W.Jeter. This gruesome story is not an easy read but it isalso one of the strongest in the collection.

"All My DarlingDaughters" by Connie Willis and Leigh Kennedy's "Her FurryFace" also dwell on aspects of the human condition that you wouldn'twant to discuss with your mother. Nonetheless, they are good stories thatuse the "alien" setting to good effect.

The collection is notconfined to such serious, or even disturbing material. There are somegenuinely funny stories here too. Especially the classic "How's theNightlife on Cissalda" by Harlan Ellison and "Man of Steel, Womanof Kleenex" by Larry Niven.

Many of the stories deal with the themeof aliens as a sexual threat to humans. From lighthearted stories such asPat Cadigan's "Roadside Rescue" to the macabre "DancingChickens" by Edward Bryant.

I'd rate about three quarters of thestories in here as being above agerage or better. A couple were rather weakand the book would have been better had they been left out but, overall,this is a good collection.

Sex is pretty alien, right?This book proves it.
Ellen Datlow, long-time fiction editor of Omni, had quite a brainstorm when she edited this book full of alien sex stories in 1990.While 9 stories are reprinted, 10 are new to this book.All are worth reading, anda few fall into the good to very good range.None are classics, though, ifthe word even applies to material published since 1960.Of the reprints,the best material is Connie Willis's "All My Darling Daughters"(1985), which was too dangerous (in the Ellisonian sense) to appear in thegenre magazines before being published in her first story collection,Firewatch.In it women discover that their boyfriends are keepingmarsupial-like animals because the animal's reaction to sexis much likethat of a woman being raped.It's a disturbing, effective story.Of thenew material, I liked Richard Christian Matheson's "Arousal" alot.It's a very brief tale of a woman who makes the mistake of wantingconstant sexual arousal and gets it.A short tour de force.The remainingmaterial, while interesting at times, does not quite come off (punintended).Datlow's notion of horror veers towards the creepilydisgusting, which doesn't bother me but doesn't appeal that much to meeither.You might like that style better, and if so you should immediatelyturn to K. W. Jeter's "The First Time," with enough bloodydisgustingness for several stories--a record of sorts, I suppose.I am notdisrecommending the book, though.It's worth reading and having. Note:another writer with an alien take on sex is Lucy Taylor, whose bookUnnatural Acts & Other Stories is more consistent than this oneoverall. ... Read more

Amazon.com
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach.While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

Discover how to make the most of a visit to this outdoor adventure mecca (whether you're hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, sailing, caving, biking, or simply strolling). This guide provides a 20-page, full-color flora and fauna section, as well as listings on where to stay (from farms to resorts), background on the Maori people's history and culture, and 113 maps including national parks and ski areas. --Kathryn True Book Description

Experience the infinite variety of New Zealand:Sample the cafés and bars of Auckland, take a gravity-defying bungy jump pr tramp through some of the world's most spectacular wilderness areas with this bestselling guidebook.

• over 120 detailed maps
• colourful guide to New Zealand's unique wildlife
• special section on Maori culture and art
• fully extreme Activities chapter - don't zorb without it
• insider tips for an aspiring hobbit spotters
• exhaustively researched accommodation listings

Customer Reviews (23)

Don't travel without this guide!
If you're going to New Zealand - and want to enjoy the country to the fullest - DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT THIS GUIDE! I embarked on a 6-week long trip last June with this edition of 'Lonely Planet New Zealand' and fate as my only guides. I was impressed to the max! The only other guide I needed was a road atlas I picked up at the airport in Auckland (and since I was touring some of the Lord of the Rings film locations, Ian Brodie's lovely 'Lord of the Rings: Location Guidebook'). I do recommend renting a vehicle - as someone under 25 years old, Budget was a good bet for rental. Just remember, "Left, left left." It's a cinch! With the US dollar exchange rate favorable, we cheaply rented a top notch 4WD SUV for the entire time based on the recommendation of this book. I love the Lonely Planet series for the sheer fact that it gives you pointers on fantastic locations that may be slightly off the beaten path while at the same time informing you of the best of the best in those tourist meccas. It's a lovely balance. My only regret is that 6-weeks is far too short a time to see everything there is to see in New Zealand!

The top 5 places you shouldn't miss on the North and South Islands:

North Island
1) Take the short ferry ride from Auckland to Rangitoto Island and hike to the summit - otherwordly!
2) Do a touristy bus tour to Cape Reinga out of Paihia - on the bus to Cape Reinga you'll get to: learn a lot about the Maori culture, hug a Kauri tree, stop and surf down sand dunes, wonder in awe at the northern most point of the North Island where untouched white beaches are visible as the Tasman and Pacific Ocean meet and clash (an amazing scene), and to top it all off you'll cruise down 90-mile beach as waves lap the wheels of the bus (yeah, the beach is actually a registered roadway).
3) Drive around the gorgeous Coromandel Peninsula - leave the Thames area just before sunrise and the landscape will just take your breath away! You will come to understand the meaning of Aotearoa/New Zealand: land of the long white cloud.
4) Wander the volcantic parks of Rotorua - Wai-ti-pau was a highlight! Don't forget to sign-up for a traditional Maori concert and haka at the Tamaki Maori Village for a cool cultural experience!
5) Cruise Cuba Street in Wellington for food and shops, and don't forget to visit Te Papa - the national museum of Wellington.

South Island
1) Plan a kayaking trip out of Motueka: the Tonga Island wildlife option is cool - we saw wild Orca and New Zealand Fur Seals up close and personal and then lunched on a secluded beach reached only by kayak!
2) Take a helicopter ride up to Fox Glacier and do an afternoon hike - see where semi-tropical rainforest meets glacier meets the Tasman Sea.
3) Go white water rafting on the Shotover River in Queenstown (be sure you get an option with the Oxenbridge Tunnel)! Then go jet boating, then bungy jumping, you name, it they do it there! Don't miss Deer Park Heights either - say hello to the free roaming buffalo for me!
4) Head to the beautiful city of Kaikoura for whale watching and a dolphin swim.
5) If you love wildlife - head to Dunedin and take a tour out to the Otago Peninsula (you'll see albatross, fur seals, sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins and a variety of bird life up close and personal - by up close I mean walking on the beach less than 10 feet away from a Hooker Seal Lion twice your size). While in Dunedin, visit Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world, and don't miss the Cadbury Factory! It's well worth the admission price!

There is so much more to see and do that I haven't listed - and this guide helped me find it all and point me in the right direction every step of the way. The only thing the guide failed to mention was the abundance of rainbows in this enchanted country - I don't know about you, but where I come from rainbows are a special once in a great while occurance. In New Zealand you see them on a daily basis. I guarantee that with the help of this guide you will leave New Zealand with enough fantastic memories to last a lifetime. Kia ora.

new zealand is a beautiful place
new zealand is a beautiful place

The only decent Lonely Planet book
This book is a lot better than the other Lonely Planet books in that it is the same size as the others but as it is only about one small country, it can fit most (not all there's still work to be done) of the towns and attractions backpackers want to see in New Zealand.

The main difference between this and Let's Go is that this is written for a North American audience whereas Let's Go is more for your British, European, Australian, South African and the like markets.This means those not from North America may find a lot of the information as common knowledge, especially historic things and would prefer to have more further detailed information which is contained in the competitor Let's Go.Since the American education system doesn't teach this stuff American audiences will find it fascinating and will have a need for it maybe.

A fair amount of the hostels in New Zealand actually do appear in this book which is very surprising for a Lonely Planet as they usually miss about 75 per cent of them.Be aware that there are other hostels out there though, so don't completely rely on the book and use the best method word of mouth from other backpackers as well. Of course the price information is out of date as usual.

If only Lonely Planet could achieve as good a book for their other country/continent versions then they might be a worthwhile purchase.I'd say buy this if you're a North American but get Let's Go if you're not.Well actually I'd say don't bother with either as you're just reliving someone else's experiences and it's better to explore for yourself but for hostel listings and background info if you don't know much about New Zealand then this is useful.

New Zealand--or bust!
I looked at and compared this to all the other guides from Frommer's, Eyewitness, Footprint, Rough, Insight, Moon, and Fodor's, and I thought this one was the best.

I used this guide on an intensive, 3-week trip to New Zealand several years ago in which I drove over 6000 kilometers and got to just about every part of the country except Ninety-Mile Beach on the tip of the north island. I visited spots ranging from Stewart Island, Doubtful and Milford Sound, and Queenstown in the south, to the Coromandel Peninsula in the east, to the Franz-Josef glacier and the small western town of Greymouth in the west, to Lake Taupo and the capital city Auckland in the north. I crossed the southern Alps several times, and got to just about every major city and town, and I found the book very useful and accurate and a very valuable resource on my trip.

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful and delightful places you can visit, and there is something here for everybody. There is still quite a lot of wildlife, and in the south I saw lots of Tui birds, who are like myna birds in that they can immitate just about any noise, and shellducks, which are larger than any American ducks I've seen. One of them even raced me in my car on a road crossing the Alps for a while, until he surprised me by flying under my car and losing all his feathers. Oh well, I hope he grew back those feathers.

If you're into wildlife, another fun activity is to see the little blue penguins and the yellow-eyed penguins in the southeast coastal town of Oamaru. But watch out for those big shellducks. The big Kea parrots in the southern mountains are surprisingly bold. They come right up to you and you can get great pictures. A famous kea was the one that lived in a park in Sydney, Australia. This might be the only world-famous bird I've ever heard of. He would let the air out of automobile tires while people watched and laughed, which he seemed to do for the fun of it. As the New Zealanders say, they're cheeky little buggers.

Another thing not to miss is the New Zealand Wildlife Refuge on the main road north of Wellington on the way to Auckland. Several of the other things that I enjoyed that I learned about first from the book were (on the south island) the Te Anau glow- worm caves, the big boat tour of Doubtful Sound, the boat tour of Milford Sound (the wettest place on earth at sea level, with 25 feet of rain per year), and (on the north island) the Maori cultural town of Rotorua, which smells like rotten eggs everywhere because of all the volcanic steam vents containing sulfur dioxide. In fact, the steam comes out of the ground just about all over the city.

If you're the adventurous type, don't miss Queenstown in the south, the self-styled (and rightly so) adventure capital of the world. There you can do things like bungee-jump from a helicopter, and fly this interesting plane around which is tethered to a central pole. I don't know how many people do those things, but a popular attraction here is a jet-boat tour up one of the rivers. The aerial tramway in Queenstown up to the top of a local mountain gives you a spectacular view of the entire area. There is a decent restaurant at the top, which makes for a popular dining spot with a great view in the evening.

On the north island, another interesting and fun thing I did in Auckland was to take the Rangitoto Island tour in Auckland Bay on my last day there, which takes you around this small, volcanic island in the middle of the bay. Also Waiheke Island made for an interesting overnight stay in Auckland bay before flying out the next day. Kelly Tarkington's Arctic Experience is worth seeing. And last but not least, Auckland has some surprisingly good restaurants and dining.

Overall, an excellent and well-written guide and worth the price. New Zealand is one of the best and most enjoyable countries I've ever visited, and this guide was an important part of that experience on my trip.

Don't Buy This Edition
The Guide is very informative, but there is a new edition that has come out in October, so wait to buy the new one!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Highly Appropriate
I always thought of Buckley has having four careers. He was of course that TV fellow that talked funny and look down his nose at his guests and viewers on a show that was very successful - Firing Line; he was that business man, writer, and publisher that started the National Review; he wrote fiction spy novels, and he wrote his sailing stories.
Most people would be happy and content to achieve just one of those undertakings. One might imagine that running the National Review for all those years and keeping it fresh was an enormous challenge. I never agreed with all the stories in the NR and conservatives are now much more complicated people but if you think it is easy to start something like the NR, try starting your own national magazine.

In any case I read many of his books and very much appreciated his sailing books. His book on crossing the Pacific "Racing Through Paradise: A Pacific Passage" was one of the best sailing books ever written. Hence the quote by John Kenneth Galbraith, who "consistently writes pleasant tributes to my own books, inevitably advising the reader that my political opinions should be ignored, my fiction or accounts of life at sea appreciated". Maybe you have to be a sailor to understand his books but it is unlikely.

In terms of a biography it would be very difficult for Buckley to achieve the same level of literary excellence in a biography that he might write today as compared to some of his many past writings. So in the end his collection of selected writings speak for themselves and are most appropriate. He does not need a conventional autobiography - his writing for those of us that have read his books are perfect. We understand that was always his strength.

How can one really criticize this book? The CD for myself was not needed. Incidentally and it is not really the same but George Plimpton came out with a similar series of stories which he called - a readers collection - in the book "George Plimpton on Sports" also available at Amazon.com, published in 2003. I read that book also and thought it was excellent and often very funny but less autobiographical. It is the same idea but for some reason it was never a best seller as the present book appears to be.

Miles still with us
Thanks to this marvelous (as usual) piece the miles gone by are still with us. I don't know why but I find myself contrasting this favorably with W. V. Quine's "The Time of My Life". While I might occasionally read Quine's autobiography for insights on his philosophy, and find his life much like the rigorous mathematical logic of his books, "Miles" represents much more the sort of days I would imitate had they not already gone by. This is a comfortable book that leads to comfortable hours. ... Read more