Sargasso of Space

Solar Queen #1

by Andre Norton

Almost half a century ago, renowned science fiction and fantasy author Andre Norton introduced apprentice cargo master Dane Thorson in Sargasso of Space, in the first of the star-spanning tales of the Solar Queen series

Dane signed on with the independent cargo ship Solar Queen looking for a career in off-world trade. In Sargasso of Space, the Solar Queen free traders win exclusive rights to trade with the planet Limbo, but the crew arrives to find most of the planet’s surface charred, with little signs of life. They find a valley with life, but others may still lurk. Worse yet, a strange force threatens to cripple the Queen. They must solve the planet’s mysteries if they hope to escape not only with tradable goods, but their lives.

First of the "Solar Queen" adventures, originally published under the pseudonym "Andrew North." This is the second ace edition.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Space, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[carol. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesy fun, utterly forgettable, and if it wasn't Andre Norton, I likely would have passed, based on time period and cover alone. Or mocked it. Does it make a difference? Sure--she was trying to muscle in on a market dominated by white men and the best way to do that was to do what they did better (only backwards and in heels). Did it work? Probably, because she's now known as one of the 'greats,' and I could actually find her books in the local library. Although to my twelve year-old eyes, 'Andre' was probably a man's name and I was surprised when I eventually found out the author I liked so much was a female, so there's that.

"A Survey auction—a Free Trader got a chance at one of those maybe once in a lifetime. And that was how fortunes were made."


Is this book one of her better ones? Not really. But it's fun, in an early Star Trek kind of way. Say, Star Trek OG mixed with some Next-Gen democracy (but still no women on the flight because, natch). Good heavens, I'm digressing. Unlike this story, which stays pretty on point. Young Wesley Dane graduates Starfleet and gets placed with the Free Traders. But this is 1960, and even back then, future big money called the shots, so their small crew rolls the dice on a contract. Adventures ensue. I wasn't sure what would happen, mostly because this wasn't a time period/subgenre I ever read (pulp 60s scifi paperbacks), only spoofs on the genre. It is mostly plot driven with enough fleshing out of main and side characters to make them interesting, if somewhat stereotypical. There's a background to her world-building that seems fascinating (her usual 'relics') but as usual, there's not much discovered/known. Entertaining enough for part of a plane ride, but not captivating enough that I didn't set it down. There are a lot of exclamation points in the writing, but Norton still sneaks in some lessons for the young protagonist. Call it 'neutral good' on the role-playing grid.

“Listen, my innocent child,” drawled Kamil, “for every law the Federation produces in their idealist vacuum there is some bright boy—or boys—working day and night to break it. I’m not telling you how they work it, but I’m willing to wager all my cut of this particular venture, that it’s being done."

Read the next? Who knows? I hear it's free on the web somewhere, so I might, if I remember to look for it and download it when I'm not on vacation.

rounding up to a three on the GR scale, because, well, neutral good deserves a little extra, right?

Two and a half, rounding up, because I actually finished it.

[Курило Євген · Rating 4 out of 5]

Книга сподобалась. Захоплива космічна пригода, цікаві персонажі, забуті планети, таємничі технології давньої раси, підступні зради, багато різноманітних подій, гарна динаміка та екшн. По сюжету нічого надзвичайного, все дуже просто, логічно та без якихось мега несподіваних поворотів у сюжеті. Авантюристи які подорожують космосом та потрапляють у всілякі халепи, це якщо вже дуже коротко про сюжет. Шикарна та водночас дуже проста концепція історії, яка відразу чіпляє з перших сторінок. Тут немає довгих й складних наукових пояснень про технології майбутнього та принципи космічних перельотів, або заплутаних філософських роздумів. Тут максимально все доступно для розуміння, гарна мова написання, книга читається легко та швидко. Тож на пару холодних осінніх вечерів саме те що треба.

[Ian Payton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This straight-forward space adventure from 1955 seems to be a product of its time. It’s plot driven, with Jetsons style finned space ships, ray guns, mysterious planets, and an entirely male dominated environment (no women were harmed or, indeed, mentioned in the making of this story).

One of the first two sci-fi books I read as a teenager was the sequel to this book, Plague Ship. So reading this was an attempt at nostalgia, with every intention of going on to read Plague Ship… which is now significantly less appealing.

The general story arc was entirely predictable (albeit not the specific details): our intrepid crew of manly men land on a mysterious planet, where there are bad guys and alien technology, but the good guys eventually prevail after some relatively unsophisticated fighting. The writing style was difficult to follow in many places due to there being far too many barely distinguishable characters (12 crew, all of whom got involved at some point), and the author’s seeming obsession with being very precise about exactly who moved where, when, and did precisely what. This requires a degree of mental juggling that I just wasn’t interested in engaging with.

Overall, a disappointment that was probably best left in the nostalgic past where it couldn’t do any harm.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in the dim past. An early work (1955?), but I do recall the planet Limbo, the Solar Queen, and the Manly Adventure into the Forerunner tunnels. Which are still lit, by relict Forerunner tech, but the lights are going out, and some Strange Power is sapping the crew's flashlights, too. A genuinely scary moment!

I might reread it should I come across a copy. If I had one, it's long gone. I distinctly recall this cover art. Likely bought 3/25c from my allowance as a lad. Date read is just a guess.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sargasso of Space" is the opening novel in Andre Norton's so-called "Dane Thorson series," and is a fine introduction to the books that follow. In this first volume we meet Dane Thorson, a young cargo-apprentice who is assigned (by mechanical Psycho selection) to the trader ship Solar Queen. The crew of the Queen pools its earnings and wins an entire planet, sight unseen, at auction. (Perhaps Ebay will be conducting auctions such as this in 50 or so years!) The crew then explores this strange planet, called Limbo, and discovers the remnants of a lost civilization, as well as globular natives, space pirates, mysterious artifacts and so on.

Ostensibly written for juveniles and "young adults," this novel has a strong appeal for "grown-ups" as well. Not for nothing has Ms. Norton become one of the most popular of all sci-fi/fantasy writers, selling kajillions of books and endearing herself to the hearts of millions. She writes simply but directly, and her characters are always sharply drawn and easy to identify with. Her early sci-fi works (this one was written in 1955) are in the true Golden Age pulp spirit, with no symbolism or literary tricks to gussy up the pleasure of an exciting story well told. By the end of this short but exciting novel, we feel that we know a lot about the 12 crewmembers of the Solar Queen, yet want to know more. In that, the book is an unqualified success.

As a matter of fact, I only had one small problem with this Norton novel. At one point in the story, our trader heroes set out to explore some alien ruins located around 20 miles from their ship. They walk to the ruins in a heavy fog, look around, and then decide to walk back! Now, I don't care how tough these guys are (and truth to tell, they seem more like average Joes than Stallone-type action figures, to the author's credit)...nobody walks 40 miles in a day--not even the Marines--on a gravity-normal planet! But beyond this stretching of credulity, "Sargasso of Space" is a marvelous entertainment that I do recommend highly to all lovers of old-fashioned sci-fi fun.

[Димитър Цолов · Rating 4 out of 5]

Класическа приключенска фантастика от 1955, която съвсем логично звучи леко остаряло. Романът няма претенции за гениалност, но историята за кораба на свободните търговци "Кралицата на Слънцето" и тайнствената планета Лимбо, съхранила останки от древната изчезнала цивилизация на Предтечите, бе разказана изключително сладкодумно. А и Нортън съвсем не е случайно име - дамата е представител на "златното" поколение на американските фантасти, срещата с което закъсня с почти половин век за българския читател (изключваме броящите се на пръстите двете ръце романи, прескочили "завесата"), носител е на Гранд Мастър за фантастика през 1984. Крайна оценка 3,5.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was an off-handed comment in the history of Astounding that Andre Norton invented the concept of Free Traders. This book is certainly one of the first, also including a diverse crew with Asians, an African and someone from the Middle East, unusual for 50s. No female characters, not a shocker, Norton used her "Andrew North" pseudonym for this one.

As stories go, it's a fun, fast paced, action-adventure piece with some nice plot twists and enjoyable characters. A good way to spend an afternoon.

[York · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars 🌟...the story reads much like a Buck Roger's episode...probably would have given it another star 40 years ago...characters are pretty one dimensional and the plot is fairly simple and straightforward...not sure I'll read anymore in this series...

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating premise with well-developed worldbuilding, Sargasso of Space begins as a prime example of what classic sci-fi strove to be.

The novel starts very strong, where Dane's situation and how the universe operates is well-described and understandable. The mystery of planet Limbo is entrancing - I, for one, love forgotten alien relics as a plot device. Likewise, Limbo is technically a post-apocalyptic world, as it was abandoned after destructive war centuries past. This premise and setting are super cool. I was very much entranced by the novel until about halfway through.

Unfortunately, the characters are lacking. Dane makes a few mistakes as a new recruit but doesn’t struggle much with anything mentally. Homesickness? Worry about being trapped on Limbo? Nope, none of that. And while the cast was diverse (in terms of race) the men are barely distinguishable from one another in terms of personality. Dane also has a mild issue with one of the men, Ali, but it never goes anywhere. I’m not sure why it was even mentioned as nothing came of it (well, I do have a theory...). I was really disappointed that we learned nothing about the reptiloid alien man in terms of culture - he acted like a regular dude.

The last third of the novel grows increasingly less interesting, as it’s a lot of running around in fog and mazes - there is no attempt to explain the science behind the discovery, and the antagonist and his rationale were mentioned so briefly it was pretty much in passing.

The novel also suffers greatly in terms of gender. In this novel, women have been wiped out and men propagate based on cloning. At least, I assume so, as there are no women in this novel. No women whatsoever. Sure, they call the ships “her” (because ships are possessions, to be shown off like trophy wives), but there aren’t any women in the cast. I have no idea why, if Norton could imagine a world of racial diversity, she couldn’t have put women in the cast too? I kept waiting for one to show up, whether it was with Salazar’s group or just hanging out on Limbo somehow. This was extremely frustrating to me. Time period is no excuse - there are many many classic sci-fis from the 50s that include women on space ships. But, who knows? Maybe the publishers told her men don't want to read about women. Maybe she thought spaceships ran on old "submarine rules"? No wonder she used a pen name.

There is a cat on the ship (go feline representation, at least?), called Sinbad, which sparked a funny passage:
“Cats took to acceleration, to free fall, to all the other discomforts of star flight, with such ease that there were some odd legends growing up about their tribe. One was that Domestica Felinus was not really native to Terra, but had descended from the survivors of an early and forgotten invasion and in the starships he was only returning to his former golden age.”

I also enjoyed that my version has an ad for cigarettes in the middle of it. What a time to be alive.

Check out my Booktube Review, where I also talk about the reason behind the title, the tech, the aliens, and my theory about Dane and Ali.

[Hank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a second time, it held up well although somewhat simplistic and there were frequent situations where I was thinking they should be doing something totally different but fun and easy one day plane trip read.

[Iryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Якось так вийшло, що в юності я Андре Нортон не читала) Тож, зі знайомством мене).
Для мене це ідеальна легка пригодницька фантастика з вайбами Світляка чи Стар Треку (хоча правильніше було б написати навпаки, зважаючи на те, що Саргаси та й сам цикол були написані набагато раніше і, вірогідно, мали вплив на жанр пригодницької космічної фантастики).
Історія, де все на своєму місці — космос, команда на маленькому, але гордому й незалежному кораблику, прямі алюзії на морські пригоди (власне, черговий доказ того, що весь космос у масовій культурі сприймається як море, океан і дозволяє людству заново прожити епоху Великих відкриттів) і, головне, інтригуючі таємниці.
Місцями історія наївна, не без ляпів (момент, коли технологія предків вирубає все світло і гасить батареї, але бластери — бластери працюють!), але саме в таких історіях це не сприймається як мінус, а радше як мила особливість, яка зовсім не псує враження.
А завдяки тому, що Андре Нортон не розливалася мислію по древу й не описувала кожну приладову панель, кожну локацію і кожен рух персонажів, історія не відчувається застарілою (звісно, за деякими нюансами — наприклад, тими, що пілоти космічних кораблів у майбутньому літають буквально з паперовими бортовими журналами-інструкціями). Вона створила міцний сюжетний каркас, який не заплутує читача, а стає для нього міцною опорою.
Тут немає інфодампу, немає безтолкової експозиції ні про що, немає пояснення пояснень і тужливих роздумів персонажів на п’ятнадцять сторінок про те, «а для чого тут ця диво-каменюка». Немає й непотрібних описів. А сюжет — динамічний і насичений: персонажі потрапляють у вир подій, які впливають одна на одну, а не рандомно скачуть від квесту до квесту просто тому, що так треба автору.
Скажу відверто — я не очікувала такої приємної історії, і, можливо, саме тому вона мені так сподобалася. З іншого боку, саме такого штибу сюжети завжди займали особливе місце в моєму серденьку. Тож після прочитання книги я залюбки передивилася серіал Світляк і отримала подвійну порцію космічно-фантастичного задоволення (відпустка і грип підвернулися вчасно 😄).
Окремі теплі почуття — до передмови перекладача та післямови засновника видавництва Космоліт. У словах Олександра Ласкавцева та Романа Савченка відчувається безмежна щирість і любов до жанру. Тому і я, зі свого боку, дуже щиро бажаю молодому видавництву успіхів і чекатиму на нові переклади та книги.

[Imota · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sargasso of Space" is a vintage science fiction novel of the space opera subgenre, quite popular in the 1950s. The novel appeals to the Young Adult readers, especially males. However, the older readers may enjoy it as well. This is a typical novel of Alice Mary Norton who mainly writes under the pen name Andre Norton.

Using the strong literary criteria, one can argue that "Sargasso of Space" is an entertaining novel with some weaknesses. Some characters and situations are introduced, but they are not further developed . First, I am wondering about Sinbad, the popular cat which joined the crew on the spaceship called The Solar Queen. Readers are first introduced to Sinbad in a short passage and after that nothing is further said about it. Do I really need to read the whole book series in order to hear something about this lovable cat?

In the first couple of chapters the story is told from the point of view of our hero, young cargo handler Dane Thorson. Everything we know about Dane was told in those first chapters. As an orphan without a kin in the service, Dane's psychology is especially emphasized when contrasted with Artur Sands. Dane clearly dislikes Artur, but Dane is not showing it openly. As for Artur, he is a bully , rich, arrogant and quite successful. Arthur really enjoys mocking Dane publicly, especially now, at this critical moment, when Psycho (machine) gives Dane the most dangerous and the worst possible assignment - free trade.

However, this kind of psychological warfare is not seen in the following chapters. In fact, Dane is just one character among many others. Nothing particular is revealed about him. No significant psychological confrontations (person to person), no drama, no reference to any hidden social or ideological agenda that would set him apart from the rest of the crew. In short, instead of a character driven story we have a plot driven story which is moving too fast in my opinion. A lot of emphasis is given to the description of events rather than showing them through various literary techniques - metaphors, visual or auditory imagery, expressive dialogues, word choice, or rhythm. As for Artur Sands, he is not mentioned at all in the ensuing chapters. (This is very strange.) However, he may appear again, I suppose, in other books of the series which I haven't read so far.

About the plot:

Having purchased the planet Limbo from a government agency at an auction sale, a group of free traders are assigned to the Solar Queen, a trader ship, by a computer called Psycho. Then, they are set on a journey to explore the planet. In the beginning, they share a belief that the planet Limbo is uninhabitable, a dead planet. However, the more the planet Limbo is explored, the more they are convinced in the opposite. Not only does this planet have small patches of vegetation but also some artifacts, the remnants of the lost civilization - forerunners. Also, the crew of the Solar Qeen is convinced that something mysterious and deadly is taking place on this planet. As the story progresses the crew of the Solar Queen is about to untangle all of the planet's secrets. Also, they will defeat the space pirates in a typical search and rescue operation.

Andre Norton's literary work had certainly put a strong mark on the American popular fiction in the second half of the 20th century. She wrote many novels in various genres (science fiction, fantasy, adventure, crime novels, etc ). She also received a few recognitions for her literary work including the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in 1998. Also, she was nominated for the Hugo Award two times.

"Sargasso of Space" is certainly not the best novel of Andre Norton. Still, some elements of the book are quite entertaining, especially the first few chapters . And finally, this novel should be also remembered for the following thing: it is written by a woman yet it doesn't include any female characters at all. Therefore, it is a cultural phenomenon and a metaphor of the 1950's when men were - men, and women - women.

A couple of more things from the novel that may be relevant to our era:

1) PSYCHO - the computer/ machine run by the government (nobody knows how it operates) is responsible for hiring people : Is it partial or not? Can it be manipulated?

2) PURCHASING AND EXPLORING PLANETS :
Today, the private corporations are very active in positioning themselves for the future planetary explorations. Here is the question: Who will own the moon, Mars and other planetary bodies? Governments or private corporations?
Who will benefit from it: A few individuals or the whole world ? How much of our galaxy will be sold to Jeff Bezos? Will any of the planetary object end up being sold on EBay ?

[Роман Мищишин · Rating 5 out of 5]

Якщо є потреба відпочити і зануритись в коротку історію без зайвих складнощів і філософських реверансів то це саме те. Швидко, легко, ностальгічно і все ж цікаво.

[Кирило Половінко · Rating 5 out of 5]

Одна з улюблених книг дитинства. Ностальгія – така страшна річ, що пробачаєш усі одруківки 🙏🏻

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Space Capitalism: ragtag edition.

I've noticed that Norton, who had to give up her dream of being an historian to take a job as a librarian at a young age because of the depression, loves to write futures where a computer picks your career for you. I mean, relatable! When I was 20 there was nothing I wanted more than a system to provide me with a Job I Could Do That People Will Pay Me For.

Digression. "Very Young man" as he is described in the first paragraph, and "Tall" Dane Thorson ("Viking" to his not-friends) has just graduated from ten years of Space Crew training and reports to the Psycho, the computer that calculates what crew a new recruit will best fit in, for his assignment. The snotty popular boy in class gets a cushy assignment, and Dane gets ... The Solar Queen. A free trader - this is neither high-class nor destitute, it's a risky proposition with some glamor to it.

And he's off! The trade ship has won a contract to a newly-discovered planet - Limbo - yeaaah - but Limbo is not all it appears! Alien technology is luring ships in and crashing them on the planet scarred by a centures-gone war among aliens. The Forerunners - not much is known about them other than they were wiped out in a great war - but any trace of their tech could be big bucks! If they can survive to collect ...

Cute. I mean, adjust expectations for 1950s. I liked that when the crew is introduced there's an asian, a black guy, and a middle eastern guy - but you could easily lose track of who is who because no one is given much description past the two sentences when they are introduced and then there's a lot of "the astrogator" and "the medic" and you'd best try to remember who that was. :P

There are, of course, no women in space. It is, near as you can tell, a woman-less universe. Ah, the 50s. Still, I enjoyed enough that I'm going to check out the rest of the Solar Queen series.

[Warren Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife, in her persistent attempts to expand my repetoir of science fiction literature, recommended that I try out the Halcyon science fiction collections, so I chose one of Golden-Age hits and the first one I read was a novel called "Plague Ship," which I loved. I later learned it was the second book in a series, so I peddled back and read the first one, "The Sargasso of Space."

Much like the second book, this one is kind of a mystery with an extraterrestrial setting. The beginning sets us up with the main protagonist and how he comes to join the rest of the crew of the Solar Queen, a bare-bones but reliable cargo ship. After winning an auction to buy an entire planet, they set off to explore their new territory and to find what resources they can exploit. But what they find is a graveyard of ships and desolation, and now something won't let their own ship leave.

This is an early effort by Andre Norton, who was writing as Andrew Norton in an attempt to hide her gender. Even though women were writing pulp stories long before, I guess the 50s took a step backward, as she clearly thought a woman writing about a bunch of working-class Joe's in the future was a problem for readers or publishers. Regardless of her motivation, we all know who she is now, and for good reason. Her imagination and story-craft are outstanding, and this book is no exception. Once it gets going, the latter half of the book is well-paced and exciting. The writing is a bit juvenile, but this book was originally targeted to a young male audience, and it still does not detract too much from an adult enjoyment of the story.

If you are a fan of space opera or Golden-Age pulp and have not checked out this series, do yourself a favor and start with this book tonight.

[Наталья · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я не знаю, что такого в этой книге, но прочитав в юности, я перечитывала ее потом не менее 10 раз.

И только сейчас я увидела, что это целая серия! Перечитываю в н-цатый раз и бегом за продолжением.


П.С. О да, и снова кайф!

[Ints · Rating 3 out of 5]

Šī savulaik man bija ļoti iemīļota grāmata, lasījis esmu reizes piecas, un praktiski sižetu zinu no galvas. Protams, no grāmatas atcerējos tikai piedzīvojumu daļu un japāņu nindzju Muru. Izvēloties nākamo “Fantastikas pasaulē” sērijas grāmatu, nolēmu izvēlēties savu bērnības favorītu un pie reizes atsvaidzināt sev atmiņā grāmatas varoņus.

Federācijā ietilpst simtiem zvaigžņu sistēmu. Galvenais ekonomikas dzinējspēks ir tirdzniecība. Bez tirdzniecības kuģiem planētas paliktu izolētas un neizpētītas. Cilvēki galaktikā nav vienīgie, iepriekšējo civilizāciju piemēri rāda, ka galaktiskā dominance nevelkas ilgi, parasti iekšējo pretrunu dēļ civilizācija iznīcina pati sevi. Taču “Saules karalienes” komandai šādas lietas prātu nenodarbina. Viņi ir brīvie tirgoņi, no tiem, kas izpleš Federācijas ietekmes sfēru, kontaktē ar citplanētiešiem un ar to nopelna sev iztiku. “Saules karalienes” komanda nopērk tiesības apsaimniekot kādu nomaļu planētu Limbo, iespējams, ka tas būs viņu lielais ķēriens.

Grāmatas ievadā brāļi Strugacki saka atzinīgus vārdus par šo darbu, uzslavē autores meistarību izcelt sociālas problēmas. Neizslēdz, ka tas darīts neapzinoties, bet visādi citādi pasludina šo darbu par fantastikas etalonu. Šis nu ir tas gadījums, kad puiši ir pamatīgi kļūdījušies. Jā, kad tev ir divpadsmit gadi, tu šo grāmatu lasi ar aizrautību. Izlasi, noliec malā un pēc pāris dienām pārlasi atkal. Jo padomju laikos jau interesanti piedzīvojumi bija retums. Tagad, kad esmu nedaudz paaudzies, man par nožēlu nācās atklāt, ka grāmatā jau arī ir tikai tā piedzīvojumu daļa. Personāži te ir tikai statisti, kas vēsta un kuri veic piedzīvojumus.

Saprotu savu bērnības lielo aizrautību. Galvenis varonis ir izvēlēts ļoti veiksmīgi, puika Deins, kurš tikko pabeidzis tirdzniecības skolu un kura sapņi uz ērtu vietu starpzvaigžņu megakompānijā izbeidzas jau atlasē. Viņam nav nedz sakaru, nedz bagātības, un viņš tiek norīkots uz “Saules karalienes”. Te viņam nākotne nesolās pārāk spoža, taču viņš apmeklēs tālas mežonīgas planētas un vesels vezums ar piedzīvojumiem tiek garantēti nodrošināts. Tālāk viss ir pēc agrīnās fantastikas standartiem – labie ir labi un sliktie ir slikti. Lai lasītājā nerastos nekādas šaubas, autore vajadzīgos brīžos to noskaņo pret sliktajiem Sargasu planētas pirātiem, un viss kārtībā.

Vienu nevar noliegt, grāmata lasās ļoti ātri, jo viņa ir gan plāna, gan interesanta. Jau no sākuma ir skaidrs, kurš uzvarēs, un tas liekus pārdzīvojumus nerada. Grāmatas iznākšanas gados galvenajiem varoņiem vēl lielākoties bija neaizskaramo statuss un tādēļ pat īpaši ļaunie vienmēr tika nogādāti taisnas tiesas priekšā. Jo nošaujot ļaundari, labais nevar triumfēt visa pilnībā. Taisnības triumfēšanas fonā labi iederas citplanētieši artefakti, seni ieroči un pirāti.

Grāmatai nāktos likt ne vairāk par 3 no 10 ballēm. Ja viņai līdzi nenāktu gaišās bērnības atmiņas, tā laika pozitīvie iespaidi un sapratne, ka kādreiz jau visiem autoriem jāsāk mēģināt rakstīt. Tad tā arī ieliktu, bet ņemot iepriekš minēto, vērā lieku 7 no 10 ballēm, laba grāmata, ar kuru iesākt fantastikas žanru agrā vecumā. Viss cikls kopumā nebūt nav slikts, ja patīk uzsvars uz piedzīvojumiem.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated, but good. 3.5 stars.

