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Moties #0.5
Future History
This edition incorporating ''The Mercenary'' (©1977) and ''West of Honor'' (©1976, ©1978)
A dazzling saga of the future, and the events that led up to the international bestseller "The Mote in the God's eye"
A dazzling saga of the future, and the events that led up to the international bestseller "The Mote in the God's eye"
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
9 people are currently reading
2294 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Pournelle
265 books550 followersDr Jerry Eugene Pournelle was an American science fiction writer, engineer, essayist, and journalist, who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte, and from 1998 until his death maintained his own website and blog.
From the beginning, Pournelle's work centered around strong military themes. Several books describe the fictional mercenary infantry force known as Falkenberg's Legion. There are strong parallels between these stories and the Childe Cycle mercenary stories by Gordon R. Dickson, as well as Heinlein's Starship Troopers, although Pournelle's work takes far fewer technological leaps than either of these.
Pournelle spent years working in the aerospace industry, including at Boeing, on projects including studying heat tolerance for astronauts and their spacesuits. This side of his career also found him working on projections related to military tactics and probabilities. One report in which he had a hand became a basis for the Strategic Defense Initiative, the missile defense system proposed by President Ronald Reagan. A study he edited in 1964 involved projecting Air Force missile technology needs for 1975.
Dr. Pournelle would always tell would-be writers seeking advice that the key to becoming an author was to write — a lot.
“And finish what you write,” he added in a 2003 interview. “Don’t join a writers’ club and sit around having coffee reading pieces of your manuscript to people. Write it. Finish it.”
Pournelle served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1973.
From the beginning, Pournelle's work centered around strong military themes. Several books describe the fictional mercenary infantry force known as Falkenberg's Legion. There are strong parallels between these stories and the Childe Cycle mercenary stories by Gordon R. Dickson, as well as Heinlein's Starship Troopers, although Pournelle's work takes far fewer technological leaps than either of these.
Pournelle spent years working in the aerospace industry, including at Boeing, on projects including studying heat tolerance for astronauts and their spacesuits. This side of his career also found him working on projections related to military tactics and probabilities. One report in which he had a hand became a basis for the Strategic Defense Initiative, the missile defense system proposed by President Ronald Reagan. A study he edited in 1964 involved projecting Air Force missile technology needs for 1975.
Dr. Pournelle would always tell would-be writers seeking advice that the key to becoming an author was to write — a lot.
“And finish what you write,” he added in a 2003 interview. “Don’t join a writers’ club and sit around having coffee reading pieces of your manuscript to people. Write it. Finish it.”
Pournelle served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1973.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 23, 2020
Although the premise is science fiction the action is absolutely military fantasy. The introspection of the theme of 'what cost peace?' is balanced by the action and violence meted out by the mercenaries. A certain amount of 'Starship troopers' type military philosophy without laying it on quite so thick. Three quick and easy to read tales not the most groundbreaking of works but very readable.
September 21, 2023
Described as book #0.5 of the Moties series, but is actually part of the interlinked Falkenberg series.
This book contains The Mercenary and West of Honor.
It appears to be the same book marketed as Falkenberg's Legion (in the US?) which along with Prince of Mercenaries, Go Tell the Spartans & Prince of Sparta makes up the total Falkenberg series collected together in one volume as The Prince.
Then there are the Moties books, basically: The Mote in God's Eye and The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye (or The Gripping Hand) and a few short stories?
And more CoDominium books: Birth of Fire, High Justice, & Exiles to Glory.
I had randomly chosen The Mercenary from my shelves and enjoyed it enough that I researched what else belonged to the series. Found I also had Future History on my shelves and have also really enjoyed the extra content in this book that follows on from The Mercenary.
Basically a prequel, narrated by one of Falkenberg's men - Hal Slater.
Millitary fiction that just happens to be set with galactic politics operatin g in the background.
This book contains The Mercenary and West of Honor.
It appears to be the same book marketed as Falkenberg's Legion (in the US?) which along with Prince of Mercenaries, Go Tell the Spartans & Prince of Sparta makes up the total Falkenberg series collected together in one volume as The Prince.
Then there are the Moties books, basically: The Mote in God's Eye and The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye (or The Gripping Hand) and a few short stories?
And more CoDominium books: Birth of Fire, High Justice, & Exiles to Glory.
I had randomly chosen The Mercenary from my shelves and enjoyed it enough that I researched what else belonged to the series. Found I also had Future History on my shelves and have also really enjoyed the extra content in this book that follows on from The Mercenary.
Basically a prequel, narrated by one of Falkenberg's men - Hal Slater.
Millitary fiction that just happens to be set with galactic politics operatin g in the background.
March 17, 2020
One of my favourite books - I've now read it so many times my original copy has literally disintegrated, but I was lucky enough to pick up the same edition last year in a local junk shop. Highly recommended if slightly old-fashioned tales of military sci-fi.
January 17, 2026
Feels like pretty much the same story recycled three times.
aband-set-aside
November 20, 2016This edition contains The Mercenary and West Of Honor and is the prequel the the Moties series.
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December 13, 2007N/A
November 12, 2014
Read in one of the anthology collections. Falkenberg's Legion Great stuff, bought the HC - The Prince.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews