Space Ranger

Lucky Starr #1

by Isaac Asimov, Paul French (Pseudonym)

In the 1950's, Isaac Asimov, writing under the pseudonym Paul French (later the books were republished under the Asimov name), wrote six science fiction novels for teenagers about a young agent of the "Council of Science," an organization which has considerable power in a world in the distant future. The agent, David Starr, travels throughout the Solar System to combat crime and to protect Earth. Asimov was using these stories to teach the readers facts about the Solar System. Nevertheless, in an introduction written in 1978, Asimov apologizes for the science inaccuracies in this first volume that are now apparent after all of the space probes to Mars. But, as of 1952, it was accurate. (Actually, this introduction to a later reprinting of a science fiction novel is rather unique. I can not recall another author who makes an effort to point out the changes scientific investigation have provided since the original publication of a story. Asimov should be commended for this. In so doing, he continues to teach.) In this first story, David Starr must discover who is the cause of a series of fatal poisonings on Earth and who is blackmailing the farms on Mars. In so doing, he accidentally comes in contact with ancient Martians living beneath the surface.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space Opera, Adventure

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Works of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles, The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.

Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.

Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).

People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.

Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.

Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...

Reviews

[Salamon · Rating 4 out of 5]

اینجا داستان تکاور فضا (یا به قول آقای سعید سیمرغ یکه‌تاز فضا) با یه آلوی تولید مزارع مریخ شروع میشه، با کنکاش در این‌که مریخی‌ها (نه بچه‌کشاورز‌های مریخی) آیا وجود خارجی دارن یا نه ادامه پیدا می‌کنه و نهایتا با یه کلک نسبتاً جادویی به اتمام می‌رسه. لاکی استار یا همون تکاور فضا غیر از اثبات توانایی‌هاش در شروع ماجرا دستاورد مهم دیگه‌ای هم داره که پیدا کردن رفیق ریزجثه‌ی گرمابه و گلستانی به نام بیگمنه که پر سر و صدا و پر حرارت اما قابل اعتماده و خیال لاکی رو برای ادامه‌ی ماجراجویی‌هاش تا حدی آسوده می‌کنه.

     من برای اولین بار نبود که این داستان رو می‌خوندم و غافلگیری خاصی برام نداشت ولی این موضوع هیچ از جذابیت ماجرا کم نکرد. هر کسی که جرأت کرده باشه گوشش رو در شرایط خاصی به من قرض بده حتماً ازم شنیده که چطور ایده‌های خارق‌العاده‌ی آسیموف رو ستایش می‌کنم. از دید من جدا از بخش‌هایی از توصیفات علمی کتاباش که قاعدتاً به‌روز نیستند، ایده‌های نو و خلاقانه‌ای که به کار میبره (که من باور دارم که امروز هم کاملاً موضوعیت دارن) همزمان با تواناییش در تلفیق‌ جذابیت المان‌های داستانی و ماجراجویی، دستورالعملِ جادویی برای گرم کردن کوره‌ی حافظه هستن و من بعد از سال‌ها در مواقع مختلف یاد آزازل یا دیوید استار یا الیاس بیلی و یا موقعیت‌های داستان‌های کوتاهش و همچنین سری بنیاد می‌افتم. به همین دلیل هم با وجود نقص‌هایی که هست من به این کتاب چهار ستاره میدم.

در نهایت، اگر علاقه‌ای به فضا و سفر فضایی و کاراکترهای همه‌فن‌‌حریف دارین، قطعاً این مجموعه براتون خوشایند خواهد بود.


پ.ن: در مورد این ایده‌های خلاقانه بیشتر توضیح ندادم تا داستان اسپویل نشه.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Starr, Space Ranger was the first of the Lucky Starr books I found in my Dad's collection -- I had already eaten through all the Robot/Foundation novels from Asimov by this stage, and the Lens Men by E.E.Doc Smith -- and I just kept looking through all the old battered books. My Dad's editions are actually the editions in which Asimov went under a pseudonym, though I later went out and bought other editions from second hand bookshops to add to my own collection.

I adored David Starr, I adored how perfect he was. Maybe today we would call David Starr a Gary Stu or a Marty Stu, because he truly fits that mold but you know what, I didn't care and I still don't care! In fact, I wish books were still written with these types of character archetypes.
Why? Because it's entertainment, it is fantastical, it is escapism and it is fun.
What Asimov created in David Starr, Space Ranger was a character and a story that was simple, straight forward, fast and exciting. I envision this story rather like a movie, because if you have the right type of imagination, Asimov's beautiful writing style in its un-descriptive manner, will allow your mind to fill-in-the-blanks.

I truly wish I could find more science fiction like this today. That isn't afraid to have larger than life characters who will never be real. Because I believe it is okay to have unrealistic characters every now and then, that allow us to transport ourselves away from reality, and dream of Space Rangers.

So if you are looking for a space adventure, a plot that is simple, but an enjoyable read because seriously, anything Asimov is enjoyable, then I really would pick up David Starr, Space Ranger -- because everyone needs a Space Ranger in their imagination.

[GCR | Book Realm]

I received this audiobook through NetGalley.

This is definitely slower and simpler than the kind of sci-fi I usually gravitate toward, but knowing this is an older story written for a younger audience helped put the style into context.

This has more of a classic, straightforward space-adventure feel than a modern, fast-paced sci-fi thriller. The story is easy to follow and understand, and I can see the appeal for listeners who enjoy older sci-fi, YA adventure stories, and that more episodic space ranger style.

For me personally, it was not quite gripping enough. I usually connect more with sci-fi that has higher stakes, faster pacing, or a concept that really pulls me in, and this one felt more steady and simple. That said, I don’t think that is a flaw as much as a difference in audience and style.

The audiobook itself was solid. The narrator matched the classic adventure tone well and felt on point for the character. The performance kept the pacing in line with the older style of the story, and it was easy to follow as a listen.

Overall, this was not fully my usual kind of sci-fi, but the audio was well done, and the story has clear classic adventure appeal. I’d recommend it to listeners who enjoy older sci-fi, young-reader space adventures, straightforward storytelling, and classic space ranger-style stories.

[Abdollah zarei · Rating 3 out of 5]

تازه شروع یک داستان خوب بود. جا داشت خیلی بهتر باشه نسبت به سایر کارای آسیموف عزیز

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first novel in a series of six that Asimov wrote under the pseudonym of Paul French featuring David "Lucky" Starr. The books were intended to be the basis for a television series but that fell through. They were aimed for young readers and blended a strong action/adventure content with accurate (for the time) scientific concepts. They strike me as being strongly influenced by the Tom Corbett series by "Carey Rockwell" that Grosset & Dunlap published, as well as Hamilton's Captain Future books and perhaps (especially in this first one, Lucky's origin story) Superman. I didn't think they were as well-realized as Heinlein's juveniles, but I thought they were at least as good as Andre Norton's, Donald Wolheim's, or Lester del Rey's juveniles of the time. Fun stuff!

[Ozymandias · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s been a long while since I read any new books by Asimov. He was one of my favorite authors as a kid so there aren’t many of his I haven’t read, but I always turned aside the Lucky Starr books. I think it just looked too much like pure pulp unenlivened by his always-interesting big ideas. And I think that was a fair-enough assessment, although his other books (at least the pre-‘80s ones) were a lot more pulpy than I noticed at the time.

Stylistically this book is exactly what you want from ‘50s pulp scifi. Forcefields, blasters, and private spaceships appear alongside physical telegrams, microfilm, push-button controls, spectacles, etc. Radiation is still a magical device that can justify absolutely anything. Martians make sense and so does telepathy. Towards the end we get into superhero territory that sounds likes something out of Green Lantern, or rather, given the likely source of the story idea, from Lensman. The cheese factor is through the roof. Starr is literally working for the Council of Science which unofficially rules the planet. Crazy right? I mean, can you imagine a world it which scientifically-validated research has an actual effect on public opinion? Madness.

Starr is basically James Bond in space but without the transgressive qualities and with all the sexual energy of a dead brick wrapped in an emotionally unfulfilled lead condom. Perfect in every way, clean-shaven and morally pure enough to win the approval of ’50s parents, he is one step ahead of everyone else at all times. This is the opposite of how a good adventure story should go and the opposite of Asimov’s best characters too. Imagine how boring it would be if Lije Bailey was never wrong or in real danger of failing. Some of the other characters are entertaining. Chief among side characters is a small man called Bigman (haha) who serves as a comic relief/sidekick. He strikes me as a Boy Wonder type for all that he’s supposed to be a full-grown man. None of the rest really get sufficient development or characterization to stick in the memory. The villain is obvious to anyone who’s read a mystery novel, but only because of the role he fills in the story and not because his involvement or plan makes any sense.

The book’s threat is clear enough: random Martian-grown foodstuffs are being poisoned by unknown conspirators. It’s an interesting scheme: frame Mars for random killings and cripple their economy while stoking Earther-Martian tensions and dividing the governments for the benefit of unknown parties. Except... well. That’s not the consequence being dreaded. The fear is that this will cause Earth’s population to starve to death. Yeah. Somehow fear of dying by fast-acting poison will overrule fear of death by slow starvation. I mean, it might make sense if it was done in some numbers but we’re talking about 200 people out of five billion spread out over several months and continents and killed in secret. Starvation is not a consequence that can be taken seriously.

So the politics of this are rather crap and short-sighted. I’ll confess to being disappointed that someone as clear-sighted over the consequences of technological changes and individual reactions can be so remarkably oblivious to obvious political consequences and group behaviors. And it makes even less sense once the big secret has been revealed. In fact, I kept waiting for something deeper to appear beneath the apparently childish plan since it seemed impossible that this conspiracy couldn’t be tracked down in a matter of hours. Even without computers.

I’ve got to be honest: looking back at these scifi masterpieces is a little uncomfortable. The absence of any female characters is at least understandable considering the contemporary situation (props to Asimov for Susan Calvin at least, who’s not only the lead of I, Robot, at least until the film replaced her with a charismatic black man in a preview of the 2008 election, but also the most successful roboticist on the planet) but the assumption that the human future will be lily white is icky given that any such future would have to require the eternal marginalization or ethnic cleansing of non-Western ethnicities. It’s an unspoken ethnochauvinism that seems particularly grating seeing how directly Star Trek, the first serious television scifi program, was to confront it. It did not have to be this way in the ’50s either.

More worrying to me is the creepily fascistic ends-justify-means sort of ethos pervading these stories. It’s not just an occasional instance either but a recurring theme that extreme actions taken by intellectually-enlightened individuals are necessary and just (I still remember my Foundation course: “you must never let what is moral prevent you from doing what is right”). Pretty much every one of his heroes (certainly Starr) is an übermensch, capable of shifting the entire course of human civilization through his superior will and understanding and who can’t be constrained by conventional morality. I suppose this is a result of a craving for personal motivations over more complicated political theories, but it does make me think of The Iron Dream, which basically sends a big middle finger to these types of stories by writing one from the point of view of Hitler and showing just how few changes are necessary to turn space opera/high fantasy into Nazi propaganda. Sort of like Starship Troopers (the film at least) but even more cutting.

So I didn’t really like this book. It may have worked better as a serial, but I think that in any format this book would be considered silly. Which wouldn’t be too bad except that it’s mundane silliness. Many of the cliches being used (Martians, telepathy...) aren’t even interesting cliches and those that do still entertain are not utilized as well as they are in other novels. In some ways the book is actually too grounded, as the Solar System-limited story never quite lets us divorce ourself from all reality the way a grand galactic empire can. And Lucky Starr (or Space Ranger) is just a fantastically dull character. At least other pulp heroes had character faults and personality traits beyond being young and spunky and the destined child of destiny.

On the whole, unless you’re really obsessed with Silver Age space opera, it’s probably best to give this a miss. Try the Ensign Flandry series by Poul Anderson (whose hero is at least lovable roguish) or Lensman by Doc Smith (which has the benefit of being first). Or give Asimov’s excellent Robot, Galactic Empire, or Foundation series a go. They all come highly recommended.

Story: 5 (Occasionally fun and pulpy but mostly stale and unbelievable)
Characters: 3 (What characters?)

[The Frahorus · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Starr, giovane e brillante membro del Consiglio delle Scienze assiste per caso a un misterioso avvelenamento. È l'inizio di una appassionata indagine che lo porterà su Marte, a contatto con una società agricola che ricorda un po' il Far West per scoprire chi sta tramando contro la Terra. Entità aliene o assassini terrestri?
Primo romanzo di sei della serie Lucky Starr.

Stavolta il buon Dottore Asimov ci regala un romanzo per ragazzi pieno di azione e fresco, con una trama scorrevole e che si legge velocemente. Il suo desiderio o la sua idea era quella di farne una serie che sarebbe poi stata mandata in tv come telefilm sulla falsariga di Lone Ranger ma in chiave spaziale, creando così una sorta di western spaziale in cui il protagonista deve calarsi nei panni di detective per scoprire chi è che avvelena il cibo destinato ai terrestri. A me il protagonista più che un detective sotto falso nome mi è parso Ian Solo di Star Wars, a parte questo devo ancora comprendere come funziona quel dispositivo che gli è stato donato da quella persona (non posso dire quale) ma da quando ha iniziato ad usarlo è diventato praticamente Batman!

[Oleh Bilinkevych · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outdated

[Timothy Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is truly a product of its times, and I suspect Asimov, though most authors would never admit this, was somewhat embarrassed by it. I've not seen why he used a pseudonym for this series, but I could guess. It, like Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Tom Corbett behaves like a serial children's novel. It is part SF, part mystery, and part superhero story. Since the superhero element is so close to the crisis of the story, I won't reveal it, but suffice it to say that it is a gimmick that might work for children (not young adults) but most grown ups will shake their heads and, if they are the indulgent type, smile.

David Starr is the kind of clean-cut hero parents of the 1950s wanted to see their kids reading. The closest we get to a female character is a disembodied voice. The story is almost as if men spontaneously generated from the thin Martian dust. On the other hand, Starr is too smart for his adult manipulators. The Council of Science leaders try to manipulate him, but he is on to them and does what they want anyway, confident that he can carry off the program and still maintain secrecy. Likewise, the Council Rep on Mars is uncertain of this young man he has been ordered to trust, and is confused every step of the way, till Starr saves the day. Finally, his origins in a tragic loss of his parents and an extended time in space being bombarded by cosmic rays gives him the feel of a proto-Fantastic Four character, cum messiah. Who is this young man, where did he come from, and how did he become such a prodigy?

In the edition I read, Asimov entered a preface not quite apologizing for the outdated Mars science. By now, anyone reading a Mars story written before the 1970s knows they are reading a mythology more than science. In those days, with inadequate instrumentation, scientists were interpreting the planets as best they could using equal parts science and wishful thinking. Nobody expects Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars from a 50s Asimov or an ERB. These storys do not, though they should, serve to humble our trust in science. Scientists thought they were giving answers when all they were really doing was their best under the circumstances. That's all they're still doing.

I hate to say it, (goodness knows, I like books too much to be a negative reviewer) but Asimov will probably not last. Certainly David starr will not. Our culture has moved on to a more dynamic and a darker serial protagonist. Kids are not so naive as to think the Space Ranger can come through. However, if they're young enough, they might enjoy it, if they can get through the tech. So, perhaps reading Starr aloud to your elementary kids is about where we can expect this book to find a niche. I might read two more because I bought them, or I might just sell the whole pack to a used book store.

[⚔️Kelanth⚔️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucky Starr, il vagabondo dello spazio è un romanzo di fantascienza per ragazzi del 1952 di Isaac Asimov. Costituisce il primo volume del ciclo di Lucky Starr, una serie narrativa di space opera avventurosa pensato da Asimov per un eventuale pubblico televisivo. È stato pubblicato in italiano per la prima volta nel 1962 col titolo Veleno per la Terra e ripubblicato anche col titolo David Starr il cacciatore dello spazio.

Va detto subito che questa serie è stata scritta come la sceneggiatura per un telefilm destinato ad un pubblico molto giovane e infatti il personaggio era nato con questo scopo, dunque non aspettatevi il solito buon dottore del ciclo delle fondazioni o anche le varie sfaccettature dei libri sui robot. Questo romanzo -e l'intera serie di Lucky Starr - è veloce, immediato, avventuroso e di immediata lettura. Questo romanzo è il primo di una serie cui fa da sfondo il sistema solare e che dimostra l'abilità di Isaac Asimov come scrittore di pura ed efficacissima avventura. Il paladino invincibile, il compagno sbruffone, gli alieni misteriosi, l'intrigo planetario, un giallo come trama e le solite meraviglie tecnologiche di Asimov.

David "Lucky" Starr è un giovane scienziato del futuro con notevoli capacità d'investigatore: la sua prima missione lo porta su Marte, che l'ingegnosità dell'uomo ha trasformato in un mondo agricolo da cui provengono i rifornimenti per una terra sempre più affamata. Ma una mano assassina sta avvelenando i prodotti marziani, costringendo la Terra all'embargo nei loro confronti. A David Starr, meglio noto come il Vagabondo dello Spazio, il compito di scoprire il colpevole: sarà umano o apparterrà invece alla mitica, antichissima, sepolta razza dei signori di Marte?

Il libro fa parte del ciclo "La fantascienza degli anni d'oro", dove l'ambientazione richiama il western, con tutti i cliché del caso, arricchita dalla fantascienza ottimista degli anni in cui si stava guardando allo spazio come qualcosa di raggiungibile e forse colonizzabile.

Non male, semplice e divertente. E' adatto a chi si accosta per la prima volta alla fantascienza, con gli occhi di un ragazzo che ha voglia di avventure. Sicuramente leggerlo sarà un ottimo passatempo, tutt'altro che noioso se siete appassionati di fantascienza e se invece siete amanti fedeli del buon dottore, non dovete far altro che leggerlo.

[Robu-sensei · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world of Isaac Asimov's Lucky Starr is a young science geek's wildest dream come true. Imagine: a thousand years from now, the solar system's secret agents and protectors of the weak are...scientists! —Who don't mind showing off what they know!

Dr. Asimov often lamented the pernicious and ever-growing current of anti-intellectualism in American society. Was his series of young-adult Lucky Starr novels merely the public expression of an escapist fantasy universe, or did he intend to win young, intelligent minds to scientific inquiry by showing just how cool science could be?

In the first installment, young David Starr, newly inducted into the Council of Science, goes undercover to root out a mysterious and deadly conspiracy to hold Earth's food supply hostage. He meets and befriends spunky Martian John Bigman Jones, who quickly becomes his faithful, if not even-tempered, sidekick. This initial novel puts the Lucky Starr universe on a sound footing. The embedded mystery is compelling, although its resolution is (in my opinion) a little too simplistic to be completely convincing.

As one would expect, Dr. Asimov took pains to ensure that the Solar System providing the backdrop for Starr's adventures was consistent with contemporary knowledge of astronomy. However, it seems that every one of the Lucky Starr stories (except perhaps the second) contains at least one glaring anachronism, which the author lived to regret. In David Starr Space Ranger, the famous Martian canals, now known not to exist, featured prominently. Moreover, the Martian atmosphere in the story was thick enough to allow breathing with simple oxygen masks, whereas in actuality it is only about one percent of sea-level pressure on Earth. Mind you, these inaccuracies did nothing to lessen my enjoyment of the Lucky Starr tales, either in my youth or at the present time.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun science fiction mystery. Asimov owes a lot to the classics of the mystery genre in terms of how he structures his stories, and this one is a great example. A quick read, too.

[Executionereniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very pulpy, fairly rushed and action packed novellete written under a pseudonym for a reason. The best part was an unfortunately short dialogue between the main character and indigenous Martians and the breezy autobiography at the end of the book written by Paul French himself. Also, is this technically one of the first superhero books written? And also! the vintage cover, ah, it surely does pardon the $800 mark on ebay. Surely.

[Kush Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally reading one of the most well known sci-fi writers, I enjoyed reading that and i want to read more of his work, there was a part in the middle which really reminded me of the Arrival movie, I had to drop it down to 3 stars though as some of the dialogue can off a little corny

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Siempre tuve curiosidad por leer a ASIMOV. Ahora comprendo que no es un autor para mí. No creo que el texto sea malo, solo que ha envejecido mal y los personajes no son atractivos o creíbles. La trama o problemática probablemente sí haya sido WAO hace 50 años pero hoy no lo es. Fue muy muy aburrido 😔

[yasmine]

fun read!!
cant beat the classics

[Serena.. Sery-ously? · Rating 4 out of 5]

Io non capirò mai alcune scelte editoriali sulla traduzione dei titoli delle opere.. Da "David Starr, space ranger" passiamo a "Lucky Starr il vagabondo dello spazio". Ma dai!! Ma mica rende allo stesso modo! Inannzitutto non ho ben capito perché in italiano il povero David diventa fortunato.. Magari il mistero si rivolve nel secondo volume, chi lo sa!
Poi passare dal cazzutissimo "Space ranger" a "Vagabondo dello spazio".. Ce ne passa di acqua sotto i ponti! Prima di capire il senso di vagabondo, io già mi aspettavo di vedermi come protagonista una sottospecie di barbone galattico.. :D
Manco per niente.. XD
Il succo della cosa è: non lasciatevi ingannare dal titolo!
Il genere di Asimov, la fantascienza, non è il mio forte e a dirla tutta, mi spaventa un po'.. "Dovevo" leggere unlibro di fantascienza del secolo scorso e temevo di perdermi se avessi scelto un libro troppo lungo. Quindi la scelta è ricaduta su questo per un motivo ben poco nobile: la sua brevità .-.
Anche perché leggendo qualche commento non era data come l'opera migliore di Asimov..
A me è piaciuta un sacco! Probabilmente sì, troppo veloce e un po' semplicistica nello sviluppo, ma mi ha tenuto incollata fino a che non l'ho terminato..
Il mio approccio alla fantascienza è avvenuto un paio di anni fa quando mio padre ha riesumato dalla cantina la sua collezione Urania e ne ho letti qualcuno.. Ma non sono riuscita a farmeli piacere perché li sentivo troppo datati (oltre al fatto che certe storie erano davvero improponibili!!). Invece Asimov pur essendo degli anni '50, è di una modernità confortante, non lo sento datato.. Anzi, in lui riesco a vedere solo puro genio!
Tutto il mondo su Marte (e gli altri pianeti) che inventa, gli strumenti d'avanguardia.. Che meraviglia!
Poi vabbé, scrive davvero in un modo straordinario.. *_*
Devo ASSOLUTAMENTE decidermi a leggere Il suo Cilo della fondazione!
Come dicevo, probabilmente questo libro è sottotono rispetto ai grandi capolavori quindi magari per chi vuole approcciarsi ad Asimov e teme il sonno profondo per i temi, può iniziare da questo! Così poi a strada sarà tutta in discesa verso i capolavori di Asimov.. :)

[Sarah-Jayne Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

(This review may contain spoilers).

This was one book I read originally years ago, but recently decided to re-read the series. And even though there were parts of it that were cliched, it remains one of my favourite science fiction books.

One of my favourite parts of this book was the friendship that formed between David and Bigman. While David did seem like a character who was a bit too good to be true, there were problems he had... and I enjoyed seeing glimpses of his relationship with his honorary uncles, even though the book was really too short to allow me to see much of his history, apart from what was stated in the narration. At the same time, the reflections of David's past made me feel a lot of sympathy for him as a child.

I thought it was really good to see something of how the food poisoning would affect the residents of Earth, especially considering just how many people were still on Earth. Even though the information about Mars was outdated, I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to picture a lot of what had happened on the planet. I enjoyed seeing the effects of the gravity change and how different the culture on Mars was.

I did think that David could have come up with a better story than he did when he first went to Mars. While it was good to see that there were conflicts between him and many of the Mars workers on the farm he joined, it did seem fairly obvious who the bad guys were... or at least some of them. It would have been good to see a bit more of the world in general, but I did like seeing some of the technology used, both on Earth and Mars. I would have liked a bit more background on the things like emotions being linked to exposing the colourless tattoo, for example.

I really liked the opportunity to see what the real natives of Mars were like and it was also interesting to see how the communication through minds worked. And the Space Ranger itself was a really interesting idea, with an air of mystery added that I really liked seeing.

While I would have liked to see the book expanded upon, I did really enjoy reading it and I'm sure I would read it again in the near future.

[Tanvirul Islam · Rating 5 out of 5]

কিশোরদের জন্য পল ফ্রেঞ্চ ছদ্মনামে লেখা আসিমভের লাকি স্টার সিরিজের প্রথম বই। তার অন্যান্য বই এর মত জটিল মাইর প্যাচ নেইএখানে । কিন্তু পড়ার সময় মনে হয় মুহম্মদ জাফর ইকবালের সাইন্স ফিকশন পড়ছি। আমার মনে হয় বাংলা অনুবাদে পড়লে পাঠক বুঝতেই পারবে না এটা আসিমভের লেখা। এখানেও বিজ্ঞান কাউন্সিল আছে যারা সর্বময় প্রশাসনিক ক্ষমতার অধিকারী এবং ডেভিড স্টার সেটার একজন নবীন মেম্বার যে নানান রকম রহস্য সমাধান করে।

[Alex Memus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Дюна для самых маленьких.

Есть пескоходы (как warthog в Хало), есть дистикомбы и персональное защитное поле (как на Арракисе), есть красивый твист с настоящими марсианами и есть типичный скучный детектив от Азимова. В целом, оказалось намного веселее и задорнее чем я ожидал. Следующую книгу прочитаю точно, а там посмотрим.

[Rafael Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asimov escreveu esse livro usando pseudônimo, pois temia que a série juvenil que lhe foi encomendada virasse uma série televisiva medíocre. Mas o livro cria um herói com grande potencial, e mais tarde ele retirou o pseudônimo e assumiu a autoria.

[Carlos Gutiérrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novela juvenil sencillita, sin pretensiones más allá del mero entretenimiento y con un argumento simple.
Perfecta para no pensar.

[Mahdi Golestani]

اسیموف همیشه برام قلم روانی داشته . و همیشه ایده‌هاش رو دوست داشتم .
این کتاب هم باعث شد اصلا پشیمون نشم از اینکه مجموعه رو کامل تهیه کردم .
کتابی هست که یک لقمش نکردم اما میشه کتابی یک لقمه ایی نامیدش .
تنها ایرادی که میتونم بگیرم به این عنوان شرلوک هولمز بازی اخر داستان بود که تلاشی در جهت شکفت زده کردن مخاطب از هوش و نحوه ی حل معما داشت . واقعا چنین راهبردی رو نمیپسندم . البته نمیتوان خرده هم کرفت هرچه نباشد همانگونه که در مقدمه بیان شده این داستان به این جهت نوشته شده تا در مدیوم تلویزیون به مخاطب ارائه بشه . پس این ایرادی که میگیرم کاملا شخصی است .

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is such a blast! I've read a lot of Asimov because he really could just tell a story. It feels like he just about always mixed mystery with science fiction, too, which is such a great way to learn about what's happening.
This story is short but full of action. David Starr is on a mission to find out why people are being poisoned and not everyone wants him to succeed.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Patrik Sahlstrøm · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter garbage. Easy to see why it was originally published under a pseudonym... Take the worst elements of a poor spy-thriller and mix it unimaginative SF and you get this mess. Good thing to know that Asimov can write a lot better than this...

[Julie Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never knew that Isaac Asimov wrote any juvenile science fiction. However, he wrote a lot of books about Lucky Starr's adventures and they're being reprinted now 75 years later. So I picked up the first one from the library.

Not bad. Definitely a mystery which I wasn't expecting.

[Kelly Is Brighid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published during the 1950s. I can see the appeal. Reminds me of the Lone Ranger - for the approaching space age.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consider myself lucky to have been reading science fiction for a long while (And since you didn’t ask, it’s over 50 years!) One of the things that keeps me reading is that I appreciate how much the genre has changed. Like many of my age, my first introduction to science fiction novels was through the work of the so-called ‘Big Three’ – that’s Asimov, Clarke & Heinlein.  This was usually because they were the three most accessible authors to me in my small town in Northern England – they were what I could get my hands on, usually through the local library or second-hand copies at the local market.

However, time goes on and tastes change – what was popular 50 years ago, or even 15 years ago, is much less so now. Science fiction literature, despite often being claimed that it is ‘about the future’, is actually more about the times they were written, or indeed the readership at the time. In the 1930’s they were mainly adventure stories for boys, although admittedly things a bit weirder than your average western or pirate story. In the 1950’s, as we entered the Space Age, they were about Man’s (and yes, Man’s – it was still mainly a male readership) conquest of the solar system and the colonisation of places a bit nearer home – usually adventure stories set on Venus, Mars, and so on, with the odd galactic travel to vary things a little. These often showed how good humans were and how much potential they had when they travelled beyond our planet, as we undoubtedly would.

Of course, I am glad that things have moved on these days – I’m pleased to type that the science fiction of 2026 is more literate, more complex and more varied than ever before. More diverse characters, more complex characters, and a more diverse range of authors and cultures.  It’s partly what’s kept me reading for all of this time.

The result of this is that much of the genre’s past history has been left in the cosmic dust – perhaps more now than ever before today, when a book more than 5 years old is seen as ‘old’. The books in print available from the ‘Big Three’ appear to be less than a dozen in print, although admittedly more are available for devices such as the Kindle.

And let’s admit it, a lot of those stories have their place in time and perhaps deserve to remain there, although personally I still love reading stories published before I was born, mainly for their leanness of prose (paying by the word, as writers mainly were in the old days, tends to limit verbiage!), sheer energy and enthusiasm.

Which brings me to this book, a republication of a book first published in 1952, the point where many people looked forward to the colonisation of places beyond our Earth. The magazines were filled with such stories at that time.

Now published by Blackstone, after being out of print since the late 1990’s (which was a Book Club omnibus), I was interested to see how much the stories have held up.

From the publisher: David Starr, Space Ranger is the first book in the Lucky Starr series written by the legendary Isaac Asimov, author of I, Robot , Foundation , and the Galactic Empire series.

David reached for the sick man, lifting him as though he were a rag doll. Artificial respiration was useless. The Space Ranger had no illusion as to the possibility of recovery. He knew the symptoms--there had been many such cases lately--the sudden flushing, the loss of voice and breath, the hopeless minute's fight for life, and then, the end.

He turned to the trembling restaurant manager and identified himself. "My name is David Starr. I am a member of the Council of Science. What was the dead man eating before he collapsed?"

"Stewed marplums," the manager replied, wringing his hands in anguish. "Nothing like this has ever happened here before ..."

"Just the same you had better eliminate marplums from the menu," David said.

Extraterrestrial delicacies had laid claim to yet another victim!

 

 

The story is pretty straightforward. It is a throwback to the pulps – again, deliberately, filled with ‘derring-do’, Asimov himself once said about the series. I understand that ‘Space Ranger’ was meant to be the first in a series – there are six! – that were to coincide with a television series, which never happened.

Asimov himself seemed a little embarrassed by them – they were first published under the pseudonym of ‘Paul French’, perhaps so as not to be confused with the more usual fiction of Mr Asimov. They are very much minor works, which is interesting to see them republished, whilst much of Asimov’s 'grown-up' work is not.

The David “Lucky” Starr series were deliberately written for younger readers, without too much detail, depth and complexity. In other words, they were straightforward Sf adventure tales, like the pulp stories of the 1940’s, or perhaps like Heinlein’s juveniles and his Tom Corbett/Destination Moon scripts - Heinlein’s juvenile novel Space Cadet was published in 1948, and Destination Moon was released in 1950.

I can see that these may have been an attempt to cash in on the rising popularity of space stories at this time – see also Tom Corbett and Captain Future, for example - and the attraction of an Asimov television series quite tempting, even when it wasn’t made. This origin story of how David Starr became a Space Ranger clearly has elements in common with other popular series of the time as well, such as Jack Williamson’s Legion of Space series and the space opera of E E ‘Doc’ Smith’s Lensmen series. There are plot coincidences, but none more so than say Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers or Tom Corbett. The idea of telepathic communication, as shown by mysterious aliens, is straight out of the ideas around ESP and the like in the 1950’s. This also dates the novel a little more for me.

It would be easy to criticise David Starr for those reasons, but at the same time there’s a lot that is rather refreshing.  There is an outlook that although the place is dangerous, there is hope and optimism for the future, which is very 1950’s:

“You have a questioning mind that seeks to understand what it dimly senses, without possessing the truer, deeper senses that alone can reveal reality to you. In your futile seeking after the shadows that encompass you, you drive through space to the outermost limits of the Galaxy. It is as I have said; — has named you well. You are a race of Space Rangers indeed.”

To go with this retro feel, the Mars that David Starr is upon is  ‘old-style Mars’, with its dangerous deserts and desolate sandy landscapes. Most of all, the story has a beguiling enthusiasm and energy that is less cynical and more romantic (in its widest sense) that contemporary stories often lack. Less surprisingly, the science has also dated – Asimov himself pointed this out in an introduction he wrote to the book in 1970/71.

George RR Martin said it like this in his deliberately retro anthology Old Mars in 2012:

“Yes, the Mars of Percival Lowell and Norman Bean and Leigh Brackett and C. L. Moore and Ray Bradbury does not exist, but why should that mean we cannot write about it? Science fiction is and always has been part of a great romantic tradition in literature, and romance has never been about realism”.

I did find it interesting that David Starr may have inspired later writers – do the sandy deserts of Mars suggest Tatooine or Arrakis, for example? The killer dust storms of the planet Asimov depicted here did make me think a little of Frank Herbert’s Dune, whilst the sand car races across the desert and David Starr’s ‘force-blade’ weapon rather sound like things George Lucas may have liked:

“Outwardly, it was merely a short shaft of stainless steel that was a little thicker than the shaft of a knife but which could still be held nicely in the palm. Within it was a tiny motor that could generate an invisible nine-inch-long, razor-thin force-field that could cut through anything composed of ordinary matter. Armor was of no use against it, and since it could slice through bone as easily as through flesh, its stab was almost invariably fatal.”

Can you still tell that Space Ranger is an Asimov story? No, not really, but of course this may be deliberate, and why the book was initially published under a pseudonym.

The only things that suggested that it was Asimov to me was the author’s occasional lapse into explaining science – Asimov by this point was beginning to write non-fiction as well as fiction, and I feel that that has resulted in a lot of ‘telling’ coming through in places.

Secondly, the mystery element of the story – who or what is poisoning Martian foodstuffs for ill gain - feels like typical Asimov, and something akin to his later work The Caves of Steel (1953) or his Tales of the Black Widowers mysteries, perhaps.

The bottom line is whether these would be read by younger readers of today, those starting out reading SF? Well, there’s no ‘bad language’, nothing there to offend young readers as far as I could tell, although there are people murdered and killed, which create a darker plot element that may be an issue.

The dialogue definitely feels like it is from the 1950’s, with its fair share of made-up names and mild expletives - ”Great Galaxy!” and “By Jupiter!” being just two of them that might be derisory today.

There is also the issue that girls are not in the plot, as was often the case in the stories of the 1950’s (Heinlein’s writing was a notable exception), and I guess that that may alienate some of the readers.

But generally, and despite all of this, David Starr was a short, quick read – easy to understand and follow, where the good guys hold up morals and ethics such as honesty, decency, loyalty and friendship, and the bad guys are clearly not good and get everything they deserve by the end of the novel – and as such it was an enjoyable read, a throwback to the old-fashioned pulp of old and reminded me of the books I read when I started. If you can live with the limitations of the plot and the unpretentious characters, it is a great fun read, although must not be thought of as Asimov’s best.

[Janne Wass · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading Isaac Asimov's grand epics, "I, Robot" and "Foundation", published 1950 and 1951, respectively, it's a bit of a letdown to take on the first book in his 6-volume juvenile series. Not that's it's a bad book, per se, but because it has a faint whiff of Asimov's grand ideas, but they are executed in the derivative and clunky manner of a boys' adventure novel.

The hero Lucky Starr is sent to the farms on Mars to investigate a case of poisonous produce, that has killed over 200 people on Earth. Undercover, he takes up a job as a farm hand, and strikes up a friendship with the small but feisty Bigman, his sidekick in subsequent novels. Together they uncover a villainous plot, and through sabotage of a Mars speeder, Lucky discovers an underground civilisation of incorporeal Martians, who gift him with a wondrous "mask", invisible and hidden away when not used, but which when activated creates a powerful force field which both protects and disguises its bearer. With the "mask", Lucky creates his alter ego, the Space Ranger, and confronts the bad guys in a rather disappointing finale that plays out like an Agatha Christie book, rather than SF adventure.

The novel was originally created to serve as basis for a TV series, inspired by the western hero "Lone Ranger", but in space. It was shelved when the producers found out that another similar show, "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" was already in pre-production. However, the TV angle may explain the somewhat lacklustre and unimaginative plot of Asimov's first book in the series (which went on to more fantastical spheres after it was freed from its TV constraints). It's clear the dusty farm setting on Mars was designed for cheap filming on a western set, and the invisible Martians and the lack of action requiring special effects also caters for TV. Even the "glow" of the mask would have been relatively easy to do by over-exposing parts of the print. It's still an entertaining juvie, but not one of Asimov's proudest moments.

[William Saeednia-Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great adventure/detective story for young adults that has stood the test of time remarkably well in some ways...less well in certain other ways.

This was my first time reading this book as an adult. My 12 year old self loved this book (though not as much as Second Foundation - I had taste even back then). I was a bit worried as to how it would read to an adult with a bit more scientific knowledge.

Well it was great! While clearly intended for a younger audience, this was a fun adventure with a good detective-style mystery and a hefty dose of science thrown in.

Dr Asimov intended to teach science through these books, something my younger self absolutely loved. Of course since the time of writing our knowledge of the solar system has been radically transformed. That said, this first book, which is set on Mars, has aged remarkably well. In fact the description of a Martian dust-storm beats The Martian under the table.

What has not aged quite so well are certain social details. While there is a mention of a 'sister' and a mother, no female actually appears in the book. On the other hand there are plenty of cigar/pipe smoking men puffing away. Who knows? Perhaps the distant future resembles the 1950s?

Did I enjoy this book? Absolutely!

Would I suggest this to a youngster today? Possibly... but only after a chat explaining a bit of 1950s culture to them.

Would I like someone to write a similar interplanetary romp with more that 0% of the characters being female? Absolutely! (Seriously - how do they reproduce in the future? Mitosis?)

What this book did bring home to me was the gap that I find in SF books. I find plenty of books for little kids. I find plenty for teens of ages 14+. I don't find much for ages 10-12ish when young people have the reading ability and interest to deal with big concepts - but perhaps not the maturity/interest to deal with some of the harsher topics dealt with in much of YA literature.

Books like Space Ranger were aimed at that demographic and aimed to be "improving" - which was great in that it got people into science, however now I'd like to see a new wave of "improving" books for the younger reader, promoting the idea that gender has utterly nothing to do with one's ability to save the universe with science.

Goodness knows we need young scientists to save us all.