The fifth omnibus edition of the classic science fiction of A. Bertram Chandler’s John Grimes books and stories in this renowned SF space-faring saga. Contains Into the Alternate Universe, Contraband from Otherspace , The Rim Gods (1969)—a story collection, The Commodore at Sea (a.k.a. Alternate Orbits , 1971)—four novellas.
Pipe-smoking, action-loving spaceship commander Lieutenant John Grimes (think Captain Kirk with more of a navy, salty attitude) moves out of the Federation navy and finds his true calling adventuring along the spaceways of the galactic rim.
Number five in the collected adventures of the legendary John Grimes of the Galactic Rim series, including four
Into the Alternate Universe (1964) Contraband from Otherspace (1967) The Rim Gods (1969)--story collection The Commodore at Sea (a.k.a. Alternate Orbits , 1971)—four novelets
About A. Bertram Chandler and the John Grimes “SF’s answer to Horatio Hornblower.” — Publishers Weekly
“As Asimov chronicled the Foundation, as Heinlein built his Future History, so Chandler constructs the epic of the Rim Worlds.” — Analog
“[Grimes] establishes a loyalty in his readers rather similar to that felt by readers of Hornblower. Indeed [Chandler’s] space operas are among the most likeable and well constructed in the genre. . . .” — The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
Arthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912–6 June 1984) was an Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Paul T. Sherman, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M.
He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.
It's difficult for me to be objective about these stories, since I'm a fan. I have a couple in "Ace Double" format and some of these shorter stories date from my discovery of SF magazines in a local newsstand. (In fact, I regret that these reprints don't have the original illustrations from If and Worlds of Tomorrow, but I guess it would have been hard to track down the rights.)
These stories are from the Rim World series -- set at the edge of the Galaxy where (in John Grimes' universe) the gaps between our universe and other universes are not as defined.
John Grimes is a Commodore of the Rim Worlds Confederacy. The Rim Worlds have broken away from the Federation, and John Grimes has left (or been drummed out) of the Federation Survey Service and joined the Rim Worlds. In these Stories John Grimes is at (or just past) his peak, and these stories are more "alternate universe" than "space opera."
They're also a bit wistful at times. Grimes could have taken other paths, better or worse, and these are major plot themes.
This is the fifth in the series of Grimes/Rim Worlds stories that Baen is putting together. As much as I like these stories, it would probably be best to start with the earlier stories first. Meanwhile, I believe a sixth volume is still coming.
This book, "Upon A Sea Of Stars", is the fifth omnibus in a series of books about John Grimes by A. Bertram Chandler. I have read many of the novels and short stories about John Grimes but many are hard to find and long out of print. With these collections I will finally be able to read them all. Each story is very entertaining and shows how Grimes develops in his career in the Federation Survey Service, the space fleet of the Federation, then as a Captain/owner of his own independent ship, a tramp trader. Finally the series will cover his career in the Rim Worlds. This is classic Space Opera and very entertaining. It is not for children however. I would rate it as PG 13. A must read for fans of Grimes and A. Bertram Chandler.