The fifth Rat novel. Angelina and diGriz plan a belated honeymoon on the
planet Paraiso. Here, the corrupt dictator, General Julio Zapilote, is about
to have himself re-elected in another rigged election. Jim and Angelina decide
to become involved in the election themselves, putting up a disguised diGriz
as their candidate, and fighting Zapilote at his own game with their criminal
skills.
This novel satirizes the goings on of corrupt South American states, with the
Rat championing the cause of the oppressed. It was adapted into a comic book
series.
New York: Doubleday (Book Club), September 1982, 185pp., hbk. Jacket: Freff
London: Sphere, December 1982, 184pp., ISBN: 0-7221-4536-5, pbk. Cover: Peter Elson. Reprinted 1983 (twice); 1984; 1985; 1986; 1987; 1988.
New York: Bantam, December 1982, 192pp., ISBN: 0-553-22759-9, pbk. Reprinted July 1988 (ISBN: 0-553-27612-3); April 1994 (Cover: Jean Pierre Targete).
London: Severn House, April 1983, 184pp., ISBN: 0-7278-0887-4, hbk. Jacket: Peter Elson.
Tokyo: Sanrio SF Bunko, 30th August 1984, 328pp. Cover: Naoyuki Kato. [Japanese]
as: Macht Stahlratte Zum Praesidenten! Munich: Heyne, 1984, 251pp., ISBN: 3-453-31056-X. Translated by Thomas Schluck. Cover: Karel Thole. Reprinted 1988 (ISBN: 3-453-03196-2). [German]
in: Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat (Boxed Set), New York: Bantam, 1985(?). Also contains A Stainless Steel Rat is Born and The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You.
as: Libro Primo: Il Ratto d'Acciaio Presidente, in: Il Ritorno di Jim diGriz. Milan: Editrice Nord, May 1990, 649pp., ISBN: 88-429-0406-6. Translated Giampaolo Cossato and Sandro Sandrelli. [Italian]
Amazing , May 1983, p.8. Review by Frank Catalano.
"A much better attempt at satire, series and science fiction [than Keith
Laumer's Retief To The Rescue] is The Stainless Steel Rat
For President, the fifth book in Harry Harrison's tales of 'Slippery
Jim' diGriz, a.k.a. The Stainless Steel Rat - an unparalleled con-man and
sometimes reluctant agent of the Special Corps for the forces of good.
"This one follows diGriz, his wife Angelina and twin sons James and Bolivar
- all acquired in previous volumes - as they travel to the planet of
Paraiso-Aqui, under orders from the Corps to liberate it from a
dictatorship ruling in the name of democracy to a real democracy.
"Where this differs, in a positive way, from Laumer's book is that it is
tightly plotted, easy to follow, and self-contained. You don't have to have
read the other four 'Stainless Steel Rat' books to enjoy this one, and you
can easily understand what's going on. As with the others, you know diGriz
and family will escape... but it's very entertaining to see how they do
it."
Library Journal, 15th December 1982. Review by S.
Nickerson.
Los Angeles Times Book review, 19th December 1982,
p.12. Review by Don Strachan.
"A 31-chapter-long metronome concert between grade-school guffaws and
gimmick warfare. Hero Jim diGriz is a boring braggart who shows he's cool
by ripping off his employer. A moral man under his steel rat exterior ...
we long for him to outsmart just one halfway intelligent foe rather than
take out a dozen oafs with the latest karate chops."
The Stainless Steel Rat Series