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Solar Queen #2
Plague Ship
Second of the "Solar Queen" adventures, originally published under the author's alternate pseudonym "Andrew North." The trader ship has won the exclusive rights to a new world, reputed to be a source of fabulous gems. But the collection of those precious stones turns out to involve something far different from mining! And then there's the mysterious illness which strikes the Queen on her voyage home. By the time it arrives at Terra, the crew is reduced to three apprentices, who must land the ship while avoiding being shot to pieces by the Patrol. And somehow, despite being treated as contagion itself, they must find help.
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
203 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Andre Norton
695 books1,386 followersAndre 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
April 22, 2018
Rating: 3.5* of five
Why not more stars, as this is a sentimental favorite? Because I'm rereading it at closer-to-70-than-4o instead of closer-to-10-than-20. It's dated, of course, but it's still a thumping good read for its wonderful interconnectedness to the other parts of Norton's universe: the Forerunners, the Salariki (a catlike people from Planet Sargol), the gems so bewitchingly described...after all, gems are perfect high-value low-bulk trade goods...the horrible, misery-sowing religious professionals, the Patrol, the finny rockets.
As I'm rereading at a time in life where I've had more and vastly enriching experiences translating ideas from page to screen, or at least trying to, I kept looking for the modern technology to slot into the story. It was surprisingly easy to do. Also surprisingly easy was gaying it up. When the Agatha Christie's Marple adapters showed the way to tart up a fairly drab story, by today's TV standards, was to chuck a gay subplot into it, I was galvanized. Heck fire, most of it was already there already! Like with Dame Agatha's stuff, Grand Master Norton's practically has footnotes saying "re-interpret this passage, 21st century storyteller" and wowee toledo does the Solar Queen (heh) have the goods.
The cover of the edition I'm posting the review to is the one I had as a youth. The Kindle Megapack is more convenient, of course, but I still sigh wistfully at the laughable cover art from an era when we hadn't even been to the Moon yet.
Had I been consulted, I'd've told Reed Hastings' people to skip rebooting Lost in Space (which was a dog in 1966 and is a prettier dog in 2018) and instead *make* an episodic entertainment of the Solar Queen chronicles. Someone should...all the elements are there. The youthful, handsome protagonist Dane leaving school, joining the crew he bonds with, growing as a man and as a trader with lurches forward and swattings backward.
I don't know if modern (under-45) readers would have the patience to mentally update the old tech (space ships with mag-tape computers?!) but I'd say this series is a decent place to test the tepidarium of Papaw's stories.
Why not more stars, as this is a sentimental favorite? Because I'm rereading it at closer-to-70-than-4o instead of closer-to-10-than-20. It's dated, of course, but it's still a thumping good read for its wonderful interconnectedness to the other parts of Norton's universe: the Forerunners, the Salariki (a catlike people from Planet Sargol), the gems so bewitchingly described...after all, gems are perfect high-value low-bulk trade goods...the horrible, misery-sowing religious professionals, the Patrol, the finny rockets.
As I'm rereading at a time in life where I've had more and vastly enriching experiences translating ideas from page to screen, or at least trying to, I kept looking for the modern technology to slot into the story. It was surprisingly easy to do. Also surprisingly easy was gaying it up. When the Agatha Christie's Marple adapters showed the way to tart up a fairly drab story, by today's TV standards, was to chuck a gay subplot into it, I was galvanized. Heck fire, most of it was already there already! Like with Dame Agatha's stuff, Grand Master Norton's practically has footnotes saying "re-interpret this passage, 21st century storyteller" and wowee toledo does the Solar Queen (heh) have the goods.
The cover of the edition I'm posting the review to is the one I had as a youth. The Kindle Megapack is more convenient, of course, but I still sigh wistfully at the laughable cover art from an era when we hadn't even been to the Moon yet.
Had I been consulted, I'd've told Reed Hastings' people to skip rebooting Lost in Space (which was a dog in 1966 and is a prettier dog in 2018) and instead *make* an episodic entertainment of the Solar Queen chronicles. Someone should...all the elements are there. The youthful, handsome protagonist Dane leaving school, joining the crew he bonds with, growing as a man and as a trader with lurches forward and swattings backward.
I don't know if modern (under-45) readers would have the patience to mentally update the old tech (space ships with mag-tape computers?!) but I'd say this series is a decent place to test the tepidarium of Papaw's stories.
February 11, 2022
This is one of Norton's Solar Queen books, a fun, action-packed space opera series that followed the adventures of an interstellar trading ship. The book is full of mysterious aliens and intriguing societies, hair-breadth escapes, plenty of derring-do, and (of course!) a cat. Norton had as many cats in her books as Dean Koontz has dogs. Norton never received the acclaim or respect within the science fiction field that she deserved (with the possible exception of the Witch World books, which were regarded more as fantasy in any event), perhaps because she rarely wrote for the genre magazines, was looked upon as a writer for younger readers (which at the time meant the works were rarely taken seriously), and perhaps because of gender bias. I had dozens of her books and devoured them one after another like popcorn, as many sf fans did, but still her name was rarely mentioned along with Heinlein or Pohl or del Rey as one of the giants of the field. I enjoyed revisiting Dane and his pals by listening to this fine reading via Librivox, and plan to start another one, Voodoo Planet, next. The story is a bit dated, particularly in the technology area, but it's still a captivating and clever romp.
September 30, 2015
Plague Ship by Andre Norton (North, Alice Mary Norton – Andre was a female writer) was first published in 1954 and is a great example of vintage Golden Age SF.
Very much reminiscent of Heinlein juveniles or Frederik Pohl or especially Poul Anderson and his Polesotechnic League series featuring Nicholas Van Rjin (Norton has a character, a trader also, named Van Ryche – though Norton’s Van Ryche does not come close to the personality of Van Rijn.)
The second in her Dane Thorson / Solar Queen series, this describes a cargo ship on a distant planet that picks up an alien bug (?) and gets labeled a plague ship. Modern readers may see some similarities with Ridley Scott’s Alien films, though Norton’s 50s era aliens are no where near as scary.
This was my first introduction to Norton’s prolific canon and this is odd because I have something of a connection to her. Ms. Norton lived her final few years in Murfreesboro, TN where I work and spend most of my time. Many of the locals, some of my close friends included, remember her in the community. She was known for her devotion to her cats, and this feline affinity can be seen in some of her writing.
A bit dated but a fun and entertaining SF book.
Very much reminiscent of Heinlein juveniles or Frederik Pohl or especially Poul Anderson and his Polesotechnic League series featuring Nicholas Van Rjin (Norton has a character, a trader also, named Van Ryche – though Norton’s Van Ryche does not come close to the personality of Van Rijn.)
The second in her Dane Thorson / Solar Queen series, this describes a cargo ship on a distant planet that picks up an alien bug (?) and gets labeled a plague ship. Modern readers may see some similarities with Ridley Scott’s Alien films, though Norton’s 50s era aliens are no where near as scary.
This was my first introduction to Norton’s prolific canon and this is odd because I have something of a connection to her. Ms. Norton lived her final few years in Murfreesboro, TN where I work and spend most of my time. Many of the locals, some of my close friends included, remember her in the community. She was known for her devotion to her cats, and this feline affinity can be seen in some of her writing.
A bit dated but a fun and entertaining SF book.
January 17, 2019
In her lifetime, Andre Norton received many of the highest forms of recognition reserved for writers of fantasy/science fiction. I can remember, as a juvenile, having an interest in sci-fi and having the town’s librarian take me over to her books. It worked and I have read many including some of her Witch World series but I can’t recall having read any of this Space Queen series.
In general, I like sagas of space traders and Norton’s novels may be some of the earlier ones describing the contacts between humans and other species.
The crew of the Space Queen are “free traders” who have taken a chance on a dead trader’s rights to a remote planet’s trade. "What had Traxt Cam discovered which had given him the trading contract with these suspicious aliens? Unless the men from the Queen learned it, they could go on talking until the contract ran out and get no farther than they had today."
There aren’t any complex personalities or hidden meanings in this story directed at a teenage audience. "He laid no plans of action—this whole exploit must depend upon improvisation. And, as a Free Trader, spur-of-the-moment action was a necessary way of life. On the frontier Rim of the Galaxy, where the independent spacers traced the star trails, fast thinking and the ability to change plans on an instant were as important as skill in aiming a blaster."
Aliens are to be traded with, once you can understand what is important to them and what forms a basic of a relationship. They may present some threat but they are not intent on subjugating humans. In fact, some species may look very different than humans but Norton often emphasizes the commonalities.
"As fighting men, Dane thought, trying to study the specimens before him with a totally impersonal stare, the Salariki were an impressive lot. Their average height was close to six feet, their distant feline ancestry apparent only in small vestiges. A Salarik’s nails on both hands and feet were retractile, his skin was gray, his thick hair, close to the texture of plushy fur, extended down his backbone and along the outside of his well muscled arms and legs, and was tawny-yellow, blue-gray or white. To Terran eyes the broad faces, now all turned in their direction, lacked readable expression. The eyes were large and set slightly aslant in the skull, being startlingly orange-red or a brilliant turquoise green-blue."
The Salariki may look different but their behavior isn’t too different from many human tribes. Norton seems to say that if we can figure that out we can all get along.
The crew of the Space Queen find greater threats from competing human trading organizations who show little hesitancy in the use of double-dealing or trickery. The good guys win out in the end and I enjoyed Norton’s tale. So, even though it is dated by its technology, if taken on its own terms as a straight-forward sci-fi story for youngsters, it would rate 3.5*
In general, I like sagas of space traders and Norton’s novels may be some of the earlier ones describing the contacts between humans and other species.
The crew of the Space Queen are “free traders” who have taken a chance on a dead trader’s rights to a remote planet’s trade. "What had Traxt Cam discovered which had given him the trading contract with these suspicious aliens? Unless the men from the Queen learned it, they could go on talking until the contract ran out and get no farther than they had today."
There aren’t any complex personalities or hidden meanings in this story directed at a teenage audience. "He laid no plans of action—this whole exploit must depend upon improvisation. And, as a Free Trader, spur-of-the-moment action was a necessary way of life. On the frontier Rim of the Galaxy, where the independent spacers traced the star trails, fast thinking and the ability to change plans on an instant were as important as skill in aiming a blaster."
Aliens are to be traded with, once you can understand what is important to them and what forms a basic of a relationship. They may present some threat but they are not intent on subjugating humans. In fact, some species may look very different than humans but Norton often emphasizes the commonalities.
"As fighting men, Dane thought, trying to study the specimens before him with a totally impersonal stare, the Salariki were an impressive lot. Their average height was close to six feet, their distant feline ancestry apparent only in small vestiges. A Salarik’s nails on both hands and feet were retractile, his skin was gray, his thick hair, close to the texture of plushy fur, extended down his backbone and along the outside of his well muscled arms and legs, and was tawny-yellow, blue-gray or white. To Terran eyes the broad faces, now all turned in their direction, lacked readable expression. The eyes were large and set slightly aslant in the skull, being startlingly orange-red or a brilliant turquoise green-blue."
The Salariki may look different but their behavior isn’t too different from many human tribes. Norton seems to say that if we can figure that out we can all get along.
The crew of the Space Queen find greater threats from competing human trading organizations who show little hesitancy in the use of double-dealing or trickery. The good guys win out in the end and I enjoyed Norton’s tale. So, even though it is dated by its technology, if taken on its own terms as a straight-forward sci-fi story for youngsters, it would rate 3.5*
September 2, 2025
Plague Ship was first published under the name Andrew North – at the time it was accepted that boys would never read SF written by a woman – and it is Andre Norton at her old-fashioned 1950s best. It sparkles in its descriptions of alien cultures and lifeforms. The feline Salariki on the planet Sargol jump from the page as if they were real with their sensuous attraction to smells and aromas and their clannish culture that owes an awful lot to human – sorry Terran – masculine warrior societies. They war with the Gorps, a reptilian sea-dwelling species, over the valuable Koros stones which can be traded off-world. Then there is Queex, the Hoobat, Captain Jellicoe's – well, “thing” - which proves itself invaluable when combating the chameleon-like alien invaders on the Solar Queen. The hunting scene is worth reading by itself. Then there is the landing in Earth's Big Burn, a nuclear disaster area left after the planet's last atomic war, and the weird distortions of life that have mutated there. That is all prime Norton.
Alas, when it comes to the early Nortons the science takes second place to the fantasy. When you are sending space craft to other inhabited planets and you have to make sure that dangerous alien lifeforms do not find their way on board, is it really plausible that the only defence is a ship's cat? I understand that the presence of Sinbad is required in the story to lead into the whole catnip thing with the Salariki but surely a ship's cat is more eighteenth-century Earth than a universe thousands of years into the future. And then there is the Solar Queen's landing in the Big Burn. It's a spacecraft plunging through the atmosphere to land at the centre of Earth's planetary empire – or confederation – or whatever it is – and no one notices. Come on. Surely even a 1950s fourteen year old would have raised an eyebrow at that.
But never mind. As Judith Tarr, in her review on tor.com, says Plague Ship has “a brightness to it. It's fun.” And that is absolutely right. We know who is going to win in the end – of course we do – the guys in the white hats, or helmets. It is all a splendid B-movie adventure that requires nothing more than a suspension of belief – and commonsense – and, well, science. Oh, just enjoy it – a Salariki would lap it up.
Alas, when it comes to the early Nortons the science takes second place to the fantasy. When you are sending space craft to other inhabited planets and you have to make sure that dangerous alien lifeforms do not find their way on board, is it really plausible that the only defence is a ship's cat? I understand that the presence of Sinbad is required in the story to lead into the whole catnip thing with the Salariki but surely a ship's cat is more eighteenth-century Earth than a universe thousands of years into the future. And then there is the Solar Queen's landing in the Big Burn. It's a spacecraft plunging through the atmosphere to land at the centre of Earth's planetary empire – or confederation – or whatever it is – and no one notices. Come on. Surely even a 1950s fourteen year old would have raised an eyebrow at that.
But never mind. As Judith Tarr, in her review on tor.com, says Plague Ship has “a brightness to it. It's fun.” And that is absolutely right. We know who is going to win in the end – of course we do – the guys in the white hats, or helmets. It is all a splendid B-movie adventure that requires nothing more than a suspension of belief – and commonsense – and, well, science. Oh, just enjoy it – a Salariki would lap it up.
August 22, 2011
"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second installment in Andre Norton's so-called Dane Thorson series, and is a direct continuation of the previous volume, "Sargasso of Space." (A reading of that earlier novel is highly recommended before going into this one.) "Plague Ship" does everything that a good sci-fi sequel should: It expands on the possibilities of the previous book, deepens the characters, increases the action and leaves us wanting still more. It's a very fast-moving and suspenseful tale, full of unusual detail and unexpected turns. There are several highlights that make the book really shine, such as the gorp hunt early in the story. (And when I say "gorp," I'm not talking about high-energy nut-and-raisin trail mix, but rather reptilian, crablike monsters!) This gorp hunt takes place at sunset on the reefs of an oily sea, and is a highly atmospheric and exciting segment. Other great sections include a raid on an asteroid's emergency station; a landing in the Big Burn... and the viewing of the mutant life-forms therein; and the battle... near the book's end, where our heroes make a desperate bid to make their plea for justice to the citizens of the solar system. Like I said, this is a slam-bang sequel, that will leave few readers unsatisfied.
That having been said, I need to also mention that there are a few inconsistencies in the book. At one point, Norton tells us that Dane has been in the trading service for a few months; somewhere else, she says that it has been a full year. Huh? And I feel that I must chastise Ace Books for the deplorable job with which this book has been put together. Now don't get me wrong: I LOVE these little Ace paperbacks from the 1950s, especially those 2-in-1 Ace doubles. But there are so many typos--not to mention punctuational and grammatical errors--in this book that the reading thereof is made a labor. Should we blame Norton or the publishers for a sentence such as this: "His hands, blundering within the metallic claws of the gloves, Dane buckled two safety belts about him." How could any copy editor or proofreader let such an egregious line such as this get through, when just the simple deletion of that first comma would have made all the difference?! Apparently, these little Ace books were never proofed or edited. They're wonderful volumes, with marvelously pulpy covers, but sadly, the contents were not given their due. But enough about Ace's carelessness. "Plague Ship," despite the occasional blunder, is still a marvelous entertainment, and I do highly recommend it.
That having been said, I need to also mention that there are a few inconsistencies in the book. At one point, Norton tells us that Dane has been in the trading service for a few months; somewhere else, she says that it has been a full year. Huh? And I feel that I must chastise Ace Books for the deplorable job with which this book has been put together. Now don't get me wrong: I LOVE these little Ace paperbacks from the 1950s, especially those 2-in-1 Ace doubles. But there are so many typos--not to mention punctuational and grammatical errors--in this book that the reading thereof is made a labor. Should we blame Norton or the publishers for a sentence such as this: "His hands, blundering within the metallic claws of the gloves, Dane buckled two safety belts about him." How could any copy editor or proofreader let such an egregious line such as this get through, when just the simple deletion of that first comma would have made all the difference?! Apparently, these little Ace books were never proofed or edited. They're wonderful volumes, with marvelously pulpy covers, but sadly, the contents were not given their due. But enough about Ace's carelessness. "Plague Ship," despite the occasional blunder, is still a marvelous entertainment, and I do highly recommend it.
December 23, 2016
Though I realized I have a TON of Norton/North books to get through, this is my favorite one to date. I read a lot of maritime history, and the worst thing that could happen when you’re halfway between to points is either a fire or a disease. If you stop to think about it, there really aren’t that many differences between a maritime vessel in the 1700’s and the spacefaring vessels of the future. Each planet would have to have strict rules to prevent the spread of other-worldly diseases. If you had a ship malfunction in the middle of nowhere, well, we all know the saying “In space no one can hear you scream.”
While this book is your typical space opera, it has a lot more realism to it than some of the others. Norton does an excellent job of describing the fear of the crew as the disease seems to be claiming more and more lives. It really lets you connect to the characters. Also, I find it refreshing that the main character is actually not the one calling all the shots. You don’t see that often, and it was interesting. I’m looking forward to reading Voodoo Planet, another book about the Solar Queen.
Plus there was some good humor and good one liners. I need that kind of comedic break up in a book. Jellico (awesome name) was probably my favorite character for this line alone: “Jellico's habitual distrust of the future gathered force.”
This audiobook was provided for free on Librivox.org.
While this book is your typical space opera, it has a lot more realism to it than some of the others. Norton does an excellent job of describing the fear of the crew as the disease seems to be claiming more and more lives. It really lets you connect to the characters. Also, I find it refreshing that the main character is actually not the one calling all the shots. You don’t see that often, and it was interesting. I’m looking forward to reading Voodoo Planet, another book about the Solar Queen.
Plus there was some good humor and good one liners. I need that kind of comedic break up in a book. Jellico (awesome name) was probably my favorite character for this line alone: “Jellico's habitual distrust of the future gathered force.”
This audiobook was provided for free on Librivox.org.
August 9, 2020
3.5 stars, a bit dated, but enjoyable.
September 25, 2017
A novel by the very prolific pulp novelist that, unfortunately, is seldom mentioned when speaking of golden age ScFi authors. She is pre- le Guin and Tiptree Jr. She tends to lean more towards fantasy and is not considered "hard SF", but can spin a spaceship yarn right up there with the likes of Eric Frank Russel and even at times - dare I say - Heinlein.
Good solid adventure stuff.
Good solid adventure stuff.
December 13, 2009
The second Solar Queen novel, this short but action-packed little novel is full of what makes Andre Alice Norton the master of 1950’s SF; alien worlds, alien species, and men who are determined to make their mark on the wilds of space. Like any good horse opera, her space operas take a tried and true formula and deliver a solid, fun story. Again, I’ll mention that her works are not hard SF, but something more in line with the original Twilight Zone or Flash Gordon serials of old. And that, in my opinion, makes them all the better.
Plague Ship is the continuing story Dane Thorson and his apprenticeship on a Free Trader ship that is trying to make another big score. This time, they get mixed up with interstellar trading disputes, alien customs, and a mysterious illness that just might leave the Solar Queen a drifting derelict in space that will have to be forced into the nearest sun. Only the quick thinking actions of the youngest crew members will decide her eventual fate!! Tune in next time to see just how this wild ride will end! (Okay, the high-drama copy was just for fun, but you get the idea.)
Plague Ship is the continuing story Dane Thorson and his apprenticeship on a Free Trader ship that is trying to make another big score. This time, they get mixed up with interstellar trading disputes, alien customs, and a mysterious illness that just might leave the Solar Queen a drifting derelict in space that will have to be forced into the nearest sun. Only the quick thinking actions of the youngest crew members will decide her eventual fate!! Tune in next time to see just how this wild ride will end! (Okay, the high-drama copy was just for fun, but you get the idea.)
March 25, 2015
4.5
Что мне нравится в книгах этой серии, так это динамика - постоянно что-то происходит, автор не дает заскучать и держит в напряжении.
А еще это персонажи. Главный герой, Дэйн - простой обычный парень. Он вызывает симпатию. И остальные члены экипажа "Королевы Солнца" такие разные, и каждый интересен сам по себе, и тем любопытнее наблюдать, как они дополняют друг друга в жизни-работе вольных торговцев.
Сама тема космической торговли также описывается очень увлекательно - законы, обычаи, ритуалы, товары, общение с представителями самых разнообразным обитателей Вселенной.
Немного разочаровала концовка, обидно за героев, но зато правдоподобно.
Читая эту книгу, я испытывала восторг, как от встречи с приятелем, которого давно не видела, так что мнение у меня предвзятое.
Что мне нравится в книгах этой серии, так это динамика - постоянно что-то происходит, автор не дает заскучать и держит в напряжении.
А еще это персонажи. Главный герой, Дэйн - простой обычный парень. Он вызывает симпатию. И остальные члены экипажа "Королевы Солнца" такие разные, и каждый интересен сам по себе, и тем любопытнее наблюдать, как они дополняют друг друга в жизни-работе вольных торговцев.
Сама тема космической торговли также описывается очень увлекательно - законы, обычаи, ритуалы, товары, общение с представителями самых разнообразным обитателей Вселенной.
Немного разочаровала концовка, обидно за героев, но зато правдоподобно.
Читая эту книгу, я испытывала восторг, как от встречи с приятелем, которого давно не видела, так что мнение у меня предвзятое.
November 2, 2015
The second book in the Solar Queen series, a good sequel to Sargasso of space actually a little better, but both are fun reads. Well written as always from Andre Norton, not to difficult to figure out what was happening but a good original story. If you enjoy classic si-fi you will like Plague ship.
February 11, 2017
One of the Solar Queen series, these are space opera in the old school, and fun to read. In this adventure, the trading ship is stricken by a strange ailment, and unless they are fast and clever, they will be quarantined and abandoned to die. The ship's cat plays a pivotal role, an element I enjoyed.
May 7, 2011
Nice scifi "listen" for someone not deeply into science fiction. Remember, I really don't review a book/podcast. I prefer to read the podcast/book's blip then listen/read and be surprised. I liked this one. (librivox.org)
April 15, 2013
Fast paced and suspenseful; a tale that was imaginative and entertaining.
August 24, 2017
Plague Ship is the first book I read for my Readathon of women in SF! It might also be the oldest novel I'll read for this project - it was published in 1956. Andre (Alice) Norton is an author I'd never read before, but I have heard of her, which makes her an exception to my general attempt to read books by women I'm not already aware of. But Andre Norton is exceptional in many ways. She was the first female Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy, Grandmaster of the SFWA, and inductee into the SF&F hall of fame. She wrote from the 1930s until her death in 2005. Her early SF&F in the 40s and 50s is pretty influential; I've heard a lot of people say that Norton was one of their favorites as a child. She was a librarian (at the Library of Congress, even!) as her day job and briefly owned a bookstore here in Maryland. Toward the end of her life, she collaborated with new SF&F authors to co-write YA books set in her established universes. She wrote under a pseudonym (actually several) of course, though she legally changed her name from "Alice" to "Andre Alice." And she was such a D&D nerd that she got to play with Gygax himself and *then* wrote a novel set in the world he created!
Plague Ship was recommended to me by several internet sources claiming it's Norton's best sci-fi work. Given that context, it was a bit of a disappointment. This is clearly an early genre work with lots of genre hallmarks and not much to recommend it beyond that. It's also the second book her Solar Queen series, which I didn't know until I'd finished. I actually thought it was perhaps the first in a series, given that it seemed like it really wanted to introduce a colorful cast of characters and then leave them in a situation where they will have to go on more adventures.
The novel follows the crew of the Solar Queen, a freelance trading ship, as they attempt to stake their claim on trade with a newly discovered planet full of cat people. The cat people love scents and perfumes. The human crew of the Solar Queen do not enjoy this and struggle to find something that the cat people will want to trade. They discover that some government-funded traders are trying to poach their trading opportunity. But after a while they figure out the cat people like catnip (WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED) and trade like one catnip plant for a hold full of jewels and fancy wood. This part is very long, about the first half of the book plus a bit, and not very interesting, and often reminded me of the Star Wars fanfiction I wrote as a child about a (canonical!) species of cat people.
You may notice that we're more than halfway through a book called Plague Ship without any mention of plague and actually very few mentions of ship, either. I noticed. The Solar Queen takes off, though, and several crew members promptly fall into comas. The crew can't figure out why, but they're certain it's not a plague, because the pattern of illness doesn't fit. The government traders somehow know about the illness, though, because they put out a "plague ship" alert for the Solar Queen, which means they can't dock at any ports.
The Solar Queen arrives in Earth's solar system and things finally pick up. For the first time, the plot and the world grabbed me. Earth has been nuked to hell at some point (as it often was in SF from the 40s-90s) and there are still "hot zones" that are uninhabitable. There are space stations spread throughout the solar system and beyond. I wanted to know more about all of this - what is it like to a be stationed on one of those space stations? What's it like to be an Earthling (or a Terran) in this world full of radiation? Sadly, those questions aren't answered.
The Solar Queen decides to land in a hot zone since no one will expect them to do that and send a heavily-shielded shuttle to look for medical help. The best scene in the book is the trip through the hot zone, which is full of strangely evolved and heavily mutated flora and fauna. It reminded me very strongly of Forbidden Planet and other early SF movies. They find a doctor, some more shenanigans happen, they threaten a whole bunch of people, and their names get cleared and the crew is healed, but they're not allowed on Earth any time in the near future.
The second biggest problem with this book is the pacing. The first half of the book could have been 1/4 of what it is, with those extra pages devoted instead to exploring the way-too-quickly-resolved climax and finale. In fact the whole debacle on the cat planet could have been a separate book with a separate story and that would have been preferable.
The biggest problem with the book and the main reason I give this 1 star was the characterization. I say "the crew" instead of any particular character name because they're all just a bunch of white dudes and maybe a token minority stereotype with no distinguishing characteristics whatsoever. The captain is very captain-y. The younger crew members are very young-y. The doctor is very responsible. That's about it. I don't think there's even a single female mentioned by name. Maybe one cat lady?
I can see why Norton is so well liked, though. It's a pretty quick read, and I was taken in by the history that her universe had. I wanted to know more. But I wanted her to tell a different kind of story than the one she wrote.
I can also see why she found success in YA later in life. That's a genre that didn't formally exist when this was published, but if these characters were maybe 15 years younger, this would be a great candidate for a YA success. There is daring-do, adventure, exotic planets, and dashing young men solving problems with courage and sensibility. They get justice in the end and there's a promise for more adventure. I wouldn't read more in this series, I don't think, but I'd go for one of her fantasy novels. It's hard to dislike a trope-y SF book that existed before the tropes were really tropes, but it's also hard for me to enjoy it. I'm much more tolerant of tropes in fantasy than in SF.
Plague Ship was recommended to me by several internet sources claiming it's Norton's best sci-fi work. Given that context, it was a bit of a disappointment. This is clearly an early genre work with lots of genre hallmarks and not much to recommend it beyond that. It's also the second book her Solar Queen series, which I didn't know until I'd finished. I actually thought it was perhaps the first in a series, given that it seemed like it really wanted to introduce a colorful cast of characters and then leave them in a situation where they will have to go on more adventures.
The novel follows the crew of the Solar Queen, a freelance trading ship, as they attempt to stake their claim on trade with a newly discovered planet full of cat people. The cat people love scents and perfumes. The human crew of the Solar Queen do not enjoy this and struggle to find something that the cat people will want to trade. They discover that some government-funded traders are trying to poach their trading opportunity. But after a while they figure out the cat people like catnip (WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED) and trade like one catnip plant for a hold full of jewels and fancy wood. This part is very long, about the first half of the book plus a bit, and not very interesting, and often reminded me of the Star Wars fanfiction I wrote as a child about a (canonical!) species of cat people.
You may notice that we're more than halfway through a book called Plague Ship without any mention of plague and actually very few mentions of ship, either. I noticed. The Solar Queen takes off, though, and several crew members promptly fall into comas. The crew can't figure out why, but they're certain it's not a plague, because the pattern of illness doesn't fit. The government traders somehow know about the illness, though, because they put out a "plague ship" alert for the Solar Queen, which means they can't dock at any ports.
The Solar Queen arrives in Earth's solar system and things finally pick up. For the first time, the plot and the world grabbed me. Earth has been nuked to hell at some point (as it often was in SF from the 40s-90s) and there are still "hot zones" that are uninhabitable. There are space stations spread throughout the solar system and beyond. I wanted to know more about all of this - what is it like to a be stationed on one of those space stations? What's it like to be an Earthling (or a Terran) in this world full of radiation? Sadly, those questions aren't answered.
The Solar Queen decides to land in a hot zone since no one will expect them to do that and send a heavily-shielded shuttle to look for medical help. The best scene in the book is the trip through the hot zone, which is full of strangely evolved and heavily mutated flora and fauna. It reminded me very strongly of Forbidden Planet and other early SF movies. They find a doctor, some more shenanigans happen, they threaten a whole bunch of people, and their names get cleared and the crew is healed, but they're not allowed on Earth any time in the near future.
The second biggest problem with this book is the pacing. The first half of the book could have been 1/4 of what it is, with those extra pages devoted instead to exploring the way-too-quickly-resolved climax and finale. In fact the whole debacle on the cat planet could have been a separate book with a separate story and that would have been preferable.
The biggest problem with the book and the main reason I give this 1 star was the characterization. I say "the crew" instead of any particular character name because they're all just a bunch of white dudes and maybe a token minority stereotype with no distinguishing characteristics whatsoever. The captain is very captain-y. The younger crew members are very young-y. The doctor is very responsible. That's about it. I don't think there's even a single female mentioned by name. Maybe one cat lady?
I can see why Norton is so well liked, though. It's a pretty quick read, and I was taken in by the history that her universe had. I wanted to know more. But I wanted her to tell a different kind of story than the one she wrote.
I can also see why she found success in YA later in life. That's a genre that didn't formally exist when this was published, but if these characters were maybe 15 years younger, this would be a great candidate for a YA success. There is daring-do, adventure, exotic planets, and dashing young men solving problems with courage and sensibility. They get justice in the end and there's a promise for more adventure. I wouldn't read more in this series, I don't think, but I'd go for one of her fantasy novels. It's hard to dislike a trope-y SF book that existed before the tropes were really tropes, but it's also hard for me to enjoy it. I'm much more tolerant of tropes in fantasy than in SF.
February 20, 2020
Captain Jellico and his storage master Van Rycke, both of the independent trading ship 'The Solar Queen' are on Sargol, hoping to trade with the Salariki, a highly picky feline race, but find themselves in competition with 'company boys', the men of the Intersolar Trading company. After much entertaining faffing about, the Solar Queen wins the contract. On the return trip however the crew begin succumbing to a mystery sickness which leaves them in a vegetative state, while Sinbad, the ship's cat, is behaving strangely.
Van Rycke suspects sabotage of some sort, as a ship classed as a plague ship is barred from landing. The diminishing crew need to solve the mystery, clear their names and return to Sargol to fulfill their contract with the cat people.
It's a good light hearted romp based on the general space opera premise that most planets are the same size and house mostly humanoid aliens. Their flora and fauna however, can be anything the author wants it to be.
One thing that puzzles is that, given the author is a woman, she has included no female characters at all. Even the cat is a Tom. Was this her own awareness of the demographic of her readership? (I suspect this would be in the main males from fourteen to mid twenties.) I just find it odd.
It's quality stuff though, for its day.
Van Rycke suspects sabotage of some sort, as a ship classed as a plague ship is barred from landing. The diminishing crew need to solve the mystery, clear their names and return to Sargol to fulfill their contract with the cat people.
It's a good light hearted romp based on the general space opera premise that most planets are the same size and house mostly humanoid aliens. Their flora and fauna however, can be anything the author wants it to be.
One thing that puzzles is that, given the author is a woman, she has included no female characters at all. Even the cat is a Tom. Was this her own awareness of the demographic of her readership? (I suspect this would be in the main males from fourteen to mid twenties.) I just find it odd.
It's quality stuff though, for its day.
September 25, 2017
A very good entry into 50's classic sci-fi. Trading ship accidentally gets infected with an unknown pest and is barred entry into any legitimate ports. I found it interesting that Norton imagined giant corporate entities much as they are today: corrupt, rule-bending or rule-breaking, and yes, even murderous. (I used to work for Firestone when they were knowingly selling bad tires to the public, understanding that they could kill you.) Highly recommended to fans of classic sci-fi.
Read
March 2, 2025Classic 1950s scifi, focused on the problems of space travel - or, in this series, space trade. Slim on characterization, unlike many of Norton's other books. It was mainly interesting as a record of what early scifi fans found interesting: life on board ship, unexpected life forms (cat people!), post-nuclear war life.
June 29, 2020
Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from 1950s SF. I love Andre Norton because she was a woman writing PROLIFIC Science Fiction in the 50s, and the crew of the Solar Queen is surprisingly diverse (if depressingly all male). The plot is brisk and predictable without being boring, and there's a nice theme of teamwork and courage in the face of the unknown. Yeah, if you like vintage SF, you can't really go wrong here. :-)
April 24, 2022
This, the second book featuring the adventures of the crew of The Solar Queen, is more successful than the first. While the characters remain broadly sketched, far more interesting events make them more interesting too. It was quite an enjoyable read.
March 7, 2022
This was certainly a book of two halves. Both were good, but for different reasons. The first half is a great study in first contact approaches while the second is a breakneck race against time. The first felt slow and plodding but that meant I felt the same as the characters, wishing for something to happen. In the second I could barely stop for breath (again, much like the characters).
January 17, 2019
“Plague Ship” by Andre Norton. Good book! It starts off slow with a bit too much info dumping, as was the norm in bygone days, but the world building is top notch, and soon the story clips along at a great pace with a tight narrative. 👍🏻 #MyFirstAndreNorton
March 6, 2024
Short little 50's era sci fi. Intrepid spacers with heart get into and out of adventures.
June 4, 2022
Goodreads app keeps deleting my reviews in mid composition. Short version: excellent space adventure. Aliens, challenges in how to trade with them, then a mysterious plague sending all but the four most junior crew into comas. Quite exciting how they figure out what is causing the plague and how they prevent the Space Patrol from blowing up their ship before they can find a cure. The ship’s cat plays an important role, as does the captain’s weird pet creature.
