My Antipodean benefactor sent a clutch of science fiction paperbacks, among them Geston’s Lords of the Starship. It recalled to me Pohl’s The Gold at the Starbow’s End, another book of early 70′s vintage that posits the launch of a spaceship for purposes more to do with the national psyche than with science or exploration. Perhaps these authors were anticipating the Space Shuttle program?
I wonder what fool’s errand our current leadership will embark upon to sweeten the current mood? We shall soon see.
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“Lords of the Starship” is one of my perfect “odd little books”. I have a wonderful undersized hardback edition. Alas that Geston’s other works (that I’ve been able to get my mitts on) aren’t up to the same standard.
Comment by Anonymous — January 19, 2012 @ 1:26 am
There are things one could complain about. The book borrows elements of Foundation and The Marching Morons, it’s cynical and a bit ghastly (the mutant battles read differently after Spinrad; did “Adolf Hitler” ghost write this?). But it’s got all the elements that made 1970′s sci-fi great: credible characters, grand scope, and velocity. I’ve had the book about a day and I’ll be done tonight—no mean feat for a sloth like Yours Truly!
Comment by Neko_Bijin — January 19, 2012 @ 2:36 pm
It’s also a reminder that great books could be written with fewer than 400 pages, and certainly in less than five books. Not to say there aren’t good ‘great big series’ books – just chewing through the “Song of Ice and Fire” series. But some people (Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, I’m looking at you!) discovered the WonderBread secret of authorial success – “big, bulky, and lacking in substance”. In my humble opinion, of course.
Comment by Anonymous — January 19, 2012 @ 6:21 pm
On occasion one sees bicyclists wearing unitards and helmets cruising in formation along with auto traffic. They contrast greatly with the tubby guys slowly pedaling on the sidewalk to the corner store for a pack of cigarettes.
Song of Ice and Fire does a good job of separating sport-readers from casual hobbyists, and I’m in the second camp. I’ve as much chance of reading it as I have finishing a triathlon.
Comment by Neko_Bijin — January 20, 2012 @ 9:05 am