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Dumarest of Terra #28
Melome
"Welcome to the circus of Chen Wei! A spectacle of marvels culled from a thousand worlds! Things that will fill you with rapture!"
There could be little to surprise Dumarest. But Chen Wei's circus was special. It held Melome - the girl-child whose song could bring back forgotten data from the logs of lost spaceships and true visions of mythical Terra. She was surely the key to Dumarest's next step - but that circus was more than an entertainment. It was a deadly trap . . .
There could be little to surprise Dumarest. But Chen Wei's circus was special. It held Melome - the girl-child whose song could bring back forgotten data from the logs of lost spaceships and true visions of mythical Terra. She was surely the key to Dumarest's next step - but that circus was more than an entertainment. It was a deadly trap . . .
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 7, 1983
3 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Tubb
382 books85 followersEdwin Charles Tubb was a writer of science fiction, fantasy and western novels. He published over 140 novels and 230 short stories and novellas, and is best known for The Dumarest Saga (US collective title: Dumarest of Terra) an epic science-fiction saga set in the far future.
Much of Tubb's work has been written under pseudonyms including Gregory Kern, Carl Maddox, Alan Guthrie, Eric Storm and George Holt. He has used 58 pen names over five decades of writing although some of these were publishers' house names also used by other writers: Volsted Gridban (along with John Russell Fearn), Gill Hunt (with John Brunner and Dennis Hughes), King Lang (with George Hay and John W Jennison), Roy Sheldon (with H. J. Campbell) and Brian Shaw. Tubb's Charles Grey alias was solely his own and acquired a big following in the early 1950s.
An avid reader of pulp science-fiction and fantasy in his youth, Tubb found that he had a particular talent as a writer of stories in that genre when his short story 'No Short Cuts' was published in New Worlds magazine in 1951. He opted for a full-time career as a writer and soon became renowned for the speed and diversity of his output.
Tubb contributed to many of the science fiction magazines of the 1950s including Futuristic Science Stories, Science Fantasy, Nebula and Galaxy Science Fiction. He contributed heavily to Authentic Science Fiction editing the magazine for nearly two years, from February 1956 until it folded in October 1957. During this time, he found it so difficult to find good writers to contribute to the magazine, that he often wrote most of the stories himself under a variety of pseudonyms: one issue of Authentic was written entirely by Tubb, including the letters column.
His main work in the science fiction genre, the Dumarest series, appeared from 1967 to 1985, with two final volumes in 1997 and 2008. His second major series, the Cap Kennedy series, was written from 1973 to 1983.
In recent years Tubb updated many of his 1950s science fiction novels for 21st century readers.
Tubb was one of the co-founders of the British Science Fiction Association.
Much of Tubb's work has been written under pseudonyms including Gregory Kern, Carl Maddox, Alan Guthrie, Eric Storm and George Holt. He has used 58 pen names over five decades of writing although some of these were publishers' house names also used by other writers: Volsted Gridban (along with John Russell Fearn), Gill Hunt (with John Brunner and Dennis Hughes), King Lang (with George Hay and John W Jennison), Roy Sheldon (with H. J. Campbell) and Brian Shaw. Tubb's Charles Grey alias was solely his own and acquired a big following in the early 1950s.
An avid reader of pulp science-fiction and fantasy in his youth, Tubb found that he had a particular talent as a writer of stories in that genre when his short story 'No Short Cuts' was published in New Worlds magazine in 1951. He opted for a full-time career as a writer and soon became renowned for the speed and diversity of his output.
Tubb contributed to many of the science fiction magazines of the 1950s including Futuristic Science Stories, Science Fantasy, Nebula and Galaxy Science Fiction. He contributed heavily to Authentic Science Fiction editing the magazine for nearly two years, from February 1956 until it folded in October 1957. During this time, he found it so difficult to find good writers to contribute to the magazine, that he often wrote most of the stories himself under a variety of pseudonyms: one issue of Authentic was written entirely by Tubb, including the letters column.
His main work in the science fiction genre, the Dumarest series, appeared from 1967 to 1985, with two final volumes in 1997 and 2008. His second major series, the Cap Kennedy series, was written from 1973 to 1983.
In recent years Tubb updated many of his 1950s science fiction novels for 21st century readers.
Tubb was one of the co-founders of the British Science Fiction Association.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 2, 2025
Melome is one of the last novels in Tubb's epic space opera series that chronicles the long, long quest of Earl Dumarest, who searches all across the galaxy for his lost home world of Terra. He's opposed by the evil Cyclan (I always suspected they might be the inspiration for Battlestar Galactica's Cylons) in every volume, always meets an attractive and enthusiastic young lady or three, makes friends and enemies with some interesting human and alien characters, and has many incredible adventures. In this one he encounters the titular young telepath and learns that she has the ability to bring early memories up from the depths of his subconscious that may provide the clue he needs. She's sold to a circus before he can investigate more fully, so he has to follow her by infiltrating Chen Wei's circus. There are some rather dated gender attitudes, such as this on page 102: "You can make a fuss of them, spoil them, talk to them and make them purr. They'll let you stroke them and scratch their ears and roll over all nice and friendly as you could want. Then, as you turn, they'll rip out your spine. ... Cats and women- you can't trust either." But it is a good story, one of the less formulaic of the ones I've read so far, well-paced and with some clever ideas backed by Tubb's descriptive yet direct prose. The Vincent DiFate cover looks like he got a trio of Star Wars action figures to pose for him.
April 30, 2021
Tubb's best known series is The Dumarest Saga (US collective title: Dumarest of Terra). This is a far future epic science-fiction saga charting the adventures of traveler Earl Dumarest. A man who is trying to get back to his home planet, Earth. The problem is he is in a region of space so far distant that most people think the existence of the planet is a myth. Originally written in what Michael Moorcock has described as a "conscious and acknowledged imitation" of Leigh Brackett's Eric John Stark stories, the series subsequently developed a style of storytelling unique to Tubb.
Published over a span of more than 40 years, the Dumarest Saga comprised 33 novels. This is #28, and while some of the preceding books had started to get a repetitive and formulaic, he's back he's back on form. The story sees Dumarest infiltrate a circus, hoping to gain access to a girl whose song can unlock lost memories. Maybe one of these will reveal the location of Earth? This has a nice setting, and a great pace to it. Supporting characters are all fleshed out. And of course, the Cyclan are involved too. One of the better entries in the series.
Published over a span of more than 40 years, the Dumarest Saga comprised 33 novels. This is #28, and while some of the preceding books had started to get a repetitive and formulaic, he's back he's back on form. The story sees Dumarest infiltrate a circus, hoping to gain access to a girl whose song can unlock lost memories. Maybe one of these will reveal the location of Earth? This has a nice setting, and a great pace to it. Supporting characters are all fleshed out. And of course, the Cyclan are involved too. One of the better entries in the series.
November 10, 2020
A surprisingly good volume. Reads like a mystery novel with a surprising end.
Full review of the series in the last volume.
Full review of the series in the last volume.
January 20, 2012
Earl seeks the services of a telepath who can make others relive past memories. In the course of doing so, he joins the circus, kills some fools who gets in his way and works his way through several overly irrational women.
While this novel is a return to the formula used for the bulk of the earlier novels in the series, there is interesting movement in the Cyclan side story. Not being as boring as the most formulaic novels that came before it, this was worth the read.
While this novel is a return to the formula used for the bulk of the earlier novels in the series, there is interesting movement in the Cyclan side story. Not being as boring as the most formulaic novels that came before it, this was worth the read.
May 5, 2020
Re read this, same formula as the others but with a slightly darker edge I thought
Still my favorite retro Sci-Fi space opera series.
Sort of space travel in an almost Medieval setting and sensibilities, mannerisms etc
A quite unique series that follows a set formula but always entertaining
Dumarest is a born fighter who relies on his skill with a knife, his attractiveness to women and a lot of luck, plus uncanny reflexes and an indomitable will to survive.
Still my favorite retro Sci-Fi space opera series.
Sort of space travel in an almost Medieval setting and sensibilities, mannerisms etc
A quite unique series that follows a set formula but always entertaining
Dumarest is a born fighter who relies on his skill with a knife, his attractiveness to women and a lot of luck, plus uncanny reflexes and an indomitable will to survive.
October 19, 2016
In the home stretch. Another nugget for Dumarest towards finding home.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews