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Star Watch / Watchmen #2
Star Watchman
Emil Vorgens is a Junior Star Watch Officer who is torn between his desire to seek a peaceful resolution and obey his superior's instructions to use force when he is sent to the planet of Shinar to deal with rebellious activities.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
7 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Ben Bova
715 books1,039 followersBen Bova was born on November 8, 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1953, while attending Temple University, he married Rosa Cucinotta, they had a son and a daughter. He would later divorce Rosa in 1974. In that same year he married Barbara Berson Rose.
Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.
In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.
In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".
Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.
Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.
Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.
Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).
Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".
http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova
Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.
In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.
In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".
Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.
Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.
Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.
Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).
Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".
http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 16, 2020
The story is about a young watchman who comes to a planet that has just erupted into a state of war. The war has three sides (or two and a half, depending on how you count) which makes for some truly unique plot elements. At least they are not ones I have before encountered.
The three sides are the empire (and its cadre of Marines and watchmen), the Komani (a warlike race of aliens), and the native population of Shinar. The population of Shinar does not want to be ruled by the empire and so rebels. The empire can crush the Shinar, so they request aid from the Komani, an alien race of cat-like people that thrive in war. However, it soon becomes apparent that the Komani have their own designs on the planet. The people of Shinar realize they are not going to enjoy freedom and now must choose their masters. Who will they side with and why?
The characters of this novel are vividly drawn and compelling. They all have depth and act consistently within their motives, and it's interesting to see how things develop from the given situation.
However, this is not a great novel. For one thing, it's too short for the situation described and too many dramatic scenes have to be compressed. The 210 page novel needs at least double that and perhaps triple to do the situations presented full justice. Too often, it feels like we are only reading a synopsis. For example, there is a very compelling relationship to be explored between Altai (the only female role in the novel) and the main character, Vorgens, the star watchman. But Bova just scratches the surface.
Also, the ending is forced and rather sudden. It gets settled by an element that has little to do with the issues and themes raised by the situation of the novel itself.
Finally, and perhaps most damning for such an otherwise promising novel, many dramatic situations are not given their full expression. The narration is so compressed that the dramatic impact flashes by before the reader can fully appreciate the stakes. Bova's later work has much better pacing.
The writing style itself is also not ambitious. This is probably because it was wrongly aimed at the teenage market.
Nevertheless, despite its flaws, simply because the situation of the novel is so original and the plot so compelling I would recommend this novel as a very good read for anyone, particularly to writers who are just starting out. This novel will show them: 1) errors to avoid, such as where and how much to compress, and what a promising but unfully realized character is, and 2) types of plot possibilities and complications they just won't see elsewhere.
The three sides are the empire (and its cadre of Marines and watchmen), the Komani (a warlike race of aliens), and the native population of Shinar. The population of Shinar does not want to be ruled by the empire and so rebels. The empire can crush the Shinar, so they request aid from the Komani, an alien race of cat-like people that thrive in war. However, it soon becomes apparent that the Komani have their own designs on the planet. The people of Shinar realize they are not going to enjoy freedom and now must choose their masters. Who will they side with and why?
The characters of this novel are vividly drawn and compelling. They all have depth and act consistently within their motives, and it's interesting to see how things develop from the given situation.
However, this is not a great novel. For one thing, it's too short for the situation described and too many dramatic scenes have to be compressed. The 210 page novel needs at least double that and perhaps triple to do the situations presented full justice. Too often, it feels like we are only reading a synopsis. For example, there is a very compelling relationship to be explored between Altai (the only female role in the novel) and the main character, Vorgens, the star watchman. But Bova just scratches the surface.
Also, the ending is forced and rather sudden. It gets settled by an element that has little to do with the issues and themes raised by the situation of the novel itself.
Finally, and perhaps most damning for such an otherwise promising novel, many dramatic situations are not given their full expression. The narration is so compressed that the dramatic impact flashes by before the reader can fully appreciate the stakes. Bova's later work has much better pacing.
The writing style itself is also not ambitious. This is probably because it was wrongly aimed at the teenage market.
Nevertheless, despite its flaws, simply because the situation of the novel is so original and the plot so compelling I would recommend this novel as a very good read for anyone, particularly to writers who are just starting out. This novel will show them: 1) errors to avoid, such as where and how much to compress, and what a promising but unfully realized character is, and 2) types of plot possibilities and complications they just won't see elsewhere.
September 15, 2019
Many years ago I read Mars by Ben Bova, liked it, and decided to put the author on my Big Fat Reading Project lists. I thought that Star Watchman was his first book. Now I have found out it was his second and his first is either out of print or hard to find. So I am starting with this one and going on from here.
The human race has expanded into space and built an interstellar empire by taking over from an ancient alien race known as "the Others," a barbaric and ruthless sort who are still around with designs to recover their power.
Star Watch Junior Officer Emil Vorgens has been dispatched to investigate an uprising on Shinar, a relatively minor planet. He is rather out of his depth on his first mission and must man up, defy Earth's military leader on Shinar, and try to prevent an all out major war with the Others.
This was an entertaining story complete with three opposing forces: Earth, the Others and a revolutionary band of Shinar inhabitants. Vorgens uses his wits, his courage and his commitment to the role of Watchman to resolve the situation.
In Ben Bova's introduction to the edition I read, he says, "The problems of colonial wars...where major powers fight 'minor' wars in some Third World country were uppermost in my mind as I wrote Star Watchman." Those minor wars in the early 1960s were France in Algeria and the US in Vietnam.
Thus I found Bova's ideas about a better way for those two countries to handle such conflicts, as he portrayed those ideas in his story, quite interesting and applicable even to today's conflicts around the world.
Bova has written scads of books, won 6 Hugo awards and is still going with his latest book Earth just released this past July. I look forward to reading more.
If you have read Bova, which have been your favorite books?
December 14, 2016
The creation of the Terran Empire is chronicled in Bova's 1st novel The Star Conquerors.(1959) Earth in a struggle to keep itself free from domination by a race known as the Masters it leads a coalition of planets in an interstellar war that ultimately encompasses the entire galaxy. As a consequence of winning the war Earth must care for and ultimately must rule the planets that the Masters once ruled. Thus the Terran Empire was born
This is at its heart a vignette on problems of an Empire. It takes place on a minor planet in the Terran Empire 100 years after its accidental creation. Winning a war and managing an empire take different skills. The cultures that were once useful allies transform. A warrior who once lead armies and fleets to victory can be a poor planetary governor. And there is the issue maintaining peace at the same time dealing planets who begged for your help and now resent your presence.
These are the situations newly minted Star Watch Junior Officer Emile Vorgens is dumped into when he assigned to the planet Shinar. Vorgens assignment peacefully settle a dispute between Shinarians who have invited Empires former allies the barbarian Komani help them fight against Terran Empire for the ability to rule themselves. Each side Shinarian, Komani and Terran has an agenda both political and militarily. The Terran Empire's resources required to feed, rule, maintain are almost at the breaking point. They can't afford to have a planet in open rebellion. The Shinar want to govern themselves free from the Empire's interference. The Komani clan on Shinar sensing the Empire's vulnerability want to expose it and exploit it in order get other clans to participate in a war to create their empire.
,Bova does an excellant job in exploring these themes in a relatively few pages. I found the novel refreshing. It does not belabor the points Bova wants to make with over reaching details common in most present day space operas. The ending leaves more room for other tales from Terran Empire. Bova's next story the Dueling Machine,(1969) and As on a Darkling Plain (1972) does just that. In truth I hoped this was where he was going with his Grand Tour series, or his Star Quest Trilogy. The Watchmen stories are his earliest books they still stand up well in today's literary market.
April 2, 2018
Generally I like Ben Bova´s work.
This was military SF. I don't like military SF because I don't like war. I enjoyed the human angle that was handled quite well.
Contrary to other reviewers I also appreciated the shortness of the book. I don't see why every book nowadays has to have at least 600 pages. It nearly always gets boring.
All in all it was a decent book, but as I said: I just don't like military SF
This was military SF. I don't like military SF because I don't like war. I enjoyed the human angle that was handled quite well.
Contrary to other reviewers I also appreciated the shortness of the book. I don't see why every book nowadays has to have at least 600 pages. It nearly always gets boring.
All in all it was a decent book, but as I said: I just don't like military SF
October 27, 2013
Good story seeped in the Cold War Zeitgeist.
Barbaric aliens, indifferent Imperial overlords, gung-ho marines, zealous revolutionaries and a lone plucky spaceman trying stop the whole thing from combusting in GALACTIC WAR.
Barbaric aliens, indifferent Imperial overlords, gung-ho marines, zealous revolutionaries and a lone plucky spaceman trying stop the whole thing from combusting in GALACTIC WAR.
October 27, 2017
Conceptually cool but the execution was poor. Normally I do not care for war science fiction, but this novel was more about the politics of war. Ben Bova has a vivid imagination that is wonderful in creating a concept. Yet somehow it also felt unpolished. Rather than telling the reader how to feel, he should spend more time developing his characters and allow us to develop our own emotions and judgement.
