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Black World: Masterful Saga of a Female Space Pirate [FORGOTTEN PULP MAGAZINE CLASSICS]
Never Reprinted Before, the SF Pulp Magazine Classic of a Female Space Pirate! A huge hit with readers when it was first serialized in Amazing Stories during the early 1940s, Golden Age pulp editor and author Raymond A. Palmer's masterwork mixes romance, interplanetary conflict, space piracy, and exotic alien worlds into the unique blend that is so emblematic of the science fiction of the period. Black World begins when John Carver of the Stellar Patrol falls for playgirl heiress Ina Malden on the luxury spaceliner Josephine, enroute to the outer worlds. After Ina disembarks at Titan, the ship is attacked and looted by a mystery ship, and John realizes the pirates' masked leader is Ina. John is ordered to capture her, but when he learns the motives behind her piracy, John falls more in love than ever. He also discovers another secret, one that would make Earth helpless before a superweapon that could not be stopped. To warn Earth, he knows he will have to betray his love for Ina; and to save someone else she loves, Ina knows she will have to betray her love for John. Battling space fleets, interstellar espionage, futuristic glamour, the tough men and even tougher women of the planetary frontiers, Black Planet is a Pulp Age masterpiece reprinted for the first time in more than six decades!
108 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2009
3 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Raymond A. Palmer
377 books7 followersRaymond Arthur Palmer, also known as Raymond Alfred Palmer, and Ray Palmer.
He was the influential editor of Amazing Stories from 1938 through 1949, when he left publisher Ziff-Davis to publish and edit Fate Magazine, and eventually many other magazines and books through his own publishing houses, including Amherst Press and Palmer Publications. In addition to magazines such as Mystic, Search, and 'Flying Saucers," he published numerous spirtualist books, including Oahspe: A New Bible, as well as several books related to flying saucers, including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with Kenneth Arnold. Palmer was also a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy stories, many of which were published under pseudonyms.
According to Bruce Lanier Wright, "Palmer was hit by a truck at age seven and suffered a broken back." An unsuccessful operation on Palmer's spine stunted his growth (he stood about four feet tall), and left him with a hunchback.
Palmer found refuge in science fiction, which he read voraciously. He rose through the ranks of science fiction fandom and is credited, along with Walter Dennis, with editing the first fanzine, The Comet, in May, 1930.
Ziff-Davis acquired Amazing Stories in 1938. The publisher sacked then editor T. O'Conor Sloane and, on the recommendation of popular author Ralph Milne Farley, offered the editorship to Palmer. In 1939, Palmer began a companion magazine to Amazing Stories titled Fantastic Adventures, which lasted until 1953.
When Ziff-Davis moved its magazine production from Chicago to New York City in 1949, Palmer resigned and, with Curtis Fuller, another Ziff-Davis editor who did not want to leave the Midwest, founded Clark Publishing Co.
As an editor, Palmer tended to favour adventurous, fast-moving space opera-type stories. His tenure at Amazing Stories was notable for his purchase of Isaac Asimov's first professional story, "Marooned Off Vesta".
Palmer was also known for his support of the long running and controversial Shaver Mystery stories, a series of stories by Richard S. Shaver. Palmer's support of the truth of Shaver's stories (which maintained that the world is dominated by insane inhabitants of the hollow earth), was controversial in the science fiction community. It is unclear whether Palmer believed the Shaver stories to be true, or if he was just using the stories to sell magazines.
Palmer began his own science fiction publishing ventures while working for Ziff-Davis, eventually leaving the company to form his own publishing house, Clark Publishing Company, which was responsible for the titles Imagination and Other Worlds, among others. None of these magazines achieved the success of Amazing Stories during the Palmer years, but Palmer published Space World magazine until his death.
In 1948, Palmer and Curtis Fuller co-founded Fate, which covered divination methods, Fortean events, belief in the survival of personality after death, predictive dreams, accounts of ghosts, mental telepathy, archaeology, flying saucer sightings, cryptozoology, alternative medicine, warnings of death, and other paranormal topics, many contributed by readers.
Curtis Fuller and his wife Mary took full control of Fate in 1955, when Palmer sold his interest in the venture. The magazine has continued in publication under a series of editors and publishers to the present day.
Another paranormal magazine Palmer created along the line of Fate was Mystic magazine, which after about two years of publication became Search magazine.
In the 1970s, Palmer also published Ray Palmer's News Letter which was combined into another of his publications called Forum in March 1975.
In the first issue of Fate, Palmer published Kenneth Arnold's report of "flying discs." Arnold's sighting marked the beginning of the modern UFO era, and his story propelled the fledgling Fate to national recognition. Through Fate, Palmer was instrumental in popularizing belief in fl
He was the influential editor of Amazing Stories from 1938 through 1949, when he left publisher Ziff-Davis to publish and edit Fate Magazine, and eventually many other magazines and books through his own publishing houses, including Amherst Press and Palmer Publications. In addition to magazines such as Mystic, Search, and 'Flying Saucers," he published numerous spirtualist books, including Oahspe: A New Bible, as well as several books related to flying saucers, including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with Kenneth Arnold. Palmer was also a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy stories, many of which were published under pseudonyms.
According to Bruce Lanier Wright, "Palmer was hit by a truck at age seven and suffered a broken back." An unsuccessful operation on Palmer's spine stunted his growth (he stood about four feet tall), and left him with a hunchback.
Palmer found refuge in science fiction, which he read voraciously. He rose through the ranks of science fiction fandom and is credited, along with Walter Dennis, with editing the first fanzine, The Comet, in May, 1930.
Ziff-Davis acquired Amazing Stories in 1938. The publisher sacked then editor T. O'Conor Sloane and, on the recommendation of popular author Ralph Milne Farley, offered the editorship to Palmer. In 1939, Palmer began a companion magazine to Amazing Stories titled Fantastic Adventures, which lasted until 1953.
When Ziff-Davis moved its magazine production from Chicago to New York City in 1949, Palmer resigned and, with Curtis Fuller, another Ziff-Davis editor who did not want to leave the Midwest, founded Clark Publishing Co.
As an editor, Palmer tended to favour adventurous, fast-moving space opera-type stories. His tenure at Amazing Stories was notable for his purchase of Isaac Asimov's first professional story, "Marooned Off Vesta".
Palmer was also known for his support of the long running and controversial Shaver Mystery stories, a series of stories by Richard S. Shaver. Palmer's support of the truth of Shaver's stories (which maintained that the world is dominated by insane inhabitants of the hollow earth), was controversial in the science fiction community. It is unclear whether Palmer believed the Shaver stories to be true, or if he was just using the stories to sell magazines.
Palmer began his own science fiction publishing ventures while working for Ziff-Davis, eventually leaving the company to form his own publishing house, Clark Publishing Company, which was responsible for the titles Imagination and Other Worlds, among others. None of these magazines achieved the success of Amazing Stories during the Palmer years, but Palmer published Space World magazine until his death.
In 1948, Palmer and Curtis Fuller co-founded Fate, which covered divination methods, Fortean events, belief in the survival of personality after death, predictive dreams, accounts of ghosts, mental telepathy, archaeology, flying saucer sightings, cryptozoology, alternative medicine, warnings of death, and other paranormal topics, many contributed by readers.
Curtis Fuller and his wife Mary took full control of Fate in 1955, when Palmer sold his interest in the venture. The magazine has continued in publication under a series of editors and publishers to the present day.
Another paranormal magazine Palmer created along the line of Fate was Mystic magazine, which after about two years of publication became Search magazine.
In the 1970s, Palmer also published Ray Palmer's News Letter which was combined into another of his publications called Forum in March 1975.
In the first issue of Fate, Palmer published Kenneth Arnold's report of "flying discs." Arnold's sighting marked the beginning of the modern UFO era, and his story propelled the fledgling Fate to national recognition. Through Fate, Palmer was instrumental in popularizing belief in fl
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 10, 2017
"Black World" is written in two distinct parts with events separated by a two year break. The first part is the better section. It has some interesting ideas and the setting is vividly described even if Pluto isn't very much like that in reality. Ina, the female pirate, is a livelier character than the hero. There is a mysterious old scientist, of ambiguous loyalty, who also plays a considerably significant part in the story.
The second part is mainly lots of action and Ina loses most of her energy and becomes the typical heroine who has to be rescued from several nasty situations. The ending is predictable but there is some fun leading up to it.
The second part is mainly lots of action and Ina loses most of her energy and becomes the typical heroine who has to be rescued from several nasty situations. The ending is predictable but there is some fun leading up to it.
June 23, 2024
Two hearts on opposite sides of the law. A solider and a pirate, and I loved the romance that they would do anything to make the other happy, eventually. The pirate was only stealing back what a company swindled from their father, so I would call that an honorable pirate.
May 17, 2025
This high quality vintage space tale is wildly exciting, the audio quality is very good and the narrator does a great job bringing all the characters to life.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews