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Cap Kennedy #1
Galaxy of The Lost
Book by Gregory Kern (pseud. E. C. Tubb)
128 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 29, 2009
This is the first book in the Cap Kennedy space opera series and it was really good, maybe just under a 4 star rating. I was caught up completely but the ending was fairly weak and closed off too fast, which lowered the rating a bit.
In this first book, space ships are disappearing in a sort of Bermuda Triangle of space and Cap Kennedy and his agent friends try to solve the mystery.
In this first book, space ships are disappearing in a sort of Bermuda Triangle of space and Cap Kennedy and his agent friends try to solve the mystery.
May 18, 2025
Volme 1 of Cap Kannedy was a bit of a disappointment. It's very functional - it introduces the eponymous hero and his team (the brillant professor, the strong man from a 3-g world, and the the alien with the chameleon ability - only mean-spirited people think of Simon Wright, Greg, and Odo), and his private space ship, the Mordain. But the story itself is unexceptional and feels incomplete - various leads lead to nowhere.
In the beginning, we are introduced to our Hero, Cap Kennedy, in a scene that could be from a James Bond movie - he "sprawls [...] his near-naked body" on the "ebon grains" of a beach, listening to a group of girls admiring his physique. And is interrupted in his relaxation by another girl, bringing him a message. We find out that Kennedy is a F.A.T.E., a Free Acting Terran Envoy, something half-way between a double-0 agent and a gray lensman. Ships have been vanishing in a diplomatically sensitive spot of space, and Kennedy decides to look into the issue. This is the most interesting part of the story - the rest is very routine. It involves an undercover space journey, the violent abduction of a space ship into a different universe, a long death-march through an alien landscape, and the deus-ex-machina rescue of half the team by the other half. It turns out the space ships were inadvertently abducted by an ancient malfunctioning transport device in the other universe. This is "fixed" with a time bomb, and the Mordain makes the way back through the interuniversal rift just in time. The end.
E.C. Tubb (the author behind the pseudonym Gregory Kern) was a prolific writer, and he wrote these books and most of his works in a time before computers became practical. In other words, revisions and editing, especially for cheap pulps like this, was very limited. And the books were written to a strict page limit (typically 128 pages, for production reasons). Tubb wrote the 17-book series over the years 1973-1976 (while also writing 7 Earl-Dumarest novels, 4 off-series SF novels and at least 3 historical novels). That leaves about 6 weeks per book, which may explain (or even excuse) some of the problems.
So: This was not good, but at least entertaining. Rumors have it that later books of the series improve. I've already picked up volume 2, F.A.T.E. No. 2: Slave Ship from Sergan. I'll give this 2.5 stars on the potential of the series, rounded up.
In the beginning, we are introduced to our Hero, Cap Kennedy, in a scene that could be from a James Bond movie - he "sprawls [...] his near-naked body" on the "ebon grains" of a beach, listening to a group of girls admiring his physique. And is interrupted in his relaxation by another girl, bringing him a message. We find out that Kennedy is a F.A.T.E., a Free Acting Terran Envoy, something half-way between a double-0 agent and a gray lensman. Ships have been vanishing in a diplomatically sensitive spot of space, and Kennedy decides to look into the issue. This is the most interesting part of the story - the rest is very routine. It involves an undercover space journey, the violent abduction of a space ship into a different universe, a long death-march through an alien landscape, and the deus-ex-machina rescue of half the team by the other half. It turns out the space ships were inadvertently abducted by an ancient malfunctioning transport device in the other universe. This is "fixed" with a time bomb, and the Mordain makes the way back through the interuniversal rift just in time. The end.
E.C. Tubb (the author behind the pseudonym Gregory Kern) was a prolific writer, and he wrote these books and most of his works in a time before computers became practical. In other words, revisions and editing, especially for cheap pulps like this, was very limited. And the books were written to a strict page limit (typically 128 pages, for production reasons). Tubb wrote the 17-book series over the years 1973-1976 (while also writing 7 Earl-Dumarest novels, 4 off-series SF novels and at least 3 historical novels). That leaves about 6 weeks per book, which may explain (or even excuse) some of the problems.
