Telzey Amberdon

Telzey and Trigger #1-2

by James H. Schmitz

MEET TELZEY AMBERDON-SHE'S NOBODY'S TOYTelzey Amberdon was only in her teens when she discovered that she was a telepath. Not only a telepath, but a xenotelepath, able to communicate mentally not just with humans, but with alien intelligences. And she turned out to be one of the most powerful telepaths in the history of the galactic civilization called the Hub.First she had to deal with an alien race that humans hadn't realized were intelligent, and who were about to eliminate those troublesome humans who thought they were colonizing an uninhabited world. Then, she had to fend off the secret psi agents of the Psychological Corps who took a dim view of any telepath, let alone one with Telzey's powers, operating outside of their control. Next, she stumbled across a telepathic serial killer, who used an unstoppable predator, under his mental control, to hunt and kill his victims-and Telzey was to be the catch of the day.It was fortunate for the human race that she survived, since she next found herself in the middle of a secret war between two hidden races of genetically engineered humans. They called it the "Lion Game," and they made the mistake of thinking that in this clash of predators, Telzey was just a harmless kitten. But when the dust settled, Telzey would be the only one purring....At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management)."Take my advice and buy TWO copies of this book! You'll want to lend it to friends and (trust me on I have years of experience to back up the observation) once people get their hands on a Schmitz book, they don't let go!" —Janet Kagan, Hugo-Winner and author of Uhura's Song

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

452 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2000

About the author

James Henry Schmitz (October 15, 1911–April 18, 1981) was an American writer born in Hamburg, Germany of American parents. Aside from two years at business school in Chicago, Schmitz lived in Germany until 1938, leaving before World War II broke out in Europe in 1939. During World War II, Schmitz served as an aerial photographer in the Pacific for the United States Army Air Corps. After the war, he and his brother-in-law ran a business which manufactured trailers until they broke up the business in 1949.

Schmitz is best known as a writer of space opera, and for strong female characters (including Telzey Amberdon and Trigger Argee) that didn't fit into the damsel in distress stereotype typical of science fiction during the time he was writing. His first published story was Greenface, published in August 1943 in Unknown. Most of his works are part of the "Hub" series, though his best known novel is the non-Hub The Witches of Karres, concerning juvenile "witches" with genuine psi-powers and their escape from slavery. Karres was nominated for a Hugo Award.

In recent years, his novels and short stories have been republished by Baen Books (which bought the rights to his estate for $6500), edited (sometimes heavily edited) and with notes by Eric Flint. Baen have also published new works based in the Karres universe.

Schmitz died of congestive lung failure in 1981 after a five week stay in the hospital in Los Angeles. He was survived by his wife, Betty Mae Chapman Schmitz.

Reviews

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decently written bunch of episodic stories and novellas about a teen in a future society that discovers that she has psychic powers. This doesn’t come off as Y/A as it sounds, she is very intelligent and learns to use her abilities as the stories progress. There are no romantic sub plots just intrigue and aliens. Good stuff. The collection I have also has a section describing the foundation hub which is an association of human and alien worlds quite like Star Trek’s federation of planets.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

ENGLISH: Baen Books decided to republish in four volumes all of James Schmitz's work related to the Hub: short stories, novellas and his only full novel (Legacy). The Hub is an interstellar federation dominated by humans, but enclosing also many extremely imaginative aliens. In addition to this, during some time Baen Books made several of the volumes available for free download from their web, a very interesting move in the publishing world, which seems entrenched in a war in defense of their publishing rights.

This is the first book in the series and centers around the character of Telzey Amberdon, one of the many strong women in Schmitz books. This makes him different from many other SF authors of his time, who usually depicted women as passive characters who should be protected by men. In the short stories in this volume we follow Telzey since she discovers her special psychic powers, along her slow learning process, until she becomes one of the strongest psi experts of the galaxy, able to face by herself, in the short story The lion game, two different inimical alien races who are also fighting one another.

I strongly recommend this book.

ESPAÑOL: Baen Books decidió volver a publicar en cuatro volúmenes todo lo relacionado con el Hub en la obra de James Smith: cuentos, novelas cortas y su única novela completa (Legacy). El Hub es una federación interestelar dominada por humanos, pero que incluye también a muchos extraterrestres extremadamente imaginativos. Además de esto, durante algún tiempo Baen Books puso a disposición varios de los volúmenes para su descarga gratuita desde su web, una interesante iniciativa en el mundo editorial, que parece atrincherado en una guerra en defensa de sus derechos editoriales.

Este es el primer libro de la serie y se centra en el personaje de Telzey Amberdon, una de las muchas mujeres fuertes de los libros de Schmitz. Esto lo diferencia de muchos otros autores de ciencia ficción de su época, que solían representar a las mujeres como personajes pasivos que debían ser protegidos por los hombres. En las historias cortas de este volumen seguimos a Telzey desde que descubre sus poderes psíquicos especiales, a lo largo de un lento proceso de aprendizaje, hasta que se convierte en una de las expertas en psi más fuertes de la galaxia, capaz de enfrentarse por sí misma, como en el cuento El juego del león, contra dos razas alienígenas enemigas diferentes que también luchan entre sí.

Recomiendo encarecidamente este libro.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when it was published and fell for the story since there were never enough strong leading women in SF.
Telzey stands out from most other humans because she is a telepath, but she secretly stands out from her fellow Psi because she is a xenotelepath able to contact aliens. But what she really stands out from is the society the author had when he wrote this book. Today we have lots of female fighters portrayed in film, we even have real women in the military that are not just in an office. At the time these stories were created women still wore skirts in business setting. Schools did not allows girls to wear slacks. I can remember changing into shorts before leaving school grounds and being asked if I wanted to turn tricks. Typically I had to ask my older brother what the real meaning was that went with the 'tone' I easily recognized.
Telzey and stories like Panshin's 'Rite of Passage' stood out for few women starred in the SF written in the sixties.
The books I still reread are Zenna Henderson's strong women or Claudia Edwards.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telzey Amberdon, age 15, is a genius, a law student, and a psi supergirl who can save the Federation in a fortnight, and still make it home in time for her 16th birthday party. This is silly but engaging fluff, sort of a Nancy Drew in space -- but much better-written. It's a pleasure to see the Telzey stories back in print -- I'd forgotten the breezy assurance of Schmitz's voice. Besides six Telzey 'chapters', first published as short stories 1962-71, there are two related stories: the nasty, pulpy "Blood of Nalakia" (1953), and a nice, if routine, space-piracy thriller, "The Star Hyacinths" (1961). Plus, there's a great polychrome and foil cover (Telzey with a pride of crest cats) by Bob Eggleton.

Editor Flint has done a nice job of assembling the Telzey stories into a coherent fix-up1 and publisher Baen is to be commended for introducing a new generation of readers to the pleasures of reading Schmitz -- until this, there was only one Schmitz book still in print.

James H. Schmitz (1911-1981) is best-remembered for his wonderful Witches of Karres (1966) and the Telzey stories, all set in a far-future Federation of the Hub. Co-editor Guy Gordon wrote a nice overview of the Hub in an afterword. Sample

My 2000 review, with notes:
https://www.sfsite.com/09b/ta89.htm

Free samples of other Schmitz stories.:
https://www.freesfonline.net/authors/...
I partic recommend his classic "Grandpa":
https://www.baen.com/Chapters/0671319...

[David H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collects six stories starring Telzey Amberdon (and two related stories without her). The text confirms that all of the Telzey stories happen when she's just 15, which is hilarious to consider. Anyway, it's great to finally read the stories in a group versus scattershot over years, and I like that we see (in "Novice") the very beginning of Telzey's new psi powers, as well as her nonviolent solutions (as best as she can), which sets the tone for the rest of the stories in this book. "Undercurrents" was fun, and "Poltergeist" has a lot to conclude about some psi ethics. "Goblin Night" and "Sleep No More" should practically be read as a single story, though both end up as cat-and-mouse plots. "The Lion Game" takes the, well, lion's share of the page count, and has a lot of cool stuff, including an appropriate resolution.

Eric Flint's afterword praises Schmitz greatly, but I think wrongly diagnoses the failure (at the time) of Schmitz's legacy (he basically blames the lack of novels, but given how SF history is littered with fixup novels, it seems a weak argument). Guy Gordon's Federation overview was helpful in placing everything together.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 bk 127. I have the full collection of Telzey Amberdon books and her fellow citizens of the Hub. This ebook collection added 2 hub stories that I have no recollection of reading. They were ok. As a teacher of teens, Telzey comes off as being 19 or 20 rather than 15 or 16, but that is how some minds work. Enjoyed the re-read and will read the rest of the 3 books in the ebook collection.

[Tifany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had had this on my shelf, unread, for years, despite reliable recommendations, and finally sat down to read it. I found it surprisingly and quietly compulsive--the stories aren't overwhelmingly suspenseful, yet it's hard to put them down; I just kept going and going. I also appreciated the fact, covered by other reviewers, that Schmitz put a teenage girl into a part that would, at that time, normally have been given to a man. She's an intellectual heroine, somewhat cold emotionally--or rather, not overheated; and primarily interested, always, in solving the particular problem at hand--that is, she's gender neutral, even by today's standards. These characters even today tend to be men, as representations of women, though no longer so objectified, or culturally pre-determined, now tend to insist on the positive value of the female point of view (and are therefore still gender-defined). Telzey's an isolated instance of the hero as pure mind.

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telzey has taken time to grow on me, but this is a strong collection of stories dating from the 1960s and 1970s. The heart of the book are the three connected stories that became the novel, Lion's Game. The last two stories in the collection do not feature Tezey, but are related to the Hub universe. I liked this collection very much.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

First published as separate volumes ("The Universe Against Her" and "Telzey Toy"), a well crafted and entertaining sci-fi/fantasy tale. So glad it's back in publication!

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Telzey Amberdon, teenage heroine in a sf story, and that in the early 1960s. James H Schmitz is truly a timeless writer, even after 50 years these stories still are very good."

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A jem of si-fi. Depicts Telzey, an irregular schoolgirl who turned out to be a xenotelepath. And that was just the start of the adventures.

[Jonathan Gurney · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some good inventive storytelling here in places, but then Schmitz seems to run out of ideas well before the end of the last items in the series.
I'm not convinced this book deserves all the credit it is getting for a strong female lead. Telzey Amberdon is very much a middle-aged man's vision of a super-girl. Intelligent, beautiful, pert, with mysterious psychic powers that defeat all comers, yet modest, unassuming, sweet and affectionate to friends, pets and family ... and definitely unsullied and unattached. There is no trace of a romantic interest despite her evident maturity. Perhaps ripe to show the same affections to the right suitably mature and intelligent man - I cannot help wonder whether Schmitz, then in his early 50's, saw himself in the role.

[Jonathan Palfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first encountered Telzey long ago, perhaps in the 1970s or even the 1960s; and I have some affection for her and for Schmitz's work in general.

However, this is old-style sf and not really great fiction by modern standards. If you don't mind old-style sf, the Telzey stories are still quite readable and entertaining; the couple of non-Telzey stories added at the end of this volume are duller stuff.

Telzey is a 15-year-old genius (we're told!) who is also a powerful telepath, though untrained and inexperienced. A supergirl, in fact, although her powers are mental rather than physical.

Having created this supergirl, Schmitz then had to find situations and opponents difficult enough to challenge her, which in his own way he managed to do.

[Sarani Rangarajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genius rich girl turns out to be psychic and ends up solving problems and teaching herself more psi-skills. This is one of my favourite Schmitz series.

The SF is well lived in, where technology isn't explained and is just the environment. This volume is a number of 'close' stories, centered on Telzey and her abilities and issues, with almost no prominent secondary characters, really. The other characters that appear are clearly secondary (but not cardboard).

Schmitz, I think, teaches valuable lessons on how to set human stories in strange settings and have it work out.

[Juan Sanmiguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is collection of stories done by Schmitz in the 60s focusing on teenage telepath Telezey Amberdon. Telezey find herself in center of intrigue and learns how to use her powers to get out of trouble. Most of the stories were pretty good. A very interesting look at telepathy. I had some problem getting through the "The Lion Game". The quality of the others stories makes me want to give "The Lion game" a reread.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent beginning of the Schmitz Hub collection

When I was much younger I actually had a paperback of "A tale of two clocks" aka Legacy.
Excellent is 4 stars. Award winning (Hugo/Nebula) is 5 stars.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and enjoyable collection of sf stories.

[Connie Hirsch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Always meant to check out the Telzey stories, because I liked Witches of Karres so much. But the mind-raping (not just by the villains) is kind of morally repugnant.

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)

Updated its a rating of 3.5*

I'm finally going through my physical library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.

I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)

First time read the author's work?: Yes

Will you be reading more?: Yes

Would you recommend?: Yes


------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)

All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked

Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telzey Amberdon was only in her teens when she discovered that she was a telepath. Not only a telepath, but a xenotelepath, able to communicate mentally not just with humans, but with alien intelligences. And she turned out to be one of the most powerful telepaths in the history of the galactic civilization called the Hub.

First she had to deal with an alien race that humans hadn't realized were intelligent, and who were about to eliminate those troublesome humans who thought they were colonizing an uninhabited world. Then, she had to fend off the secret psi agents of the Psychological Corps who took a dim view of any telepath, let alone one with Telzey's powers, operating outside of their control. Next, she stumbled across a telepathic serial killer, who used an unstoppable predator, under his mental control, to hunt and kill his victims -- and Telzey was to be the catch of the day.

It was fortunate for the human race that she survived, since she next found herself in the middle of a secret war between two hidden races of genetically engineered humans. They called it the "Lion Game," and they made the mistake of thinking that in this clash of predators, Telzey was just a harmless kitten. But when the dust settled, Telzey would be the only one purring....

[Bill Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember these when they first came out in SF Magazines - good to find them collected together in one volume. These are the first of the Telzey stories . . .

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of a lot of James H. Schmitz short stories published in Analog magazine in the 1950s. Most of them concern Telzey Amberdon and PSI abilities. This is about the third or fourth time I have read most of them because I like his writing and have always enjoyed his stories. I do wish he had written more books, but the recent collection of stories in several books make up part of the lack of his books. I have also found some of his work on Gutenberg.com

[Teresa Carrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suitable for YA. Science fiction. Main character is about 15yo, female, extremely bright and with psychic powers. I enjoyed most of it, but didn't care too much for the short stories at the end. Definitely worth reading, and FREE (Baen Free Library) to boot.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Available as a free download from http://www.baenebooks.com/c-1-free-li... and worth every penny!

Science fiction from the golden age!

An absolute pleasure to read with heaps of fun to be had.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently these stories were written in the 60s, but I never would have guessed that, they come off very modern. Telzey has a habit of breezing into a situation and setting up everything to suit her without much trouble, but the stories are fun and action-packed and nuance isn't really necessary.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Schmitz' ability to write fun, strong heroines and Telzey is no exception. Smart, capable, and confident, she's a xenotelepath who will go toe to toe with anyone who attempts to cage her. A fun, enjoyable, and great read all around.

[P.J. Harris-Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series.

I first read these books individually as a teenager. I loved them back them for their smooth read. Over the years I've read them a few times. Each time noticing things that I never saw before. These stories are timeless.

[Nathanielk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just pure fun SF; no one does this kind of story better.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as I remember from my teens, sadly.

[Debra · Rating 2 out of 5]

don't care for short stories but it was ok def a teen book