Into Plutonian Depths Paperback – 21 March 2011

This is a really entertaining story of the old school variety, and I enjoyed every page of it! If you like your Science Fiction to be fact based and realistic, in the Arthur C. Clarke tradition, then this book probably isn't for you - when the intrepid adventurers set foot on the surface of Pluto they don't even wear space suits - just thick anoraks and oxygen masks! They speculate that the temperature may be as low as "minus fifty degrees". I Googled this, which might not be the best way to find an answer, but according to the first Google result I got: "At its warmest, when it is closest to the sun, Pluto can reach temperatures of minus 369 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 223 degrees Celsius). At its coolest, temperatures can fall to minus 387 degrees F (minus 233 C)." Gosh, at its warmest Pluto is only 50.15 degrees Kelvin above Absolute Zero! I think most gasses would be frozen solid at that temperature, and their anoraks would have to be really, really good ones! But anyway, that's not important, this is a brilliant and entertaining book, I have only gone off on this tangent because this is the Internet and people are funny!Overall, this book has the feel of an Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel, full of adventure, complete with a seductive Plutonian maiden! (Although the author doesn't make it too easy, what with certain physiological differences between Plutonian and Earth anatomy.) The space ship seems to have very much been "inspired" (i.e. "lifted") from H. G. Wells' "The First Men In The Moon", and certain aspects of the story are also reminiscent of Wells' short story "The Country of the Blind". When the story covers some of the details of Plutonian society there is also a nod towards Samuel Butler's "Erewhon". Sorry, I'm making "Into Plutonian Depths" seem very derivative, which I don't mean to do, or if it is, at least it borrows from the best, which shows good taste! In short I would say that if you like either, Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. G. Wells, or Samuel Butler, you will probably like this book, but if you like all three, you will probably love it!

This will blow your mind! The humour is contained in the fine word choice. Very easy to read and the depths you will find in the irony. If you have a few days to kill it'll be worth your while.