After the Battle on Starship Hill: Prologue to The Children of the Sky

by Vernor Vinge

"After the Battle on Starship Hill" is more than 12000 words of prologue from Vernor Vinge's forthcoming novel, The Children of the Sky. Taking place on Tines World, this mini e-book describes events of the years immediately following the conclusion of the predecessor novel, A Fire Upon the Deep.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Short Stories, Ebooks

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2011

About the author

Vernor Steffen Vinge is a retired San Diego State University Professor of Mathematics, computer scientist, and science fiction author. He is best known for his Hugo Award-winning novels A Fire Upon The Deep (1992), A Deepness in the Sky (1999) and Rainbows End (2006), his Hugo Award-winning novellas Fast Times at Fairmont High (2002) and The Cookie Monster (2004), as well as for his 1993 essay "The Coming Technological Singularity", in which he argues that exponential growth in technology will reach a point beyond which we cannot even speculate about the consequences.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/vernor...

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I disagree with the reviewers who said this was just the first two or three chapters of The Children of the Sky (CotS). There was definitely additional information on the Tycoon's henchmen, and early contact with the Tropics. I think this could have been read before CotS.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not buy this excellent book. All the material is included in the full novel. It is not a prelude, it's a preview, and no longer relevant except to collectors.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is just the first couple chapters of The Children of the Sky. I paid for an excerpt from a book that I bought anyways. Just buy the book itself.

[Dokusha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vielleicht liegt es daran, dass es nur ein kurzer Prolog zu einem anderen Buch ist, aber ich fand es wenig enttäuschend. Die Szenen waren nicht wirklich ausgearbeitet und die Verbindung zwischen ihnen fehlte.
Es gibt auch nicht wirklich ein verünftiges Ende, das Ganze hängt irgendwie in der Luft, und der Zusammenhang mit Children of the Sky ist auch nur lose erkennbar. Dies hat Vernor Vinge wohl mehr als eine Art Pflichtübung gesehen.

[Vinod Kurup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how I ended up with this on my Kindle. I think I've heard that I should read Vernor Vinge and saw this for sale on BookBub or something. But it was unsatisfying because it's just a couple chapters of a book, and I think it's meant to be between Book 1 and Book 2 in a series, so I didn't really understand what was going on. But I could see that I might like reading Book 1 based on this little tease.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow to start as Vinge had to set up all the plot lines he wanted to add. The rest was of the book was fast paced and fun. By the end he had more material to work with for the next few books than I've seen previously. However, those next few books are probably not coming. :/

[Pilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read any of the Children of the Sky, but enjoyed this short novella.

[Gerald Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the Battle on Starship Hill

Interesting and thought provoking. This short revisitation to the world of the Tines is imaginative world building at its finest.

[Jeff Rudisel]

This is just the first three chapters of Children of the Sky.
A pre-release teaser.

[Patrick J.]

DNF.
Did not finish. Too much fantasy for my taste.
Also made many references back to the world that was built in the preceding novel.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gave up ...

[Gary Brophy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably should have read The Children of the Sky first. It seemed to be incomplete. There were too many loose ends.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This "book" is just the first couple of chapters of "Children of the Sky". Skip this and read "Children of the Sky" instead.

[Danyel Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very satisfying sequel of epic duration.

[Alle Bücher müssen gelesen werden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a real highlight but the story made me want to read "A fire on the deepness" again.

[Budd Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Prequel to The Children of the Sky.
Actually the first three chapters of The Children of the Sky.

[Keith Woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

read the children of the sky instead now that it's out, AtBoSH is just the first 3 chapters

[RhC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opening chapters from "Children of the Sky."