[Anastasiia C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Це книга мого дитинства, знаю всі ці історії майже на пам'ять, але як приємно нарешті читати їх українською!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the 1950s, many writers were churning out space adventure books in response to the increasing interest in space travel. Most of them stunk. This one didn't. Yes, it features an all-male cast of tough characters, but the writing is up there to Ms. Norton's usual standard. Mary Alice Norton, a librarian, began writing boys' adventure novels, but to keep her gender from becoming an issue, used the pen names Andrew North and Andre Norton. Which amuses me no end, because when I read my first book by Ms. Norton, Witch World, I knew the author was a woman immediately. I was surprised to find out later that I was supposed to think she was a he.
In a book like .Sargasso of Space I imagine readers did think she was a man, because this is a "gee-whiz isn't this exciting-space adventure." I like the protagonist, Dane Thorson, a young man fresh out of school, who takes a berth on The Solar Queen, a Trader ship. The Queen isn't fancy, but her crew is tough and smart and when they buy trade and salvage rights to the planet Limbo, all sorts of adventures ensue.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norton, Andre (a.k.a. Andrew North). Sargasso of Space. 1955. Solar Queen No. 1. Open Road Media, 2014.
Andre Norton’s Solar Queen series is not one of the enduring science fiction monuments of the 1950s, such as Fahrenheit 451, I, Robot, or The Stars My Destination; it is not even up there with Starship Troopers. It is, nevertheless, a book I probably read and enjoyed when I was 11 or 12 in the 1950s, and I enjoy it still. Apprentice Cargo-Master Dane of the independent trade Solar Queen is a likeable young man who learns from experience negotiating with aliens on newly opened planets. The crew of the Queen are a well-individualized set of characters who have believable relationships with each other. Sadly, Norton still felt compelled to make space travel a boys club, and the cool-your-rockets space opera slang is hard to take, though it is no worse than Heinlein got away with in some of his juveniles. Still 4 stars from me.

[Joachim Boaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...

"Andre Norton’s Sargasso of Space (1955), the first installment of her Solar Queen sequence of novels, delivers everything a 1950s juvenile science fiction adventure should. Sargasso of Space is not only blessed with genuine tension, intriguing situations, heroic young adults, but also a multi-racial cast (an African-American apprentice engineer and two crew members [...]"

[Andrea]

One of Norton's strongest SF books, Sargasso of Space puts us firmly on the side of the 'little guy' independent trader, the Solar Queen, aiming to make a profit within the rules, up against the bottomless pockets of the large trading combines.

With an excellent combination of comradeship, mystery and adventure, this is a quick and engrossing read. The only mar is the usual issue with Norton's early work - women don't exist.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been an avid reader of Andre Norton works for years but I never got to read this book till now. It is odd to finally read the first book in a series years after you read all the others. It is a wonderful space adventure from the golden age of sci-fi. I think it was a excellent beginning to a series I have loved for years.

[DiscoSpacePanther · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having known the title of this book for more than thirty-five years, and having a a vague notion of what it was about, I saw a copy in the local Oxfam shop, and had to pick it up to finally give it a read.

It is pretty much exactly what I expected—a 1950s space opera where a new young recruit on a trading ship has an adventure on a planet that is mysteriously covered in wrecked spaceships. It feels at times like Asimov, E.E. "Doc" Smith or other mid-20th century SF, such as The Forbidden Planet.

Diversity is acknowledged—there are black, asian, and (implied) Middle-Eastern crewmembers who aren't at all defined by their ethnicities. Yet it definitely illustrates how impactful Star Trek must have been in the following decade—for even though this book was written by a woman, there is not a single female character in the book: it is a strictly boys-only affair! The bridge of the Enterprise was much more gender-balanced.

And its influence on subsequent stories also seems apparent, as I can clearly see tonal elements from this in stories such as Alien, Prometheus, Mass Effect, Babylon 5, Firefly, or even the original Unreal videogame.

This is right up my alley—I love space opera, and I rather enjoy the simplistic style of writing (I suppose I would describe it as direct and to the point!), although it would never win awards for style.

It is a fun adventure that doesn't have pretensions of grandness, and is content to be resolved with blasters and fisticuffs. I would have preferred the mystery to be more, well, mysterious—my favourite parts of the novel are the drama and tension of exploring a mysterious planet covered in wrecks, with limited visibility and the threat of enemies and aliens—so I would have preferred a less prosaic ending.

It's short, but action packed throughout. I'll give it a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4, and would recommend it to any fan of space opera, from the age of 8 upwards.

[Tija Bija · Rating 2 out of 5]

Paņem jebkādu piedzīvojumu stāstu par 15.gs Eiropas jūrasbraucēju, bet iedomājies, ka tas notiek kosmosā. Pieliec klāt dažas 20.gs tehnoloģijas (piem.: kasetes, filmu, projekcijas aparātu...), lai 20.gs lasītājam šķiet ticamāk. Protams, pieliec klāt arī dažus neparastus vārdus, kā "radiotelefons", "hipertelpa", "blasters", "fliters", "skaitļojamā mašīna", "gangsteris", "trīsdimensiju glezna", kas rosinās lasītāja iztēli par superīgo nākotni. Svarīgi pastarpām iezīmēt arī kādu hibrīdisku būtni, kas pat 21.gs lasītājam radīs bailes naktī iet uz tualeti. Ak, lai būtu apokaliptiskāka noskaņa jāpiemin arī, ka iepriekšējā cilvēce bija varena planētu sistēmu valdniece, taču karā izmantotās vēlvarenakās tehnoloģijas to iznīcināja.

⭐⭐ – būtu visas zvaigznes, ja pieminētu to, kas man vienmēr interesē – kā cilvēki nokārtojas uz citām planētām.

Šī nav grāmata kam jānotic. Šad tad ir jauki palasīt kādu darbu no 20.gs zinātniskās fantastikas lauka, lai sirsnīgi pasmaidītu par pagātnes fantastu "paredzējumiem".

"Sargasi kosmosā" nākotnes cilvēce klejo visumā, meklējot jaunas planētas, tās kolonizē un tirgo izsolēs tālāk ar visām tās mazāk-vai-vairāk saprātīgajām būtnēm = pirmdzimtajiem. Gandrīz tas, kas notiek jau tagad, neatstājot planētas Zeme biosfēru.

Domāju, ka 50.tajiem gadiem neparasti, ka pamatvaroņi ir dažādu rasu cilvēki. Kā arī tas, ka grāmatā precīzi 0 reižu tika minēta jebkāda sievišķīga būtne. Kosmosa iekarošana ir vīrieša padarīšana.

Lai gan priekšvārdā minēts, ka galveno varoņu starpā pastāv tikai "atturīga vīriešu draudzība bez siekalainas tās apliecināšanas un izskaidrošanas", es pat teiktu, ka šai stāstā ir pietiekami daudz tukšumu, kas ļautu to lasīt caur citu seksualitāšu prizmu (eng- queering).

[Doug Sundseth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apprentice Cargo Master Dane Thorson, fresh out of the Trade academy, signs onto the crew of the Solar Queen for his first assignment. The Solar Queen is a Free Trader, not owned by any of the great trading houses, and a rather low-prestige assignment. But the life of a Free Trader isn't as constrained as that of a member of one of those great houses either.

This is a classic space adventure, with strange new planets, ruthless villains, odd aliens, and mysteries from the ancient past. The characters are stock adventurers and the plot isn't especially surprising, but the package is well plotted and compelling, and there is a sense of wonder that is seldom seen in modern SF.

Recommended.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first of.the “Solar Queen” series by Andre Norton is an adequate “boys’ adventure” short novel. And as such there is not one female of any significance in the book. This is a pity as Norton is well able to create strong female characters. I suppose that she felt she knew the expectations of her target audience of young pre- and early teens of the fifties.
The various members of the Solar Queen crew are all created in broad strokes as are the villains. So emphasis is on a fairly decent plot.
The book works but one would hope that later entries will improve.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derring do on the space lanes. A new planet, ripe for development is won at auction by the crew of the Solar Queen. Unfortunately, they don't have a cargo or the money left to pay for their field fees. A archaelogist wants to pay them to go to ruins found on their new planet. Problem solved? (And I thought, rather convenient that, eh?) Of course it creates new ones. This is the first in a series that I look forward to reading. Recommended.