(Apparently, life on human worlds is somewhat utopian, or at least does not afford any pressures sufficient to induce a psychologically normal person to commit a crime.) Those individuals who evade the psychological screening are usually caught after one or two minor crimes. The science of psychology has advanced tremendously, and all young people are screened in order to detect (and correct) any criminal tendencies. The novel’s diverse mix of elements, fast pacing, and short length (It can easily be read in an afternoon.) make it a very worthy choice for time-pressed mystery SF fans.The novel is set in the far future, when humans have colonized many worlds, linked by faster-than-light starships and telepathic individuals who can transmit faster-than-light messages. Although I generally didn’t find “The Stainless Steel Rat” to be particularly funny, there was one part which had me laughing out loud, a rarity when it comes to written fiction. The novel (and, indeed, the series) is also known for being humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot, even though I could anticipate many of them.

It also has a dash of James Bond-like spy action to spice things up. “The Stainless Steel Rat” is the first book or story I’ve read by Harrison.In brief, “The Stainless Steel Rat” is a genuinely fun story that artfully blends the detective noir and space opera genres. Although Harrison never won a major award for any of his stories or novels, he was made an SFWA Grand Master in 2008, in recognition of his entire body of work.

Remarkably, the series spanned 50 years, from the first book’s publication in 1961 to the last book’s publication in 2010. “The Stainless Steel Rat” is the first in Harry Harrison’s 12-book series about con man, special agent, and detective “Slippery” Jim diGriz.

The stainless steel rat