The Neutral Stars

Venturer Twelve #3

by Dan Morgan, John Kippax, Dean Ellis (Illustrator)

United Earth Government couldn't get the vast appropriations needed to commandeer an entire planet - necessary to experiment with the titanic forces that would be unleashed while doing research on a warp-drive.

And meanwhile, Venturer Twelve and her sister ships continued to protect Earth Sector as best they could, knowing the aliens must already have the drive.

But their worst enemy was right there on Earth.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

215 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Dan Morgan (1925–2011) was an English science fiction writer and a professional guitarist, mainly active as a writer from the early 1950s through the mid-1970s. In addition to his fiction, he wrote two manuals relating to his musical profession.

Morgan is best known for his Sixth Perception novels, featuring a group of characters possessed of psychic powers; the three Venturer Twelve space operas, co-authored with his colleague John Kippax (a fourth was written by Kippax alone); and the somewhat tongue-in-cheek novel The Richest Corpse in Show Business.

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think co-authors Kippax and Morgan had a longer story planned for the voyages of the Venturer Twelve. There are unresolved issues by the end of this third installment, and while that doesn't make it an unworthy read, Morgan and Kippax's views as to women nearly does. I haven't decided if they shared later Heinlein views, or if their views are dated because of the era they were raised in (the books were published in the early 1970s).

Essentially men have no understanding of women, relationships destroy careers, and Elsa, possibly the closest they come to creating a three-dimensional character over the course of their books is still treated as a sex object. Despite that from the moment she is introduced to the end you know Elsa is the most intelligent and ruthless character we meet.

A mystery surround the events of the colony world of Orphelin III. I'm not going to give out any spoilers, except this, the resolution of one mystery leads to the deaths of 5 million people.

Many books around this time were billed as the anti-Star Trek, or better than Star Trek (as it had recently gone off the air). This one possibly comes the closest. Why? Because humans are portrayed as not perfect, often making ruthless decisions for the benefit of the many to the detriment of the one, and humans are not at the top of the interstellar food chain. Worth checking out for those who enjoy space exploration with a touch of grit.

[David Colwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was more of a mystery than a sci-fi novel. Had some sci-fi elements but mostly mystery. Maybe it was trying to be a space opera. The writting style was good. I have only a mild interest in any of the other volumns in the series (apparently there are 3 others, two before and one more after; the fourth only written by John Kippax). Wouldn't read this again.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok read - bit space operaish yet at the same time could have be more space operaish - suffers from being a bit dated

[SciFiOne · Rating 2 out of 5]

no date grade D

with John Kippax

[Brett]

Science Fiction