The war politics are good. There are many parallels to military conflicts and war in our own reality. Particularly in the way that the protagonist sought to stave off a larger war from one military conflict. Overarching themes of stability vs. tribalism and autonomy vs imperialism are the foundation to this book; hence why it was such a compelling conceptual read. The romance (if we even want to go so far as to call it that) was bad and undeveloped. Why did the men ache for this particular warrior woman? It wasn't even necessary for the story and quite honestly detracted.
The one thing the author executed extremely well was the way he painted the politics of war. His politics were extremely sound and compelling. I loved that aspect and would love to read books where he writes about politics in war.
You can tell this is one of Ben Bova's earlier works. I look forward to reading one of his more polished works of fiction.
The war politics are good. There are many parallels to military conflicts and war in our own reality. Particularly in the way that the protagonist sought to stave off a larger war from one military conflict. Overarching themes of stability vs. tribalism and autonomy vs imperialism are the foundation to this book; hence why it was such a compelling conceptual read. The romance (if we even want to go so far as to call it that) was bad and undeveloped. Why did the men ache for this particular warrior woman? It wasn't even necessary for the story and quite honestly detracted.
The one thing the author executed extremely well was the way he painted the politics of war. His politics were extremely sound and compelling. I loved that aspect and would love to read books where he writes about politics in war.
You can tell this is one of Ben Bova's earlier works. I look forward to reading one of his more polished works of fiction.
September 14, 2021
One of Bova's early works. . .
I'd say better than a lot of his later stuff. . .
Not bad.
I've read some of the reviews saying crap about it needing to
be longer, and it doesn't say what they would say if they
were a pulp sci-fi writer. Pure bull.
Short and sweet, classic pulp sci-fi. . .
Much better than his 400 page plus tomes, with
half-wit protagonists and psycho antagonists. . .
I'd say better than a lot of his later stuff. . .
Not bad.
I've read some of the reviews saying crap about it needing to
be longer, and it doesn't say what they would say if they
were a pulp sci-fi writer. Pure bull.
Short and sweet, classic pulp sci-fi. . .
Much better than his 400 page plus tomes, with
half-wit protagonists and psycho antagonists. . .
September 1, 2022
This, in 2022, really was a comical read. Published in 1972 and set centuries or possibly millennia hence in a galactic empire, in an earlier era of pulp fiction it would have been a cowboys-and-indians saga.
50 years after the book was written, everyday electronic systems are in 2002 way beyond the author's imagination. Even his version of tanks are merely hovercraft, incapable of climbing steep slopes, and long-range precision rocketry hasn't yet been invented.
50 years after the book was written, everyday electronic systems are in 2002 way beyond the author's imagination. Even his version of tanks are merely hovercraft, incapable of climbing steep slopes, and long-range precision rocketry hasn't yet been invented.
May 30, 2019
A worthy read
We're this is dated by today's standards and would probably be called going adult, this sequel to the star conquerors is a worthy read. A planet called shinar is in revolt against the terran empire. Formerly the terran commonwealth. The rebels have invited the komani, formerly the shock troops of the defeated masters in. All hell breaks loose...
We're this is dated by today's standards and would probably be called going adult, this sequel to the star conquerors is a worthy read. A planet called shinar is in revolt against the terran empire. Formerly the terran commonwealth. The rebels have invited the komani, formerly the shock troops of the defeated masters in. All hell breaks loose...
March 3, 2020
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
"Ben Bova’s second novel, published in 1964, was expanded from an earlier short story. It tells the tale of the Star Watchman Emil Vorgens, a representative of the Terran Empire that covers over half the Milky Way, sent to the rebellious planet of Shinar. The Shinarians [...]"
"Ben Bova’s second novel, published in 1964, was expanded from an earlier short story. It tells the tale of the Star Watchman Emil Vorgens, a representative of the Terran Empire that covers over half the Milky Way, sent to the rebellious planet of Shinar. The Shinarians [...]"
May 14, 2023
DNF.
It was okay but really shows it’s age. It was also fairly sexist and I had a hard time relating to the characters despite enjoying the plot itself.
It was okay but really shows it’s age. It was also fairly sexist and I had a hard time relating to the characters despite enjoying the plot itself.
