Any Berserker Fans Out There?

[Knight Templar]

The Berserkers were giant (25 mile wide) spherical all robotic starships that were programmed to destroy all life. Created by a forgotten race known only as "the builders" for some forgotten war, they eventually destroyed not only the enemies of the Builders but also the Builders themselves.

This all happened during the Stone Age on Earth. Now thousands of years later the Berserkers finally run into humans.

The Berserkers were created by Saberhagen as the heavy in a brief short story he wrote in the early 1960s (Without A Thought) yet quickly took on a life of their own (so to speak).

Most of the well known Berserker stories were short stories writtern by Saberhagen himself though there were a few novels (and a board game). Rumors are that a comic is coming out.

I've reread many of the Berserker stories and I've been amazed at how well they were written and how well they hold together over half a century.

 

[Caliburn24]

They are serviceable enough scifi yarns. I particularly liked the one that mimed the Battle of Midway(Only in space!).

There have long been rumors that the Borg were to some degree inspired by the Berserkers.

 

[Knight Templar]

They are serviceable enough scifi yarns. I particularly liked the one that mimed the Battle of Midway(Only in space!).

There have long been rumors that the Borg were to some degree inspired by the Berserkers.

I've heard that as well. Though I've also heard they were inspired by Dr. Who's Cybermen.

 

[sojourner]

If you like the Berzerkers, checkout the Bolo books. Bolos are sort of the anit-berzerker waging war to protect mankind. Good books, especially the earlier ones/anthologies.

 

[Knight Templar]

If you like the Berzerkers, checkout the Bolo books. Bolos are sort of the anit-berzerker waging war to protect mankind. Good books, especially the earlier ones/anthologies.

Are you kidding? I love the Bolo books. The saddest thing to me about the Bolo franchise is that the stories are basically unfilmable in my opinion because so much of the exposition and dialogue in many of the best stories consists of internal monologues by the Bolos.

 

[Draculasaurus]

I enjoyed the Berserker stories.
He certainly found a lot of different ways to approach the concept.
good stuff

 

[Silvercrest]

Remember General Bradin! Death to his flayers!

 

[Knight Templar]

Remember General Bradin! Death to his flayers!

Oh man! Stone Place is one of my favorite short stories of all time. Ram and Board is the way to go in starship combat.