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To the Stars #3
Starworld
THE RETURN OF THE REBELThe stars are afire with rebellion against the tyranny of Earth. Jan Kulozik, rebel in exile, returns home as a prisoner on a ship bearing a cargo of death. But Kulozik escapes his captors and ignites the flames of revolt across half a world. With the aid of Dvora, a lovely but lethal comrade-at-arms, Jan races toward a rendezvous with destiny, and a reckoning with a treacherous double agent who holds the fate of the human race in his hands.
198 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 9, 1981
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276 people want to read
About the author
Harry Harrison
1,280 books1,041 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 26, 2021
So, our hero from the first two books eventually makes it back to Earth and the revolution theme has evolved into what revolutions usually evolve into. Massive conflicts between the old guard and the new. You know. Kinda like Star Wars. ;)
This was good, light fun. Fast-paced pulp with a few ongoing comments on inequality.
This was good, light fun. Fast-paced pulp with a few ongoing comments on inequality.
May 10, 2016
Good solid SiFi trilogy by one of the masters of the genre. Recommended
April 29, 2025
The 'To the stars' trilogy is still every bit as kick-arse as it was back when I was a mad-keen, uncritical twelve year old sci-fi brat: This one is the conclusion to the trilogy, it includes a ma dash across the various countries of this dystopian Earth. There are also some excellent space battled and -I think- a Star Wars cameo.
The happy ending is, perhaps just a tiny bit too unlikely and convenient (yes, ok, I DID want to see the bad guy shot), but in every other regard it is a very satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.
The happy ending is, perhaps just a tiny bit too unlikely and convenient (yes, ok, I DID want to see the bad guy shot), but in every other regard it is a very satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.
February 13, 2017
This is the third book in the "To The Stars" trilogy by Harry Harrison. In this one Jan Kulozik has broken the hold of the family heads on the planet Halvmork where he was exiled by Earth's repressive government. When the ships finally arrive for the food raised on Halvmork they are from the rebellion. Jan finds that all planets except Earth itself have been freed. He goes with the food delivery ships to bargain for Halvmork's place in the new order when his ship is captured and he is taken prisoner and taken back to Earth for trial. He manages to escape upon arrival on Earth and soon is contacted by the resistance there. Along with a very unlikely ally he and the resistance plan a final win or lose all battle. This is an epic conclusion to a great series and I recommend it to fans of Harry Harrison.
April 11, 2021
Jan sighed. ‘On some other w0rld, perhaps you would be right. But this is Earth. When you get out of this spacer you'll find yourself right in the middle of a space center. Guarded, complex, sealed. Every s1ngle person you encounter will be an enemy. The proles because they will do nothing t0 help you - though they will surely turn you in if there is a reward being offered. All of the rest will be armed enemies. Unlike your people they know about personal combat and enjoy it. Some of them enjoy killing too. You're leaving one certain destiny for another.’
This book, the third and final in the To the Stars series, finds our hero Jan Kulozik back with the resistance having left his wife and unborn child on the planet Halvmork, where he had been exiled by his brother-in-law, and head of Earth's security, Mr Thurgood-Smyth.
However, Jan soon finds himself captured by Earth Security and is returned to Earth as a prisoner, sentenced to a public execution for his crimes. However, he is not yet ready to give up and uses the space journey to plan his escape. However the odds look against him and the resistance as the story draws to a close.
This series will be re-read, as I often do with George Orwell's 1984, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
A great end to the series. 5 stars!
This book, the third and final in the To the Stars series, finds our hero Jan Kulozik back with the resistance having left his wife and unborn child on the planet Halvmork, where he had been exiled by his brother-in-law, and head of Earth's security, Mr Thurgood-Smyth.
However, Jan soon finds himself captured by Earth Security and is returned to Earth as a prisoner, sentenced to a public execution for his crimes. However, he is not yet ready to give up and uses the space journey to plan his escape. However the odds look against him and the resistance as the story draws to a close.
This series will be re-read, as I often do with George Orwell's 1984, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
A great end to the series. 5 stars!