January 5, 2025
The Terran Empire defeated the Masters a century ago and now have the job of ruling the galaxy. There’s some unrest on the far flung planet of Shinar. The first rebel's grievance was that the Terrans were trying to industrialize this more agricultural world, buying up farms and putting the farmers out of work with no other job skills. Merdon, his son, took this further, stating that they wanted freedom and were willing to fight for it. Merdon invited the Komani onto the planet to fight the Terran garrison and their imperial marines. It was later pointed out to him that the Komani are barbarians and once they conquer the Terrans they’ll just pillage. Vorgens is a new graduate of the Star Watch and is sent to Shinar. The Star Watch being a military branch of the Empire, but separate from the garrison forces that are on the planet.
The sides were set up, Terrans, Komani, and Shinarians, then we find out that the Komani have bigger goals, that Shinar is a steppingstone to unite all of the Komani clans. A quick victory here would show how weak the Terrans are, and a galactic war would start. After that introduction we have a lot of military action, strategy and maneuvering. I wasn’t fully invested or convinced. For one there is no mention of gates or FTL travel, just one communication that a small reinforcement will arrive in six weeks. Evidently communication is not limited to light speed. Without ground rules it’s like he’s making it up as he goes along. Vorgens arrives with the general of the imperial marines seriously underestimating the strength of the barbarians, also unaware that the barbarians were allied with the rebels. We have the raw recruit, albeit from the Star Watch, having to watch the imperial marines get destroyed because of a hard headed leader. The idea of having the man with a new peaceful perspective was good, I didn't care much for the battles.
3.1 stars. The afterward said this started out as a short story that kept growing. It felt like a really long short story.
The sides were set up, Terrans, Komani, and Shinarians, then we find out that the Komani have bigger goals, that Shinar is a steppingstone to unite all of the Komani clans. A quick victory here would show how weak the Terrans are, and a galactic war would start. After that introduction we have a lot of military action, strategy and maneuvering. I wasn’t fully invested or convinced. For one there is no mention of gates or FTL travel, just one communication that a small reinforcement will arrive in six weeks. Evidently communication is not limited to light speed. Without ground rules it’s like he’s making it up as he goes along. Vorgens arrives with the general of the imperial marines seriously underestimating the strength of the barbarians, also unaware that the barbarians were allied with the rebels. We have the raw recruit, albeit from the Star Watch, having to watch the imperial marines get destroyed because of a hard headed leader. The idea of having the man with a new peaceful perspective was good, I didn't care much for the battles.
3.1 stars. The afterward said this started out as a short story that kept growing. It felt like a really long short story.
March 23, 2020
Good characterization. I thoroughly enjoyed it, didn't oversimplify the problems of war.
July 28, 2022
Interesting space adventure, probably a notch above the usual stuff in this genre (Bova was an award-winning editor).
Basically a young space officer comes to a planet at war, and works hard to stop the war (while also winning it, more or less) rather than just wipe out either side (or both) the way most heroes do in these novels.
There's a fair amount of military strategy and mind games with superiors from the hero, which makes it all a bit more interesting than I'd expected.
It's the second or third in a series, but that didn't seem to matter--it's a self-contained story for all intents and purposes (I haven't read any of the others).
Good stuff; a fun short read.
Basically a young space officer comes to a planet at war, and works hard to stop the war (while also winning it, more or less) rather than just wipe out either side (or both) the way most heroes do in these novels.
There's a fair amount of military strategy and mind games with superiors from the hero, which makes it all a bit more interesting than I'd expected.
It's the second or third in a series, but that didn't seem to matter--it's a self-contained story for all intents and purposes (I haven't read any of the others).
Good stuff; a fun short read.
February 7, 2017
This is one of Bova's first books and it shows. Bova certainly had problems with basic mechanical physics despite the fact he worked as a tech writer for an engineering company. His strength IMO was politics and that part was pretty good.
October 3, 2012
Overall, an interesting book. You could definitely tell that it was one of Ben Bova's earlier works, as there wasn't much in the way of story. The story could have been amazing, but it just seemed a bit too short. A good quick read for those who are into sci-fi. =) It only took me so long to read it because I tend to fall asleep as soon as I pick up a book. ;)
August 6, 2023
Hmm, this is a very simple book. I don’t think I would normally rate it so high, but I like how solid the characters felt, and while the plot was also simple it was still done well enough that I felt satisfied by the end. So yeah, four stars for the novella I think
June 17, 2009
I think this is more for younger readers, YA. I don't remember a lot about it and I do remember a lot of other Bova books so I don't think this was a favorite.
April 27, 2012
A little shakey if you are used to the grand tour books but still a fab story.loved the classic clarke style vision of nothingness,.enjoyed it & its alot older than me,.,.,.
July 7, 2014
Disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews