''Dramocles: An Intergalactic Soap Opera'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

novel by American writer

Robert Sheckley Robert Sheckley (July 16, 1928 – December 9, 2005) was an American writer. First published in the science-fiction magazines of the 1950s, his many quick-witted stories and novels were famously unpredictable, Absurdist fiction, absurdist, and ...

, published in 1983.

Plot summary

In the novel, King Dramocles of Glorn uses notes that he did not remember sending to himself in hopes of that they may help him fulfil his unknown destiny.

Reception

Dave Langford David Rowland Langford (born 10 April 1953) is a British author, editor, and critic, largely active within the science fiction field. He publishes the science-fiction fanzine and newsletter ''Ansible'' and holds the all-time record for most Hug ...

reviewed ''Dramocles: An Intergalactic Soap Opera'' for ''

White Dwarf A white dwarf is a Compact star, stellar core remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. A white dwarf is very density, dense: in an Earth sized volume, it packs a mass that is comparable to the Sun. No nuclear fusion takes place i ...

'' #69, staying that it has hilarious scenes, like the completely irrelevant one in which minor characters try to gain narrative security by establish a sub-plot of their own; but overall it reads as though Sheckley was desperately making it up as he went along. Pretty good by some standards; insubstantial by Sheckley's own."

Reviews

*Review by Faren Miller (1983) in Locus, #269 June 1983https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?28275 *Review by Gene DeWeese (1983) in

Science Fiction Review Richard E. Geis (July 19, 1927 – February 4, 2013) was an American science fiction fan and writer, and erotica writer, from Portland, Oregon, who won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977 (tied with Susan Wood), 1978, ...

, November 1983 *Review by John Clute (1984) in Foundation, #30 March 1984 *Review

rench The Rench is an eastern tributary of the Rhine in the Ortenau in Central Baden, Germany. It rises on the southern edge of the Northern Black Forest at Kniebis near Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald. The source farthest from the mouth is that of ...

by Pierre-Noël Duillard? (1984) in

Fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...

, #350 *Review by Tom Easton (1984) in

Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William Cl ...

, May 1984 *Review by Brian Stableford (1984) in

Fantasy Review ''Fantasy Newsletter'', later renamed ''Fantasy Review'', was a major fantasy fanzine founded by Paul C. Allen and later issued by Robert A. Collins. Frequent contributors included Fritz Leiber and Gene Wolfe. Publication history The first iss ...

, November 1984 *Review by Alan Fraser (1985) in Paperback Inferno, #56

References

{{reflist 1983 science fiction novels 1983 American novels Novels by Robert Sheckley