February 15, 2024
Earth has become a totalitarian power, running an interplanetary empire of colony worlds for its own benefit. When some overzealous subjugation of unrest on a few colonial planets results in their destruction it triggers a full-fledged revolt. The revolutionaries have wiped out a lot of Earth’s food crops using a bomb containing viruses, and the Earth forces have retaliated. Jan Kulozik, expatriate Earthman and current revolutionary has been despatched to Earth with a force of colonials but has been captured. He escapes from the Mojave space centre as the only survivor and is now on the run. Contacted by the Resistance he becomes enmeshed in a local uprising. Interviewed by his brother-in-law, Security Chief Thurgood-Smythe, he is told that Thurgood-Smythe is actually a deep cover agent for the rebels, a claim which Jan is suspicious of. He is sent as a Security agent to Israel where a rebel group is awaiting the arrival of a huge colonial battle fleet. Is the Security Chief playing a subtle game here, and is Kulozik a patsy? Harry Harrison can belt these tales out in short order (and has done) but it gets you turning pages and won’t take up too much of your time. He has written better stuff.
December 17, 2018
So a steadily improving trilogy. The dystopia drip fed throughout the previous books it fleshed out is starkly believable. Whilst our protagonist does get shoved from pillar to post other recurring characters get much more interesting. There is a bit more science fiction and the epic space battle is clever and exciting. A good near future dystopia with plenty of originality. Overall given the brief nature of these novels worth ploughing through, I think if you read them bound together you would enjoy it more overall.
November 18, 2024
Read the first two, they were okay.
1 was a sopy like novel set on earth
2 was a road movie on a distant planet.
3 was a rebel alliance film.
They were all tied up sort of. But I think the ideas sort of fizzed out a bit, and there was not much ot recommend the trilogy
Certainly - if you are new to HH do not start here. Go to the Deathworld series or Stainless Steel Rat. These are dated but good yarns.
1 was a sopy like novel set on earth
2 was a road movie on a distant planet.
3 was a rebel alliance film.
They were all tied up sort of. But I think the ideas sort of fizzed out a bit, and there was not much ot recommend the trilogy
Certainly - if you are new to HH do not start here. Go to the Deathworld series or Stainless Steel Rat. These are dated but good yarns.
January 3, 2019
The colonies have rebelled, Earth is in full retreat and our hero Jan is imprisoned on a cargo ship heading to Earth.
The final book of the "To the Stars" series sees the story come to an end, a fitting end to the series.
The final book of the "To the Stars" series sees the story come to an end, a fitting end to the series.
March 3, 2019
Third in series. Tells of the war for independence with the same weird style. The protagonist goes to Earth, then back to space. Mind games are played with the antagonist switching over to the good side. The space battle is fairly interesting. Somewhat entertaining but not the best.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2023
I think this was my favorite of the series, and much better than the second. A real space thriller, with armadas facing each other down, and no refusal of the physics for the sake of story. It was an absolute page-turner.
November 14, 2018
i wish there were half stars because this could be half a star better. but not a three star, in my opinion. i knew that going in though. so, meh?
May 29, 2019
Ужасно, просто ужасно
August 21, 2020
The last in the triolgy... Novel ideas and with the usual suspension of disbelief requirements... Great bit of holiday book escapism
October 23, 2023
One word = epic
February 5, 2025
Back to the conspiracy and secret agent plot like the first novel but then ends with a war story.
July 28, 2013
The thing about trilogies is that you’re in it for three books. Seems kind of obvious, but that’s triple the investment of time and attention and tends to put the third and final chapter under additional pressure to deliver a resolution that really makes it all worthwhile. More so in something like this over Deathworld, which can be seen as just a linked series of individual adventures. With this there is a palpable sense that the author is taking us somewhere. Somewhere profound, we hope, but at the very least satisfying.
Expectation – like those publisher’s back-cover claims – can be a book’s greatest enemy. While Homeworld was hamstrung by comparisons to 1984, this third episode, we’re told, includes ‘one of the most breathtaking space sequences yet seen in science fiction’.
Hmm.
It begins with Jan’s (reluctant) return to Earth. No sooner has he departed Halvmörk, fully intending to negotiate better terms for the farm workers with the rebels, than his ship is attacked and boarded and his newfound allies are all captured and bound for the homeworld as prisoners. They immediately rule out the idea of an escape attempt while on board because that would be too dangerous. They decide instead to wait until they’ve landed in the heart of Earth Space Security which, by their own deductions, will be crawling with hostile troops and probably even more difficult. Lo and behold, as soon as they touchdown on home soil, their escape efforts amount to suicide for all but Jan. Who goes on the run just long enough to hook up with an African American community for a sideline examination of race issues in the ‘brave new world’ before being caught by his old nemesis-in-law, Thurgood-Smythe.
This time, there seems no way out for poor Jan. Except Thurgood-Smythe appears to be playing some devious game and sets Kulozik on a mission to collude with rebels, starting in Israel. This allows Jan to hook up with the sister of his girlfriend from the first book, but more importantly sets up a fascinating and compelling intrigue that threads through every subsequent action and event. The more we see Thurgood-Smythe’s plan develop, the greater Jan’s suspicions of his motives and the more we wonder at just how devious the secret-policeman’s plan must be. We read on, on tenterhooks, awaiting the twist, the betrayal, the revelation. Whatever lies in store, it must be incredible.
But as the story unfolds, the pages slip by like sand through an hourglass and we’re running out of time in which the blow can be delivered.
Meanwhile, Jan has linked up with the rebel space fleet, closing in on Earth for a final decisive confrontation that put me in mind of a crowning moment in Babylon 5. Unfortunately, apart from some fine-tuning of a weapon system he’s given very little to do and has been demoted from instrumental in the rebellion to mere observer once again.
The battle itself is an early post-Star Wars attempt to render a space battle scientifically – it even references comparisons to old space operas. And it’s convincing, as you’d expect. But in the removal of all the loud explosions and zap-pow proton torpedo blasts, what it really needed was drama. And Harrison elects to give all the innovative ideas and tactics to one side – ie. the rebels. There’s never any sense of danger or struggle or that this battle is ever going to go anywhere but one way. At exactly the point when suspense should be mounting we are on a downhill slope to nowhere exciting. Kulozik’s ship is utterly safe and yet still feels like it’s sinking.
It’s a prelude to the disappointment to come. As in the final face-off between Kulozik and Thurgood-Smythe we learn that, actually, he didn’t have anything cleverer up his sleeves than a pair of arms.
It’s a weak note on which to end a book. An even weaker note on which to end a trilogy.
Breathtaking? By the close of the book, I can see where they might believe that. It’s there in the scale and spectacle. But any taking of breath involved is countered by the sighs concerning how much better it all could have – and should have – been.
SAF
Expectation – like those publisher’s back-cover claims – can be a book’s greatest enemy. While Homeworld was hamstrung by comparisons to 1984, this third episode, we’re told, includes ‘one of the most breathtaking space sequences yet seen in science fiction’.
Hmm.
It begins with Jan’s (reluctant) return to Earth. No sooner has he departed Halvmörk, fully intending to negotiate better terms for the farm workers with the rebels, than his ship is attacked and boarded and his newfound allies are all captured and bound for the homeworld as prisoners. They immediately rule out the idea of an escape attempt while on board because that would be too dangerous. They decide instead to wait until they’ve landed in the heart of Earth Space Security which, by their own deductions, will be crawling with hostile troops and probably even more difficult. Lo and behold, as soon as they touchdown on home soil, their escape efforts amount to suicide for all but Jan. Who goes on the run just long enough to hook up with an African American community for a sideline examination of race issues in the ‘brave new world’ before being caught by his old nemesis-in-law, Thurgood-Smythe.
This time, there seems no way out for poor Jan. Except Thurgood-Smythe appears to be playing some devious game and sets Kulozik on a mission to collude with rebels, starting in Israel. This allows Jan to hook up with the sister of his girlfriend from the first book, but more importantly sets up a fascinating and compelling intrigue that threads through every subsequent action and event. The more we see Thurgood-Smythe’s plan develop, the greater Jan’s suspicions of his motives and the more we wonder at just how devious the secret-policeman’s plan must be. We read on, on tenterhooks, awaiting the twist, the betrayal, the revelation. Whatever lies in store, it must be incredible.
But as the story unfolds, the pages slip by like sand through an hourglass and we’re running out of time in which the blow can be delivered.
Meanwhile, Jan has linked up with the rebel space fleet, closing in on Earth for a final decisive confrontation that put me in mind of a crowning moment in Babylon 5. Unfortunately, apart from some fine-tuning of a weapon system he’s given very little to do and has been demoted from instrumental in the rebellion to mere observer once again.
