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Title: The Return of Santiago
Series: Santiago #2
Author: Mike Resnick
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 278
Words: 122K
So, a hundred or two years after the first Santiago book, some small time thief discovers the original manuscript from Black Orpheus and decides that he wants to become his successor, a Dante. So he realizes that he needs a Santiago to center the continuing poem around sets out to find one. With the help of some colorful characters he attempts to recruit various bigger than life characters to become Santiago only to realize that each one is pretty flawed each time. Eventually, with the help of his co-horts hitting him over the head with it, he realizes HE is the new Santiago.
Santiago was published in 1986 and was a completely standalone novel. Return was published in ‘03 and did a bit of fancy dancy stuff to make it possible to need a “return of Santiago”. While I still enjoyed this, it simply wasn’t in the same league as the first book and really felt like Resnick was trying to recapture the magic (and failing). Thankfully, he doesn’t recycle the same set of characters as was presented in the first book, so that was good. But none of them quite lived up the engaging’ness of the cast of characters we met in the first book.
If you liked Santiago, then I would recommend Return if you really need to be a completionist. However, I would strongly caution you to think twice, as this just isn’t as good. Not bad, but not as good.
★★★✬☆
Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road 
is that Seal on the front cover? Or Jazzy B from Soul 2 Soul?
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It’s YOU! You are the new Santiago. So go rob a space bank and give me all the gold. It’s your duty…
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I can’t make heads or tails out of that synopsis.
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That’s because you haven’t read the original Santiago. You really need to be grounded in the mythos of Resnick’s Universe to grasp the subtle nuances that I bring out with my various word choices.
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You tell him!
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Is Santiago like Sabata? Is he a sort of gunslinger guy played by Lee Van Cleef?
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He’s more like Jazzy B from Soul 2 Souk based on that pic.
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I doubt this Jazzy fellow has lyrics as cool as Sabata’s.
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Maybe a Space Sabata?
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Not sure I’d read the book, but I’d see the movie.
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Barbarian. Do your soul some good and read a good book 😀
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I’m reading lots of great books right now! But I think The Return of Space Sabata works better on screen.
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And I’m supposed to just believe you? SHOW ME THE BOOKS!!!
There, I’m all good now.
I actually agree. And I think the original Santiago would have made a great movie too. Even Eddie would have liked it….
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I know Santiago is the largest town in Chile and Dante is either an ancient writer or a more recent footballer, but how do they fit in this story?
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Santiago was the original larger than life outlaw from the first book. His exploits were chronicled by Black Orpheus.
This second book follows a new guy, who has chosen the name Dante (the writer) to chronicle the New Adventures of Santiago. But Santiago is dead. So he has to find a new one. And by the end of the story he realizes that he was Santiago all along and just didn’t realize.
It’s a very touching story of self-actualization and empowerment. And lots of those other buzz words….
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Ah right! That makes sense now. Sort of. Well not really but I like to be positive. 🤣
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Hahahahahaha, Yeah, sometimes science fiction gets a little involved with itself.
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When does he realise he’s Jazzy B from Soul 2 Soul?
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That happens in Santiago 4: Jazzmaster 6000
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I’m in!
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I was just discussing with Alex about turning these into movies and how much you are going to like them. What a wonderful coincidence!
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Black Orpheus, oh dear.
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Not the movie silly….
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Seeing how many years later this was released, I can see it as an opportunity to try and revisit something dear and loved… Sort of like Top Gun getting a sequel years later but, in this case, Maverick was a much better movie than the original hahah
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I’ve not seen either of the movies. Ever since watching Firefox as a young tween plane movies have never interested me. Watching Clint Eastwood throw up in a russian toilet, well, it kind of takes the glamor away 😀
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