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Star Kings #1
The Star Kings
The Star Kings is the supreme work by the master of romantic space opera, Edmond Hamilton. John Gordon, a war vet restless in the humdrum of an office job, is offered a chance for adventure when he is contacted via dreams by Zarth Arn, a scientist-prince living two hundred thousand years in the future, and asked to exchange bodies for a week. Zarth will research the present, while Gordon experiences the galaxy-spanning future of the star-kingdoms - 200,000 years from now. There is only one stipulation: Gordon must give his word that under no circumstances will he reveal his true identity to anyone of Zarth's time. Moments later, John Gordon is hurtled through time to the Earth of two thousand centuries hence - into Zarth Arn's laboratory and body. But before the week is over, warriors from an enemy star kingdom attempt to kidnap Arn, precipitating a galactic crisis, and Gordon is summoned to the throne world of Throon immediately by Zarth Arn's father, ruler of the Mid-Galactic Kingdom. Unable to reveal his identity without breaking his pledge to Zarth Arn, Gordon is forced to play the role of the young star prince. As a result, he finds himself immediately caught in a strange triangle between two women: the intelligent, dynamic Lianna, ruler of the Star-Kingdom of Fomalhaut, whom Zarth's father has ordered him to wed (and with whom Gordon swiftly falls in love), and warm, tender Murn (who Zarth Arn loves). Galactic civilization is facing its greatest crisis, a war of conquest by Shorr Kan - tyrant of the League of Dark Worlds - and before John Gordon can even orient himself to this far future universe, Zarth Arn's father is assassinated, with Zarth himself framed for the killing. Saved by Lianna, the pair flee on a galaxy-spanning quest for the secret of the Disruptor, the one weapon that can defeat the Dark Worlds and preserve the freedom of the stars.
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1949
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550 people want to read
About the author
Edmond Hamilton
1,033 books137 followersEdmond Moore Hamilton was a popular author of science fiction stories and novels throughout the mid-twentieth century. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania. Something of a child prodigy, he graduated high school and started college (Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania) at the age of 14--but washed out at 17. He was the Golden Age writer who worked on Batman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and many sci-fi books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 19, 2024
The Star Kings is probably Hamilton's most famous individual novel, though he's certainly better-remembered for his Captain Future series and his work for DC comics. It was first published in the September issue of Amazing Stories in 1947, which was edited by the notorious Raymond A. Palmer. Frederick Fell published it in hardback in 1949, and Signet put out a mass market paperback edition in September of 1950 with a new title, Beyond the Moon. (A practice which is annoying when it causes collectors such as me to buy another copy of a novel we already own... but I digress. The Signet edition has a cool cover by Stanley Meltzoff that looks just Chesley Bonestell's work, so it wasn't a total loss.) Hamilton's prose isn't slickly polished, but it's a very imaginative and clever tale of a WWII veteran named John Gordon who's bored with his job at an insurance company and finds himself projected into the far, far future and inhabiting the body of Zarth Arn, Prince of the Mid-Galactic Empire, which is embroiled in an apocalyptic interstellar war with the Black Cloud regime. Gordon is the only man in the universe who can defend the empire from the dark worlds' invading legions, and after a brief but torid encounter with the lovely Princess Lianna, he sets off alone to save the cosmos... or maybe destroy it if he's not careful. Hamilton was affectionately nick-named World Wrecker because of his cosmos-stretching space opera plots... this is one of his best.
January 4, 2013
My God, I read this in an old Soviet popular science magazine when I was a kid. There was a section for sci-fi short stories and novels there and most of the sci-fi I know I got from that magazine. Yeah, I was just a kid and sure I paid to attention to how well the characters were written and to the style (it was a Russian translation after all), but I was fascinated by the plot and, God, there were wonderful illustrations... I re-read it later, of course, both in Russian and in English, and heard the voice of my childhood calling. It's not literature for me but a memory, a part of my life, so I can hardly be impartial.
July 15, 2015
Up until recently, my only familiarity with Ohio-born Edmond Hamilton had been via his short stories, and mainly through the exceptionally fine 1977 collection "The Best of Edmond Hamilton." And indeed, who could ever forget such sci-fi tales as "The Man Who Evolved," "Thundering Worlds," "What's It Like Out There?" and "Requiem"; such a charming fantasy as "He That Hath Wings"; and such well-done pieces of horror as "The Monster-God of Mamurth" (Hamilton's first published story, which appeared in the 8/26 issue of "Weird Tales" when he was only 21) and the masterpiece "The Man Who Returned"? But Hamilton was also, of course, one of the originators of Golden Age space opera, with dozens such novellas and serials to his credit; indeed, his Captain Future tales would go on to appear in over a dozen volumes alone. Not for nothing did Hamilton acquire the sobriquet "The World Wrecker"! But of all those many titles, the book that seems to have proved his most popular over the decades is "The Star Kings." Initially appearing in toto (!) in the 9/47 issue of "Amazing Stories" (cover price: 25 cents), the novel was finally published in book form in 1949. Essentially a galaxy-spanning update of Anthony Hope’s 1894 Ruritanian classic "The Prisoner of Zenda," the book proved to be a wonderful entertainment for this reader, now 68 years after its initial appearance.
In "The Star Kings," the reader makes the acquaintance of John Gordon, an ex-bomber pilot who, three years after the conclusion of WW2, finds himself bored to distraction by his accounting job in a NYC insurance office. His life is given a decided jolt one night as he lies in bed, suddenly in mental communication with the scientist Prince Zarth Arn, son of the ruler of the Mid-Galactic Empire, over 200,000 years in the future (202,115, to be precise)! Zarth Arn, desirous of exploring the barbarous Earth society of the mid-20th century, offers to Gordon a remarkable proposition: Through his superscience, Zarth Arn will inhabit Gordon's body for six weeks, while Gordon's psyche will flash forward to inhabit the prince's, and thus learn about the far-distant future. Gordon, after several more stultifying days at work, agrees to the deal (Employers take note: It's remarkable to what lengths a man will go to escape from a dreary job!), and before long, finds himself inhabiting the prince's body in a secret Himalayan laboratory 200,000 years hence. But trouble soon arises, when dastardly upstart Shorr Kan--leader of the League of Dark Worlds, which reside in the galaxy's largest cloud nebula--tries to overthrow the Mid-Galactic Empire, and induce the other star kingdoms (the Baronies of Hercules; the Fomalhaut Kingdom; the kingdoms of Lyra, Cygnus and Polaris) to break their alliance with it. A kidnapping attempt on Zarth/Gordon is foiled, but Zarth's ruler father, Arn Abbas, immediately demands that he return to the Empire capital of Throon, a planet of Canopus, to aid in the upcoming conflict. Thus, Gordon is soon embroiled in a galactic war, resulting in intrigue in the imperial palace, the machinations of traitors, an arranged marriage to a Fomalhaut princess (while trying to keep Zarth’s child-wife happy), a frame-up for murdering his father, mental torture by Shorr Kan's scientists, a crash-landing on a planet filled with liquefying mutants, and his being compelled to use the galaxy’s most fearsome weapon--the Disruptor, the secret of which only the royal family members possess. Yes, it's quite a lot for John Gordon to deal with, all while trying to keep his promise to Zarth Arn that he will not reveal to anyone the truth about his inhabiting the prince's body...and, of course, while trying to get back to Zarth's laboratory on Earth, so that he might get his old body back in the 20th century....
Hamilton is not exactly an elegant writer here, and those seeking poetic, exquisitely fashioned prose on the order of, say, Clark Ashton Smith may be a tad disappointed with the verbiage on display in "The Star Kings." Rather, Hamilton writes in a clean, simple pulp style, and his story really does move; indeed, it is remarkable how much action and vigorous adventure he manages to squeeze into a 190-page book. Characterizations are not overly deep; rather, color, sweep and galactic scope predominate, with every chapter ending in cliffhanger fashion and every page boasting some new wonder. Lovers of vintage space opera will surely be left happily grinning. Some of the scientific wonders here truly do boggle the mind (for example, starships travel at 200 parsecs an hour; that’s over 600 light-years an hour, or 200 times 18 trillion miles an hour; try wrapping your mind around that!), and Hamilton makes poor John Gordon's plight ever more complicated, culminating with his using the dreaded Disruptor in the heat of battle (a fairly complexly detailed space battle, I must say) after having been named regent of the entire Mid-Galactic Empire! Besides Shorr Kan, who is a wonderful villain (and an oddly likable one), the novel also boasts any number of lesser bad guys, minions, traitors and spies, most of whom have memorable and violent set-tos with Zarth/Gordon. Hamilton takes some time to flesh out his worlds with vivid descriptions (Throon sounds lovely, with its three moons and glass mountains; Thallarna, the capital planet of the dark nebula, suitably dreary; the planet of the mutants in the Orion Nebula, quite nightmarish) and to give Gordon some romantic moments with the Fomalhaut princess, Lianna, but basically, the novel is on overdrive from beginning to end; most readers should devour it at a breathless pace.
Good as it is, "The Star Kings" yet contains a few boo-boos on the part of its author. We never learn just why Prince Zarth Arn makes Gordon promise to never reveal his imposture, and Hamilton makes a faulty prediction when he states that Man had reached Mars and Venus with "atomic-powered rockets" by the end of the 20th century. But Hamilton's biggest mistake is in telling the reader that the dreaded Disruptor (which seems to be almost a stand-in for the recently released atomic bomb) had last been used to repel alien invaders from the Magellanic Clusters in the year 129,411, and later having Shorr Kan state that that event had been 2,000 years earlier. But if the current year of the story really is 202,115, wouldn't that have been more like 72,000 years earlier? I’m confused! But this last is a mere quibble, and one that most readers will never even notice as they get helplessly sucked into Hamilton's epic tale.
"The Star Kings," as it turns out, had several sequels: "Return to the Stars," which is comprised of several linked stories featuring, I believe, Gordon returning in his own body to the far-distant future; the cleverly titled story "Stark and the Star Kings," which conflates the Hamilton star kingdoms with Leigh Brackett's (Hamilton's wife) most famous character, Eric John Stark; and another volume of short stories, "The Last of the Star Kings." I greatly look forward to reading these works in my own, personal future...and much sooner than 200 centuries from now! "Who would credit such a crazy story?" Gordon asks himself early on, but somehow, via his great narrative skills, Hamilton DOES make us buy into his epic tale, and the result is Golden Age space opera at its very finest. More than highly recommended!
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website, a most excellent destination for all fans of Edmond Hamilton: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ....)
In "The Star Kings," the reader makes the acquaintance of John Gordon, an ex-bomber pilot who, three years after the conclusion of WW2, finds himself bored to distraction by his accounting job in a NYC insurance office. His life is given a decided jolt one night as he lies in bed, suddenly in mental communication with the scientist Prince Zarth Arn, son of the ruler of the Mid-Galactic Empire, over 200,000 years in the future (202,115, to be precise)! Zarth Arn, desirous of exploring the barbarous Earth society of the mid-20th century, offers to Gordon a remarkable proposition: Through his superscience, Zarth Arn will inhabit Gordon's body for six weeks, while Gordon's psyche will flash forward to inhabit the prince's, and thus learn about the far-distant future. Gordon, after several more stultifying days at work, agrees to the deal (Employers take note: It's remarkable to what lengths a man will go to escape from a dreary job!), and before long, finds himself inhabiting the prince's body in a secret Himalayan laboratory 200,000 years hence. But trouble soon arises, when dastardly upstart Shorr Kan--leader of the League of Dark Worlds, which reside in the galaxy's largest cloud nebula--tries to overthrow the Mid-Galactic Empire, and induce the other star kingdoms (the Baronies of Hercules; the Fomalhaut Kingdom; the kingdoms of Lyra, Cygnus and Polaris) to break their alliance with it. A kidnapping attempt on Zarth/Gordon is foiled, but Zarth's ruler father, Arn Abbas, immediately demands that he return to the Empire capital of Throon, a planet of Canopus, to aid in the upcoming conflict. Thus, Gordon is soon embroiled in a galactic war, resulting in intrigue in the imperial palace, the machinations of traitors, an arranged marriage to a Fomalhaut princess (while trying to keep Zarth’s child-wife happy), a frame-up for murdering his father, mental torture by Shorr Kan's scientists, a crash-landing on a planet filled with liquefying mutants, and his being compelled to use the galaxy’s most fearsome weapon--the Disruptor, the secret of which only the royal family members possess. Yes, it's quite a lot for John Gordon to deal with, all while trying to keep his promise to Zarth Arn that he will not reveal to anyone the truth about his inhabiting the prince's body...and, of course, while trying to get back to Zarth's laboratory on Earth, so that he might get his old body back in the 20th century....
Hamilton is not exactly an elegant writer here, and those seeking poetic, exquisitely fashioned prose on the order of, say, Clark Ashton Smith may be a tad disappointed with the verbiage on display in "The Star Kings." Rather, Hamilton writes in a clean, simple pulp style, and his story really does move; indeed, it is remarkable how much action and vigorous adventure he manages to squeeze into a 190-page book. Characterizations are not overly deep; rather, color, sweep and galactic scope predominate, with every chapter ending in cliffhanger fashion and every page boasting some new wonder. Lovers of vintage space opera will surely be left happily grinning. Some of the scientific wonders here truly do boggle the mind (for example, starships travel at 200 parsecs an hour; that’s over 600 light-years an hour, or 200 times 18 trillion miles an hour; try wrapping your mind around that!), and Hamilton makes poor John Gordon's plight ever more complicated, culminating with his using the dreaded Disruptor in the heat of battle (a fairly complexly detailed space battle, I must say) after having been named regent of the entire Mid-Galactic Empire! Besides Shorr Kan, who is a wonderful villain (and an oddly likable one), the novel also boasts any number of lesser bad guys, minions, traitors and spies, most of whom have memorable and violent set-tos with Zarth/Gordon. Hamilton takes some time to flesh out his worlds with vivid descriptions (Throon sounds lovely, with its three moons and glass mountains; Thallarna, the capital planet of the dark nebula, suitably dreary; the planet of the mutants in the Orion Nebula, quite nightmarish) and to give Gordon some romantic moments with the Fomalhaut princess, Lianna, but basically, the novel is on overdrive from beginning to end; most readers should devour it at a breathless pace.
Good as it is, "The Star Kings" yet contains a few boo-boos on the part of its author. We never learn just why Prince Zarth Arn makes Gordon promise to never reveal his imposture, and Hamilton makes a faulty prediction when he states that Man had reached Mars and Venus with "atomic-powered rockets" by the end of the 20th century. But Hamilton's biggest mistake is in telling the reader that the dreaded Disruptor (which seems to be almost a stand-in for the recently released atomic bomb) had last been used to repel alien invaders from the Magellanic Clusters in the year 129,411, and later having Shorr Kan state that that event had been 2,000 years earlier. But if the current year of the story really is 202,115, wouldn't that have been more like 72,000 years earlier? I’m confused! But this last is a mere quibble, and one that most readers will never even notice as they get helplessly sucked into Hamilton's epic tale.
"The Star Kings," as it turns out, had several sequels: "Return to the Stars," which is comprised of several linked stories featuring, I believe, Gordon returning in his own body to the far-distant future; the cleverly titled story "Stark and the Star Kings," which conflates the Hamilton star kingdoms with Leigh Brackett's (Hamilton's wife) most famous character, Eric John Stark; and another volume of short stories, "The Last of the Star Kings." I greatly look forward to reading these works in my own, personal future...and much sooner than 200 centuries from now! "Who would credit such a crazy story?" Gordon asks himself early on, but somehow, via his great narrative skills, Hamilton DOES make us buy into his epic tale, and the result is Golden Age space opera at its very finest. More than highly recommended!
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website, a most excellent destination for all fans of Edmond Hamilton: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ....)
December 16, 2024
I’ve always enjoyed Hamilton’s work. It’s been a while since I’ve read space opera on this level. Originally published in the late 1940’s , this was a truly wonderful ride. Blazing paced action, intrigue, space battles, mind transfers, and a love that 200,000 years couldn’t stop. I had a lot of fun with this one.
November 5, 2018
Гарна космічна опера середини 20 століття. Протагоніст, Джон Гордон, колишній військовий, який живе буденним життям, яке набридає. Однієї ночі він чує голос у голові. До нього звертався принц Зарт Арн з далекого майбутнього з пропозицією помінятися тілами. Лише-но Джон Гордон потрапляє у майбутнє, як одразу стає жертвою змови проти імператора та імперії. Про зміну тіл ніхто не здогадується, окрім антагоніста – правителя Ліги темних світів, який прагне захопити владу у галактиці. Однак це не помішає Джону Гортону перемогти та навести лад в імперії, хоча ціна за це значна – використання таємної зброї «Руйнівника».
Мінусами роману є ряд кліше, що притаманні такій літературі. Окрім того проглядається захоплення автором конституційною монархією, яку вважає прийнятною формою правління у майбутньому, хоча вона радше нагадує дуалістичну. Також уявлення автора про рівень техніки у майбутньому відповідає духу часу у якому він жив. У творі згадуються атомні пістолети з атомними розривними кулями та інше. Попри негативні моменти роману, це гарний зразок фантастичної літератури свого часу, який заслуговує на увагу, а також на ту чи іншу екранізацію.
Мінусами роману є ряд кліше, що притаманні такій літературі. Окрім того проглядається захоплення автором конституційною монархією, яку вважає прийнятною формою правління у майбутньому, хоча вона радше нагадує дуалістичну. Також уявлення автора про рівень техніки у майбутньому відповідає духу часу у якому він жив. У творі згадуються атомні пістолети з атомними розривними кулями та інше. Попри негативні моменти роману, це гарний зразок фантастичної літератури свого часу, який заслуговує на увагу, а також на ту чи іншу екранізацію.
March 19, 2017
A fast paced action space opera from the Golden Age of Science Fiction. I never read any of the Star Kings books before but used to read Captain Future and Starwolf books when I was a teenager. The protagonist is John Gordon, an ex-soldier and insurance company worker in NYC, who exchanges bodies with Zarth Arn, the second son of the Emperor of the Mid-Galactic Empire Two hundred thousand years in the future where he becomes embroiled in a Galactic War and falls in love with beautiful princess Lianna from an adjoining Star Kingdom. Lots of fun...a little dated...with Atom Guns, Telestereos, and an awesome weapon called the Disruptor (long before Star Trek came along). The Space ships are part of the Galactic Navy and are called Battleships, etc. In many ways it is like a Sword & Planet story with the protagonist finding himself in an alien world (or environment) but without the swords. Very quick pulp read first published in 1949.
February 1, 2016
Read this year's ago and recently bought it again to keep in my collection. This is the book that set trends, in my opinion, it has many of the same qualities and plot twists as much of our SF today have...but it was written in 1949. My first read of this was when I came across it in my dad's collection. I was riveted. I feel that this should be made into a movie. IT has romance, it has time travel, it has battles, politics, grandeur, princes and princesses, and more. It is worth reading and keeping in your own library. If you like Edward Rice Borough's John Carter series you will like this.
January 2, 2013
Preposterous plot, cardboard characters and melodramatic writing, even by the standards of the pulp fiction of the day (circa 1949).
Hamilton came highly recommended. But I found this work inferior to other SF adventure writers of the era, such as Jack Williamson, A.E. Van Vogt, or early Jack Vance.
Hamilton came highly recommended. But I found this work inferior to other SF adventure writers of the era, such as Jack Williamson, A.E. Van Vogt, or early Jack Vance.
August 28, 2017
Otra historia más de la época pulp en la que se intercambian la mente. Para vivir la historia de un príncipe miles de siglo en el futuro en que asumirá su físico un humilde terrícola del presenta, y tendrá que escapar de tramas políticas y ser continuamente culpado de cosas que desconoce completamente.
Casi nada de aventura y acción, mas líos políticos y amorosos.
Casi nada de aventura y acción, mas líos políticos y amorosos.
March 26, 2009
First published in 1949, this is the story of John Gordon, a World War II veteran having a hard time adjusting to life in an insurance company. One night, he is telepathically contacted by a man named Zarth Arn, who says that he is calling from 200,000 years in the future. He proposes a temporary mind exchange; Arn will experience life in the primitive distant past, before space travel, and Gordon will see mankind spread throughout the galaxy. Gordon wants adventure; he's about to get it.
Zarth Arn is part of the ruling family of the Mid-Galactic Empire, the biggest interplanetary empire. Its foe is the League of Dark Worlds, led by Shorr Kan. War is coming between the two, and the smaller empires are getting very nervous. Narrowly missing a kidnap attempt by League soldiers on Earth, Arn is taken to the Empire's home world, a long way away. He finds that he is supposed to marry Lianna, empress of one of the smaller empires. It's a purely political marriage (Arn already has a wife), but, at least, Lianna is gorgeous.
Arn/Gordon orders a spaceship to take him to Earth, where he has a secret laboratory. Just before departure, Arn Abbas, Zarth Arn's father and leader of the Empire, is murdered. Suspicion immediately falls on Arn/Gordon. He and Lianna are hustled on the ship, and, instead of going to Earth, they are going to the League's home world. Shorr Kan discovers Arn/Gordon's real identity pretty quickly, and Gordon tries to pass himself off as an amoral adventurer interested in himself first. He has no intention of returning to the past and give up all this wealth and power. Let him go to Earth, and he will convince the real Zarth Arn to give up the secret of the Disruptor. It's an ultimate weapon that is the only thing stopping the League from attacking the Empire. Gordon will give the secret to Kan, in exchange for a high position in the new League of Dark Worlds.
On their way to Earth, Arn/Gordon and Lianna are rescued by Empire forces. They are ready to execute Arn/Gordon immediately, convinced that he really did kill his father. He convinces them to let him clear his name back on the Empire's home world. Arn/Gordon succeeds in clearing his name; the League suddenly starts its attack against the Empire. The only chance for the Empire, and the only way to keep the smaller empires from joining the League, is to use the Disruptor. Arn/Gordon has little idea how to use it, but he has it installed on a ship, and goes out to meet the League armada. Can Gordon save the galaxy? Does he return to his own time?
This would make a wonderful radio serial or Saturday afternoon TV movie. It may be rather light in the area of scientific plausibility, but its exciting and a very fast read.
Zarth Arn is part of the ruling family of the Mid-Galactic Empire, the biggest interplanetary empire. Its foe is the League of Dark Worlds, led by Shorr Kan. War is coming between the two, and the smaller empires are getting very nervous. Narrowly missing a kidnap attempt by League soldiers on Earth, Arn is taken to the Empire's home world, a long way away. He finds that he is supposed to marry Lianna, empress of one of the smaller empires. It's a purely political marriage (Arn already has a wife), but, at least, Lianna is gorgeous.
Arn/Gordon orders a spaceship to take him to Earth, where he has a secret laboratory. Just before departure, Arn Abbas, Zarth Arn's father and leader of the Empire, is murdered. Suspicion immediately falls on Arn/Gordon. He and Lianna are hustled on the ship, and, instead of going to Earth, they are going to the League's home world. Shorr Kan discovers Arn/Gordon's real identity pretty quickly, and Gordon tries to pass himself off as an amoral adventurer interested in himself first. He has no intention of returning to the past and give up all this wealth and power. Let him go to Earth, and he will convince the real Zarth Arn to give up the secret of the Disruptor. It's an ultimate weapon that is the only thing stopping the League from attacking the Empire. Gordon will give the secret to Kan, in exchange for a high position in the new League of Dark Worlds.
On their way to Earth, Arn/Gordon and Lianna are rescued by Empire forces. They are ready to execute Arn/Gordon immediately, convinced that he really did kill his father. He convinces them to let him clear his name back on the Empire's home world. Arn/Gordon succeeds in clearing his name; the League suddenly starts its attack against the Empire. The only chance for the Empire, and the only way to keep the smaller empires from joining the League, is to use the Disruptor. Arn/Gordon has little idea how to use it, but he has it installed on a ship, and goes out to meet the League armada. Can Gordon save the galaxy? Does he return to his own time?
This would make a wonderful radio serial or Saturday afternoon TV movie. It may be rather light in the area of scientific plausibility, but its exciting and a very fast read.
June 28, 2017
Antud teos on ilmselt stereotüüpne musternäide pulpkirjanduses, selline mida tavalised lugejad endale vaimusilmas, erinevate vanade ajakirjade kaanepiltide alusel, ette kujutavad. Mustvalged tegelaskujud, printsessid, kristallist tähelossid, hirmus võimsad raketid, veel võimsamad salarelvad, parooligeneraatoriga loodud nimed, paleeintriigid, planeetidel elavad lögakollid ja muidugi aatom. Pole midagi mida aatom ei teeks. Isegi püstolite kohta, mis tunduvad olevat täiesti tavalised tänapäeva püstolid, öeldakse igaksjuhuks, et nad töötavad aatomi abil. Lugeda seda raamatut on umbes sama tunne nagu vaadata Star Warsi suvalist uuemat filmi, ehk pärast on piinlik tunne, kuna vaatasid midagi, mis on enda halbuselt pigem juba iseenda tahtmatu paroodia. Ja mis eriti kole! mõneti see isegi meeldis sulle.
Üheltpoolt on nii "Tähekuningad", kui ka "Tähevarred" teinud head tänuväärset tööd miljonite inimeste meelelahutamise ja ulme propageerimise alal. Teisalt on aga just sarnased asjad süüdi selles, et kangeperselistes kirjandusringkondades ei võeta ulmekirjandust kunagi tõsiselt, kuna seal kiputakse "Tähekuningate" laadsete asjade põhjal tegema kaugeleulatuvaid üldistusi kogu ulme kohta.
Üheltpoolt on nii "Tähekuningad", kui ka "Tähevarred" teinud head tänuväärset tööd miljonite inimeste meelelahutamise ja ulme propageerimise alal. Teisalt on aga just sarnased asjad süüdi selles, et kangeperselistes kirjandusringkondades ei võeta ulmekirjandust kunagi tõsiselt, kuna seal kiputakse "Tähekuningate" laadsete asjade põhjal tegema kaugeleulatuvaid üldistusi kogu ulme kohta.
November 4, 2023
An adventure pulp romance!! Wasnt expecting that.
This book follows gordon a man from our time who due to future technology, swaps bodies with a second prince of the stars. He finds himself engaged to a beautiful princess and thrust in the middle of a intergalactic threat. The book seems to be more of a wish fulfillment storyline but managed not to be annoying and took the reader on a fun space adventure.
While I wont be picking up any sequels, it was a fun book.
This book follows gordon a man from our time who due to future technology, swaps bodies with a second prince of the stars. He finds himself engaged to a beautiful princess and thrust in the middle of a intergalactic threat. The book seems to be more of a wish fulfillment storyline but managed not to be annoying and took the reader on a fun space adventure.
While I wont be picking up any sequels, it was a fun book.
February 19, 2016
Ļoti žēl, ka autora rakstītprasme īsti netiek līdzi viņa ideju lidojumam. Gribētos domāt, ka vainīgs ir tulkojums, bet man ir pamatotas aizdomas, ka tā gluži nav tiesa.
Taču kopumā - aizraujoši! Ideja par apziņas pārnešanu laikā un telpā miega laikā, kad tā ir atbrīvojusies, ir uzmanības vērta, un es cerēju, ka tā šeit tiks vairāk izvērsta, nevis tikai izmantota kā sižeta katalizators. Zinu gan, ka šī būs viena no tām grāmatām, par ko man īsti nebūs, ko pasacīt, jo visas idejas, kas aizķēra mazliet dziļāk, nu jau ir veiksmīgi aizmirsušās, jo autors tās neizvērš. Daudz kas tiek upurēts romantiskās sižeta līnijas dēļ, un tā ir visneveiksmīgākā no visām. Grāmatā vajadzēja būt meitenei, nu, viņš ielika meiteni. Padarīja viņu (un mīlestību) par galvenā varoņa motivāciju, nonivelējot pašu tēlu līdz visai garlaicīgam tipam. Labi vismaz, ka apkārtējie to atsvēra. Burvīgs ļaunais tēls. Jocīga, mazliet rasistiska pieskaņa ("ja tam nav cilvēka forma, tad vienalga par saprātu, tas nav vērā ņemama būtne"), bet, šķiet, esmu iemācījusies par to nedusmoties vecā sci-fi literatūrā. Starpzvaigžņu kari, un arī divsimt tūkstoš gadu tālā nākotnē cilvēks ir tieši tāds pats muļķis kā mūsdienās.
Taču kopumā - aizraujoši! Ideja par apziņas pārnešanu laikā un telpā miega laikā, kad tā ir atbrīvojusies, ir uzmanības vērta, un es cerēju, ka tā šeit tiks vairāk izvērsta, nevis tikai izmantota kā sižeta katalizators. Zinu gan, ka šī būs viena no tām grāmatām, par ko man īsti nebūs, ko pasacīt, jo visas idejas, kas aizķēra mazliet dziļāk, nu jau ir veiksmīgi aizmirsušās, jo autors tās neizvērš. Daudz kas tiek upurēts romantiskās sižeta līnijas dēļ, un tā ir visneveiksmīgākā no visām. Grāmatā vajadzēja būt meitenei, nu, viņš ielika meiteni. Padarīja viņu (un mīlestību) par galvenā varoņa motivāciju, nonivelējot pašu tēlu līdz visai garlaicīgam tipam. Labi vismaz, ka apkārtējie to atsvēra. Burvīgs ļaunais tēls. Jocīga, mazliet rasistiska pieskaņa ("ja tam nav cilvēka forma, tad vienalga par saprātu, tas nav vērā ņemama būtne"), bet, šķiet, esmu iemācījusies par to nedusmoties vecā sci-fi literatūrā. Starpzvaigžņu kari, un arī divsimt tūkstoš gadu tālā nākotnē cilvēks ir tieši tāds pats muļķis kā mūsdienās.
February 15, 2015
This might be the most breathless space opera ever written. A man from the 20th century exchanges minds with a man 2,000 centuries in the future. The man he exchanges minds with is the son of the emperor of a star-spanning empire, and wouldn't you know it, he picked the worst possible time to do it. John Gordon must play the role of this galactic prince and save the empire, and it won't be easy.
The adventure in this story is everything you could ask for, but the future is remarkably similar to the time period when it was written. In 200,000 years mankind still hasn't invented anything that can replace vacuum tubes. There are still kings, princes, and emperors. Nobody ever gets a sex change operation, and nobody is gay. Humans come in different colors, but you don't get the sense that society has in any way moved past race. Girls do girl jobs and boys do boy jobs. There are princesses to be married and to be rescued. There are no artificial intelligences, no genetic engineering, and the Singularity still has not arrived.
So, in summary, its dated but fun.
The adventure in this story is everything you could ask for, but the future is remarkably similar to the time period when it was written. In 200,000 years mankind still hasn't invented anything that can replace vacuum tubes. There are still kings, princes, and emperors. Nobody ever gets a sex change operation, and nobody is gay. Humans come in different colors, but you don't get the sense that society has in any way moved past race. Girls do girl jobs and boys do boy jobs. There are princesses to be married and to be rescued. There are no artificial intelligences, no genetic engineering, and the Singularity still has not arrived.
So, in summary, its dated but fun.
August 6, 2025
An enormous adventure in a small book!
The Star Kings gets right into it: body-swapping, a galaxy-wide war, ancient enemies and impossible odds. All packed into a lean, fast-paced story.
I didn’t expect to have this much fun. It’s pure space opera, with that bold, imaginative spirit I love in old-school sci-fi. The stakes are huge, the ideas are big and somehow it all fits in such a short book.
If you’re in the mood for wild adventure and drama among the stars, this absolutely delivers.
The Star Kings gets right into it: body-swapping, a galaxy-wide war, ancient enemies and impossible odds. All packed into a lean, fast-paced story.
I didn’t expect to have this much fun. It’s pure space opera, with that bold, imaginative spirit I love in old-school sci-fi. The stakes are huge, the ideas are big and somehow it all fits in such a short book.
If you’re in the mood for wild adventure and drama among the stars, this absolutely delivers.
November 15, 2010
I am an old school sci-fi fan. I like stories that are full of wide-eyed wonderment of the universe, technology and the unknown in general. Nowadays, the genre of science fiction is mundane, people rarely marvel at the cleverness of man they just demand that their iPhones have high resolution display. Space is no longer considered the "final frontier" most people could care less about space.
This wonderful tale starts with simple premise: "What if you could send your mind across time and "vacation" in someone else's body." Would you do it? What would happen? In the unfolding of this tale you have kidnapping, political intrigue, love at first sight, and space battles.
It is a good time in a simple package!
This wonderful tale starts with simple premise: "What if you could send your mind across time and "vacation" in someone else's body." Would you do it? What would happen? In the unfolding of this tale you have kidnapping, political intrigue, love at first sight, and space battles.
It is a good time in a simple package!
December 14, 2013
I first encountered The Star Kings in '76, when I found a copy in the overstock bin of a Woolworths for twenty-five cents. I was delighted in every way by the novel, a feeling I have rediscovered decades later. A charming, fun and provocative adventure story, The Star Kings was years ahead of its time. When the book and then the movie Star Wars came out soon after, I recognized the source of so many ideas in that blockbuster. A dozen other great science fiction stories have their roots in this Edmond Hamilton masterpiece. It is not a great book, nor particularly well written, but it makes up in vision what it lacks in polish. The Star Kings is nothing but a really fun read.
August 5, 2020
O Rei das Estrelas (The Star Kings, 1949) é a primeira ópera espacial que leio e devo dizer que Edmond Hamilton me surpreendeu bastante. A escrita dele é envolvente. Apesar de ser do finalzinho dos anos 40 e emular nas entrelinhas elementos inerentes à guerra fria, o livro não me pareceu datado. Apresenta uma história interessante, com reviravoltas, um bom protagonista e uma aventura gostosa de se acompanhar.
A história narra a incrível jornada de John Gordon, um ex combatente entediado com a atual rotina de escritório, que após ser contactado telepaticamente pelo príncipe futurista Zarth Arn, aceita trocar de corpo com o mesmo e viaja até dois mil séculos no futuro. No entanto, as coisas não saem bem como planejado e Gordon precisará enfrentar o maquiavélico Shorr Kan, líder da Liga dos Mundos Escuros, para defender a paz na galáxia e arrumar um jeito de voltar pra casa.
O enredo segue bem a conhecida jornada do herói, ficando mais próximo do clássico, que do clichê, como ocorre sempre a uma boa arquitrama. Apesar do final não ser perfeitamente conclusivo, a trama linear possui um desfecho satisfatório, sugerindo a possibilidade de uma continua��ão. Que de fato aconteceu. Não só uma, mas três continuações para ser mais preciso: Return to the Stars (1968), "Stark and the Star Kings" (2005) e The Last of the Star Kings (2014).
Infelizmente, até onde sei, nenhum desses livros foi traduzido para o Brasil.
Os elementos sci-fi presentes na obra remontam o período clássico em que a ópera espacial se desenvolvia, sobretudo através das revistas Pulp. A explicação sobre como as naves conseguem atingir grandes velocidades e trafegar pela galáxia é apresentada de forma funcional, tal qual também é a tecnologia dos equipamentos e armas utilizadas. Além disso, a dinâmica entre as nações que formam os conglomerados da galáxia me deixou interessado em saber mais sobre cada cultura.
A descrição de Throon, o planeta capital, e dos costumes enfatizados na "festa das luas" enriquecem a experiência da leitura. É uma escrita simples e prática, sem muitos rodeios. As batalhas são pontuais e pouco emocionantes, acontecem somente quando necessário. Ainda assim, têm seu peso dentro da narrativa conforme destaca ou descarta alguns personagens.
A maior parte destes, com exceção de Gordon, não têm tanto desenvolvimento, mas cumprem bem seus papéis e ornam a narrativa. A princesa Lianna não foge muito ao padrão relegado às mulheres da época, mas nem por isso é fraca ou submissa. Torna-se o braço direito de Gordon em sua aventura. O relacionamento dos dois é interessante pelo fato de estar envolto a segredos e empecilhos. Ainda assim, convida o leitor a torcer por eles.
Mesmo com pouco espaço, outros personagens possuem bons momentos na trama, seja do lado dos vilões, seja do lado dos heróis. O maior antagonista do livro, Shorr Kan, é um personagem muito interessante. Apesar de ter tudo para ser estereotipado, me pareceu seguir mais um arquétipo vilanesco que com base na trama e nas descrições de Hamilton, se encaixa numa representação alegórica da ameaça comunista propagada pela União Soviética após a 2ª guerra mundial.
Essa perspectiva norte-americana do conflito ideológico contra a URSS, reflete o que o autor vivenciava em seu tempo. Misturada aos elementos sci-fi, a trama alude a todas as implicações comuns àquela época, desde espiões infiltrados até a óbvia relação com a corrida espacial. Simplesmente a guerra fria refletida num conflito intergalático a ser definido por aquele que tiver, ou se apossar, da arma mais destrutiva.
Essa busca pelo poder que sobrepujará a nação inimiga ganha uma camada a mais ao revelar através da relação entre Gordon e Kan, uma dinâmica de identificação mútua entre os personagens antagônicos. Guardadas as devidas proporções, apesar de possuírem lados e convicções opostos, a relação entre ambos é a mesma que equipara dois rivais em uma disputa: o respeito de quem vê no seu oponente a mesma vontade de vencer.
Como sugere o narrador no seguinte trecho:
"Gordon sentiu uma estranha, aguda emoção. A vida é imprevisível. Não havia nenhum
motivo para que ele gostasse de Shorr Kan. Mas via agora que gostara."
No entanto, ao passo que esse traço competitivo os equaliza, a forma como agem diante de suas convicções, os separa. Gordon e Kan são falhos como qualquer outro ser pensante, mas sob pressão, Gordon age de forma assertiva e por isso se destaca positivamente. Se deixarmos de lado as possíveis alusões, representações e alegorias, veremos que a história engrandece seu protagonista ao fazê-lo agir com hombridade e responsabilidade.
A obra reflete bastante essa questão de como agir diante de situações adversas. Gordon é um homem primitivo para o futuro de Zarth Arn, mas sua sensatez o faz sábio em qualquer época. É justamente a cautela e a responsabilidade com as quais opta por agir em todas as provações que passa, até mesmo as que lhe causam medo, que definem não só o seu caráter mas também a sua glória.
Sendo assim, posso afirmar que "O Rei das Estrelas" é um livro que superou minhas expectativas. Mesmo sendo um produto de seu tempo, a obra diverte e vai além de uma alegoria à guerra fria. Ela contempla o leitor com uma história sobre um homem comum e ordinário que aproveita a chance de vivenciar algo novo e não decepciona. Acaba voltando com a certeza de que não precisa ser diferente de quem é, pois é suficientemente bom a si mesmo e ao universo.
Um herói para além do espaço-tempo. Homem da Terra, Rei das Estrelas.
A história narra a incrível jornada de John Gordon, um ex combatente entediado com a atual rotina de escritório, que após ser contactado telepaticamente pelo príncipe futurista Zarth Arn, aceita trocar de corpo com o mesmo e viaja até dois mil séculos no futuro. No entanto, as coisas não saem bem como planejado e Gordon precisará enfrentar o maquiavélico Shorr Kan, líder da Liga dos Mundos Escuros, para defender a paz na galáxia e arrumar um jeito de voltar pra casa.
O enredo segue bem a conhecida jornada do herói, ficando mais próximo do clássico, que do clichê, como ocorre sempre a uma boa arquitrama. Apesar do final não ser perfeitamente conclusivo, a trama linear possui um desfecho satisfatório, sugerindo a possibilidade de uma continua��ão. Que de fato aconteceu. Não só uma, mas três continuações para ser mais preciso: Return to the Stars (1968), "Stark and the Star Kings" (2005) e The Last of the Star Kings (2014).
Infelizmente, até onde sei, nenhum desses livros foi traduzido para o Brasil.
Os elementos sci-fi presentes na obra remontam o período clássico em que a ópera espacial se desenvolvia, sobretudo através das revistas Pulp. A explicação sobre como as naves conseguem atingir grandes velocidades e trafegar pela galáxia é apresentada de forma funcional, tal qual também é a tecnologia dos equipamentos e armas utilizadas. Além disso, a dinâmica entre as nações que formam os conglomerados da galáxia me deixou interessado em saber mais sobre cada cultura.
A descrição de Throon, o planeta capital, e dos costumes enfatizados na "festa das luas" enriquecem a experiência da leitura. É uma escrita simples e prática, sem muitos rodeios. As batalhas são pontuais e pouco emocionantes, acontecem somente quando necessário. Ainda assim, têm seu peso dentro da narrativa conforme destaca ou descarta alguns personagens.
A maior parte destes, com exceção de Gordon, não têm tanto desenvolvimento, mas cumprem bem seus papéis e ornam a narrativa. A princesa Lianna não foge muito ao padrão relegado às mulheres da época, mas nem por isso é fraca ou submissa. Torna-se o braço direito de Gordon em sua aventura. O relacionamento dos dois é interessante pelo fato de estar envolto a segredos e empecilhos. Ainda assim, convida o leitor a torcer por eles.
Mesmo com pouco espaço, outros personagens possuem bons momentos na trama, seja do lado dos vilões, seja do lado dos heróis. O maior antagonista do livro, Shorr Kan, é um personagem muito interessante. Apesar de ter tudo para ser estereotipado, me pareceu seguir mais um arquétipo vilanesco que com base na trama e nas descrições de Hamilton, se encaixa numa representação alegórica da ameaça comunista propagada pela União Soviética após a 2ª guerra mundial.
Essa perspectiva norte-americana do conflito ideológico contra a URSS, reflete o que o autor vivenciava em seu tempo. Misturada aos elementos sci-fi, a trama alude a todas as implicações comuns àquela época, desde espiões infiltrados até a óbvia relação com a corrida espacial. Simplesmente a guerra fria refletida num conflito intergalático a ser definido por aquele que tiver, ou se apossar, da arma mais destrutiva.
Essa busca pelo poder que sobrepujará a nação inimiga ganha uma camada a mais ao revelar através da relação entre Gordon e Kan, uma dinâmica de identificação mútua entre os personagens antagônicos. Guardadas as devidas proporções, apesar de possuírem lados e convicções opostos, a relação entre ambos é a mesma que equipara dois rivais em uma disputa: o respeito de quem vê no seu oponente a mesma vontade de vencer.
Como sugere o narrador no seguinte trecho:
"Gordon sentiu uma estranha, aguda emoção. A vida é imprevisível. Não havia nenhum
motivo para que ele gostasse de Shorr Kan. Mas via agora que gostara."
No entanto, ao passo que esse traço competitivo os equaliza, a forma como agem diante de suas convicções, os separa. Gordon e Kan são falhos como qualquer outro ser pensante, mas sob pressão, Gordon age de forma assertiva e por isso se destaca positivamente. Se deixarmos de lado as possíveis alusões, representações e alegorias, veremos que a história engrandece seu protagonista ao fazê-lo agir com hombridade e responsabilidade.
A obra reflete bastante essa questão de como agir diante de situações adversas. Gordon é um homem primitivo para o futuro de Zarth Arn, mas sua sensatez o faz sábio em qualquer época. É justamente a cautela e a responsabilidade com as quais opta por agir em todas as provações que passa, até mesmo as que lhe causam medo, que definem não só o seu caráter mas também a sua glória.
Sendo assim, posso afirmar que "O Rei das Estrelas" é um livro que superou minhas expectativas. Mesmo sendo um produto de seu tempo, a obra diverte e vai além de uma alegoria à guerra fria. Ela contempla o leitor com uma história sobre um homem comum e ordinário que aproveita a chance de vivenciar algo novo e não decepciona. Acaba voltando com a certeza de que não precisa ser diferente de quem é, pois é suficientemente bom a si mesmo e ao universo.
Um herói para além do espaço-tempo. Homem da Terra, Rei das Estrelas.
May 8, 2012
Good old fashioned space opera - rather dated today but still a fun read
July 9, 2012
Детство золотое. Понятия не имею, как это читается сейчас, но в детстве было превосходно.
January 29, 2014
Great old-fashioned space opera! They didn't call Edmond Hamilton "World-Wrecker" for nothing. I've been a fan of Hamilton's for years, especially the Captain Future series.
September 6, 2014
Some good, old-fashioned sci-fi.
November 5, 2020
An original time travel novel through the interchange of bodies.
January 22, 2026
Flash Gordon: The Book.
July 19, 2022
John Gordon era un tipo común, un contador hasta que fue a la guerra, volvió y ahora no sabe qué hacer sentado en el mismo escritorio de siempre, sólo sabe que necesita aventuras cuando empieza a escuchar voces como esquizofrénico. La voz resulta ser de un tal Zarth Arn y le propone ir a vivir su vida un rato, doscientos mil años adelante en el tiempo, mientras que él disfruta del pasado en el que John Gordon vive. Gordon aceptará, por supuesto, sino no habría aventuras.
Al llegar al futuro, Gordon se entera que Zarth Arn no era un científico cualquiera, es el segundo hijo del emperador de la mitad de la galaxia y, como no, al poco tiempo de llegar lo quieren raptar pero hete aquí que juró que no diría a nadie quién es y bueno, pasan muchas cosas culpa de callar. Se salva, sólo para ser obligado a ir a palacio por su seguridad, allí conocerá a la concubina / esposa no oficial de Zarth y a la prometida oficial del príncipe, amiga y noble.
La guerra se aproxima, hay un arma que sólo la familia de Zarth sabe utilizar y un líder maligno se la quiere apropiar, el mismo que intentó raptarlo, el mismo que tiene gente infiltrada en el imperio, el mismo... la cosa es que está por todas partes.
Mientras, el padre de Zarth es asesinado, lo culpan a él y su hermano asciende al trono. Él es raptado (otra vez, parece una novela turca) pero esta vez se va con la prometida oficial, la princesa Lianna de la que está enamorado. La guerra galáctica está al caer y Gordon se desespera porque tiene que avisarle al Imperio de los traidores, limpiar el nombre de Zarth y todo eso. Más aventuras, un par de alienígenas y disparos, lo esperable para el '55 y para el creador del space opera.
Lo que estoy en total desacuerdo es en el final que le dio. Sí, Gordon está enamorado (digamos, según él) de Lianna pero no se puede cargar la regla que el mismo autor impuso al principio del libro. Si tu world building jodió un final y bué, nadie te obligó a imponer esa regla.
Al llegar al futuro, Gordon se entera que Zarth Arn no era un científico cualquiera, es el segundo hijo del emperador de la mitad de la galaxia y, como no, al poco tiempo de llegar lo quieren raptar pero hete aquí que juró que no diría a nadie quién es y bueno, pasan muchas cosas culpa de callar. Se salva, sólo para ser obligado a ir a palacio por su seguridad, allí conocerá a la concubina / esposa no oficial de Zarth y a la prometida oficial del príncipe, amiga y noble.
La guerra se aproxima, hay un arma que sólo la familia de Zarth sabe utilizar y un líder maligno se la quiere apropiar, el mismo que intentó raptarlo, el mismo que tiene gente infiltrada en el imperio, el mismo... la cosa es que está por todas partes.
Mientras, el padre de Zarth es asesinado, lo culpan a él y su hermano asciende al trono. Él es raptado (otra vez, parece una novela turca) pero esta vez se va con la prometida oficial, la princesa Lianna de la que está enamorado. La guerra galáctica está al caer y Gordon se desespera porque tiene que avisarle al Imperio de los traidores, limpiar el nombre de Zarth y todo eso. Más aventuras, un par de alienígenas y disparos, lo esperable para el '55 y para el creador del space opera.
Lo que estoy en total desacuerdo es en el final que le dio. Sí, Gordon está enamorado (digamos, según él) de Lianna pero no se puede cargar la regla que el mismo autor impuso al principio del libro. Si tu world building jodió un final y bué, nadie te obligó a imponer esa regla.
October 2, 2017
Grāmatas galvenais varonis sapņos komunicē ar zvaigžņu princi-zinātnieku no nākotnes. Princis ir izgudrojis ierīci, kas spēj laikā pārnest cilvēka apziņu, kā rezultātā nākotnes princis iemiesojas mūsdienu varoņa ķermenī, bet džons iemiesojas nākotnes prinča ķermenī. Un tad sākas piedzīvojumi pa visu Galaktiku. Tālajā nākotnē cilvēki jau ceļo starp planētām , zvaigžņu sistēmām un komunicē ar nehumonoīdām būtnēm. Starp planētām notiek karš par varu un stāsta galvenais varonis tiek ierauts notikumu virpulī, un beigās izrādās , ka viņam pat ir diezgan nozīmīga lomā Galaktikas liktenī.
Grāmatas otrajā daļā uz nākotni Džons pārceļas jau ar visu ķermeni, un piedzīvojumi turpinās. Tiek izcīnītas arvien jaunas galaktikas kaujas, nākas tikties ar arvien jauniem humonoīdiem un nehumonoīdiem tēliem.
Autors ļoti ātri lasītāju ierauj notikumu virpulī un neļauj apstāties lasīt līdz pat grāmatas beigām. Idejiski grāmata likās diezgan līdzīgi Sarkanās sacelšanās triloģijai, taču saīsinātā versijā. Šajā grāmatā nebūs sīku aprakstu un tēlojumu. Te notikums dzen notikumu un nav laika apstāties pie dabas ainavām :)
Tomēr es ieteiktu izlasīt šo grāmatu visiem Sarkanās sacelšanās cienītājiem.
Paņemot rokās katru jaunu fantāzijas un fantastikas grāmatu, vienmēr domāju, vai autors spēs mani pārsteigt, vai spēs pastāstīt kaut ko jaunu. Hamiltonam tas izdevās par visiem simts. Zināmā mērā arī simpatizēja autora ideja par neķermenisku ceļošanu laikā. Dīvainākais, ka nesen ar kolēģiem apspriedām, ka teorētiski, attīstoties zinātnei, vajadzēti pienākt tādam brīdim, kad mēs spētu laikā pārnest mūsu apziņu. Ķermeni pārnest laikā varētu būt diezgan grūti, bet apziņu ne tik sarežģīti. Iespējams, ka tādā veidā idejas no nākkotnes ir smēlušies mūsdienu un pagātnes zinātnes ģēniji.
Līdz favorite grāmatai Zvaigžņu karaļiem nedaudz pietrūka, bet bija ļoti tuvu.
Grāmatas otrajā daļā uz nākotni Džons pārceļas jau ar visu ķermeni, un piedzīvojumi turpinās. Tiek izcīnītas arvien jaunas galaktikas kaujas, nākas tikties ar arvien jauniem humonoīdiem un nehumonoīdiem tēliem.
Autors ļoti ātri lasītāju ierauj notikumu virpulī un neļauj apstāties lasīt līdz pat grāmatas beigām. Idejiski grāmata likās diezgan līdzīgi Sarkanās sacelšanās triloģijai, taču saīsinātā versijā. Šajā grāmatā nebūs sīku aprakstu un tēlojumu. Te notikums dzen notikumu un nav laika apstāties pie dabas ainavām :)
Tomēr es ieteiktu izlasīt šo grāmatu visiem Sarkanās sacelšanās cienītājiem.
Paņemot rokās katru jaunu fantāzijas un fantastikas grāmatu, vienmēr domāju, vai autors spēs mani pārsteigt, vai spēs pastāstīt kaut ko jaunu. Hamiltonam tas izdevās par visiem simts. Zināmā mērā arī simpatizēja autora ideja par neķermenisku ceļošanu laikā. Dīvainākais, ka nesen ar kolēģiem apspriedām, ka teorētiski, attīstoties zinātnei, vajadzēti pienākt tādam brīdim, kad mēs spētu laikā pārnest mūsu apziņu. Ķermeni pārnest laikā varētu būt diezgan grūti, bet apziņu ne tik sarežģīti. Iespējams, ka tādā veidā idejas no nākkotnes ir smēlušies mūsdienu un pagātnes zinātnes ģēniji.
Līdz favorite grāmatai Zvaigžņu karaļiem nedaudz pietrūka, bet bija ļoti tuvu.
October 6, 2025
This is another book pulled from my father's old science fiction collection, which I unofficially inherited. The idea is simple, in a complicated way. John Gordon, a WWII veteran and bored insurance company employee, is catapulted into the distant future when Zarth Arn, a prince of the Mid-Galactic Empire, makes mental contact and offers to exchange places with Gordon for historical research. The transfer is of minds only. Gordon finds himself in Zarth Arn's body and is forced to maintain the deception that he is the real prince when he is unexpectedly plunged into a brewing war...and a romance that could cause a lot of trouble.
It's an intriguing idea, and Hamilton throws Gordon from one complication to the next at breakneck speed, which makes it hard to put the book down. On the other hand, the writing is melodramatic to the point of cheesiness--with an overabundance of exclamation points--and the science is beyond atrocious, even given that the book was published in 1949.
Still, it's a fun ride that a lot of people have given 4 or even 5 stars. So...make of that what you will.
It's an intriguing idea, and Hamilton throws Gordon from one complication to the next at breakneck speed, which makes it hard to put the book down. On the other hand, the writing is melodramatic to the point of cheesiness--with an overabundance of exclamation points--and the science is beyond atrocious, even given that the book was published in 1949.
Still, it's a fun ride that a lot of people have given 4 or even 5 stars. So...make of that what you will.
December 17, 2020
It's 1949 and Gordon, a WW II vet, is finding life back in the business world dull. Lucky for him Zarth Arn, prince of a galactic empire 200,000 years in the future, wants to swap minds so that Zarth can research the past. But soon after Gordon arrive in Zarth Arn's body, the League of Dark Worlds tries to kidnap "him" so they can learn the secret of his family's ultimate weapon. Gordon's father has him dragged away from the lab so now he has to pose as Zarth Arn while playing an increasingly complicated war-and-diplomacy game he does not really grasp.
Amusingly dated in some ways: while Hamilton envisions rays that provide for FTL communication and travel, they're generated by vacuum tubes. But I do love the conniving, manipulative Shorr Kan, a ruthless, amoral but somehow engaging villain.
Amusingly dated in some ways: while Hamilton envisions rays that provide for FTL communication and travel, they're generated by vacuum tubes. But I do love the conniving, manipulative Shorr Kan, a ruthless, amoral but somehow engaging villain.
May 30, 2025
Wow! This novel was just excellent. It's so good to read retro Space Spera. The Star Kings is, without exaggeration, one of the best novels I've read.
Well, what's the novel about? One fine day, John Gordon, a 20th-century accountant, is contacted by Zarth Arn, the prince of a Galactic Empire 200,000 years in the future. The latter will temporarily change bodies. From one day to the next, Gordon finds himself the prince of the galaxy's greatest empire. A novel rich in adventure, Gordon finds love and saves, in spite of himself, the galaxy from the Obscure Worlds. The ending (the last chapter) is perfect: a mixture of joy and sadness. You almost want to shed a tear for Gordon. And so ends the adventures of the Galactic Prince.
Well, what's the novel about? One fine day, John Gordon, a 20th-century accountant, is contacted by Zarth Arn, the prince of a Galactic Empire 200,000 years in the future. The latter will temporarily change bodies. From one day to the next, Gordon finds himself the prince of the galaxy's greatest empire. A novel rich in adventure, Gordon finds love and saves, in spite of himself, the galaxy from the Obscure Worlds. The ending (the last chapter) is perfect: a mixture of joy and sadness. You almost want to shed a tear for Gordon. And so ends the adventures of the Galactic Prince.
April 23, 2025
«Звёздные Короли» — захватывающая и яркая история, которая сначала развивается плавно, но вскоре вовлекает читателя в бурный поток событий. Уже через несколько глав книга превращается в настоящий космический водоворот, полный опасностей, тайн и неожиданных поворотов.
Главный герой почти без передышки попадает из одной экстремальной ситуации в другую, и благодаря этому темп повествования остаётся высоким на протяжении всей книги. При этом история не теряет цельности, а интерес к происходящему только нарастает.
Гамильтону удаётся поддерживать напряжение и интригу от начала и до конца. Это классика космической оперы, которая определённо заслуживает внимания.
Главный герой почти без передышки попадает из одной экстремальной ситуации в другую, и благодаря этому темп повествования остаётся высоким на протяжении всей книги. При этом история не теряет цельности, а интерес к происходящему только нарастает.
Гамильтону удаётся поддерживать напряжение и интригу от начала и до конца. Это классика космической оперы, которая определённо заслуживает внимания.
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