...always killing the people who don't deserve it.

Fred Saberhagen has passed away at the age of 77. I've always been in awe of the... human-ness of his Berserker stories, even though they're about sentient killing machines out to destroy all life (and the people who deal with them).

I think my favorite was called 'The Jester' (I might have that title wrong), where a berserker captures an exiled (for political reasons) comedian, who convinces the world-killing machine to head to the planet that kicked him out.

Along the way, he prepares his greatest joke, and in the climax of the story...
(SPOILER: CLICK BELOW FOR THE RESULT) ...he terrorizes the planet's government with the threat of the machine; finally, he unleashes the terrible power of the Berserker, which attacks the planet with...

...a giant cream pie.

(fade to black)

How can you not like that type of storytelling?

Fare thee well, Mr. Saberhagen.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 05:09 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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