I read the original short story of "Steel" so I'm extremely
disappointed to hear that the TZ episode was disappointing,
especially since Lee Marvin should have been perfect for the
part. (Spoilers ahead) The story takes place in a future
where some more-or-less unexplained disasters mean that
people are too valuable to engage in dangerous sports - like
boxing, for example. A down-and-out former boxer, who now
manages a robot boxer, is left in the lurch when his robot
breaks down right before a match. He needs the money, so he
pretends to be the robot and climbs into the ring. The
atmosphere reminds me a lot of THE GRAPES OF WRATH and other
Depression-era stories; Steel is willing to do whatever it
takes to keep his head above water.
I AM LEGEND (more spoilers) is about a monster who creeps
about while everyone else sleeps, and murders them in their
beds. Sort of. Actually the "monster" is the hero, who is the
last man on Earth who has not succumbed to a disease that has
turned everyone else into a vampire. The novel sort of drags
on, but has a nice wrap-up, where the narrator realizes that
he will be the bogeyman for the new race. I personally don't
think this novel deserves all the attention it has gotten,
but it's not bad.
Graham
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 05 Jan 2004 EST