| View Larger Image | Star Soldiers | Mass Market Paperbackby Andre Norton (Author)
| List Price: | $6.99 | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Mass Market Paperback | | Publisher: | Baen | | Edition: | later printingth Edition | | Page Count: | 480 Pages | | Publication Date: | July 30, 2002 | | Sales Rank: | 448,205th |
|
FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9780743435543
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
|
EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
CONTROLLING AUTHORITY Andre Norton -- Grand Mistress of science fiction -- presents a grand tapestry of the far-flung interstellar future, in which the first starships from Earth have burst out into the universe...only to run straight into the restraining grasp of the stagnant alien federation known as Central Control. Only as interstellar mercenaries can humans go to the stars; the aliens who already dominate the galaxy allow no other recourse. But when Swordsman Third Class Kana Karr and his comrades-in-arms are betrayed and abandoned on a hostile world by their alien masters, the warriors from Earth begin a desperate but glorious march across a planet whose every sword is against them. Their actions may doom humanity's future...or lead the way to an empire of their own! Four thousand years later, galactic civilization is collapsing, and the underfunded crew of an exploration starship is forced to set down on an uncharted planet: a mysterious, abandoned world that is achingly beautiful -- and hauntingly familiar. Ranger Sergeant Kartr, telepath and stellar Patrolman, searches with his crewmates for the source of a beacon which may mean escape for them all. What he finds is far stranger: the first clue to what may become the greatest revelation in galactic history! The defining events of future history -- as only Andre Norton could tell them! |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 9 reviews)
|
Star Soldiers by Harry Bradshaw  4 Stars
November 08, 2009
This was the first novel I ever read as a lad. I thought it was great. It had the title Star Rangers then and was the UK edition. I have looked for it everywhere in the UK and did not realise the tile in USA was Star Soldiers.
I would recomend this to any sci/fi fan of intersteller space travel. This little adventure is terrific. I have read it several times but lost the book over thirty years ago. I have just re-purchased it and look forward to reading the story again.
Andre Norton wrote some great sci/fi and this is my personal favourite.
| |
Early Norton science Fiction - Central Control Universe by Gunner (Bethlehem,Georgia)  5 Stars
July 03, 2008
Star Soldiers
Star Soldiers is an Omnibus edition put out by Baen which includes Star Guard and Star Ranger, both in Norton's Central Control Universe.
Star Guard
This is one of the early Science Fiction books by Andre Norton (my Ace printing was from 1959 and sold for $0.95 I bought the newer edition of it from www.baen.com in the omnibus edition entitled Star Soldiers, so that I wouldn't harm my older copy, thank you Baen for reprinting these hard to find classics).
"In a breathtaking novel of outer space, Andre Norton spins a web of excitement and intrigue into a future epoch where men are not the masters - where Earthmen are but hired soldiers who wear the uniforms of their alien masters." "This is the fast-action account of the courageous recruit who first dared to challenge that science-dictatorship on behalf of Earth."
Star Rangers
In the final days of a collapsing interstellar empire, a crippled, lone ship, the Scout ship Starfire of the Patrol crashes on a minor, uncharted, planet. Quickly scouting around their crash site, they find evidence of a long vanished high tech civilization in the Sealed Cities, they , also find, nomadic hunter-gatherer level groups of humans. Looking for better shelter to tend their injured personnel, the rangers enter one of the cities, only to find it occupied by another group of refugees and ruled by the Acturian Cummi, a master telepath, one who is not above overpowering and directly controlling other people minds, who is bent on becoming the sole ruler of the planet. Zinga, a member of the ancient historian race of Zacathans (a reptilian race that populates many of Norton's science fiction works), and the human ranger sergeant Kartr, both high order telepaths themselves, though not of the strength of Cummi, end up in a memorable mental battle with Cummi. The result of this battle and its aftermath lead to a very memorable book. This is one of only two books she wrote in the Central Control Universe.
Highly recommended for fans of Andre Norton and Science Fiction in general.
Gunner July, 2008
| |
Star Soldiers by C. D. Bourdet 5 Stars
June 21, 2008
I have many of Andre Norton's books and was very happy to see these two stories issued in one volume. I received the book very quickly, the book itself was well worth the price and the service at Amazon is always great. Thanks very much!
| |
Planetary Guardians by Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) 5 Stars
September 15, 2007
Star Soldiers (2001) is an omnibus edition of two SF novels in the Central Control universe, including Star Guard and Star Rangers. These stories are among the earliest SF works by the author. When Terrans first learned to travel the space lanes, they discovered that the galaxy was already inhabited by many spacegoing species. These aliens were organized into a great confederacy under Central Control.
In Star Guard (1955), Central Control assigned Terrans to a special role that suited their aggressive temperament and also provided a safety valve for other belligerents. The Terrans became mercenaries of the Galaxy. Arch Hordes served on the relatively primitive worlds and Mech Legions served on the relatively advanced worlds. However, even the Mechs weapons were less advanced than those available to the Galactic Patrol. Three hundred years passed before any challenge arose to this system.
In this novel, Kana Karr, newly graduated Arch Swordsman Third Class, comes to Prime to receive his first assignment. Waiting in the hiring hall, he hears rumors of lost legions and refused assignments. Then, a senior Combatant, accompanied by a Galactic Agent, announces that the troubles on Nevers have been fully investigated, with the assistance of Central Control, and certified that the defeat there was due to local problems. Furthermore, rumors concerning this episode are not to be repeated by any of the Corps. Naturally, this stirs up even more rumors.
Shortly thereafter, Karr is offered a position with Yorke's Horde and accepts the assignment. He is told to report to Dock Five at seventeen hours, so he goes to the transients' mess to eat. While there, he hears still more rumors. Then he goes to an information booth to learn the languages of Fronn, the planet where he is to serve, as well as any other facts available. When he returns the record-pak, he notices that a Mech scoops it up before the return belt can load it back into the machine.
On the journey to Fronn, he bunks with Trig Hansu, a very experienced Swordtan. In fact, all the men headed to Yorke's Horde, except himself, are very experienced and, when they reach Secundus, he only finds two other S-Threes in the Horde. Although most of the men seem to be amiable, the other S-Threes warn him to avoid Zapan Bogate.
However, when they reach Fronn, Bogate and one of his buddies, Sim, decides to crowd Karr a little. When Karr chops a clutching hand, Sim slaps him in formal challenge. Karr, however, has the choice of weapons and chooses bat sticks.
Although Sim proves to be an expert swordsman, he is confused by the relative lightness of the stick. Furthermore, he uses it as a rapier, but Karr waits until he can draw it across Sim's forearm, so that the pain forces Sim to drop the stick, thereby conceding the duel. Of course, Sim is furious, but the other veterans rather respect Karr for using his knowledge of the planet in this manner.
After a week of intensive drill to shake out any lingering effects of the space travel, they move out with their employer. As Karr is marching on point, they overtake a caravan of Venturi and he notices that one of the figures walks differently.
His team reports his suspicions and keeps the caravan under observation until a troop of Llor cavalry flushes the suspicious wayfarer from the caravan, straight toward them. The troopers lasso the fugitive, but he sits up and fires a flamer at them. Immediately, the Combatants fire at the shooter.
The robed figure proves to be a Llor, who had no business possessing a flamer, which are reserved for the Patrol. After seven Fronn days, they meet the forces of the enemy and are called to parlay, but the enemy ambush their employer and capture his men. When the Combatants talk to the enemy leader, they are told that the Terran way does not apply to Fronn.
Now that their employer is dead, they head to an auxiliary starport in the hills to get off world. The port is Venturi, but these natives soon leave to go back to their islands, leaving the building to the Terrans. They are forced indoors by a cariolis storm, but find an unusual sight after the storm: a wrecked crawler with a Vegan onboard and boxes of flamers as cargo. Then they find a downed Patrol ship in a rocky valley with bodies in Patrol uniforms laid out as for inspection.
In Star Rangers (1953), Central Control is fragmenting. Even the Stellar Patrol is falling apart from lack of equipment and supplies. One aspiring tyrant helps his prospects by sending the Patrol Scoutship Starfire into the hinterland of the galaxy.
In this novel, the Starfire has crashed on an uncharted planet. The ship is broken beyond the crew's ability to fix it. At least the world is Arth type, so the crew and rangers can breath its air. Ranger Zinga even gorged on the local water creatures and found them nonpoisonous and tasty.
Exploring the unknown world, Ranger Rolth discovers a beacon light in the night. The armsmen convert the ranger sled to use a disrupter power pack and Ranger Sergeant Kartr and Ranger Rolth take it to discover the source of the beacon. They find a highly advanced city with working power sources and robotic guards. Unfortunately, the city is occupied by the survivors of the Nyorai X451.
The passenger ship had been attacked by pirates and only escaped by fleeing in overdrive. Damage to the ship caused it to become lost in uncharted space. After all the fuel was consumed, the ship was forced to land on this unknown planet.
Joyd Cummi, Vice-Sector Lord of Agerat, is the leader of the survivors. He is a sensitive who tries, and fails, to penetrate Sergeant Kartr's mindshield. Kartr and Rolth evade Cummi's questions and are driven back to the vicinity of the sled by a Can-hound, a psychic tool of the Vice-Sector Lord.
Kartr alters the Can-hound's memory and leaves him in the car. The rangers then return to the sled and fly back to their camp. When Kartr reports to the acting-Captain, Jaksan doesn't understand Kartr's qualms about joining the ship survivors and orders the Patrolmen into the city.
These stories tell of the Terran involvement with Central Control. The first tale relates their initial contact with the confederacy and the second tells of the breakup of that confederation. During the passing millennia, the role of the Terrans greatly changes. In the first story, they are the underdogs and, in the second, they are the rulers.
Notice that the first story in this omnibus was published two years later than the second. In some respects, the first story is the better of the two. Maybe the author gained some additional skills in the SF genre during those years.
Notice also that the first story is about a graduating cadet from a military school. This theme has been used subsequently by this author and many others. Maybe this tale is the first use of the theme within the SF genre.
Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure, alien relations, and competent teamwork with an optimistic finale.
-Arthur W. Jordin
| |
Classic Andre Norton by James D. Worden (Savanna, Illinois United States) 5 Stars
July 18, 2007
I read this book when it was first published and have looked for it in recent years. I found the reading as enjoyable this time as I did many years ago.
| |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| Star Flight
by Andre Norton (Author)
Two complete novels of courageous men and women whose only hope was escape in an untested starship to other worlds of bright promise—and unknown dangers: The Stars are Ours: Dard Nordis is a hunted man. His brother was murdered for covert activities as a scientist in a world which scientists and engineers are blamed for the global war that smashed civilization, and the global dictatorship of Pax has ordered their execution. Now he is on the run, trying to find the...
| 
| Time Traders
by Andre Norton (Author)
DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY OF TIME Intelligence agents have uncovered something which seems beyond belief, but the evidence is incontrovertible: the USAs greatest adversary on the world stage is sending its agents back through time! And someone or something unknown to our history is presenting them with technologies -- and weapons -- far beyond our most advanced science. We have only one option: create time-transfer technology ourselves, find the opposition's ancient source...and take it...
| 
| The Solar Queen
by Andre Norton (Author)
The first two star-spanning tales of Dane Thorson and the Solar Queen
Almost half a century ago Andre Norton introduced apprentice Cargo Master Dane Thorson in Sargasso of Space and Plague Ship.
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 its surface charred, with little sign of life. ...
| 
| Time Traders II: The Defiant Agents & Key Out of Time
by Andre Norton (Author)
LOST IN TIME Exploring space and time is a dangerous business, and no one knows this better than Time Agents Travis Fox and Ross Murdock. So when both men are stranded on far-off planets with no hope of rescue from Earth, they must rely on their wits and their training to survive. But survival is only the beginning. To better handle the rigors of the alien world of Topaz, Fox and his crewmates have been implanted with the memories of their Apache ancestors -- but the Opposition has...
| 
| Star Born
by Andre Norton (Author)
The two voyagers were neither of the same race nor of the same species yet they worked together without words as if they had established some bond which gave them a rapport transcending the need for speech.
|
|
|
