Forge of the Elders

Forge of the Elders #1-3

by L. Neil Smith

In the twenty-first-century world, Marxist communist humans compete with the capitalist Elders, an alien race resembling giant squid, for control of an asteroid ful of valuable minerals and other resources. Reprint.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Space Opera, Alternate History

640 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

L. Neil Smith was a Libertarian science fiction author and gun rights activist.Smith was born in Denver, Colorado.

Smith began publishing science fiction with “Grimm’s Law” for Stellar 5 (1980). He wrote 31 books, including 29 novels, and a number of essays and short stories. In 2016, Smith received the Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement for his contributions to libertarian science fiction.

He was editor of LEVER ACTION BBS [now defunct], founder and International Coordinator of the Libertarian Second Amendment Caucus, Secretary and Legislative Director of the Weld County Fish & Wildlife Association and an NRA Life Member.

Smith passed away on August 27, 2021 in Fort Collins, Colorado at age 75 after a lengthy battle with heart and kidney disease. Smith is survived by daughter Rylla Smith and wife Cathy Smith.

Reviews

[David Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The multiplication of non-humanoid races are a bit of a distraction but do on the whole add a certain element and force consideration of, well, alien viewpoints and needs. And the sooner the creatures of earth evolve p'Na - voluntaryism, the better.

"A single prohibition maximizes the differentiation possible to individuals living together in civilization, without imposing any real limits on them. It is this: nobody has a right to initiate physical force against other sapient for any reason."

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morre libertarian fiction from the pen of L. Neil Smith. I enjoyed it, but have enjoyed some of his other work more.

[Bent Andreassen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel has too many trivialities, and all relevant events could have been told in 300 pages instead of over 600 pages. Moving very slowly forward. Not particularly realistic either (even if a sci-fi novel). Some interesting libertarian points, though.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

5

[Sim · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read! really makes you rethink current politics and darwinistic theories!!

[Gregg C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rousing good tale

Always enjoy well written SF. Several unexpected turns here to keep things ineresting. Interesting future based on our current trends.

[Stig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I can believe in intelligent giant squids, but a Marxist America...? Come on! Still, this is science fiction, so I suppose it would be possible.

What you get here is 600+ pages of fast-paced adventure with all the aliens (well, technically they are not, but still) you could ever want. There are lots of twists and turns here and more than one unexpected plot development. It is an exciting book, no doubt about that.

On the minus side, however, Smith is a Libertarian, and his characters never miss a chance to slip into soliloquies about the blessings of unbridled capitalism, self-interest, gun ownership and so on, and it tends to grate after the twentieth time. Way too preachy, hence only three stars. A shame.

[Dysphoric · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author is way too impressed with his own vocabulary. If this alien race, this gives nothing away, thinks of humans as nothing but barbarians, then why would they speak to them on a graduate school level. In my humble opinion, this takes away from the story.

[Lynn Calvin]

baen ebook

[Randy Pursley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book, but way too long for what happens. I don't say that too often about a book.