January 22, 2019
Выводы после прочтения:
- Иногда проще договориться с представителями инопланетной расы (какой бы кошечеподобной она ни была), чем со своими одноземельниками. Особенно, когда речь идет о перспективе большой прибыли.
- В некоторых экстремальных ситуациях корабельные питомцы могут проявить себя с неожиданной стороны - главное людям держать уши и глаза открытыми, и не давать заснуть своей наблюдательности.
- Правильно подобранная команда - это мега-сила, даже если от нее остались всего четыре человека с весьма небольшим опытом самостоятельного принятия решений.
Все так же увлекательно, местами забавно, не без морали, полезной для подростающего поколения, но не бьющей в лоб своей тяжеловесностью. Захватывающие космические приключения, способные до самого финала держать читателя в напряжении и неведении: "получится у них или нет? и как вообще они собираются выкручиваться?".
- Иногда проще договориться с представителями инопланетной расы (какой бы кошечеподобной она ни была), чем со своими одноземельниками. Особенно, когда речь идет о перспективе большой прибыли.
- В некоторых экстремальных ситуациях корабельные питомцы могут проявить себя с неожиданной стороны - главное людям держать уши и глаза открытыми, и не давать заснуть своей наблюдательности.
- Правильно подобранная команда - это мега-сила, даже если от нее остались всего четыре человека с весьма небольшим опытом самостоятельного принятия решений.
Все так же увлекательно, местами забавно, не без морали, полезной для подростающего поколения, но не бьющей в лоб своей тяжеловесностью. Захватывающие космические приключения, способные до самого финала держать читателя в напряжении и неведении: "получится у них или нет? и как вообще они собираются выкручиваться?".
April 11, 2025
12 This was terribly hard going. I am not quite sure how I managed to finish it nor do I remember anything about a day after finishing it which is telling
March 10, 2016
When one talks about the "Golden Age" of science fiction, many authors come to mind, including Andre Alice Norton. While her books are dated and weren't "hard" science fiction (you're not going to get three pages of why the shielding on a spaceship resists radioactive emissions), they were cutting edge back then. And, like many writers of that time she relied on characters and story arc more than wowing her readers with physics explanations.
The plot for this story is good and doesn't require reading of the first book of the series to understand it. The Solar Queen, a Free Traders ship, is negotiating trade with the Salariki, a feline-like race on a distant planet. When they finally manage to break through and get the cargo they're after, they start the return trip back to Earth only to find that the crew members are falling ill one by one. Being a "plague ship" means not only no returning to Earth and fulfilling their trade contract, but it also means they can be blasted out of space on sight. With the senior members of the crew all ill, the four young crew devise a plan to find what's causing the plague and get their message out before they're sentenced. But that plan requires breaking more laws than just a quarantine.
Sounds good, right? Well, it was. While parts of the book are certainly dated and things seem immature at times, for the most part the plot rolls along nicely. And when the tale ends, it's mostly satisfying (thus only 4 instead of 5 stars).
If you like old movies and old books, don't pass this one up. You don't even have to like sci-fi to enjoy it. I don't know about the other books in the series (and don't plan on reading them), but this is a little gem worth checking out.
The plot for this story is good and doesn't require reading of the first book of the series to understand it. The Solar Queen, a Free Traders ship, is negotiating trade with the Salariki, a feline-like race on a distant planet. When they finally manage to break through and get the cargo they're after, they start the return trip back to Earth only to find that the crew members are falling ill one by one. Being a "plague ship" means not only no returning to Earth and fulfilling their trade contract, but it also means they can be blasted out of space on sight. With the senior members of the crew all ill, the four young crew devise a plan to find what's causing the plague and get their message out before they're sentenced. But that plan requires breaking more laws than just a quarantine.
Sounds good, right? Well, it was. While parts of the book are certainly dated and things seem immature at times, for the most part the plot rolls along nicely. And when the tale ends, it's mostly satisfying (thus only 4 instead of 5 stars).
If you like old movies and old books, don't pass this one up. You don't even have to like sci-fi to enjoy it. I don't know about the other books in the series (and don't plan on reading them), but this is a little gem worth checking out.
August 14, 2017
I really enjoyed this second installment of the Solar Queen series. It was action-packed, exciting and kept my interest throughout the whole thing. We finally got to see them do some actual trading with an alien species, which was very exciting. The characters didn't get much building up, but I am slowly learning the difference between the characters. I liked the plot of this one much more than the first book. Overall 4 out of 5 stars.
February 4, 2011
This book was incredibly good. Really, for a book written during the golden age of science fiction, you just can't get any better than this. A tight, fast-paced plot, a likable, mostly well-fleshed out protagonist, and interesting aliens make for a fun read.
Andre Norton's writing is crisp and intelligent. I kept picturing a teenage boy in 1956 reading this at night under the covers with a flashlight, dreaming of the day he could blast out to the Rim planets and make his fortune in Trade.
So good.
Andre Norton's writing is crisp and intelligent. I kept picturing a teenage boy in 1956 reading this at night under the covers with a flashlight, dreaming of the day he could blast out to the Rim planets and make his fortune in Trade.
So good.
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