So: This was not good, but at least entertaining. Rumors have it that later books of the series improve. I've already picked up volume 2, F.A.T.E. No. 2: Slave Ship from Sergan. I'll give this 2.5 stars on the potential of the series, rounded up.
May 30, 2019
In the first couple chapters the hero seemed arrogant and hypocritical; summoned from the beach to receive his next mission, he acted like a jerk to the agent telling him about missing space ships he was to investigate, while accusing him of playing games, and later he may be involved in the missing ships. It turns out otherwise but this is never addressed later in the book, the character forgotten. After that it picks up as they board a ship heading into the disappearance area, and we have a fairly standard space adventure, with suspense, mystery, and a satisfying scientific (or at least pseudo-scientific) ending. The blurb on the back of the DAW paperback compares it to Star Trek, Captain Future, and Perry Rhodan. Except for the first couple chapters it is comparable to Captain Future and Perry Rhodan, but the characters are not developed well enough to compare to Star Trek. I give it 3 and 1/2 stars.
December 29, 2015
I miss series like Cap Kennedy. One of the first series that hooked me on science fiction was Perry Rhodan. It was perfect for a young fan. New books appeared every month. Then DAW decided to publish their own version. Donald Wollheim contacted E. C. Tubb (writer of the popular Dumarest series) about writing a new house series for him. Cap was a mix of James Bond, Perry Rhodan, and Doc Savage.
In this book, starships are disappearing in the "Bermuda Triangle" of space. Cap goes undercover on a ship that is travelling through this sector. Cap's ship disappears.
"Galaxy of the Lost" is a fun, quick read. This is a fun introduction to pulp style science fiction. I know that Cap Kennedy and Perry Rhodan are not great science fiction but they are a good way to introduce a young reader to the field. If you are looking for deep science fiction that really makes you think, avoid this series.
In this book, starships are disappearing in the "Bermuda Triangle" of space. Cap goes undercover on a ship that is travelling through this sector. Cap's ship disappears.
"Galaxy of the Lost" is a fun, quick read. This is a fun introduction to pulp style science fiction. I know that Cap Kennedy and Perry Rhodan are not great science fiction but they are a good way to introduce a young reader to the field. If you are looking for deep science fiction that really makes you think, avoid this series.
June 19, 2024
Der DAW-Verlag konzipierte diese Serie als eine Konkurrenz zu Perry Rhodan, der ja eine Zeitlang auch in den USA erschien. Sonderlich erfolgreich war sie (lt. SF-Lexikon) aber nicht. Immerhin gab es 17 Folgen. Dies ist die erste.
Geschrieben wurde der 110-seiten-kurze Roman von Vielschreiber E.C. Tubb unter Pseudonym.
Es ist ein seltsamer Mischmasch. Es hat viele Kapitel, wo nur gelabert wird und die mir unnötig in die Länge gezogen scheinen. Man würde ein actionreiches Abenteuer erwarten, aber das ist es nicht wirklich.
Es ist aber auch nicht so reißerisch und "billig", wie man befürchten könnte.
Zur Handlung: Captain Kennedy gehört zu den "Trouble Shootern" der Erde. Er wird gerufen, weil 4 Raumschiffe verschwunden sind. Nur ihre automatischen Notrufe wurden aufgefangen.
2.5 / 5
Geschrieben wurde der 110-seiten-kurze Roman von Vielschreiber E.C. Tubb unter Pseudonym.
Es ist ein seltsamer Mischmasch. Es hat viele Kapitel, wo nur gelabert wird und die mir unnötig in die Länge gezogen scheinen. Man würde ein actionreiches Abenteuer erwarten, aber das ist es nicht wirklich.
Es ist aber auch nicht so reißerisch und "billig", wie man befürchten könnte.
Zur Handlung: Captain Kennedy gehört zu den "Trouble Shootern" der Erde. Er wird gerufen, weil 4 Raumschiffe verschwunden sind. Nur ihre automatischen Notrufe wurden aufgefangen.
2.5 / 5
June 21, 2020
I miss series like Cap Kennedy. Written by E. C. Tubb (author of the popular Dumarest series) under the pen-name Gregory Kern. They seamlessly blend James Bond, Perry Rhodan, and Doc Savage.
