Andre Books

Most people living in the United States have been subjected to an enormous amount of hate propaganda concering Saddam Hussein. In the pre-Gulf War period and even to this day, most Americans have been brainwashed into thinking that Hussein was the closest thing to the anti-Christ. Although Hussein deserves this reputation up to a point, most people don't realize the complexity of ethnic groups in that country and of U.S.-Iraq relations. This complex but excellent book provides a fantastic introduction into who Saddam was and his relationship with the United States. What makes this book especially special is that it was written by an Iraqi. Although outside biographers can also write good biographies, there is somthing unique when the book is written by a native. This man is writing about his country and his leader, something which is a part of his blood and soul. Just by being an Iraqi, he probably knows more about his country than even outside experts.

This book is highly detailed, and it discusses Hussein from birth to about the late 1990s. It talks about how to pronounce his name properly. It discusses the involvement of Husseing in two coup attempts. The author acknowledges that Hussein was a thug, a butcher, and villian. There is no doubt about that, but he also exposed the hypocrisy of the United States. This hypocrisy is becoming more and more prevalent as this second Iraq war continues to drag. There was a time when the United States supported Hussein, even though it was known he was a ruthless dictator. They provided Iraq with weapons and aid throughout the 1980s. There is no doubt about that. It was only when Hussein began to reject the policies of the United States that he became an enemy. The U.S. government never cared for the freedom and well-being of the Iraqi people. Sadly, Iraq stands a important geo-political strategic point for the United States.

In many ways, Hussein was like a puppet on the world stage. He was under the strings of the U.S. and USSR. The author makes no apologies for Hussein, but he exposes the reality of the situation. Although Saddam was a harsh leader, he was able to calm the differences between the Sunnis, the Shiites, and Kurds. The United States is not doing that. That is why Iraq has turned into the meatgrinder that it has become.

Aburish's biography of Saddam Hussein is a refreshing retelling of a story that's been muddled by a decade or more of half-truths and lies. The strengths are that he himself took part to a large extent in dealings with the Iraqi regime during the decade of the Iraq/Iran war. Aburish's insights and commentary are invaluable. The weaknesses in the book become readily apparent. Said has some duplicity in the regimes attempted acquisition of a nuclear [device] and other weapons of mass destruction. Said is also anti American and anti British. When he addresses US involvement in the Gulf War his arguments become tirades against Saddam , the US and Britain. It's his very ant-US and British attitude that make Aburish's recommendation for dealing with the Iraqi regime nothing but a mechanism for the continuation of oppression by Saddam and the so called Ba'athists.

Aburish's own involvement in the regime and view of the US aside, I highly recommend this biography of Saddam Hussein. He sets right many misconceptions about the Iraqi dictator. His mother was not a prostitute and Saddam didn't commit [destruction] at the age of 15. These myths and other myths are dispelled. What Aburish does is to emphasize the tribalness of Saddam by setting it in the context of Arab culture. Saddam becomes less a madman than a ruthless tribal leader for whom you are either with the tribe or against it. Opposition to the regime is treated like a blood feud. Even Saddam's affinity for Stalin makes sense. Both were the sons of poor peasants widowers in semi-tribal societies (Stalin was ethnically Georgian not Russian) and both used control of the bureaucracy to help in gaining control of power.

In spite of its weaknesses The Politics of Revenge is a highly readable and informative.

Aburish has written a good book on Saddam Hussein. One has to remember that it is part of the writing process to understand your readers' perspective. So, in this case it means that Saddam has to be judged by western standards. I have lived ten years in Iraq and liked especially Aburish Said's critical thinking towards horror stories that come from Iraq. I noticed while living in Saddam's Iraq (1980-1990) that iraqis tell all kinds of stories that are not to be taken literally. For example iraqis said that one European ambassador had slapped on the face of his European subordinate. The ambassador in question became very angry at such story. Of course it was true that this ambassador was angry, but to resort to physical violence is very serious matter in Europe. Iraqis just added this minor thing about hitting to illustrate how angry he was. I feel that in many cases stories that are coming out of Iraq are not exactly true in western sense. Aburish analyses well for example the case when Saddam killed his health minister. Iraqis hoped for peace, so they mixed their hope of peace with Iran to the fact that Saddam killed a minister. So story changed in the minds of iraqis, who thought that this minister had told something bad to Saddam in order to make peace with Iran. Aburish corrects many similar stories with his rational thinking. Of course it is true that Aburish has written his book mostly from his memory. So there are few mistakes. For example Saleh Ammash didn't die in 1975 (perhaps 1985 is correct). But these are minor things, because Aburish is so well informed about the Middle Eastern politics. It is always pleasure to read Aburishes books. His book about House of Saud is written with great wit.

Now, perhaps more than when Saddam was in power, this book is required reading in understanding the current situation in Iraq.

As Aburish so clearly illustrates, for decades the US supported Baath Party and Saddam Hussein. In the process they back stabbed on more than one occasion the Kurds, the Shia and other groups who opposed Saddam. This betrayal has certainly been a contributing factor to the situation as it exists now (2004) with various insurgent groups attacking US forces. While it's true that some of these groups are coming from external influences (e.g. Syria and Iran), it's also true that some are just people who view the US as a hostile occupying force. Part of the distrust came from the history Aburish describes here.

The notion that Aburish is somehow "anti-US" misses the point entirely. The US policy toward Saddam post Gulf War I was one of of "positive containment." As explained by a member of the National Security Council in 1991: "Our goal [was] to remove Saddam Hussein, not his regime." This meant that we actively prevented other groups from overthrowing the regime. Indeed, as reported by the major media, Kurdish and Shia rebel leaders were told during a coup attempt orchestrated by the CIA that they should "not get in the way of our operation."

How could we have dealt with Saddam? This is perhaps a weakness of Aburish's book, but it's one created in part by a totally warped US policy. At one point can we go back in time and stop supporting his brutal regime? Since we can't go back in time, how can we change our actions so that they represent true American ideals? In this manner of thinking, Aburish's analysis actually wasn't that far off. In the long haul we might have gotten rid of Saddam by a policy that supported the Iraqi people instead of one that resigned them to victims of both their own government and the US dominiated UN policy of genocidal sanctions - a policy that ultimately strengthened Saddam domestically.

With Saddam now gone from power this book is perhaps a little dated. However, it is necessary reading if you want a better understanding of the current quagmire created by the US invasion.

Breezy but informative bio that attempts to explain Hussein's stature as the most popular dictator in recent memory. Nice photos, too!

This was one of the first science fiction novels that I ever read, and the ideas and images in it have stayed with me all this time. Nor is it really "dated", it could all still happen- only it is now 250 years into the future instead of 300.

This is the story of Lars of the Puma clan, of the people of the Smoking Mountains. Lars's father was of the famed Star Men- explorers of the blasted wilderness beyond the mountain stronghold of the Star Hall. The brotherhood of Star Men sought to carry on the tradition of their research scientist ancestors- to seek out new knowledge for the betterment of the tribe- and of the world. This was to be Lars's destiny also, except that his father failed to return from his last mission and there was no one to speak for him at the last choosing of apprentices. So, rather than accept the insult of a lesser life, Lars took up his sword, bow, and his father's pouch, and along with his great mutant hunting cat, Lura, went out to find the great lost city of the Old Ones that his father's last journal entry spoke of.

Published in 1952 this was one of the first post-apocalyptic novels. It is also one of the most believable. Even in light of current knowledge you still find it believable.

One other thing, in spite of the tales about the unimaginable horror of nuclear war, this book was about hope. You see, even after you press that big "reset" button, mankind will yet find a way to survive; the great cycle of re-civilization from the ruins of former greatness will start again. If you were a kid growing up during the Cold War this was an important message to keep at the back of your mind.

As an 11-year old reading this in '76, the rat-mutants (yes, some creepy illustrations in the hardback copy at the Beaumont, TX Public Library) were deliciously twisted outcome of mankind's nuclear idiocy. I was firmly convinced at that age that nuclear oblivion would occur before the year 2000. Sifting through bombed out cities looking for unspoilt, unradiated tins of food from centuries previous, the hero battles odds, overcomes fear, and brings hope in the end. Nice.

StarMan's Son


This was the very first Science Fiction book that I ever read, my Brother had purchased the paperback version sometime in the 1950's and was kind enough to let me read it, I was "hooked" then and still am, Andre Norton shall never die as long as she has readers.

This is about a young boy Lars of the Puma clan; Lars's father was a Star Man- explorers of the blasted wilderness beyond the mountain stronghold of the Star Hall. The brotherhood of Star Men sought to carry on the tradition of their research scientist ancestors- to seek out new knowledge for the betterment of the tribe- and of the world. Unfortunately Lars was a mutant, and his mutation was very apparent, his hair was white, and the Clan had not accepted him. What was not so apparent was that he had the ability to telepathically communicate with his great hunting cat, Lura. When Lars's Father failed to return from his last mission Lars snuck out of his village to explore the vast Wilderness , rather than accept the insult of a lesser life, Lars took up his sword, bow, and his father's pouch, and along with his great mutant hunting cat, Lura, went out to find the great lost city of the Old Ones that his father's last journal entry spoke of.
Published in 1952 this was one of the first post-apocalyptic novels. It is also one of the most believable. Even in light of current knowledge you still find it believable.
One other thing, in spite of the tales about the unimaginable horror of nuclear war, this book was about hope. You see, even after you press that big "reset" button, mankind will yet find a way to survive; the great cycle of re-civilization from the ruins of former greatness will start again. If you were a kid growing up during the Cold War this was an important message to keep at the back of your mind.
I believe that this was the first book that I used a lined 3 X 5 card as a bookmark. Anytime I came across a word that I wasn't 100% sure of the meaning I wrote in on the lined 3 X 5 card. At the end of the book, I would write down the word and the definition into my personal Lexicon. Over the years I found that there were fewer words on the 3 X 5 cards. Science fiction seems to have an unwritten rule that the author must use a wide vocabulary.
I strongly recommend this book to every teenager who wants to discover the exciting world of Science Fiction and to their parents who want to improve their reading ability and their vocabulary. You might want to do the lined 3 X 5 card thing, also.

Gunner May, 2008

Star Man's Son (1952) is a post-apocalyptic novel that takes place about two centuries after the Great-Blowup. This story is also entitled Daybreak - 2250 AD in reprint editions.

The cause of the catastrophe is unknown, but the effect are quite obvious. Much of the population was killed by the immediate effects of nuclear bombs, many others died later from the direct radiation and fallout from those bombs, and many more died from induced radioactivity, plague and starvation. Many plants and animals had been mutated into unrecognizable and deadly forms. Only a few humans survived and many of these were also mutated into Beast Things and other horrible creatures in the "blue cities" where radioactivity lingered. A very few survivors, however, received beneficial mutations that improved their chances of survival, but the seemingly normal survivors generally feared and hated any and every mutant.

Fors is the son of Langdon, a Star Man, a far ranging explorer and leader of the Eyrie, and a woman that Langdon had meet down on the plains. Although Langdon was seemingly normal, Fors has inherited white hair from his mother, a mutation viewed with suspicion by the other residents of the Eyrie. While Langdon was alive, he protected Fors from most of the fear and hatred, but then Langdon was killed by Beast Things on an exploration into a far city and the men who find him bring back only a few of his belongings.

After that, Fors was mostly ignored in his efforts to become a Star Man like his father. He has been adopted by Lura, a great hunting cat, and has made his own sword, knive, bow, and arrows as required. His father, a master teacher among the Star Men, had already ensured before his death that Fors knows all that is required. Nevertheless, the Council has passed over him for five years and tomorrow he will have to give up his weapons and become a tiller of the soil. As he ponders his options, Fors conceives a bold plan and immediately starts gathering supplies and equipment, including his father's pouch, for a great journey to search for the lost city in the north that was never bombed and thus is safe for scavengers.

Although Fors has tried to hide them, he has some unusual talents that will help him on his trek: he is able to communicate empathically with Lura and he has much better night vision than most humans. Moreover, he has other, more subtle talents that manifest as he travels.

This story is based on the premise that mankind will come close to destroying himself and this premise is found in many other works by the author. In many respects, it is a reflection of the worldview of the Cold War era, but it persists even in recent SF stories. In most of Norton's tales, this apocalyptic vision was like Pandora's box, in that there was an element of hope among all the horrors of war.

Recommended for Norton fans and anyone who enjoys a mostly optimistic story of the possible future.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I can't believe that I never read more of this lady's books! I remember reading at least 3 of her novels back when I was a young'un, and I wasn't all that enthralled to read more. I read the time traders and iron cage and none of them was as good as this one in my opinion.
I'm currently reading The Beastmaster and it's already good.
Starman's Son was a good, fun, fast read full of action and adventure, full of cool and rich characters of both human and animal. A must read!

This is also called The Last Planet.

Central Control is failing, and with it, the Space Patrol. They are running out of planets, resources, money, and everything else.

Star Rangers tells the story of a beaten up old ship, on a final mission. They end up on a planet controlled by your basic supervillain bent on world domination, with the nasty twist that he is a supremely powerful telepath.

While a good old space adventure of this sort, it is a little deeper than that, with issues of prejudice, xenophobia, etc. being important throughout.

The first galactic empire is in decline. The crew of the Vegan scout ship Starfire has been dismissed under the guise of orders sending them to the far-flung reaches of the empire to re-map long forgotten galactic border systems. Away from any possibility of real repairs, their ship, running low on fuel and supplies and held together with little more than duct tape and binder twine, crash lands on a remote planet that doesn't even appear on their maps. The Patrol, Starfire's actual pilots and space crew plus the accompanying Rangers, land-based explorers, scouts and foot soldiers, now reduced to a wounded ragtag group of humans and aliens frequently in conflict with one another over racial, species, social and class issues, find themselves marooned on a planet that holds a bizarre blend of long-abandoned technology and a small native population that has barely advanced beyond primitive wilderness skills. During the exploration of a sprawling ghost city, they encounter Cummi, a similarly stranded Arcturan, who has the telepathic ability to control minds and is clearly bent on dominating the populace and the planet. Now the crew must find the physical and mental strength to come together as a team, overcome their differences and prevail in an epic battle to defeat the common enemy.

A casual read of this splendid tale will take the reader through an enjoyable fast paced adventure replete with the stock in trade of hard core 1950s pulp science fiction - blasters, disrupters, rockets, anti-gravity, aliens, galactic empires, inter-stellar travel, androids, near miraculous medical techniques like "renewer rays", traction beams (come to think of it, it sounds like a pretty fine pre-cursor to Star Trek)! But, take a second look! In 1953, only one year after Rosa Parks became known as the founder of the US Civil Rights movement by her courageous refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man, Norton has taken the pioneering step of exploring prejudice and race issues in the context of a science fiction novel. Zinga, a member of the reptilian Zacathans, and Fylh, a bird-like Tristian, encounter the hatred and mistrust of small-minded humans who lump all aliens into the category "Bemmies". Similarly, the land-based Rangers are all too aware that the space-focused Patrol holds them in contempt and perceives itself to be the elite of the Central Control. Telepathic mind control and the use of empathic abilities to perceive a person's emotional state are explored both as weapons and a means of enhancing a deeper, more complete level of communication. The "sensitives" who have this ability are feared by both humans and aliens alike who have a desperate fear of losing their minds to some sort of mental incursion.

Deep stuff, indeed, and my only criticism of this particular novel is that Norton didn't take the time to explore these compelling issues much more deeply. The novel is a short one and is finished all too quickly but, as a classic, it certainly deserves to be read today and will no doubt continue to stand up well to the test of time.

Blasters, rocket ships, and Space Patrols became staples of science fiction very early in its life as a separate genre, usually used in rather poor, pulp-level stories that were often nothing more than Westerns translated to outer space. But Norton took these common elements and added her own special flavor, and the result is a very satisfying adventure that truly qualifies as 'real' science fiction, one that will tickle that 'sense of wonder' that is such a prime requisite for imaginative fiction.

In the waning days of a vast interstellar empire, a lone ship of the Patrol crash lands on a minor, very out of the way planet. Quickly scouting around their crash site, they find evidence of a long vanished high tech civilization in the Sealed Cities, along with 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 peoples 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 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 surprising and exciting ending, one that has resonated in my mind for forty years.

Norton's work with the telepath aspect was unusual at the time of this book's writing (1953), showing measurable grading of telepathic ability, the dirty, nasty possibilities that such a talent engenders, the intriguing invention of the Can-hound as an android built for external mental control, and the indication that telepaths would not automatically form a society onto themselves, but might still be the object of unreasonable prejudice. She also strikes an accurate note in her depictions of the traditions and customs of the Patrol and the alienation that outsiders to that heritage can be made to feel. Her characterizations of Kartr and Zinga, while not excessively deep, are more than adequate to allow the reader to become engrossed in their problems and actions.

A grand adventure yarn, with more than a bit of meaning, depth, and moral injunctions hiding behind the fast pace. This is Norton at her best.

Star Rangers (1953) is a standalone SF novel in the Central Control universe. This novel was also reprinted as The Last Planet. It takes place near the end of the first empire, when 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.

In this story, Kartr finds his fears to be realistic. From various sources, Kartr learns that Cummi has several well armed guards. Also, the ship had been carrying alien passengers, but they vanished before the landing. Now the Vice-Sector Lord has established his own little kingdom and Bemmies are not allowed to join.

Since two of the rangers -- Zinga and Fylh -- are aliens, Kartr seeks permission to house his rangers in a corner tower. Kartr also has them stay out of sight in the new quarters. Smitt -- their com-techneer -- soon visits them with news and requests to join their group, but Kartr sends him back to contact the opposition.

Zinga is a Zacathan -- a reptilian species -- and also has some mind powers. Although he has not previously displayed his powers, Zinga now discloses some of his mind talents to protect the rangers. Luckily, Cummi is not aware of his mental powers.

This story is a tale of the fall of the first empire, but it also has some information about the founding of the empire. As in many of the author's works, this planet has the ruins and remnants of an ancient civilization upon it. When the rangers are finally able to explore, they find some surprising artifacts.

The Zacathans -- an ancient species -- play a prominent role in many of these tales. While Zinga is a rough and tumble example of his species, other Zacathans appear later who illustrate the wisdom and civilized manner often found in these aliens.

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

It always confused me that Andre Norton's first novel about the Stellar Patrol (1953) should deal with its demise. For that is what this excellently crafted novel deals with, the end of that noble service after 1000 years as guardians of peace and order in the First Galactic Empire.

It is a time of decadence and dissolution in the Empire. Sector wars are carrying off more and more worlds from Central Control. Individual bureaucrats are usurping their positions to carve out private kingdoms. Only the incorruptible Patrol and its Code remain to stand in their way. Yet, the Patrol has seen better days. Their ships are old and there are no replacements- only cannibalization keeps them running. The supply ships come less and less often. Communications between sectors- and with Central Control itself is breaking down. There are fewer and fewer new recruits. The only thing still as strong as ever is the dedication, honor, and tradition of the Patrol.

Specifically, this is the story of the last voyage of the Vegan Scout, Starfire. She was sent on a final, futile mission, along with her sister ships to remap and rediscover forgotten worlds near the galactic rim. In reality, she has been sent out by an ambitious Imperial bureaucrat to die- yet due to their ancient trust and loyalty the patrol obeys. Her Patrol crewmen and elite Rangers (think of them as Marine Scouts, but with finely trained telepathic powers) finally crash land on a world so ancient that all record of it has been lost. But sometimes endings come full circle- and beginnings are found and restored....

If there had been no other creator of hard science fiction, or of fantasy, in the second half of the 20th century, Andre Norton would have been enough.

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!

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.

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 (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

Over 20 years ago, I read Star Rangers by Andre Norton when I was about 9 or 10. The book blew me away as a child and helped start a life-long love for science fiction.

The book has been out-of-print for some time, so when I found Star Soldiers in the library, I was eager to re-read it to see if it "holds up". Unfortunately, it doesn't. The writing is solid; I also agree that it's message of tolerance is as timely as ever. However, the basic storyline just wasn't that engaging. It's a good juvenile novel, but nothing special for adults.

Children fed on the diet of Enid Blyton books will find the plot familiar, as that venerable lady stole the style and some content off this classic and established an industry of sorts! The story revolves around 4 children who spend their time in the new forest after their house is burned down. The plot revolves around Edward the eldest kid and his younger brother. However, author being a male chauvinist of the 19 century deems it waste of time to focus on females. He also treats Pablo, the gypsy boy as if were an animal and some comments about his race should be struck off. However the book is very easy to read.

This is a unique book with a quality and style that is timeless. True classic that every child would greatly benefit from reading.

The Children of the new forest is a brilliant insight into what england was like in the 15th century. It tells how four wealthy children are without warning suddenly plunged into poverty, when the roundheads fire their house looking for the king. It tells how the heir of the burnt house and his brother and sisters strive to become what they should have been without the roundheads. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get hooked on something, but is not too hard. It is an excellent book to learn from and look at carefully, and is gripping to the very end.

Captain Marryat's "THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST" is a wonderful tale in narrative, historically rich and quite fascinating. This story of adventure, treachery, and love takes place during the English Civil War, when fellow countrymen are found enemies, and are set against each other, Roundhead and Cavalier, Parliament and the King. Many hoped for the same thing: justice. But, for a long time, neither could find it. In the midst of all were the Beverlies, the family of a faithful Cavalier, who died in service of the king. His four children were left orphaned when their mother died of grief. Then, word came to them that the Roundheads were going to burn down their estate, Arnwood. Fate sent them into the hands of an old forester, Jacob Armitage, and they escaped to his cottage. From there, the story unfolds. It is a classic worthy of shelving in libraries, in private or in public collections, recommended by many educators, and by me, with all due praise.

The Children of the New Forest is a lovely book. Set in England, in the New Forest at the time of Charles 2, children escape being burned to death in their own home. Living with an old forester, they have to learn to survive, no longer able to be considered rich. Do they survive in the forest? There is only one way to find out, children and adults alike will love this captivating story.

This is an excellent little resource; concise and well illustrated, I have used it several times a week in my exercise regimen since the book was purchased.

What an excellent book this is. The instructions are clear, and easy to understand. Everyone should have this book, and use it to improve their physical fitness.

For only having a medicine ball to use for exercise, this book was the greatest for helping me.

After completing the exercises in "The Great Medicine Ball Handbook," I felt I had achieved a full-body workout. The exercises are divided up into: Core, Lower Body, Upper Body, Throws and Catches and Rotator Cuff. If you are exercising by yourself then you can't do the Throws and Catches. You also need a small medicine ball to do the Rotator Cuff exercises. For most of the exercises you can use a 6-pound medicine ball.

Some of the exercises include:

Standing Twist
Crunch
Pullover Sit-up
Seated Twist
Split squat
Reverse Lunge
Tricep Exstension
Overhead Toss

The easiest way to use this book (so it stays open) is to cut it in half. Then, simply punch holes in the corner of each page and put it on a metal ring. This will allow all the pages to lay flat when you are exercising. This book also includes a brief section on stretching, muscle diagrams and information on aerobic training. You can start with as little as 8 reps per exercise and work your way up to two sets of fifteen reps.

~The Rebecca Review

Firstly this is a stretch to call it a book, its more like a pamphlet. Although it has nice color pictures it contains very little practical information, on important areas like which muscle groups are used, alignment concerns, possible stress areas, technique tips, etc. I returned the this item.

The video tutorials are good but I could not install/use virtual PC training tutorials. It gives all sorts of errors on XP SP2.

This is a great training item for Sharepoint. Perhaps my favorite thing about its design is the ease of which you can go back and review specific subjects. The presentations flow smoothly one from another, yet they are well segmented so that you can pick a specific topic of interest and review it. The table of contents directs you to each subject matter and the presentations are full of good information, not just theory.

I liked how the course started from basics and then built up to
administration and development. Topics covered were relevant to our intranet site. Presentation was clear and concise followed by demos which were very in depth. Also, step by step labs helped reinforce what I just learned.

There are some many sides to this product and this DVD really helped me connect the dots.

This is a great learning aid. Takes you from scratch to quite advanced SPS/WSS administration and customization quickly if you go straight at it, or a little at a time if that's all the time you have. Andre's presentation style is relaxed and idiosynchratic, and adds enormously to the rate at which concepts are picked up. I have often been disappointed by the depth of knowledge that some 'trainers' actually have, but this package is supported by vast in-depth knowledge of the product. My only gripe is that I had to solve a major no-show problem with the Virtual PC image (provided with the training DVD) without support. Pilothouse Consulting recommend 512MB of RAM minimum and were surprised to hear that I was running Virtual PC on a standalone (??). With an upgrade to 1GB and the full retail version of Virtual PC (trial version ships with the DVD) I was on the road - on a standalone. All-in-all, though, no regrets. Hugely useful training package and well recommended.

The author manages to get straight to the point on most all the subjects and can have you coding your own webparts and WSS2 based apps in a short amount of time. The class seems aimed at the developer for the most part but admins would also benefit from the under-the-covers look at Sharepoint 2003. Over all great job.

You may or may not like many of the photos included in this book. That is irrelevant. The authors are trying to engage the "artist" within you, to encourage you to view the world not in its stark realism, but in an emotional way. The authors ask that you look at each scene you wish to photograph, and determine what emotions it evokes. Then, decide what technique can be employed to capture and convey that emotion. Sometimes this results in an abstract photo where the underlying subject is hardly discernable. Other times, the subject is very identifiable, but chosen, positioned (interms of composition) to recall memories, feelings, senses. I wish that the authors had provided more technical details for many of the photos (which lenses, f-stops, etc.), perhaps as a footnote, even at the risk of detracting from the overall message of "art" rather than photography. This book is entirely about film photography, and translationn of some of the authors' techniques to the digital world is not always straight-forward. Certainly, any such translation would require Photoshop, and a rather sophisticated understanding of layers, masks, opacity, etc.

Although in this review the book's author is listed as Freeman Patterson, Andre Gallant was a co-author. Together they produced a masterpiece in this book. It is clearly written, expressively creative, and visually attractive and informative.

The photos are fantastic and very inspirational. It's well laid out and easy to follow the theory. I'll be buying more of Patterson's books.

What this book is at its heart, is a series of short essays on how to do art photography. It teaches you how to think outside the box in terms of how you compose a shot and what techniques you might use in setting exposure. Each essay or chapter include several photographic examples and you would be amazed at the photos the author makes using nothing but tin foil as a subject. This book teaches you that a photography can convey a scene or convey a mood or emotion and the techniques that you used to switch between them can be very different.

Yes, photography is a real art medium and you can take it beyond literal representation and make it more expressive! Make your photography convey how a subject makes you feel rather than what that subject literally is. Andre and Freeman are excellent instructors and this book is wonderful and inspiring. Several different techniques in subjective imagery are presented, including multiple-exposure impressionistic images (with different camera movement techniques for different effects) and the aptly named dreamscapes using photo-montage. The explanations are good, and the techniques are not difficult, although they take practice to master. Don't be discouraged at first, keep experimenting!

A fun little book.Whether you're talking about books,movies,plays,art,music or anything else, there have been critics all through the ages who have made comments and assessments that time has proven to be totally off the mark.
In this little book, the reviews cited have come from the literary establishment;the writers about one another,publishers, and others such as professional reviewers from papers,journals and magazines.
As you go through this book you will find numerous books that hasve been the most successful;but "important" reviewers have missed completely their importance. The only plausable explanation has to be that their judgement was blinded by jealousy , deeply seated haterd and in some cases ,stupidity must be considered.
However;the whole world of reviews has now changed--thank God. All through the ages ,what the ordinary reader thought about a book was never heard. With the introduction of Customer Reviews by Amazon; now the voices of the readers themselves can be heard.
I have never been too much of a fan of editorial reviews for the simple reason that they tend to be too slanted towards the literary establishment.What is there to say that their opinion is any better than anyone elses;just because they are appointed and/or paid?
With Customer Reviews ,a whole world has opened up.I read many of them.There is usually something worthwhile in any of them.Some are simply excellent,and yes,some are pretty bad. But, then again,it's their opinion.
Forget about many of the things that have been written about the changes in books and the impact of the Internet;Amazon's introduction of Customer Reviews has to be one of the best,if not the best,thing that has come out of it all.
In the words of that great present day purveyor of rant and wisdom,Dennis Miller;
"Of course,that's my opinion.I could be wrong."

"A book is a mirror;if an ape looks into it,an apostle is unlikely to
look out." Georg Lichtenberg (1742-1799).

When I read a review by an author I know, or a review of an author I know, that was cool. Best of all is when an author I know bashed a book I'd read. But honestly, how many of these fit that description? Not enough. So you can just revel in the nastiness instead, but it has to be especially clever. Heck, I've read worse reviews of my own writing. Oh well. It's not a bad book. It's just not something you'd read twice. And how's that for a lukewarm damn-with-faint-praise review?

this is a great collection of bad reviews and rejection letters of great books and authors. it gives the unpublished writer hope, knowing that authors like dickens and joyce were rejected by publishers. and it's loaded with humor.

If the greatest authors of all can be rejected and survive, maybe there's hope for all unpublished authors. The publishing racket has only become harder and harder to break into these days, unless one is willing to go the route of electronic publishing and on-demand printing, both of which remain dangerously akin to vanity press printings as of this review. This wonderful little collection serves as a comic tonic to the rejection and review blues; although some of the authors are obscure today (which is my reason for not giving it full marks --it's hard to laugh when you have no idea what book is being rejected), overall it's a marvelous little read. Some examples of rotten rejections: Tony Hillerman was told to "get rid of all that Indian stuff"; J.G. Ballard was told "the author of this book is beyond psychiatric help"; William Faulkner was told about his novel "Sanctuary" "Good God, I can't publish this. We'd both be in jail."; and my favorite, "I'm sorry, Mr. Kipling, but you just don't know how to use the English language." When one considers that J.K Rowling had the first Harry Potter book rejected ten times before it was published, one has to wonder what publishers are thinking. Now you can see for yourself how badly they perceive literary quality, most of the time.

I was hoping for more contemporary rejection letters. This is still a fun book, but mostly rejections and reviews for older authors.

Aptitude testing leads a young man to a job on a clunky old ship, not one of the fancy new shiny commercial fancy pants variety.

Through his apprenticeship he is forced to learn quickly, and spaceship maintenance and travel is not all.

They discover a planet with aliens, alien goodies, have to fend off nogoodniks, and all that sort of fun stuff.

"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.

"Sargasso of Space" (1955) and "Plague Ship" (1956) were the first two science fiction novels I ever checked out of our local library (I can still close my eyes and see that one dinky little shelf, crammed with some of SFs' greatest juvenile authors: Norton; Heinlein; Del Rey; Nourse).

"Sargasso of Space" is the first of four 'Solar Queen' adventures, followed by "Plague Ship,""Postmarked the Stars," and the novella, "Voodoo Planet." Norton's four-book series about the crew of the Solar Queen ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and the Nebula Grand Master is still writing (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2002).

One Solar Queen rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's Solar Queen stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced to us in "Sargasso of Space" as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

The crew of the 'Solar Queen' risk their meager capital in a gamble at a Survey auction, and win trading rights to a barely explored planet with the unlucky name of Limbo. When they view a microfilm (okay, the technology is a bit dated in these books) of their new prize, it appears as though they have purchased ten years of trading rights to a planet that was burned to cinder during the heyday of the mysterious Forerunners, who predated humans in space.

Just when the Queen's fortune seems to be at its lowest ebb, a tough-looking archeologist shows up who is supposedly an expert on Forerunner artifacts, and charters her for a voyage to Limbo.

It might have been better for the free traders if her captain had kept his ship planeted and declared bankruptcy after the disastrous Survey auction.

This 'Solar Queen' novel is a prime representative of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling. If you haven't read "Sargasso of Space" since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try it again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on an exotic, carefully-drawn alien world.

Sargasso of Space is the first novel in the Solar Queen series. This volume and the next two Solar Queen novels were first published under the pseudonym of Andrew North.

In this novel, Dane Thorson is a newly graduated cargo-apprentice from the Trade Training Pool reporting for his first assignment. As he waits with some of his former classmates for the Psycho computer to match him with a Trade organization, the others are assigned to interstellar companies -- Inter-Solar and the Combine -- and even the local Martian-Terran Incorporated line, but Dane is assigned to the lowest of lows, a Free Trader ship, the Solar Queen. However, the demeaning attitude of the other recruits only triggers Dane's stubbornness and determination to succeed in his assignment.

After he has a not very enjoyable last meal with his former classmates, Dane is joined by two crewmen from the Solar Queen who have overheard the name of their ship. They introduce themselves as Rip Shannon, astrogator-apprentice, and Ali Kamil, engineer-apprentice, and accompany him back to their ship. There Dane meets Captain Jellico, Cargomaster Van Rycke, Astrogator Wilcox, Com-Tech Tang Ya, Chief Engineer Stotz, Jetmen Kosti and Weeks, Medic Tau, Cook-steward Mura, the ship's cat Sinbad, and the Captain's Hoobat.

The first port of call is Naxos, where the Solar Queen buys ten-year trading rights to a planet, Limbo, in a Survey auction. The planet has been burnt off, but not completely. While their prospects don't look promising, a charter from an archaeological expedition interested in the Forerunner artifacts on Limbo will pay for the voyage, so they blast off to Limbo the following morning. On Limbo, the Solar Queen crew finds ancient ruins, strange machines, wrecked ships, and space pirates. They have to use all their skills, ingenuity, and courage to survive.

This novel has some of the signature characteristics found in many of the author's SF works, with Dane being an orphan and an outsider who eventually finds a niche of his own, but it differs from most later works in that Dane starts to feel at home on the Solar Queen even before going aboard. However, Dane becomes part of a human team, as in Star Guard and The Crossroads of Time, so alien sentients do not occupy a central role in this novel as in Star Rangers. Moreover, the animals, while playing an important role in the series, are more valued adjuncts rather than team members.

As with other novels of this period, the tale emphasizes teamwork over individual accomplishment. Each contributes their own unique expertise and viewpoint to strengthen the team. As with Star Rangers and Star Guard, this novel starts with a high degree of acceptance and companionship among the Solar Queen crew; in later works, such as Storm Over Warlock, active cooperation and good feeling is exceptional and occurs only at the end of the tales after much hard work and good fortune.

This story is one of the author's best accepted works, as witness the number of sequels. In many respects, this series is the positive side of the author's worldview. Despite the many hazards and trials of his chosen career and ship, Dane is part of a tight-knit group that freely gives acceptance and respect to each other. Many of the other tales by this author feature young persons who are desperately trying to obtain such relationships.

Highly recommended to Norton fans and anyone who enjoys tales of young persons striving for competence and success within a SF setting.

I am a 45 year-old electrical engineer, yet I have re-read my copy of this "juvenile" level paperback so many times that the paper is coming apart. Andre Norton's introductory story of Dane Thorton and the Solar Queen is close to timeless.

This SF action story from the 50's does have some dated technology (the "Psyco" asignment machine and the "Trade Center" Computer installation come to mind) but these are mostly obsured by not getting into their details too closely - No huge vacuum tube computers here! Later stories in the series have their technologies smoothly brought into the present (projected into the future) without losing their original series contexts. Very skillful.

I am hoping that "Sargasso of Space" and its next few successors are treated to the same updates that have been lavished on other Norton novels from this time period. In the mean-time, by all means go ahead and read this classic pulp!