Science fiction
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Books in this Series
The Forever War
"The legendary novel of extraterrestrial war in an uncaring universe comes to comics, in a stunningly realized vision of Joe Haldeman's Vietnam War parable epic war story spanning relativistic space and time, The Forever War explores one soldier's experience as he is caught up in the brutal machinery of a war against an unknown and unknowable alien foe that reaches across the stars" -- The monumental Hugo and Nebula award winning SF classic-- Featuring a new introduction by John Scalzi The Earth's leaders have drawn a line in the interstellar sand--despite the fact that the fierce alien enemy they would oppose is inscrutable, unconquerable, and very far away. A reluctant conscript drafted into an elite Military unit, Private William Mandella has been propelled through space and time to fight in the distant thousand-year conflict; to perform his duties and do whatever it takes to survive the ordeal and return home. But "home" may be even more terrifying than battle, because, thanks to the time dilation caused by space travel, Mandella is aging months while the Earth he left behind is aging centuries...
His Wisdom
This novel, His Wisdom The Defender, is the worst novel I have ever read. I can say that with confidence, because although I expect that I have started reading still worse novels, I never finished them. So why did I finish this one? Simply because Simon Newcomb is regarded, correctly, as the greatest, or at least one of the greatest, of all astronomers who have ever lived, and I am a professional astronomer. I wanted to know the mind of Newcomb better, and now, sadly, I do. I might add that I have recently learned that this same Simon Newcomb is regarded by professional economists as, you guessed it, the greatest, or at least one of the greatest, of all economists. The publication date of the novel is 1900; the story unfolds over the period 1941 to 1946. The hero, Professor Archibald Campbell (clearly Newcomb himself) goes on leave so as to develop inventions; an aircraft shaped like a dirigible powered by coal plus etherine and therm (sic), capable of rising above the atmosphere and going at high speed to anywhere in the world. Cambell builds a huge fleet of them of various kinds (one kind are called daddies) and recruits American crews for them and determines to bring eternal peace and harmony to the world by unilaterally attacking several European nations, which he does. He captures the Kaiser, and releases him when Germany has collapsed under the air attack by Campbell. The result is that, on the second last page of the novel, and I quote, -students assembled in the grounds of Harvard shouted with their clarion voices, Rah! Rah! Rah! the Defender-, and Campbell goes on to benevolently rule the world. Sheesh! Richard Conn Henry henry@jhu.edu P.S. see
When the World Shook
Depicts the adventure of three Englishmen who uncover a pair of 250,000 year old super-humans in suspended animation. The super-humans, awakened, view Europe in the midst of the First World War and decide that human civilization must be destroyed.
The Scarlet Plague
It is the year 2072, sixty years on from the scarlet plague that decimated the earth's population. As one of the few who knew life before the plague, James Howard Smith tries to impart what he knows to his grandsons while he still can. Jack London's visionary post-apocalyptic novel The Scarlet Plague was written in 1912.
The Mote in God's Eye
Science fiction classic about the rise, fall and subsequent rise of a civilization where the peak catastrophe is known as the "crazy eddy point". Introduces the concept of frictionless toilets that don't have any water in them but I suspect the authors didn't think it all the way through - I don't recall a negative air pressure that would keep odours in their rightfull place. Nevertheless a fascinating read. I haven't read this for donkeys years which is why I'm searching for an e-copy.
The great white queen
An adventurous fiction by William Le Queux. Richard Scarsmere befriended Omar, the heir to the throne of Mo while both studying in boarding school of Dr Treager. One day, Omar was summoned by his mother Naya, The Great White Queen to return to Mo at once. Fearing traps and assasination attempts, Omar leaved immediately without any notice accompanied by Scarsmere; who dreaded the prospect of working as factory clerk proposed by his maternal uncle to be commenced next year. Therefore, began his adventure to Mo, where no stranger had set it foot.
Planet of light
Ron Barron never expectied to see Clonar again. Clonar, the boy who alone had survived the crash of an interstllar saucer-ship near Ron's home, had been rescued by his people and returned to Rorla, a planet in the Great Galaxy of Andromeda, almost a million light-years from Earth. When he left, he assured Ron that communication between Rorla and Earth would be impossible. Yet only a year later, Ron listened with growing excitement to Clonar's voice coming over the interstellar communication system, inviting Ron and his family to journey to Rorla to attend a conference of the Galactic Federation. None of the Barrons could have known that Clonar's invitation was violently opposed by the Rorlans, nor that on Rorla was an unknown enemy who resented their coming - a man who saw Earth's destruction as a necessity. And it was a bitter coincidence that that man should be in charge of the colony of delegates. As representatives of a planet whose civilization was considered dangerous and too inferior for membership in the Federation, the Barrons found themselves at the mercy of suspicious and hostile strangers bent on proving Earth's civilization unsalvageable. Not until Ron's father becomes an innocent party to an assassination plot, do they fully realize to what extent the Rorlans will carry their deception. Climaxed by a shocking courtroom scene in which Ron stands trial for Earth, this sequel to Raymond Jones's SON OF THE STARS is an intricately plotted tale of what could happen if earth were to come face to face with long-established civilizations of Outer Space.
The island of one
When an asteroid threatens to destroy their space island, the sole survivors of the destruction of the Earth must find a new place to go to.
Conquest of earth
No human being had ever seen the Trisz, not even so much as a picture of them. They looked as the name sounds — Trisz, their appearance as illusive as wind rippling water. Yet the Trisz had conquered Earth and its peoples in generations past, and on one could escape their ever-watchful presence. No one except the Scarlet Order of Men, the one planet-wide organization that Earth's elusive masters tolerated. Only the most favored of the People could enter the Institute, as children, to undergo rigorous training. Those unfit for the Order became Blue Brethren, servants and guides of the People, aiding and instructing them as loyal members of society, under the rule of the benevolent Trisz. Few were the Students selected for initiation into the Scarlet Order. These few learned the scientific secrets behind the philosophy taught by the Blue Brethren, learned mental disciplines and psychic powers which enabled them to perform what would seem to be miracles. And Initiates learned the truth about the Trisz — that these seemingly benevolent rulers had not only destroyed the human civilization that existed before their coming, but were also looting the planet's energy. For the Trisz fed on pure energy; and little by little, Earth was being robbed of all that made it habitable. Only a small fraction of its water still remained, and most of the planet was a desert. Kor Danay had completed his nineteen-year course of training, and was ready for his initiation tests — tests which he, and the other five in his class, would either pass or perish in the attempt. Before the day was over, if he still lived, he would be a Scarlet Sage, ready to enter the secret struggle against the Trisz. The struggle would be long and bitter, for all his powers; the Men had succeeded in concealing their true nature from the Trisz, but were still far short of scientific knowledge and attainments needed to win Earth, and save what was left of its people. Kor Danay prepared to take the Oath of Manhood, elated with his success in mastering the "Fire Out of Heaven," a voluntary test which none had passed before. Then, to his consternation, he found himself required to take this pledge - “I do solemnly vow: never in vanity or pride... to demonstrate my powers... to any living thing... nor to use my powers against any of the People... except that my life be in danger... nor against any of the Trisz. This I most solemnly swear... that I will face death before the Trisz... and will let my life be lost... rather than disclose the secret powers of the Men to them.” What did this pledge mean? Why had he spent nineteen years in developing himself into the superb weapon that every Man was, if he must vow not to use his power? Here is an absorbing novel of the future; of the superscience of man; and of one, believing himself chosen to play the hero, who found he must plumb the depths of humility, with no hope before him other than a mean and ignoble death.
The undersea people
A young member of an underwater colony tries to overcome her fear of sharks and other creatures that threaten her everyday life.