Antares Dawn

The Antares Series #1

by Michael McCollum

Trade paperback version of science fiction novel. Originally published by Del Rey. Book is large format, printed on bright white paper, perfect bound, with full color, plastic laminated covers. Books are autographed by the author.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Audiobook, Space, Ebooks, Military Science Fiction

Paperback

First published July 12, 1986

About the author

Michael McCollum was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1946, and is a graduate of Arizona State University, where he majored in aerospace propulsion and minored in nuclear engineering. He is employed at Honeywell in Tempe, Arizona, where he is Chief Engineer in the valve product line. In his career, Mr. McCollum has worked on the precursor to the Space Shuttle Main Engine, a nuclear valve to replace the one that failed at Three Mile Island, several guided missiles, Space Station Freedom, and virtually every aircraft in production today. He is currently involved in an effort to create a joint venture company with a major Russian aerospace engine manufacturer and has traveled extensively to Russia in the last several years. In addition to his engineering, Mr. McCollum is a successful professional writer in the field of science fiction. He is the author of a dozen pieces of short fiction and has appeared in magazines such as Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, Amazing, and Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Mr. McCollum is married to a lovely lady named Catherine, and has three children: Robert, Michael, and Elizabeth.

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This 1986 SF novel is, as others have noted, a Hornblower in Space, and not a good one. Remarkably clunky writing, which goes on and on and on. Endless scene-setting stuff. Unfortunately, my library ebook copy won't let me copy anything from the book, and I haven't the patience to retype examples. So you'll just have to trust me that this is is a very bad book. Mind, I read very little of it, but enough to convince me that this one is a hopeless case. Too bad, as I'm low on SF, and the library has the whole series. Oh, well.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and easy reading, Space Opera with at least a nod toward some hard science.

Sure it's tropish and the romance part is clumsy and mercifully minor. It reads like some others in the genre as if a bunch of writers each thought about some high plot points and then decided to each put their stamp on it.

The sexism and racism is explained and the characters actively push back against it even as they are constrained by it. I'll be reading the next book in the series for sure.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 stars
(Slightly) dated and somewhat old-fashioned space opera.
I liked the space part and didn't enjoy the opera part (relationships and politics).
Not interesting enough to further pursue the series.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could give this 3 1/2 stars I would, but to err on the side of good I gave it 4 stars. This is old-time science fiction back when men were men and women were Doris Day. (I told that joke to my granddaughter. She had no idea who Doris Day was. :-))

The Story: The Altans have been cut off from the rest of humanity when the star Antares goes supernova destroying their one jump-space link to their neighboring star system and the planet of New Providence. 125 years pass when finally a blastship from Earth appears. The jump point has been restored! But the blastship is a ghost ship, and it has obviously been through a battle. The Altans mount an expedition to find out what has happened to their neighbors in the last 125 years and who is their new enemy.

Any problems with this story? This book was written in the 1980s when unmarried women were addressed as "Miss", and the banter between the sexes was different than it is today. It may make some super-feminists cringe, but for most people it should be fine. Women have a different role during this time. They are more confident, but not pushy. They ask for what they want, but if they don't get their way, well... they eventually get their way. That is why I mentioned Doris Day before. If you've seen any of her comedic movies you know she doesn't put up with any crap from men, but she manages to make men feel OK about it. It's subtle. You'd have to see her at work to understand.

Secondly, I found the timing of the big space battle improbable, but the description of the problems of space battle at fractional light speed seemed accurate enough. I think the author designed missiles at one time so he knows weapon's systems and their capabilities.

Any modesty issues? There was a vague sense that people have slept with each other, but it is more like straightening up their clothes, smoothing their hair and blushing before opening the door. That kind of thing.

The ending is a little unbelievable because it depends too much on luck.

This is my second reading of this book. I'm now reading the next book in the series "Antares Passage". The quality is maintained.

[Shawn Dvorak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Michael McCollum book, but it won't be my last. A nice mixture of hard sci-fi, military action, and all-too-familiar human scheming combine in an enjoyable story about the effects of the supernova outburst of the giant star Antares. Many of Earth's handful of colonies are isolated after the supernova, cut off when the explosion disrupts the gravitational foldpoints that enable interstellar travel. After more than a century of isolation, the foldpoint in Alta system reappears, a fact that is only discovered when a huge derelict warship suddenly appears in the system. Fearing the worst, one of the few warships in the Altan space navy intercepts the craft and discovers that it's a huge warship from Earth, the first contact in over a century. However, the ship is terrifically damaged and unmanned, both shocking and worrisome since the warship far outclasses the entire Altan navy. What has been happening in the rest of human spaces over the last century? Was this ship destroyed in some human civil war, or had aliens (hostile, at that) finally been discovered?

[Simon Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really terrible sub, sub, sub Horatio Hornblower in space. WWII USA navy with people jumping to attention all over the narrative, a planet run on a 1940's Hollywood version of the English aristocracy (the author's anglophilia even runs to describing a star as looking the size of a half-crown (an archaic 12.5p coin)), along with a brainless blond "scientist" lady whose role is to twist her ankle and fall for the rugged lantern jawed male lead. Endless descriptions of spaceships getting into position as they furl their mainbraces, load their cannon, raise their topsails and do whatever else it is that 18th century battleships do when they're in space and heading for a galactic jump gate... truly pointless and boring.

[Karl Smithe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard science science fiction story. Most sci-fi these days is not. The sci-fi story overall only rates a 4 but this has realistic space ships using Newtonian physics and discusses the physics and evolution of stars. Most so called SF can be read without learning anything about anything.

The story is better than average and the characters are OK but not great. Lois McMaster Bujold does way better characters but this is a book that has not gotten around enough and we have teachers constantly talking about STEM.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally someone who leaves reviews but on this occasion I thought it prudent.
I came across Antares Dawn by Michael McCollum by accident whilst going through a box of old books, I sat down and leafed through the first few pages ..... three books later and the series ended with me grabbing for my laptop to order any and all books by this author, I can't rate this author highly enough, my only regret is that I have read all he has written,
If your a lover of believable sci-fi I would definitely give this one a go.

[Michael Mangold · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made it 27% in before bailing. Reads like a bad B movie, albeit one with a cogent science advisor.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author!
Really Loves!
To use way too many exclamation points!

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Human-occupied space depends on foldpoints in space where space-time buckled gravitationally and allowed point to point travel without the intervening space. When the giant star Antares explodes the gravitational ructures disrupt the foldpoints eliminating the one to the planet Altan, isolating it for over a century. When a battle-damaged and abandoned Earth battleship emerges from the renewed Altan foldpoint it is evidence that Humanity is at war with someone or something. Captain Drake is ordered to investigate and heads via the point to Sandar, taking with him the niece of the Terran ambassador, Bethany Lindquist, who controls the jump keys. Upon reaching the Sandarian system they become aware of an alien race, the Ryall, intent on destroying Humanity. After some early infodumps, the tale smooths out into a fast-paced tale of political machinations and the human propensity for war. Enjoyable enough and first book of a trilogy from Michael McCollum.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein gut durchdachter, sehr mit Technik und Militärtechnik gefüllter Sciencefiction-Roman.

[Breader · Rating 5 out of 5]

FYI you may have to be a nerd and a lover of sci-fi, to enjoy this book. I was about to give up on this book at about two to three chapters. It was so darn technical but the idea of hoping galaxies alway fascinate me so I chugged along. At some point I got hooked and by the end of book 1, I could not wait to get my hands on book 2. Love it love it love it! And went back to read technical details that I skipped because after I got into it, the science of jumping through folds and the engineering of the spaceships became very important.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

McCollum, Michael. Antares Dawn. Antares Series No. 1. Ballantine, 1986.
The premise here is that a supernova has disrupted fold-space points, cutting off a planet from the rest of human culture. This isolation changes when a battle-damaged warship with a dead crew arrives, indicating that there must be another fold-point somewhere near and that human culture is being menaced by warlike aliens. The speculative science here is good, but characterization and plotting are routine and show their age. Old school space opera in the Hornblower tradition.

[Kelly Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably had such a positive reaction to this one, because of the string of disappointing Sci-fi I have read recently. This one is true-sci fi. Not Space opera. Start with a scientific premise and explore then ask and answer questions about the world based on that premise. Reminds me of Asimov.
I have already started reading the 2nd in the series rather than wait for it to come up in my normal rotation.

[Jens Rushing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got this one from a Little Free Library in the neighborhood and thought, all right, it's got space ships on the cover, this will be fun. And it was mostly pretty fun! The characters were wooden, the dialogue was laughable, but the spaceships were good. The author is an actual rocket scientist, so he got all those parts right. But I have my doubts if he's an actual human being who knows human speech.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is classic pulp sci-fi. It doesn't break any new ground for the genre, other than that the author is an actual rocket scientist (aerospace engineer) and is able to throw in some details about real astronomical phenomena, and some scientific realities about space travel, mingled with the fiction. It is a very fun, gripping read. A great story.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good scifi, highly recommended. Just as good as his Gibraltar Stars series. Michael McCollum seems to be a hidden talent, I had not heard of him until I stumbled upon one of his books. However, I am slowly going through them all. Keep them coming!

[Michielm · Rating 5 out of 5]

awsome. just an awsome read. especially the way he arguments/explains the technology.

[Dantegideon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t really get on with it.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had picked up a pristine first printing paperback copy of this book at a library booksale a few years back. Now that I’m at home more, I’ve been tapping the dwindling stock of fiction books on the shelf. The cover is a perfect example of 1980’s space art, where the cool ship is presented in all its glory. While reading the book, it is very apparent it is from the 1980’s, mainly through how it handles characters and plot points.

Here, the author uses the concept of hyperspace tunnels between star systems. Some melding of spacetime and foldspace, along with Antares going supernova. This cuts off some star systems from each other. After 100+ years, an Earth starship arrives signaling two things: foldspace is back and someone beat the crap out of it.

So mystery. Yea! Also semi-plausible ship designs, ones that need rotation to generate gravity and crew suffers under high-g runs. No idea how any of the cruiser’s weapon systems operate (what is an antimatter projector?). But its good fun being with the crew as they chase down the Earth ship to solve the mystery.

The characters are what really hold the book back. The ship captain is the best out there and knows best. The historian is a lady who’s smart and beautiful, described in the woman-as-object terms. The politicians are slimy and only want to control without caring about the overall picture. Other people we meet also demonstrate this same mono characteristic. I didn’t really care much for anyone we meet (the whole marriage question was weird - do people actually say some of those things?).

Through some small twists and tidy conclusions (people magically change their stripes by the last pages without much of an internal journey to get there), the book ends with a hook for the next in the series. In reading for the mystery, I got it partly answered and learned of another. I think the mystery part is the most interesting, then the ships and then the people.

[Volpot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. The underlying story/plot was good. The presentation of the story, however, was not as good. Characters had little depth, the scenes were presented in a rather linear fashion, and the writing, especially the dialogue, was clunky. Undecided on reading the sequel.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toute la série Antares est la plus technique de toutes et en même temps, la plus poétique. très belle suite à la série Aldebaran et Betelgeuse. J'ai adoré

[Justin Howe · Rating 2 out of 5]

The exposition was often the best parts.

[Henry C. Brooks]

Great read! I read it many years ago but enjoyed the re-read very much. Fun, creative and well paced!

[Gary Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Space Opera

Engaging characters dealing with the challenges that may be encountered by a young, but growing, spacefaring society. Space Opera at its finest.

[Ed Tinkertoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into reading this book. The major problem was it read like a text book with a lot of detail about exploding stars and their effect on planets and people. There was not much story going on in my opinion. And then the there was some odd terminology that I had not encountered in my other science fiction readings. For example, the writer described "foldpoints" which in my understanding are essentially the same as wormhole as I have read in other books. And then the writer describes "life boats" for what I would assume are the same as shuttle crafts.

There seemed to me to be a lot of detail descriptions of things as the story went along. Notwithstanding these "shortcomings" as I call them, I did begin reading part two of this series. The jury is out on it as a whole.

[Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. I'm sorry, but this is just too "throw back" for me.

Meaning? This book, with all of its idiosyncrasies, would feel right in place in a John W. Campbell anthology, ca 1955. It is thankfully missing Campbell's penchants for bigotry, racism, and adoration of faux-science quackery (e.g. Campbell was convinced that L Ron Hubbard deserved the Nobel Peace Prize).

But this does have a retro sexist slant. Before I gave up on this, the reader only comes across two females: Bombshell Historian (aka Ms. Flirty McFlirt) who was clearly going to be the focus of a vapid love triangle thing between Bob Goodguy and Slimy Politician Fiancé...., and a Brassy Grande Dame Socialite stereotype with a capital "S" straight out of a Humphrey Bogart movie.

Oh, there was also a dead female on a derelict ship. "Gasp! She was wearing an uniform... like, like, she was a crew member of a ship or something! Haha, oh my, what a preposterous notion!" Thankfully, Bombshell Historian shows up to drop some knowledge on the bonehead men..., right before reverting back to being Ms. Flirty McFlirt with Bob Goodguy.

Why "Bob Goodguy"? Because "Captain-Lieutenant Drake" is so stiff and wooden, there's so little to remember him by. Might as well give him a more appropriate name. Bob Goodguy has all the personality of a manikin, complete with equally wooden dialog.

Another "blast from the past" here? The odd use of exclamations(!) for otherwise(!) routine dialog(!)

"Astrographer, prepare to plot the course!"
"Aye captain, I've plotted the course!"
"Stand by for an announcement from the captain!"
"This is the captain! I have an announcement!,
...and on and on.

I half expected Bob Goodguy to mention in a casual pillow-talk conversation with Bombshell Historian (aka Ms. Flirty McFlirt), "Tomorrow, little miss sugar britches, we launch into spaaaaaaace!"

Just once I'd like one of the crew -- any of them really, since they all just vacuous cardboard cutouts distinguished only by paper name tags -- to ask, "By the way, why the heck are we yelling all of the time?"

FWIW, at least the science in this sci-fi seems plausible to me. Delta V's are discussed intelligently, the interstellar "folded space" FTL concept reads like it could maybe be sci-fi'ish legit, and so on. And the actual plot of the FTL fold points disappearing and reappearing, while not an unique plot hook by any means, does in make for a readable plot.

But overall, I'm not sure if the author was offering an intentional homage to 1940s/1950s-style space operas, or maybe radio dramas back in the day, or riffing on some of their weaknesses, or all of the above. But the few positive aspects here are outweighed by the cringe-inducing characters and their generally wonky dialog.

Farewell Bob Goodguy and the cast and crew of the Intergalactic Space Ship Whatever, may your interstellar voyages be as overwrought as your dialog.

[Brett's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A human colony is cut off from humanity and when the isolation ends, aliens invade. I guess this is a bit of a generic SciFi book: stock military and political types. However, the basic theme, good old human spirit and can-do attitude make up the difference against a superior enemy is a tried and true winner.

May 2022: I wish I could remember the first time I read this sci-if trilogy, ages ago, the 1990’s; I enjoyed the straightforwardness of the series then, and it’s allowed me to revisit it, and enjoy the experience all over again. This time a couple of things struck me. The first book is the best, laying out the basic premise of the book, the sci-if elements and defining the enemy. However, the overall all trilogy is plagued by a few problems. We don’t really learn much about future human society beyond a three worlds, and so the world building lacks. Second, the author ends up psycho-analyzing the heck out of the enemy aliens and ruining their mystique. Third, the unrealistic presence of the protagonist’s wife on the ship during missions and battles, totally ruins the military sci-fi setting. In fact, reading the trilogy this time I was surprised by the intensity of the romance between the two main characters, it felt distracting and out of place in these books. Finally, when I first picked up these books in the 1990’s I was areligious and thus, didn’t notice the author’s clumsy handling of Faith in this book. In the 1990’s Faith was still very much a part of most people’s lives, even a secular materialist, like Mr. McCollum, so he mentions faith, but mishandles it on the macro (it’s place in inter-planetary politics) and the micro (it’s place in ordinary people’s lives). The bottom line is that this trilogy does two things well: interplanetary travel sci-if, and hard sciencey space battles; everything else is clumsy or confusing. I only noticed these problems because I’m ten years older than the last time I read these books.

[Scott S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably slightly closer to a 3.5 star listen. I enjoyed this audiobook and will move straight to the next book in the series. I originally thought these were fairly recent publications, the only thing that caused me to check and discover otherwise was the interaction between men and women. These interactions are really the only times the book felt a bit dated. The book was published in '86 yet oddly, the interactions felt a little more 1950ish. This only proves to me that even in '86 there were sci-fi geeks that had yet to venture out to see what real life girls were actually like (sorry Mr. McCollum).

I appreciated the fact that anytime I thought "this is going to take a while" the author was like "and boom, we're there". I love space and space ships and lasers and space ships, but sometimes the space travel aspect can be really drawn out.

The narrator did a good job as well.