A Mind for Trade

Solar Queen #7

by Andre Norton, Sherwood Smith

Hesprid IV can't be that bad. Especially when it holds such a huge deposit of lucrative cielanite ore. Or so thinks Dane Thorson and the rest of the crew of the "Solar Queen, " and its new sister ship, the recently recovered derelict "North Star." The plan seems simple --make landfall, mine ore, leave.But when huge electromagnetic monsoons strike, and a strange lifeform makes deadly attacks on the miners, the mining grinds almost to a halt. Then the real threat arrives: the crew of the "North Star, " long ago stranded here, wants off the planet... at any cost.It'll take every ounce of the "Solar Queen" crew's savvy and experience to make it off Hesprid IV with their lives, let alone a profit. And that's assuming they get past the pirates lying in wait on the far side of the star system...

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

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Valerie]

To recap: The Solar Queen Series consists of (in chronological order):

(1) Sargasso of Space
(2) Plague Ship
(3) Voodoo Planet (often paired with the unrelated Star Hunter)
(4)Postmarked The Stars
(5) Redline The Stars
(6) Derelict for Trade
(7) This book, A Mind for Trade.

This series ought not be confused with the Time Traders series, which is vastly inferior, in my view. The Solar Queen stories are interesting and subtle, and though they occasionally slip back into the "It's clobberin' time!" mentality, there's remarkably little bloodshed compared (say) to the sanguinary Witch World books. There may have been other books in the series blocked out, but I don't know of any being published.

The question of how one establishes trade relations with a species which can't speak, and which it's (mostly) death to touch in order to achieve contact telepathy is an interesting one, and I don't recall encountering it elsewhere.

[Nick Brough · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last stop. I have to say I have quite good memories of reading this book many many years ago. Sheridan Smith makes a good job of wring in the Solar Queen universe and its a shame this was her last attempt and the final Solar Queen story (well some day I hope Norton's estate will licence some further novels, to bring the Queen up to date with early 2020's technology).

Whilst this isnt a classic Solar Queen novel, it is a very good sci-fi story told with a lot of good characterisation and background thought. Whilst I didn't particular like the "esper" elements, they weren't too intrusive although the concept that HUMAN/Alien breeding is likely and that various Human colonies are going to diverge genetically at such a fast rate, is somewhat problematic.

I really enjoyed this story and rather wise that Sheridan had carried on writing others afterwards. As a classic Queen story, I would give it 3/5, but as a sci-fi story using the same characters in the same universe I'd give it 4.5/5. Although I enjoyed it massively, it doesn't give me the kick as classic Norton. Is this nostalgia for early teen-age stories ?I don't know.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collaboration was good, but not earthshakingly great. What I liked best, in a lot of ways, was the slide-of-life aspect of the story involving Tooe. Her personality, combined with her attempts to understand things like constant gravity, were a real treat. The "combat" maneuvers of the two Trader ships were really cool, too. I didn't really like the character interactions other than that, because for some reason the whole psionics side-story didn't convince me. Too much of that felt like it was set up for the purpose of making the interspecies stuff work.
Still, it was a fun, quick read, and fans of the earlier Solar Queen stories will probably enjoy it.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another mediocre story in the Solar Queen universe by an author who is not Andre Norton. I glad to be done with the series. I should have stopped after book 4 since all the books after that one were written by other people. The story and the characters lose something when it's done by other people. But I finished the series, so it's done now.
Overall 2.5 out of 5 stars, not nearly as good as the first few books that were actually written by Andre Norton.

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent sci fi adventure

I have loved the Solar Queen adventures since I was a child, new to science fiction. A Mind for Trade is a great addition to the original four adventures, and I was happy to see it available to read on KU, since my library does not have the book. I will buy Mind to reread.

[Virginia Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

I never tire of the diversity of the worlds Andre Norton thought up. How the people and beings are individual in their various attitudes, charateristics and behaviors. Species have cultures and unity of thought that implies we have much to learn before we should venture out into the wider universe.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, visits with old friends

Captain Jellicoe's crew are old friends of mine and the new members only enrich the experience.
Andre Norton is amazing and I'm glad that talented authors are keeping her work alive.

[Rick English · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dated

[Unwisely · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was back home for a family event last week, and my parents were apparently worried I would finish all my books and need something to read. Which I did, indeed, do. This was one of the ~20 books they brought me.

I knew it was mid-series, but I was surprised to see that it's only book #2; I would've guessed more like book 7, given the way nothing was explained and events were alluded to. I kind of had to make myself read it; and it wasn't the sort of thing that made me die to read more of the books. Alas.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent stuff if you are a fan of the Solar Queen crew and their adventures. Teaming with Ms. Smith has taken away some of the vintage 'Norton' feel I recall from reading the early novels in my youth, but it has added deeper technologies and a broader universe.

[Sandra Munger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in the mood for Andre Norton. Another in the Solar Queen series. Good characters. A younger generation apprenticing to an older crew.

[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read the other books in this series but I was able to easily get into this book and enjoyed it very much. The planet and the mystery of the aliens was very interesting and I was curious to know how it would turn out. The psi part of the story was also fun.