It has all the usual pulp sci-fi. But what genuinely surprised me was the imaginative storyline. Starships are disappearing in the "Bermuda Triangle" of space. Cap goes undercover on a ship that is travelling through this sector. Cap's ship promptly disappears; we follow their escape!
"Galaxy of the Lost" is a fun, quick read; avoid if you're seeking something to make you think. This is a fun introduction to pulp style science fiction.
It has all the usual pulp sci-fi. But what genuinely surprised me was the imaginative storyline. Starships are disappearing in the "Bermuda Triangle" of space. Cap goes undercover on a ship that is travelling through this sector. Cap's ship promptly disappears; we follow their escape!
"Galaxy of the Lost" is a fun, quick read; avoid if you're seeking something to make you think. This is a fun introduction to pulp style science fiction.
April 20, 2025
Captain Kennedy, agent of TERRA leads a small band. Penza from a world with three times Earth's gravity, Luden the genius and Veem, with his chameleon abilities. Something along the line of Captain Future.
Four spaceships have vanished, completely gone without trace. Cap and Penza investigate, and vanish too into another Universe, full of dangerous life forms and deadly robots. They have very few supplies and when they are gone, the few survivors will die too. They work desperately against time, with seemingly no way of getting back to their own Universe as any rocket that goes to that other Universe is destroyed.
Four spaceships have vanished, completely gone without trace. Cap and Penza investigate, and vanish too into another Universe, full of dangerous life forms and deadly robots. They have very few supplies and when they are gone, the few survivors will die too. They work desperately against time, with seemingly no way of getting back to their own Universe as any rocket that goes to that other Universe is destroyed.
April 29, 2022
Galaxy of the Lost by Gregory Kern is the first book in a Pulp/Science Fiction written in the 70s'. Although it was written several decades later it very much reminds me of the "Captin Future" books by Edmond Hamilton. Although there are about 17 books in this series, much like the Captain Future books they can be read as standalone. This book was a fun, fast read. I must point out that it is a bit dated and the attitudes of the character reflect this.
July 7, 2019
A quick little sf novel. Entertaining read.
February 15, 2015
This is the first novel in a seventeen novel saga. Here we learn about Captain Kennedy, a spy/agent that acts as a judge, jury and executioner in any situation that threatened the peace of Terra Sphere (a federation of planets). A Free Acting Terran Envoy (F.A.T.E.). We also learn about the ship they travel "Mordian" and the crew/companions of Kennedy; engineer Penza Saratov, scientist Professor Jarl Luden and alien navigator Veem Chemile, a humanoid chameleon that says he is descended from the mythic Zheltyana, a powerful race that once rule the known universe.
In these tale we are presented in a tale with Bermunda Triangle situation, set in space, where ships are dissapearing without any trace. Captain Kennedy and Saratov go aboard another vessel to uncover the mystery. They go to a place where a bunch of other ships have crashed and their mission becomes one of survival. The pace of the book is quite quick and with only 120 pages you couldn't expect much more. The story is good but nothing extraordinary. This is one of those tales that you read inbetween others and forget about it. Maybe in 70's this tale was innovative but nowadays there a lot out there way better than this Space Opera.
In these tale we are presented in a tale with Bermunda Triangle situation, set in space, where ships are dissapearing without any trace. Captain Kennedy and Saratov go aboard another vessel to uncover the mystery. They go to a place where a bunch of other ships have crashed and their mission becomes one of survival. The pace of the book is quite quick and with only 120 pages you couldn't expect much more. The story is good but nothing extraordinary. This is one of those tales that you read inbetween others and forget about it. Maybe in 70's this tale was innovative but nowadays there a lot out there way better than this Space Opera.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2017
Een eerste kennismaking met onze helden. Kap Kennedy komt nogal arrogant over maar dat is waarschijnlijk zo niet bedoeld, het moet eerder duidelijk maken dat hij een superheld is zoals ze vroeger beschreven werden voordat ze "menselijker" moesten worden. Spaning en actie met een dosis humor - het bekende succes recept. Goed maar gedateerd.
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