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The Colors of Space
-SUDDEN PANIC-
It was a week before the Lhari ship went into warp-drive, and all that time young Bart Steele had stayed in his cabin. He was so bored with his own company that the Mentorian medic was a welcome sight when he came to prepare him for cold-sleep.
The Mentorian paused, needle in hand. "Do you wish to be wakened for the time we shall spend in each of the three star systems, sir? You can, of course, be given enough drug to keep you in cold-sleep until we reach your destination."
Bart felt tempted -- he wanted very much to see the other star systems. But he couldn't risk meeting other passengers.
The needle went into his arm. In sudden panic, he realized he was helpless. The ship would touch down on three worlds, and on any of them the Lhari might have his description, or his alias! He could be taken off, unconscious, and might never wake up! He tried to move, to protest, but he couldn't. There was a freezing moment of intense cold and then nothing. . . .
It was a week before the Lhari ship went into warp-drive, and all that time young Bart Steele had stayed in his cabin. He was so bored with his own company that the Mentorian medic was a welcome sight when he came to prepare him for cold-sleep.
The Mentorian paused, needle in hand. "Do you wish to be wakened for the time we shall spend in each of the three star systems, sir? You can, of course, be given enough drug to keep you in cold-sleep until we reach your destination."
Bart felt tempted -- he wanted very much to see the other star systems. But he couldn't risk meeting other passengers.
The needle went into his arm. In sudden panic, he realized he was helpless. The ship would touch down on three worlds, and on any of them the Lhari might have his description, or his alias! He could be taken off, unconscious, and might never wake up! He tried to move, to protest, but he couldn't. There was a freezing moment of intense cold and then nothing. . . .
141 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
125 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
800 books4,879 followersMarion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series, often with a feminist outlook.
Bradley's first published novel-length work was Falcons of Narabedla, first published in the May 1957 issue of Other Worlds. When she was a child, Bradley stated that she enjoyed reading adventure fantasy authors such as Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and Leigh Brackett, especially when they wrote about "the glint of strange suns on worlds that never were and never would be." Her first novel and much of her subsequent work show their influence strongly.
Early in her career, writing as Morgan Ives, Miriam Gardner, John Dexter, and Lee Chapman, Marion Zimmer Bradley produced several works outside the speculative fiction genre, including some gay and lesbian pulp fiction novels. For example, I Am a Lesbian was published in 1962. Though relatively tame by today's standards, they were considered pornographic when published, and for a long time she refused to disclose the titles she wrote under these pseudonyms.
Her 1958 story The Planet Savers introduced the planet of Darkover, which became the setting of a popular series by Bradley and other authors. The Darkover milieu may be considered as either fantasy with science fiction overtones or as science fiction with fantasy overtones, as Darkover is a lost earth colony where psi powers developed to an unusual degree. Bradley wrote many Darkover novels by herself, but in her later years collaborated with other authors for publication; her literary collaborators have continued the series since her death.
Bradley took an active role in science-fiction and fantasy fandom, promoting interaction with professional authors and publishers and making several important contributions to the subculture.
For many years, Bradley actively encouraged Darkover fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories. As a result, the novel remained unpublished, and Bradley demanded the cessation of all Darkover fan fiction.
Bradley was also the editor of the long-running Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which encouraged submissions of fantasy stories featuring original and non-traditional heroines from young and upcoming authors. Although she particularly encouraged young female authors, she was not averse to including male authors in her anthologies. Mercedes Lackey was just one of many authors who first appeared in the anthologies. She also maintained a large family of writers at her home in Berkeley. Ms Bradley was editing the final Sword and Sorceress manuscript up until the week of her death in September of 1999.
Probably her most famous single novel is The Mists of Avalon. A retelling of the Camelot legend from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, it grew into a series of books; like the Darkover series, the later novels are written with or by other authors and have continued to appear after Bradley's death.
Her reputation has been posthumously marred by multiple accusations of child sexual abuse by her daughter Moira Greyland, and for allegedly assisting her second husband, convicted child abuser Walter Breen, in sexually abusing multiple unrelated children.
(from Wikipedia)
Bradley's first published novel-length work was Falcons of Narabedla, first published in the May 1957 issue of Other Worlds. When she was a child, Bradley stated that she enjoyed reading adventure fantasy authors such as Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and Leigh Brackett, especially when they wrote about "the glint of strange suns on worlds that never were and never would be." Her first novel and much of her subsequent work show their influence strongly.
Early in her career, writing as Morgan Ives, Miriam Gardner, John Dexter, and Lee Chapman, Marion Zimmer Bradley produced several works outside the speculative fiction genre, including some gay and lesbian pulp fiction novels. For example, I Am a Lesbian was published in 1962. Though relatively tame by today's standards, they were considered pornographic when published, and for a long time she refused to disclose the titles she wrote under these pseudonyms.
Her 1958 story The Planet Savers introduced the planet of Darkover, which became the setting of a popular series by Bradley and other authors. The Darkover milieu may be considered as either fantasy with science fiction overtones or as science fiction with fantasy overtones, as Darkover is a lost earth colony where psi powers developed to an unusual degree. Bradley wrote many Darkover novels by herself, but in her later years collaborated with other authors for publication; her literary collaborators have continued the series since her death.
Bradley took an active role in science-fiction and fantasy fandom, promoting interaction with professional authors and publishers and making several important contributions to the subculture.
For many years, Bradley actively encouraged Darkover fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories. As a result, the novel remained unpublished, and Bradley demanded the cessation of all Darkover fan fiction.
Bradley was also the editor of the long-running Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which encouraged submissions of fantasy stories featuring original and non-traditional heroines from young and upcoming authors. Although she particularly encouraged young female authors, she was not averse to including male authors in her anthologies. Mercedes Lackey was just one of many authors who first appeared in the anthologies. She also maintained a large family of writers at her home in Berkeley. Ms Bradley was editing the final Sword and Sorceress manuscript up until the week of her death in September of 1999.
Probably her most famous single novel is The Mists of Avalon. A retelling of the Camelot legend from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, it grew into a series of books; like the Darkover series, the later novels are written with or by other authors and have continued to appear after Bradley's death.
Her reputation has been posthumously marred by multiple accusations of child sexual abuse by her daughter Moira Greyland, and for allegedly assisting her second husband, convicted child abuser Walter Breen, in sexually abusing multiple unrelated children.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
October 15, 2021
Excellent example
Verified Purchase
This review is from: The Colors of Space (Kindle Edition)
Excellent example of Bradley's juvenile fiction. I read it as a child and found it still interesting as an adult. We now know that despite her ability as an author, Bradley's personal life was less than exemplary to put it mildly. I understand that the publisher of her digital books is donating all income to childrens' charity. I do not know about the hard copy books. Perhaps her daughter, who asserts that she was abused, benefits.
Verified Purchase
This review is from: The Colors of Space (Kindle Edition)
Excellent example of Bradley's juvenile fiction. I read it as a child and found it still interesting as an adult. We now know that despite her ability as an author, Bradley's personal life was less than exemplary to put it mildly. I understand that the publisher of her digital books is donating all income to childrens' charity. I do not know about the hard copy books. Perhaps her daughter, who asserts that she was abused, benefits.
August 25, 2022
When I read this book as a child, I thought I was reading the H.P. Lovecraft title, and was upset that it wasn't what my friends said it was about. That goes to show how dopey I was as a kid. Still am, actually.
But at least I am a little wiser, and so reading it again as an adult really made me appreciate this little gem all the more. Yes, the language used here is quite juvenile, and it sometimes forgets its audience and slips into some hard science fiction, but for me, the mish-mash of styles makes it all the more charming as it is innovative.
If you hadn't gotten a chance to read this one when you were younger, I'd still recommend giving it a try. There's enough action and stimulating science ideas to keep kids of all ages, even one as dense as me, engaged for many more generations.
But at least I am a little wiser, and so reading it again as an adult really made me appreciate this little gem all the more. Yes, the language used here is quite juvenile, and it sometimes forgets its audience and slips into some hard science fiction, but for me, the mish-mash of styles makes it all the more charming as it is innovative.
If you hadn't gotten a chance to read this one when you were younger, I'd still recommend giving it a try. There's enough action and stimulating science ideas to keep kids of all ages, even one as dense as me, engaged for many more generations.
February 6, 2013
I love when I find little novella gems like this one. With a book that’s only about 100 pages long, I worry that I’m giving away the entire story by telling the basic plot, so I’ll have to be careful. The setting is a future when we’ve encountered another intelligent race in the universe, and they’ve shared some (but not all) of their space travel secrets with us. It’s that one little secret that the Lhari refuse to share with us (and one small lie) that allows them to have the monopoly on warp-speed space travel. Our hero, Bart, is flung headlong, unwillingly, and without choice into an adventure whose main goal is to uncover the secrets and lies of the Lhari. Along the way, he finds an 8th color and a more civilized race than he originally expected.
I feel as if I’m leaving out so much about what I love in this book by trying to tiptoe around some of the major plot points: the disguises, the relationships, and the social hierarchy between the races. But one interesting point that I won’t leave out is that the Lhari are color-blind in the sense that everything that they see is monochromatic. This means that they cannot see the beauty of space in the brilliancy of color that humans can. Identification of bodies in outer space can never be made by color without the use of a spectrometer. And what a pity. There’s one scene in this book that I love in which Bart is watching the beautiful colors of space pass by and lamenting that his Lhari friend cannot appreciate it with him. It brought to mind the beautiful scenes of warp-speed space travel from the television series Stargate Universe.
A search for an item which is an 8th color that Bart has never seen before plays a large part of the plot of the book. For what it's worth, my earliest memory is wondering why the world wasn't as brilliant as I'd expected and asking myself: "Where are all the other colors?" I don't know where I got the idea we didn't have enough colors in the world, but I still do sometimes wish there were more ... or that our eyes were able to see more of the color spectrum such as ultraviolet like some birds & insects can. i09 has an interesting article about hypothetical colors and impossible colors. Apparently, though, some humans with aphakia can see ultraviolet light. But I'd not want to have to have cataract surgery to aquire such an ability. And I would doubt that a normal human would be able to see an 8th color without the genetic disposition of tolerating brighter light than normal as Bart has. But it doesn’t seem that the 8th color is ultraviolet or he would have certainly encountered it on earth before.
I’ve written so many words for such a short book, but I felt that I had to. I only wish that the author had other books that looked interesting to me (she tends to write fantasy instead of sci-fi, and I tend to like sci-fi far more than fantasy). However, I keep encountering mention of the “Darkover” series and am curious enough to have downloaded the first novella of the series (The Planet Savers) since it was free. I fear that it may be a gateway drug to a different genre. We shall see.
Anyway, do yourself a favor and get a free e-copy of this book to keep around to read when you’re in the mood for a sci-fi space-travel novella.
I feel as if I’m leaving out so much about what I love in this book by trying to tiptoe around some of the major plot points: the disguises, the relationships, and the social hierarchy between the races. But one interesting point that I won’t leave out is that the Lhari are color-blind in the sense that everything that they see is monochromatic. This means that they cannot see the beauty of space in the brilliancy of color that humans can. Identification of bodies in outer space can never be made by color without the use of a spectrometer. And what a pity. There’s one scene in this book that I love in which Bart is watching the beautiful colors of space pass by and lamenting that his Lhari friend cannot appreciate it with him. It brought to mind the beautiful scenes of warp-speed space travel from the television series Stargate Universe.
A search for an item which is an 8th color that Bart has never seen before plays a large part of the plot of the book. For what it's worth, my earliest memory is wondering why the world wasn't as brilliant as I'd expected and asking myself: "Where are all the other colors?" I don't know where I got the idea we didn't have enough colors in the world, but I still do sometimes wish there were more ... or that our eyes were able to see more of the color spectrum such as ultraviolet like some birds & insects can. i09 has an interesting article about hypothetical colors and impossible colors. Apparently, though, some humans with aphakia can see ultraviolet light. But I'd not want to have to have cataract surgery to aquire such an ability. And I would doubt that a normal human would be able to see an 8th color without the genetic disposition of tolerating brighter light than normal as Bart has. But it doesn’t seem that the 8th color is ultraviolet or he would have certainly encountered it on earth before.
I’ve written so many words for such a short book, but I felt that I had to. I only wish that the author had other books that looked interesting to me (she tends to write fantasy instead of sci-fi, and I tend to like sci-fi far more than fantasy). However, I keep encountering mention of the “Darkover” series and am curious enough to have downloaded the first novella of the series (The Planet Savers) since it was free. I fear that it may be a gateway drug to a different genre. We shall see.
Anyway, do yourself a favor and get a free e-copy of this book to keep around to read when you’re in the mood for a sci-fi space-travel novella.
September 20, 2013
Yes, the characterisation is wafer-thin. The world-building is dodgy-as, the narrative is held together with coincidence gum and deus ex machina wire, and the plot point that is the fulcrum of the whole story is one of the more ludicrous bits of pseudoscience in Space Opera history. Nevertheless, I am giving this five stars.
You see, I read this book when I was very young, so I could visualise the scenes with the vividness of the very young, so the enthusiastic descriptions of the beauties of space have sunk deep into my marrow and become part of my being:
Swirling past the ship, gleaming in the reflected sunlight like iron filings moving to the motion of a magnet, were the waves upon waves of cosmic dust- tiny free electrons, ions, particles of gas; free of the heavier atmosphere, themselves invisible, they formed in their billions into bright clouds around the ship; pale, swirling veils of mist. And through their dim shine, the brilliant flares of the fixed stars burned clear and steady, so far away that even the hurling motion of the ship could not change their positions.
One by one he picked out the constellations. Aldebaran swung on the pendant chain of Taurus like a giant ruby. Orion strode across the sky, a swirling nebula at his belt. Vega burned, cobalt blue, in the heart of the Lyre.
Colours, colours! Inside the atmosphere of Earth’s night, the stars had been pale white sparks against black. Here, against the misty-pale swirls of cosmic dust, they burned with colour heaped on colour; the bloody burning crimson of Antares, the metallic gold of Capella, the sullen pulsing of Betelgeuse. They burned, each with its own inward flame and light, like handfuls of burning jewels flung by some giant hand upon the swirling darkness. It was a sight Bart felt he could watch forever and still be hungry to see; the never-changing, ever-changing colours of space.
More importantly, in a genre which usually presents violence as the main way for protagonists to solve their problems, the Colours of Space is a magnificent description of non-violent conflict resolution. Both the possibilities and the limitations of non-violence are shown. The protagonist decides that the means do not justify the ends, and makes a hard decision not to resort to violence. Things work out okay in the end for everyone, but it is not a Care Bear universe where a happy ending was a foregone conclusion: people on both sides have been killed for less, though off-screen. The motivation for the antagonists to settle the conflict non-violently makes sense. The way the ending unfolds without bloodshed made a strong impact on me when I was very young and holds up well today.
I first became aware of our symbiotic bioflora from reading this book, so it played a role, I am sure, in determining my present conviction that our bacterial-pals-who-are-fun-to-be-with are more important than commonly supposed, and more effort should be put into understanding them.
On re-reading, I have also got a sneaking suspicion that the protagonist’s selfless revelation of his exceedingly valuable information to humanity at large played a role in determining my present attitude towards ‘intellectual property’. (viz. Property is theft. Intellectual property is intellectual theft. All that can be known or created exists eternally in the mind of God.)
So: read this book when you are still young, and let it work upon you, and you will probably turn out like me.
You see, I read this book when I was very young, so I could visualise the scenes with the vividness of the very young, so the enthusiastic descriptions of the beauties of space have sunk deep into my marrow and become part of my being:
Swirling past the ship, gleaming in the reflected sunlight like iron filings moving to the motion of a magnet, were the waves upon waves of cosmic dust- tiny free electrons, ions, particles of gas; free of the heavier atmosphere, themselves invisible, they formed in their billions into bright clouds around the ship; pale, swirling veils of mist. And through their dim shine, the brilliant flares of the fixed stars burned clear and steady, so far away that even the hurling motion of the ship could not change their positions.
One by one he picked out the constellations. Aldebaran swung on the pendant chain of Taurus like a giant ruby. Orion strode across the sky, a swirling nebula at his belt. Vega burned, cobalt blue, in the heart of the Lyre.
Colours, colours! Inside the atmosphere of Earth’s night, the stars had been pale white sparks against black. Here, against the misty-pale swirls of cosmic dust, they burned with colour heaped on colour; the bloody burning crimson of Antares, the metallic gold of Capella, the sullen pulsing of Betelgeuse. They burned, each with its own inward flame and light, like handfuls of burning jewels flung by some giant hand upon the swirling darkness. It was a sight Bart felt he could watch forever and still be hungry to see; the never-changing, ever-changing colours of space.
More importantly, in a genre which usually presents violence as the main way for protagonists to solve their problems, the Colours of Space is a magnificent description of non-violent conflict resolution. Both the possibilities and the limitations of non-violence are shown. The protagonist decides that the means do not justify the ends, and makes a hard decision not to resort to violence. Things work out okay in the end for everyone, but it is not a Care Bear universe where a happy ending was a foregone conclusion: people on both sides have been killed for less, though off-screen. The motivation for the antagonists to settle the conflict non-violently makes sense. The way the ending unfolds without bloodshed made a strong impact on me when I was very young and holds up well today.
I first became aware of our symbiotic bioflora from reading this book, so it played a role, I am sure, in determining my present conviction that our bacterial-pals-who-are-fun-to-be-with are more important than commonly supposed, and more effort should be put into understanding them.
On re-reading, I have also got a sneaking suspicion that the protagonist’s selfless revelation of his exceedingly valuable information to humanity at large played a role in determining my present attitude towards ‘intellectual property’. (viz. Property is theft. Intellectual property is intellectual theft. All that can be known or created exists eternally in the mind of God.)
So: read this book when you are still young, and let it work upon you, and you will probably turn out like me.
June 15, 2012
I first read this book thirty years ago, then recently came across it free on Gutenberg. I'm surprised how much of it stuck with me. When I was twelve, I had no idea it was a YA novel (the paperback wasn't marketed as such) nor did I realize the book was already 20 years old. I was reading lots of Golden Age SF at the time, so by comparison The Colors of Space probably felt positively modern.
At the time of its original publication, I wonder if it was a little subversive. After all, it involves the human race being economically subjugated by the alien Lhari, whose monopoly on interstellar travel is based on a lie - that humans can't survive FTL except in hibernation. Once the whole us-vs-them scenario is set up, though, the whole story becomes an exercise in humanizing the enemy. The plucky teenage hero masquerades as one of the Lhari, infiltrates one of their crews, and sets out to steal the secret of Warp Drive (five years pre-Star Trek) - but comes to realize that the Lhari aren't evil, and that for the most part they're just a bunch of regular guys (except for the retractable claws and color-blindness).
That such a "why can't we all just get along" story was written in the paranoid "with us or against us" years between Korea and Vietnam just goes to show that in science fiction you can get away with anything. Then again, at least the bad guy aliens were good old capitalists at heart.
At the time of its original publication, I wonder if it was a little subversive. After all, it involves the human race being economically subjugated by the alien Lhari, whose monopoly on interstellar travel is based on a lie - that humans can't survive FTL except in hibernation. Once the whole us-vs-them scenario is set up, though, the whole story becomes an exercise in humanizing the enemy. The plucky teenage hero masquerades as one of the Lhari, infiltrates one of their crews, and sets out to steal the secret of Warp Drive (five years pre-Star Trek) - but comes to realize that the Lhari aren't evil, and that for the most part they're just a bunch of regular guys (except for the retractable claws and color-blindness).
That such a "why can't we all just get along" story was written in the paranoid "with us or against us" years between Korea and Vietnam just goes to show that in science fiction you can get away with anything. Then again, at least the bad guy aliens were good old capitalists at heart.
February 14, 2021
Iespējams, ka var šķist naivs stāsts mūsdienu izpratnē, bet man ļoti patika stāstā iestrādātais morālais kompass un utopiskā cerība, ka visi var draudzīgi sadzīvot (arī cilvēki, ja pacenšas). Noteikti ne tā kvalitatīvākā vai dziļākā proza, bet ļoti patīkams laika kavēklis un ātrā notikumu attīstība ļoti labi noturēja uzmanību audio formā.
May 1, 2024
Uma leitura diferente pois não é o género de livro que estou habituada a ler.
Agradável e de leitura simples.
3.5 *
Agradável e de leitura simples.
3.5 *
July 28, 2025
short sci-fi action/intrigue - interesting commentary on political changemaking tied up in a fun but slightly goofy 80s world - (could have benefitted from a woman as anything other but the main character's love interest). plot kept me guessing and interested without feeling forced. particularly felt like we really got to know the changing perspective of the main character.
January 9, 2018
This is one of MZB's early books (she began publishing in 1958.) It is a stand alone, not part of any series. Sometimes considered to be a young adult novel, it features a young man just graduated from college.
Bart Steele, the recent graduate of the Space Academy on Earth, learns that his father has been murdered but has sent him a message: "Bart, I send money and instructions by my friend. Do as he says. Don't go home, Dad."
The time is far future, space travel is common, but the secret of travel faster than the speed of light is jealously guarded by a non-human race, the Lhari. The pace is relentless and Bart becomes the young man who must wrest the secret from the Lhari by going undercover as one of them.
Though the writing is a bit lame, the story is a fun read with interesting twists. Bart learns that the Lhari are non-violent and peace loving but color blind. His mission is to avert war while learning the big secret without being discovered. What he discovers is the "eighth color."
If college graduates these days had chances to grow up as fast as Bart had to, who knows what our future would be.
December 6, 2014
I saw what people have said in previous reviews about the characterization and stilted dialog and expected it. Maybe that's why I was able to enjoy this story despite some rough patches. I wouldn't have minded if Bart was more fleshed out, and if his dialog didn't slip into rather unexpected decisions without a lot of what's-going-on-inside-his-head time. But past that, I loved this story. The world around the characters was very alive and the space descriptions were breath-taking (if you don't sit and worry about the scientific side of it). Out of the 8 other books I've been slogging through recently, this was like a breath of fresh air. Just don't take it too seriously.
December 1, 2008
This is not a well known book by MZB. In point of fact, it was one of her first novels before she became a big name author. And it was originally marketed as a juvenile--but I read and enjoyed it as adult.
It is a perfectly good space adventure novel==disregard the reviews on the back and read it. It is a short quick easy read. Nothing unusual or fantastic but it shows Bradley's early writing style. I have a particular fondness for this book because it was the first book by Ms. Bradley I ever read.
It is a perfectly good space adventure novel==disregard the reviews on the back and read it. It is a short quick easy read. Nothing unusual or fantastic but it shows Bradley's early writing style. I have a particular fondness for this book because it was the first book by Ms. Bradley I ever read.
December 9, 2011
I liked the story a lot, interesting concepts and engaging characters, but I'll tell ya, it was hard to enjoy it too much due to the narrator of the audiobook version I got from Audible.co.uk. I understand that LibriVox has a version of the book as well, which I'm tempted to download and compare. Amazing how a bad reading can ruin a whole book.
May 14, 2013
Originally posted at FanLit. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/
Bart Steele has been off at the Space Academy and hasn’t seen his father in years. When he goes to meet him at a Lhari space station, Mr. Steele never shows up. Instead, he sends an agent with a message for Bart. The Lhari, an intelligent alien race, suspect that Bart’s dad has stolen the secret of their warp drive. If so, this means humans will be able to manufacture their own warp drives and the Lhari will no longer have a monopoly on out-of-system space travel. The Lhari are trying to hunt down Mr. Steele and Bart is in danger, too.
Off goes Bart to try to find his father and his father’s secrets. All he knows is that the secret to the Lhari space drive has something to do with an eighth color that humans have never seen before (Marion Zimmer Bradley’s science is a little off here. Well, a lot off, but let’s just ignore that, shall we? Because the idea is so lovely, even if it’s scientifically ridiculous. I don’t want to be Professor Party Pooper.).
The Colors of Space is a lot like one of the Heinlein Juveniles I read as a kid. The story is simple, Bart is a competent and likeable fellow and, although there is some grief for Bart, the story comes to a sweet, if predictable, end. There is just a bit of appropriate social commentary about the warlike nature of humans and some lovely imagery as Bart contemplates the beautiful colors of space. (I won’t mention again about the scientific implausibility of that.)
I listened to Jim Roberts narrate the CD version of The Colors of Space that Brilliance Audio has recently released (it’s been available at Audible since 2010). Roberts isn’t the best reader, but he gives the book an old-fashioned feel that I liked in this case. The Colors of Space is five hours long on audio and is appropriate for any age. You can get a free version for Kindle, then you can buy the Audible edition with Whispersync for only $2.99. (Please don’t tell Brilliance Audio that I told you this. It was nice of them to send me a free copy of The Colors of Space to review.)
Bart Steele has been off at the Space Academy and hasn’t seen his father in years. When he goes to meet him at a Lhari space station, Mr. Steele never shows up. Instead, he sends an agent with a message for Bart. The Lhari, an intelligent alien race, suspect that Bart’s dad has stolen the secret of their warp drive. If so, this means humans will be able to manufacture their own warp drives and the Lhari will no longer have a monopoly on out-of-system space travel. The Lhari are trying to hunt down Mr. Steele and Bart is in danger, too.
Off goes Bart to try to find his father and his father’s secrets. All he knows is that the secret to the Lhari space drive has something to do with an eighth color that humans have never seen before (Marion Zimmer Bradley’s science is a little off here. Well, a lot off, but let’s just ignore that, shall we? Because the idea is so lovely, even if it’s scientifically ridiculous. I don’t want to be Professor Party Pooper.).
The Colors of Space is a lot like one of the Heinlein Juveniles I read as a kid. The story is simple, Bart is a competent and likeable fellow and, although there is some grief for Bart, the story comes to a sweet, if predictable, end. There is just a bit of appropriate social commentary about the warlike nature of humans and some lovely imagery as Bart contemplates the beautiful colors of space. (I won’t mention again about the scientific implausibility of that.)
I listened to Jim Roberts narrate the CD version of The Colors of Space that Brilliance Audio has recently released (it’s been available at Audible since 2010). Roberts isn’t the best reader, but he gives the book an old-fashioned feel that I liked in this case. The Colors of Space is five hours long on audio and is appropriate for any age. You can get a free version for Kindle, then you can buy the Audible edition with Whispersync for only $2.99. (Please don’t tell Brilliance Audio that I told you this. It was nice of them to send me a free copy of The Colors of Space to review.)
April 8, 2013
The Colors of Space
by Marion Zimmer Bradley
read by Jim Roberts
This is one of Marion Zimmer Bradley's earliest books and is a solid enjoyable book. It's short, the pace keeps moving, and overall comes to a satisfying conclusion.
Mankind has expanded throughout the solar system and nearby star systems but it takes years to travel those distances with their current technology. Sometime in their exploration they met an alien race called the Llari who have the capability of faster-than-light travel. The Llari are happy to supply such transport to humans but won't share the secrets of their technology with humans. The humans and Llari entered into a mutually beneficial relationship for interstellar travel, but some parts of humanity have become disgruntled of the monopoly the Llari hold. Our protagonist Bart Steele gets involved in a human plot to discover this secret in this story.
The book is fairly simple so don't expect any deep/intricate character development, but it explores interesting social issues like relating to people different from yourself, friendship, and loyalty.
Jim Roberts has a great voice but his performance comes off kind of stiff and dry. As I got further into the book, I either got more used to his reading style or he relaxed a bit in his reading. If trying to decide between the print or audio version, the audio book version is pretty good but I don't think it adds anything to the enjoyment of the book.
by Marion Zimmer Bradley
read by Jim Roberts
This is one of Marion Zimmer Bradley's earliest books and is a solid enjoyable book. It's short, the pace keeps moving, and overall comes to a satisfying conclusion.
Mankind has expanded throughout the solar system and nearby star systems but it takes years to travel those distances with their current technology. Sometime in their exploration they met an alien race called the Llari who have the capability of faster-than-light travel. The Llari are happy to supply such transport to humans but won't share the secrets of their technology with humans. The humans and Llari entered into a mutually beneficial relationship for interstellar travel, but some parts of humanity have become disgruntled of the monopoly the Llari hold. Our protagonist Bart Steele gets involved in a human plot to discover this secret in this story.
The book is fairly simple so don't expect any deep/intricate character development, but it explores interesting social issues like relating to people different from yourself, friendship, and loyalty.
Jim Roberts has a great voice but his performance comes off kind of stiff and dry. As I got further into the book, I either got more used to his reading style or he relaxed a bit in his reading. If trying to decide between the print or audio version, the audio book version is pretty good but I don't think it adds anything to the enjoyment of the book.
June 3, 2015
The Colors of Space was an enjoyable, imaginative young adult science fiction novel written by Marion Zimmer Bradley early on in her writing career (1963). This was a nice story about a boy forced to grow up fast and expand his understanding of the universe and the beings around him. After an adventurous search for his father, Young Bart Steele takes on the responsibility of proving that humans can survive the rigor of interstellar travel in a conscious state, in the process he begins to understand the alien Lhari, who have a monopoly on interstellar travel, and questions how mankind should go about becoming masters of interstellar travel themselves.
Ms. Bradley paints a vivid picture of what the future Earth and the many human occupied planets must be like and introduces the Lahari, an alien species very much like humans. She establishes the importance of interstellar travel and how it’s done. The story is packed with details about how humans and Lahari are similar and how they are different both physically and socially. Much of the story is about seeing deeper than one’s looks.
To read more of my review visit my website: www.writeralina.com/2015/06/03/the-co...
Ms. Bradley paints a vivid picture of what the future Earth and the many human occupied planets must be like and introduces the Lahari, an alien species very much like humans. She establishes the importance of interstellar travel and how it’s done. The story is packed with details about how humans and Lahari are similar and how they are different both physically and socially. Much of the story is about seeing deeper than one’s looks.
To read more of my review visit my website: www.writeralina.com/2015/06/03/the-co...
March 24, 2017
The Lhari spaceport didn't belong on Earth.
Although I haven't read any MZB in a long time, her The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series remain some of the best works of fantasy. She is, simply, an amazing author. The Colors of Space, an early work of hers written in 1963, displays many of the author's amazing qualities of writing style and messaging. The best scifi tells not just a story of the fantastic, but also relates something about ourselves in the here and now. MZB was always very good at this, and here she speaks to prejudice and war. The Colors of Space works well for a young adult audience, although parts of it haven't aged very well, particularly the descriptions of spacecraft computing. Overall, very nice.
Although I haven't read any MZB in a long time, her The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series remain some of the best works of fantasy. She is, simply, an amazing author. The Colors of Space, an early work of hers written in 1963, displays many of the author's amazing qualities of writing style and messaging. The best scifi tells not just a story of the fantastic, but also relates something about ourselves in the here and now. MZB was always very good at this, and here she speaks to prejudice and war. The Colors of Space works well for a young adult audience, although parts of it haven't aged very well, particularly the descriptions of spacecraft computing. Overall, very nice.
July 5, 2023
In ways juvenile, clumsy, and space-adventure-intrigue-rific ala Heinlein, also vivid and inventive and anti-provincial anti-capitalist. Mostly.
December 10, 2018
I have no idea what pulled me into this free audiobook and I have no idea how to review this one, so all I’ll say is read or listen and decide for yourself.
I will say that it was an enjoyable 5 hours, I took no breaks which means something I guess.
The narration was flawless on the one I chose ( it’s not a new book and there where more then one choice of narrations ), I picked I believe the latest recorded one from 2016.
It’s one of those old science fiction book that are amazingly written without the science that we have today and are still are like prophecy.
Strongly recommended !
I will say that it was an enjoyable 5 hours, I took no breaks which means something I guess.
The narration was flawless on the one I chose ( it’s not a new book and there where more then one choice of narrations ), I picked I believe the latest recorded one from 2016.
It’s one of those old science fiction book that are amazingly written without the science that we have today and are still are like prophecy.
Strongly recommended !
August 6, 2025
Buena novela de Ciencia Ficción, muy al estilo pulp de los años 60. La autora, Marion Zimmer Bradley, construye un universo propio que se extiende a lo largo de dos galaxias, una habitada por humanos (diferenciados entre ellos según el sistema estelar en el que viven) y otra que es la galaxia de los lhari, una raza diferente a la humana pero con la que tienen convenios comerciales.
Los lhari poseen lo que algunos humanos llaman "el octavo color" del universo y que es la fuente de energía que permite a los lhari mantener su monopolio de los viajes interestelares. Un grupo de humanos está dispuesto a hacer cuanto sea necesario para descubrir el secreto de los lhari y poder viajar a las estrellas por sí mismos.
La novela está bien planteada, su construcción de mundo es rica y los personajes están bien caracterizados. Trata temas como los intereses políticos y económicos, el racismo y los prejuicios, la amistad y el entendimiento entre diversas formas de ver el mundo a través de los diversos conflictos a los que enfrentará el protagonista.
La prosa de Zimmer Bradley es efectiva y amena, muy funcional, sin grandes pomposidades ni un estilo acurado, pero que mantiene enganchado al lector.
El mayor problema, personalmente, es que carece de un clímax final, entre otras cosas porque no hay grandes villanos ni conflictos con diferencias insalvables. Si la autora le hubiese dado un toque más oscuro o violento a la historia, habría sido una novela bastante redonda, pero se nota que tira demasiado al "buen rollo", algo que puede gustar o no gustar.
En conclusión, "Los colores del espacio" es una buena novela de ciencia ficción, entretenida de leer pero que no llega a ser una de las imprescindibles del género.
Los lhari poseen lo que algunos humanos llaman "el octavo color" del universo y que es la fuente de energía que permite a los lhari mantener su monopolio de los viajes interestelares. Un grupo de humanos está dispuesto a hacer cuanto sea necesario para descubrir el secreto de los lhari y poder viajar a las estrellas por sí mismos.
La novela está bien planteada, su construcción de mundo es rica y los personajes están bien caracterizados. Trata temas como los intereses políticos y económicos, el racismo y los prejuicios, la amistad y el entendimiento entre diversas formas de ver el mundo a través de los diversos conflictos a los que enfrentará el protagonista.
La prosa de Zimmer Bradley es efectiva y amena, muy funcional, sin grandes pomposidades ni un estilo acurado, pero que mantiene enganchado al lector.
El mayor problema, personalmente, es que carece de un clímax final, entre otras cosas porque no hay grandes villanos ni conflictos con diferencias insalvables. Si la autora le hubiese dado un toque más oscuro o violento a la historia, habría sido una novela bastante redonda, pero se nota que tira demasiado al "buen rollo", algo que puede gustar o no gustar.
En conclusión, "Los colores del espacio" es una buena novela de ciencia ficción, entretenida de leer pero que no llega a ser una de las imprescindibles del género.
May 11, 2023
“The Colors of Space” by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1963)
Overall Rating 10/10 – Utterly Superb.
Plot
Our protagonist, Bart, is charged with discovering the secret to warp travel and the mystery of the eighth colour held by the Lhari, a covert and unpopular race from a different galaxy. With the odds against him and the help of a few agitators, can he succeed … ?
Writing Style
Simple prose. Easy sentences, good descriptions and not excessive. Gives away no sign of its age. Relax and watch the movie play out in your mind as you read.
Point of View/Voice
Written in the 3rd Person / Past Tense (standard convention)
Critique
A Fantastic, unique and original story of a science-fiction adventure. There are very few compelling and original works resting on our bookshelves (such as Frank Herbert’s “Dune” and the robot worlds created by Isaac Asimov) but this novel certainly sits besides them and sits well. In fact, it is fantastic to make such a find.
Written in 1963, the book gives away none of its age and could be mistaken for a novel written today. Although this is billed as a teenage novel, it most certainly does not come across as such. In fact, not only is the plot mature, it could easily be made into (what I consider to be) an internationally successful film AND subsequent franchise. Perhaps the only thing preventing the success to the big screen might be the unfortunate controversy that surrounds the late author.
Having finished the book, I was desperate to know more of the adventures of the protagonist. Sadly, There is nothing more and I fancy my mind will play out many scenarios for years to come. Bravo!
Overall Rating 10/10 – Utterly Superb.
Plot
Our protagonist, Bart, is charged with discovering the secret to warp travel and the mystery of the eighth colour held by the Lhari, a covert and unpopular race from a different galaxy. With the odds against him and the help of a few agitators, can he succeed … ?
Writing Style
Simple prose. Easy sentences, good descriptions and not excessive. Gives away no sign of its age. Relax and watch the movie play out in your mind as you read.
Point of View/Voice
Written in the 3rd Person / Past Tense (standard convention)
Critique
A Fantastic, unique and original story of a science-fiction adventure. There are very few compelling and original works resting on our bookshelves (such as Frank Herbert’s “Dune” and the robot worlds created by Isaac Asimov) but this novel certainly sits besides them and sits well. In fact, it is fantastic to make such a find.
Written in 1963, the book gives away none of its age and could be mistaken for a novel written today. Although this is billed as a teenage novel, it most certainly does not come across as such. In fact, not only is the plot mature, it could easily be made into (what I consider to be) an internationally successful film AND subsequent franchise. Perhaps the only thing preventing the success to the big screen might be the unfortunate controversy that surrounds the late author.
Having finished the book, I was desperate to know more of the adventures of the protagonist. Sadly, There is nothing more and I fancy my mind will play out many scenarios for years to come. Bravo!
November 4, 2021
Marion Zimmer Bradley's work is a great fantasy and science fiction. I did not discover the award for this book, but it was a science fiction bestseller after it was published. It is appropriate for youngsters aged 10 to 14. This book narrates the narrative of Bart Steele, a young boy who disguised himself as an alien species and joined a group of aliens in order to find out the secrets of their ability to travel through space and rebel against their rule. The structure of the characters in the book corresponds to the real-world human yearning for space, and the plot of the story is likewise consistent with humanity's ongoing exploration of space. This book conveys to readers a powerful theme: the desire for an exploration of space. Despite the fact that this book was published a long time ago, at a time when humans were not particularly strong in scientific study or space exploration, the description of the book is adequately specific and wonderful. This book lays the groundwork for future science fiction books and allows readers to use their imaginations more freely. Because the content of the book concerns regions that humans have not completely developed, it may appeal to young readers. This novel, in my opinion, is still worth reading. It's a great book to share with kids when they're learning about space for the first time, or when they're curious about science.
May 9, 2023
I remember reading science fiction novels in the school library in high school and this author was one of my favorite. There's the Lhari, an alien race that has FTL and uses it to propel their trading ships in the galaxy. No one else has figured out how to do that so they will board the ships since theirs are not as fast.
Bart starts off a normal traveler but ends up involved in an attempt to discover how the FTL works. This involves surgery and a dangerous plan to work on a Lhari ship. Along the way he learns a lot about the Lhari.
There is also one majorly important thing in the book that is very rarely part of a science fiction book today. If you travel to another planet that has life on it then you are in major danger of becoming ill and dying. The planet would have had its own evolution and thus have its own microbes, some of them disease causing.
In this story before a person visits another planet they have all the microbes removed from their body (so they don't infect others) but are also given a drink that will restore the good microbes to them.
Its a story of espionage, how far some humans will go to get what they want and how achieving understanding of 'the other' can change a person's perception.
Very well done.
Bart starts off a normal traveler but ends up involved in an attempt to discover how the FTL works. This involves surgery and a dangerous plan to work on a Lhari ship. Along the way he learns a lot about the Lhari.
There is also one majorly important thing in the book that is very rarely part of a science fiction book today. If you travel to another planet that has life on it then you are in major danger of becoming ill and dying. The planet would have had its own evolution and thus have its own microbes, some of them disease causing.
In this story before a person visits another planet they have all the microbes removed from their body (so they don't infect others) but are also given a drink that will restore the good microbes to them.
Its a story of espionage, how far some humans will go to get what they want and how achieving understanding of 'the other' can change a person's perception.
Very well done.
January 27, 2021
This little gem was written in 1963, and I was impressed at the way it summed up the idiocy of bigotry, divisiveness and cut-throat business dealings between races (humanoid, Mentorian, and Lharian) and their respective planets. The Cold War was at its height when this book was written, and I could feel its echoes even as I read the novel for the first time. Bart Steele is the human/Mentorian protagonist, a seventeen-year-old redhead waiting at the spaceport for the return of his father, whom he has not seen in five years. He is suddenly yanked into a spy game where no winners are guaranteed. The story is not humorous, but I had to chuckle every time I came across the word "Vegan," (VAY-gan) meaning a personage from the Vega star system, not someone who avoided animal dietary products. "Astrogator," an occupation similar to a navigator, is another word that gave me a little trouble. My best pronunciation guess is as-TROG-a-tor. Anyway, I enjoyed this book. It would probably be listed as a Young Adult novel these days. Marion Zimmer Bradley is best known for the "Mists of Avalon" book series.
November 23, 2020
Actually a really enjoyable little book. The plot is more interesting than you's think at first- humans have advanced to the point of traveling as fast as light, but no faster. Eventually, they met another race- the Lharians - who had a "warp drive," which allows them to traverse whole galaxies with ease. However, unless humans are put into a state of deep-sleep, the effect of entering warp is too powerful and will kill them. This creates a really interesting relationship between the two species.
One cool aspect differentiating the species is the Lharians can't see color- this doesn't seem like a big deal, but as the story progresses, it actually proves to be a vital difference.
I won't post any spoilers, but the story actually takes a series of really interesting turns. It's an easy, fun read; if you're looking for some good sci-fi, look no further.
One cool aspect differentiating the species is the Lharians can't see color- this doesn't seem like a big deal, but as the story progresses, it actually proves to be a vital difference.
I won't post any spoilers, but the story actually takes a series of really interesting turns. It's an easy, fun read; if you're looking for some good sci-fi, look no further.
July 19, 2022
A classic sci-fi book that still holds up well today. Aliens that hold (or withhold) the keys to space travel from humans seem to do so with deathly zeal. One young man is pulled into the intrigue of finding out their secrets by the disappearance of his father. What he finds in his search for humanity's next step forward is a surprise of understanding that may take them even further... if he can get away with it. There are tropes & underlying messages, but good ones. A decent retro-read, and I give it 3.5 our of 5 stars.
Oh, and you can listen to a very well read free version of it on YouTube right here.
It is also free on Project Gutenberg here.
Oh, and you can listen to a very well read free version of it on YouTube right here.
It is also free on Project Gutenberg here.
March 16, 2023
I'm giving this 5 stars because I remember reaaally enjoying the descriptive choices in an amazing future world dreamt up by our boi Marion Zimmer B. I read this years ago and found myself wishing this could be adapted to film but knowing the challenge of achieving - minor spoiler alert/intrigue alert - a color we can't perceive with our dumb human eyes - would be quite difficult to create visuals for, though not impossible. The characters may be a bit surface-level in character/personality but the difference in races and their inherent abilities made for some good readin'. Give it a shot if you love space, aliens, color, etc.
July 3, 2017
A sweet and simple space adventure. Good moral and satisfying conclusion.
Some quotes:
"Thousands of years ago, men had spread out from Earth—first to the planets, then to the nearer stars, crawling in ships that could travel no faster than the speed of light."
"the never-changing, ever-changing colors of space"
"The cold knot of fear, never wholly absent, moved in him again."
"he looked out through a great viewport into bottomless space"
"Maybe there's no such thing as a limiting speed. Someday we'll reach true simultaneity—"
Some quotes:
"Thousands of years ago, men had spread out from Earth—first to the planets, then to the nearer stars, crawling in ships that could travel no faster than the speed of light."
"the never-changing, ever-changing colors of space"
"The cold knot of fear, never wholly absent, moved in him again."
"he looked out through a great viewport into bottomless space"
"Maybe there's no such thing as a limiting speed. Someday we'll reach true simultaneity—"
August 6, 2019
As an early publication (1963) of Marion Zimmer Bradley you'll see no dystopian future that seems the norm for most of today's SciFy genre. It is a fast-moving space travel read of approximately 100 pages with the theme of cultural discrimination that can lead to war. Seems aimed at a young reader, but I enjoyed reading this early novel written before MZB became famous for the Darkover book series and The Mists of Avalon. I waffled between a liked it and really liked it rating. The Kindle edition is a free download.
January 7, 2021
A fairly short easy read, full of interesting ideas and characters. It is in essence a coming of age story in deep space, one in which our young hero learns to judge 'the other' on their actions and interactions rater than how they look and further decides that violence begets only further violence and is not a way to change anything. Both lessons that the human race continues to have difficulty in understanding! An enjoyable read.
November 5, 2019
Great book! I love the imagined science and technology that went into creating this book. A great read for fans of science fiction, space, alternative life forms (aliens and others). I listened to this book on Librivox, a chapter or two a day as time permitted, which allowed me to imagine the science and vivid imagery of the book. Awesome book!
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