The battle itself is an early post-Star Wars attempt to render a space battle scientifically – it even references comparisons to old space operas. And it’s convincing, as you’d expect. But in the removal of all the loud explosions and zap-pow proton torpedo blasts, what it really needed was drama. And Harrison elects to give all the innovative ideas and tactics to one side – ie. the rebels. There’s never any sense of danger or struggle or that this battle is ever going to go anywhere but one way. At exactly the point when suspense should be mounting we are on a downhill slope to nowhere exciting. Kulozik’s ship is utterly safe and yet still feels like it’s sinking.
It’s a prelude to the disappointment to come. As in the final face-off between Kulozik and Thurgood-Smythe we learn that, actually, he didn’t have anything cleverer up his sleeves than a pair of arms.
It’s a weak note on which to end a book. An even weaker note on which to end a trilogy.
Breathtaking? By the close of the book, I can see where they might believe that. It’s there in the scale and spectacle. But any taking of breath involved is countered by the sighs concerning how much better it all could have – and should have – been.
SAF
November 21, 2012
I have the belief that the last book in a series, trilogy, or whatever should be better than the first book. Sadly, this is not true for the last volume in Harry Harrion's To the Stars trilogy. The first volume introduced us the the dystopian future earth; the second allowed us a view of one of the colony worlds. For the protagonist, those book were a preparation for the battle that I expected to happen in this final book. There was a battle, but for the most part, the plot centered on a "double agent" that stretched the limits of my willingness to disbelieve. When it this element was introduced, it was so outrageous, it had to be a ploy to trap our hero. But no. And it was this heavy plot machnination that made my read less enjoyable than the previous entries. Overall, I would recommend To the Stars, but not so enthusiastically as I had hoped I would.
August 6, 2009
A fairly average novel tying up everything that happened in the first two, I guess. I enjoyed it more than the predecessors because it contained more action, although the first in the series was more gripping, in a secret police state kind of a way.
here, the action was enjoyable, the space warfare and technology well-thought-out and applied and the treachery and double-crossings endless. All though a little predictable at times, an interesting series (although I'm sick of females just in for the sex).
here, the action was enjoyable, the space warfare and technology well-thought-out and applied and the treachery and double-crossings endless. All though a little predictable at times, an interesting series (although I'm sick of females just in for the sex).
May 25, 2013
Starworld is the finale in Harry Harrison's To The Stars trilogy. After controlling every other planet The rebellion is finally attacking earth. Jan Kulozik is necessary in the final attack.
A great part of this book is the space battle. It laughs at movies like Star Wars and explains exactly how battles in space need to occur. One downside is that the book ends very quickly after the climactic battle. It would have been good to see some of the repercussions of what occurred with some follow up.
A great part of this book is the space battle. It laughs at movies like Star Wars and explains exactly how battles in space need to occur. One downside is that the book ends very quickly after the climactic battle. It would have been good to see some of the repercussions of what occurred with some follow up.
January 13, 2014
The edition I read is not the one presented in the thumbnail. I must say I was vastly disapointed in this book. It is short (under 200 pages) and yet it took me months to get through. It's trite and stuttery at the best of times and downright simple at the worst. Just as the book would pick up the author would interject to spend three pages explaining some new (at least in the 70s) theory of sciecne or to poke fun at things like Star Wars. I was just not impressed.
August 15, 2012
Harry has just passed on. This is the first of his books I read, out of sequence, but I've always enjoyed his fiction and this edition, published in 1981 has lived with me for 30 years. Thank you Harry. See you on the other side of the galaxy!
April 13, 2016
A decent ending. Not a fan of some of the romantic aspects, but then I rarely am. The third book stuck the least in my memory, and overall was the least enjoyable of the series. But even the least enjoyable of this particular set was good.
November 13, 2008
loved the "starworld", "wheelworld", "homeworld" stuff...second only to Ender
December 29, 2011
Not as good as the first two, the politics was a bit screwy. But still a wonderful trilogy
January 13, 2012
Grade C+. Book W3.
May 28, 2012
Well written but just didn't grab me
December 30, 2012
Part 3 in the To the Stars series, this one was more like the first one and a little too random for my liking. The space battles were cool though.
April 8, 2014
So disappointing compared to the first 2 books in the series
April 14, 2015
Ridiculously fun. Love the ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews