What do you think?
Rate this book
Solar Queen #1
小邪褉谐邪褋褋褘 胁 泻芯褋屑芯褋械
袛械泄薪 孝芯褉褋芯薪, 胁褘锌褍褋泻薪懈泻 袣芯褋屑懈褔械褋泻芯泄 楔泻芯谢褘, 锌芯谢褍褔邪械褌 薪邪蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械 薪邪 泻芯褉邪斜谢褜 胁芯谢褜薪褘褏 褌芯褉谐芯胁褑械胁 芦袣芯褉芯谢械胁邪 小芯谢薪褑邪禄. 孝褍褌 褌芯 懈 薪邪褔懈薪邪褞褌褋褟 械谐芯 锌褉懈泻谢褞褔械薪懈褟. 袙械写褜 胁褋械屑 懈蟹胁械褋褌薪芯, 褔褌芯 胁芯谢褜薪褘械 褌芯褉谐芯胁褑褘 褉褘褖褍褌 锌芯 蟹胁械蟹写薪褘屑 褌褉芯锌懈薪泻邪屑, 泻芯褌芯褉褘屑懈 斜芯谢褜褕懈械 泻芯屑锌邪薪懈懈 锌褉械薪械斜褉械谐邪褞褌, 懈斜芯 褌褉芯锌懈薪泻懈 褝褌懈 褋谢懈褕泻芯屑 薪芯胁褘械, 褋谢懈褕泻芯屑 芯锌邪褋薪褘械 懈 薪械 褋褍谢褟褌 胁械褉薪芯泄 锌褉懈斜褘谢懈. 芦袣芯褉芯谢械胁邪 小芯谢薪褑邪禄 芯褌锌褉邪胁谢褟械褌褋褟 薪邪 锌谢邪薪械褌褍 袥懈屑斜芯. 袧芯 胁屑械褋褌械 褋 褌褍蟹械屑褑邪屑懈 芯薪懈 褌邪屑 薪邪褏芯写褟褌 谐邪薪谐褋褌械褉芯胁 懈 屑邪褕懈薪褍, 锌褉懈褌褟谐懈胁邪褞褖褍褞 泻芯褉邪斜谢懈 懈蟹 泻芯褋屑芯褋邪 懈 薪械 写邪褞褖褍褞 懈屑 胁蟹谢械褌邪褌褜.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
185 people are currently reading
1314 people want to read
About the author
Andre Norton
630听books1,343听followersAKA: Alice Mary Norton; Andre Alice Norton; Andrew North; Allen Weston.
Norton always had an affinity to the humanities. She started writing in her teens, inspired by a charismatic high school teacher. First contacts with the publishing world led her, as many other contemporary female writers targeting a male-dominated market, to choose a literary pseudonym. In 1934 she legally changed her name to Andre Alice. She also used the names Andrew North and Allen Weston as pseudonyms.
Norton published her first novel in 1934, and was the first woman to receive the Gandalf Grand Master Award from the World Science Fiction Society in 1977, and won the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) association in 1983.
Norton was twice nominated for the Hugo Award, in 1964 for the novel Witch World and in 1967 for the novelette "Wizard's World." She was nominated three times for the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement, winning the award in 1998. Norton won a number of other genre awards, and regularly had works appear in the Locus annual "best of year" polls.
On February 20, 2005, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, which had earlier honored her with its Grand Master Award in 1983, announced the creation of the Andre Norton Award, to be given each year for an outstanding work of fantasy or science fiction for the young adult literature market, beginning in 2006.
Often called the Grande Dame of Science Fiction and Fantasy by biographers such as J. M. Cornwell and organizations such as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Publishers Weekly, and Time, Andre Norton wrote novels for over 70 years. She had a profound influence on the entire genre, having over 300 published titles read by at least four generations of science fiction and fantasy readers and writers.
Notable authors who cite her influence include Greg Bear, Lois McMaster Bujold, C. J. Cherryh, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Tanya Huff, Mercedes Lackey, Charles de Lint, Joan D. Vinge, David Weber, K. D. Wentworth, and Catherine Asaro.
Norton always had an affinity to the humanities. She started writing in her teens, inspired by a charismatic high school teacher. First contacts with the publishing world led her, as many other contemporary female writers targeting a male-dominated market, to choose a literary pseudonym. In 1934 she legally changed her name to Andre Alice. She also used the names Andrew North and Allen Weston as pseudonyms.
Norton published her first novel in 1934, and was the first woman to receive the Gandalf Grand Master Award from the World Science Fiction Society in 1977, and won the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) association in 1983.
Norton was twice nominated for the Hugo Award, in 1964 for the novel Witch World and in 1967 for the novelette "Wizard's World." She was nominated three times for the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement, winning the award in 1998. Norton won a number of other genre awards, and regularly had works appear in the Locus annual "best of year" polls.
On February 20, 2005, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, which had earlier honored her with its Grand Master Award in 1983, announced the creation of the Andre Norton Award, to be given each year for an outstanding work of fantasy or science fiction for the young adult literature market, beginning in 2006.
Often called the Grande Dame of Science Fiction and Fantasy by biographers such as J. M. Cornwell and organizations such as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Publishers Weekly, and Time, Andre Norton wrote novels for over 70 years. She had a profound influence on the entire genre, having over 300 published titles read by at least four generations of science fiction and fantasy readers and writers.
Notable authors who cite her influence include Greg Bear, Lois McMaster Bujold, C. J. Cherryh, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Tanya Huff, Mercedes Lackey, Charles de Lint, Joan D. Vinge, David Weber, K. D. Wentworth, and Catherine Asaro.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
February 10, 2023
Cheesy fun, utterly forgettable, and if it wasn't Andre Norton, I likely would have passed, based on time period and cover alone. Or mocked it. Does it make a difference? Sure--she was trying to muscle in on a market dominated by white men and the best way to do that was to do what they did better (only backwards and in heels). Did it work? Probably, because she's now known as one of the 'greats,' and I could actually find her books in the local library. Although to my twelve year-old eyes, 'Andre' was probably a man's name and I was surprised when I eventually found out the author I liked so much was a female, so there's that.
"A Survey auction鈥攁 Free Trader got a chance at one of those maybe once in a lifetime. And that was how fortunes were made."
Is this book one of her better ones? Not really. But it's fun, in an early Star Trek kind of way. Say, Star Trek OG mixed with some Next-Gen democracy (but still no women on the flight because, natch). Good heavens, I'm digressing. Unlike this story, which stays pretty on point. YoungWesley Dane graduates Starfleet and gets placed with the Free Traders. But this is 1960, and even back then, future big money called the shots, so their small crew rolls the dice on a contract. Adventures ensue. I wasn't sure what would happen, mostly because this wasn't a time period/subgenre I ever read (pulp 60s scifi paperbacks), only spoofs on the genre. It is mostly plot driven with enough fleshing out of main and side characters to make them interesting, if somewhat stereotypical. There's a background to her world-building that seems fascinating (her usual 'relics') but as usual, there's not much discovered/known. Entertaining enough for part of a plane ride, but not captivating enough that I didn't set it down. There are a lot of exclamation points in the writing, but Norton still sneaks in some lessons for the young protagonist. Call it 'neutral good' on the role-playing grid.
鈥淟isten, my innocent child,鈥� drawled Kamil, 鈥渇or every law the Federation produces in their idealist vacuum there is some bright boy鈥攐r boys鈥攚orking day and night to break it. I鈥檓 not telling you how they work it, but I鈥檓 willing to wager all my cut of this particular venture, that it鈥檚 being done."
Read the next? Who knows? I hear it's free on the web somewhere, so I might, if I remember to look for it and download it when I'm not on vacation.
rounding up to a three on the GR scale, because, well, neutral good deserves a little extra, right?
Two and a half, rounding up, because I actually finished it.
"A Survey auction鈥攁 Free Trader got a chance at one of those maybe once in a lifetime. And that was how fortunes were made."
Is this book one of her better ones? Not really. But it's fun, in an early Star Trek kind of way. Say, Star Trek OG mixed with some Next-Gen democracy (but still no women on the flight because, natch). Good heavens, I'm digressing. Unlike this story, which stays pretty on point. Young
鈥淟isten, my innocent child,鈥� drawled Kamil, 鈥渇or every law the Federation produces in their idealist vacuum there is some bright boy鈥攐r boys鈥攚orking day and night to break it. I鈥檓 not telling you how they work it, but I鈥檓 willing to wager all my cut of this particular venture, that it鈥檚 being done."
Read the next? Who knows? I hear it's free on the web somewhere, so I might, if I remember to look for it and download it when I'm not on vacation.
rounding up to a three on the GR scale, because, well, neutral good deserves a little extra, right?
Two and a half, rounding up, because I actually finished it.
January 19, 2025
This straight-forward space adventure from 1955 seems to be a product of its time. It鈥檚 plot driven, with Jetsons style finned space ships, ray guns, mysterious planets, and an entirely male dominated environment (no women were harmed or, indeed, mentioned in the making of this story).
One of the first two sci-fi books I read as a teenager was the sequel to this book, . So reading this was an attempt at nostalgia, with every intention of going on to read Plague Ship鈥� which is now significantly less appealing.
The general story arc was entirely predictable (albeit not the specific details): our intrepid crew of manly men land on a mysterious planet, where there are bad guys and alien technology, but the good guys eventually prevail after some relatively unsophisticated fighting. The writing style was difficult to follow in many places due to there being far too many barely distinguishable characters (12 crew, all of whom got involved at some point), and the author鈥檚 seeming obsession with being very precise about exactly who moved where, when, and did precisely what. This requires a degree of mental juggling that I just wasn鈥檛 interested in engaging with.
Overall, a disappointment that was probably best left in the nostalgic past where it couldn鈥檛 do any harm.
One of the first two sci-fi books I read as a teenager was the sequel to this book, . So reading this was an attempt at nostalgia, with every intention of going on to read Plague Ship鈥� which is now significantly less appealing.
The general story arc was entirely predictable (albeit not the specific details): our intrepid crew of manly men land on a mysterious planet, where there are bad guys and alien technology, but the good guys eventually prevail after some relatively unsophisticated fighting. The writing style was difficult to follow in many places due to there being far too many barely distinguishable characters (12 crew, all of whom got involved at some point), and the author鈥檚 seeming obsession with being very precise about exactly who moved where, when, and did precisely what. This requires a degree of mental juggling that I just wasn鈥檛 interested in engaging with.
Overall, a disappointment that was probably best left in the nostalgic past where it couldn鈥檛 do any harm.
August 22, 2011
"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.
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.
December 16, 2024
Read in the dim past. An early work (1955?), but I do recall the planet Limbo, the Solar Queen, and the Manly Adventure into the Forerunner tunnels. Which are still lit, by relict Forerunner tech, but the lights are going out, and some Strange Power is sapping the crew's flashlights, too. A genuinely scary moment!
I might reread it should I come across a copy. If I had one, it's long gone. I do distinctly recall this cover art. Likely bought 3/25c from my allowance as a lad. Date read is just a guess.
I might reread it should I come across a copy. If I had one, it's long gone. I do distinctly recall this cover art. Likely bought 3/25c from my allowance as a lad. Date read is just a guess.
February 11, 2018
袣谢邪褋懈褔械褋泻邪 锌褉懈泻谢褞褔械薪褋泻邪 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪 芯褌 1955, 泻芯褟褌芯 褋褗胁褋械屑 谢芯谐懈褔薪芯 蟹胁褍褔懈 谢械泻芯 芯褋褌邪褉褟谢芯. 袪芯屑邪薪褗褌 薪褟屑邪 锌褉械褌械薪褑懈懈 蟹邪 谐械薪懈邪谢薪芯褋褌, 薪芯 懈褋褌芯褉懈褟褌邪 蟹邪 泻芯褉邪斜邪 薪邪 褋胁芯斜芯写薪懈褌械 褌褗褉谐芯胁褑懈 "袣褉邪谢懈褑邪褌邪 薪邪 小谢褗薪褑械褌芯" 懈 褌邪泄薪褋褌胁械薪邪褌邪 锌谢邪薪械褌邪 袥懈屑斜芯, 褋褗褏褉邪薪懈谢邪 芯褋褌邪薪泻懈 芯褌 写褉械胁薪邪褌邪 懈蟹褔械蟹薪邪谢邪 褑懈胁懈谢懈蟹邪褑懈褟 薪邪 袩褉械写褌械褔懈褌械, 斜械 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹邪薪邪 懈蟹泻谢褞褔懈褌械谢薪芯 褋谢邪写泻芯写褍屑薪芯. 袗 懈 袧芯褉褌褗薪 褋褗胁褋械屑 薪械 械 褋谢褍褔邪泄薪芯 懈屑械 - 写邪屑邪褌邪 械 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁懈褌械谢 薪邪 "蟹谢邪褌薪芯褌芯" 锌芯泻芯谢械薪懈械 薪邪 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋泻懈褌械 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈, 褋褉械褖邪褌邪 褋 泻芯械褌芯 蟹邪泻褗褋薪褟 褋 锌芯褔褌懈 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪 胁械泻 蟹邪 斜褗谢谐邪褉褋泻懈褟 褔懈褌邪褌械谢 (懈蟹泻谢褞褔胁邪屑械 斜褉芯褟褖懈褌械 褋械 薪邪 锌褉褗褋褌懈褌械 写胁械褌械 褉褗褑械 褉芯屑邪薪懈, 锌褉械褋泻芯褔懈谢懈 "蟹邪胁械褋邪褌邪"), 薪芯褋懈褌械谢 械 薪邪 袚褉邪薪写 袦邪褋褌褗褉 蟹邪 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪 锌褉械蟹 1984. 袣褉邪泄薪邪 芯褑械薪泻邪 3,5.
June 27, 2019
There was an off-handed comment in the history of Astounding that Andre Norton invented the concept of Free Traders. This book is certainly one of the first, also including a diverse crew with Asians, an African and someone from the Middle East, unusual for 50s. No female characters, not a shocker, Norton used her "Andrew North" pseudonym for this one.
As stories go, it's a fun, fast paced, action-adventure piece with some nice plot twists and enjoyable characters. A good way to spend an afternoon.
As stories go, it's a fun, fast paced, action-adventure piece with some nice plot twists and enjoyable characters. A good way to spend an afternoon.
June 8, 2022
2.5 stars 馃専...the story reads much like a Buck Roger's episode...probably would have given it another star 40 years ago...characters are pretty one dimensional and the plot is fairly simple and straightforward...not sure I'll read anymore in this series...
March 18, 2021
A fascinating premise with well-developed worldbuilding, Sargasso of Space begins as a prime example of what classic sci-fi strove to be.
The novel starts very strong, where Dane's situation and how the universe operates is well-described and understandable. The mystery of planet Limbo is entrancing - I, for one, love forgotten alien relics as a plot device. Likewise, Limbo is technically a post-apocalyptic world, as it was abandoned after destructive war centuries past. This premise and setting are super cool. I was very much entranced by the novel until about halfway through.
Unfortunately, the characters are lacking. Dane makes a few mistakes as a new recruit but doesn鈥檛 struggle much with anything mentally. Homesickness? Worry about being trapped on Limbo? Nope, none of that. And while the cast was diverse (in terms of race) the men are barely distinguishable from one another in terms of personality. Dane also has a mild issue with one of the men, Ali, but it never goes anywhere. I鈥檓 not sure why it was even mentioned as nothing came of it (well, I do have a theory...). I was really disappointed that we learned nothing about the reptiloid alien man in terms of culture - he acted like a regular dude.
The last third of the novel grows increasingly less interesting, as it鈥檚 a lot of running around in fog and mazes - there is no attempt to explain the science behind the discovery, and the antagonist and his rationale were mentioned so briefly it was pretty much in passing.
The novel also suffers greatly in terms of gender. In this novel, women have been wiped out and men propagate based on cloning. At least, I assume so, as there are no women in this novel. No women whatsoever. Sure, they call the ships 鈥渉er鈥� (because ships are possessions, to be shown off like trophy wives), but there aren鈥檛 any women in the cast. I have no idea why, if Norton could imagine a world of racial diversity, she couldn鈥檛 have put women in the cast too? I kept waiting for one to show up, whether it was with Salazar鈥檚 group or just hanging out on Limbo somehow. This was extremely frustrating to me. Time period is no excuse - there are many many classic sci-fis from the 50s that include women on space ships. But, who knows? Maybe the publishers told her men don't want to read about women. Maybe she thought spaceships ran on old "submarine rules"? No wonder she used a pen name.
There is a cat on the ship (go feline representation, at least?), called Sinbad, which sparked a funny passage:
鈥淐ats took to acceleration, to free fall, to all the other discomforts of star flight, with such ease that there were some odd legends growing up about their tribe. One was that Domestica Felinus was not really native to Terra, but had descended from the survivors of an early and forgotten invasion and in the starships he was only returning to his former golden age.鈥�
I also enjoyed that my version has an ad for cigarettes in the middle of it. What a time to be alive.
Check out my , where I also talk about the reason behind the title, the tech, the aliens, and my theory about Dane and Ali.
The novel starts very strong, where Dane's situation and how the universe operates is well-described and understandable. The mystery of planet Limbo is entrancing - I, for one, love forgotten alien relics as a plot device. Likewise, Limbo is technically a post-apocalyptic world, as it was abandoned after destructive war centuries past. This premise and setting are super cool. I was very much entranced by the novel until about halfway through.
Unfortunately, the characters are lacking. Dane makes a few mistakes as a new recruit but doesn鈥檛 struggle much with anything mentally. Homesickness? Worry about being trapped on Limbo? Nope, none of that. And while the cast was diverse (in terms of race) the men are barely distinguishable from one another in terms of personality. Dane also has a mild issue with one of the men, Ali, but it never goes anywhere. I鈥檓 not sure why it was even mentioned as nothing came of it (well, I do have a theory...). I was really disappointed that we learned nothing about the reptiloid alien man in terms of culture - he acted like a regular dude.
The last third of the novel grows increasingly less interesting, as it鈥檚 a lot of running around in fog and mazes - there is no attempt to explain the science behind the discovery, and the antagonist and his rationale were mentioned so briefly it was pretty much in passing.
The novel also suffers greatly in terms of gender. In this novel, women have been wiped out and men propagate based on cloning. At least, I assume so, as there are no women in this novel. No women whatsoever. Sure, they call the ships 鈥渉er鈥� (because ships are possessions, to be shown off like trophy wives), but there aren鈥檛 any women in the cast. I have no idea why, if Norton could imagine a world of racial diversity, she couldn鈥檛 have put women in the cast too? I kept waiting for one to show up, whether it was with Salazar鈥檚 group or just hanging out on Limbo somehow. This was extremely frustrating to me. Time period is no excuse - there are many many classic sci-fis from the 50s that include women on space ships. But, who knows? Maybe the publishers told her men don't want to read about women. Maybe she thought spaceships ran on old "submarine rules"? No wonder she used a pen name.
There is a cat on the ship (go feline representation, at least?), called Sinbad, which sparked a funny passage:
鈥淐ats took to acceleration, to free fall, to all the other discomforts of star flight, with such ease that there were some odd legends growing up about their tribe. One was that Domestica Felinus was not really native to Terra, but had descended from the survivors of an early and forgotten invasion and in the starships he was only returning to his former golden age.鈥�
I also enjoyed that my version has an ad for cigarettes in the middle of it. What a time to be alive.
Check out my , where I also talk about the reason behind the title, the tech, the aliens, and my theory about Dane and Ali.
January 11, 2025
Read for a second time, it held up well although somewhat simplistic and there were frequent situations where I was thinking they should be doing something totally different but fun and easy one day plane trip read.
June 20, 2023
"Sargasso of Space" is a vintage science fiction novel of the space opera subgenre, quite popular in the 1950s. The novel appeals to the Young Adult readers, especially males. However, the older readers may enjoy it as well. This is a typical novel of Alice Mary Norton who mainly writes under the pen name Andre Norton.
Using the strong literary criteria, one can argue that "Sargasso of Space" is an entertaining novel with some weaknesses. Some characters and situations are introduced, but they are not further developed . First, I am wondering about Sinbad, the popular cat which joined the crew on the spaceship called The Solar Queen. Readers are first introduced to Sinbad in a short passage and after that nothing is further said about it. Do I really need to read the whole book series in order to hear something about this lovable cat?
In the first couple of chapters the story is told from the point of view of our hero, young cargo handler Dane Thorson. Everything we know about Dane was told in those first chapters. As an orphan without a kin in the service, Dane's psychology is especially emphasized when contrasted with Artur Sands. Dane clearly dislikes Artur, but Dane is not showing it openly. As for Artur, he is a bully , rich, arrogant and quite successful. Arthur really enjoys mocking Dane publicly, especially now, at this critical moment, when Psycho (machine) gives Dane the most dangerous and the worst possible assignment - free trade.
However, this kind of psychological warfare is not seen in the following chapters. In fact, Dane is just one character among many others. Nothing particular is revealed about him. No significant psychological confrontations (person to person), no drama, no reference to any hidden social or ideological agenda that would set him apart from the rest of the crew. In short, instead of a character driven story we have a plot driven story which is moving too fast in my opinion. A lot of emphasis is given to the description of events rather than showing them through various literary techniques - metaphors, visual or auditory imagery, expressive dialogues, word choice, or rhythm. As for Artur Sands, he is not mentioned at all in the ensuing chapters. (This is very strange.) However, he may appear again, I suppose, in other books of the series which I haven't read so far.
About the plot:
Having purchased the planet Limbo from a government agency at an auction sale, a group of free traders are assigned to the Solar Queen, a trader ship, by a computer called Psycho. Then, they are set on a journey to explore the planet. In the beginning, they share a belief that the planet Limbo is uninhabitable, a dead planet. However, the more the planet Limbo is explored, the more they are convinced in the opposite. Not only does this planet have small patches of vegetation but also some artifacts, the remnants of the lost civilization - forerunners. Also, the crew of the Solar Qeen is convinced that something mysterious and deadly is taking place on this planet. As the story progresses the crew of the Solar Queen is about to untangle all of the planet's secrets. Also, they will defeat the space pirates in a typical search and rescue operation.
Andre Norton's literary work had certainly put a strong mark on the American popular fiction in the second half of the 20th century. She wrote many novels in various genres (science fiction, fantasy, adventure, crime novels, etc ). She also received a few recognitions for her literary work including the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in 1998. Also, she was nominated for the Hugo Award two times.
"Sargasso of Space" is certainly not the best novel of Andre Norton. Still, some elements of the book are quite entertaining, especially the first few chapters . And finally, this novel should be also remembered for the following thing: it is written by a woman yet it doesn't include any female characters at all. Therefore, it is a cultural phenomenon and a metaphor of the 1950's when men were - men, and women - women.
A couple of more things from the novel that may be relevant to our era:
1) PSYCHO - the computer/ machine run by the government (nobody knows how it operates) is responsible for hiring people : Is it partial or not? Can it be manipulated?
2) PURCHASING AND EXPLORING PLANETS :
Today, the private corporations are very active in positioning themselves for the future planetary explorations. Here is the question: Who will own the moon, Mars and other planetary bodies? Governments or private corporations?
Who will benefit from it: A few individuals or the whole world ? How much of our galaxy will be sold to Jeff Bezos? Will any of the planetary object end up being sold on EBay ?
Using the strong literary criteria, one can argue that "Sargasso of Space" is an entertaining novel with some weaknesses. Some characters and situations are introduced, but they are not further developed . First, I am wondering about Sinbad, the popular cat which joined the crew on the spaceship called The Solar Queen. Readers are first introduced to Sinbad in a short passage and after that nothing is further said about it. Do I really need to read the whole book series in order to hear something about this lovable cat?
In the first couple of chapters the story is told from the point of view of our hero, young cargo handler Dane Thorson. Everything we know about Dane was told in those first chapters. As an orphan without a kin in the service, Dane's psychology is especially emphasized when contrasted with Artur Sands. Dane clearly dislikes Artur, but Dane is not showing it openly. As for Artur, he is a bully , rich, arrogant and quite successful. Arthur really enjoys mocking Dane publicly, especially now, at this critical moment, when Psycho (machine) gives Dane the most dangerous and the worst possible assignment - free trade.
However, this kind of psychological warfare is not seen in the following chapters. In fact, Dane is just one character among many others. Nothing particular is revealed about him. No significant psychological confrontations (person to person), no drama, no reference to any hidden social or ideological agenda that would set him apart from the rest of the crew. In short, instead of a character driven story we have a plot driven story which is moving too fast in my opinion. A lot of emphasis is given to the description of events rather than showing them through various literary techniques - metaphors, visual or auditory imagery, expressive dialogues, word choice, or rhythm. As for Artur Sands, he is not mentioned at all in the ensuing chapters. (This is very strange.) However, he may appear again, I suppose, in other books of the series which I haven't read so far.
About the plot:
Having purchased the planet Limbo from a government agency at an auction sale, a group of free traders are assigned to the Solar Queen, a trader ship, by a computer called Psycho. Then, they are set on a journey to explore the planet. In the beginning, they share a belief that the planet Limbo is uninhabitable, a dead planet. However, the more the planet Limbo is explored, the more they are convinced in the opposite. Not only does this planet have small patches of vegetation but also some artifacts, the remnants of the lost civilization - forerunners. Also, the crew of the Solar Qeen is convinced that something mysterious and deadly is taking place on this planet. As the story progresses the crew of the Solar Queen is about to untangle all of the planet's secrets. Also, they will defeat the space pirates in a typical search and rescue operation.
Andre Norton's literary work had certainly put a strong mark on the American popular fiction in the second half of the 20th century. She wrote many novels in various genres (science fiction, fantasy, adventure, crime novels, etc ). She also received a few recognitions for her literary work including the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in 1998. Also, she was nominated for the Hugo Award two times.
"Sargasso of Space" is certainly not the best novel of Andre Norton. Still, some elements of the book are quite entertaining, especially the first few chapters . And finally, this novel should be also remembered for the following thing: it is written by a woman yet it doesn't include any female characters at all. Therefore, it is a cultural phenomenon and a metaphor of the 1950's when men were - men, and women - women.
A couple of more things from the novel that may be relevant to our era:
1) PSYCHO - the computer/ machine run by the government (nobody knows how it operates) is responsible for hiring people : Is it partial or not? Can it be manipulated?
2) PURCHASING AND EXPLORING PLANETS :
Today, the private corporations are very active in positioning themselves for the future planetary explorations. Here is the question: Who will own the moon, Mars and other planetary bodies? Governments or private corporations?
Who will benefit from it: A few individuals or the whole world ? How much of our galaxy will be sold to Jeff Bezos? Will any of the planetary object end up being sold on EBay ?
February 26, 2022
Space Capitalism: ragtag edition.
I've noticed that Norton, who had to give up her dream of being an historian to take a job as a librarian at a young age because of the depression, loves to write futures where a computer picks your career for you. I mean, relatable! When I was 20 there was nothing I wanted more than a system to provide me with a Job I Could Do That People Will Pay Me For.
Digression. "Very Young man" as he is described in the first paragraph, and "Tall" Dane Thorson ("Viking" to his not-friends) has just graduated from ten years of Space Crew training and reports to the Psycho, the computer that calculates what crew a new recruit will best fit in, for his assignment. The snotty popular boy in class gets a cushy assignment, and Dane gets ... The Solar Queen. A free trader - this is neither high-class nor destitute, it's a risky proposition with some glamor to it.
And he's off! The trade ship has won a contract to a newly-discovered planet - Limbo - yeaaah - but Limbo is not all it appears! Alien technology is luring ships in and crashing them on the planet scarred by a centures-gone war among aliens. The Forerunners - not much is known about them other than they were wiped out in a great war - but any trace of their tech could be big bucks! If they can survive to collect ...
Cute. I mean, adjust expectations for 1950s. I liked that when the crew is introduced there's an asian, a black guy, and a middle eastern guy - but you could easily lose track of who is who because no one is given much description past the two sentences when they are introduced and then there's a lot of "the astrogator" and "the medic" and you'd best try to remember who that was. :P
There are, of course, no women in space. It is, near as you can tell, a woman-less universe. Ah, the 50s. Still, I enjoyed enough that I'm going to check out the rest of the Solar Queen series.
I've noticed that Norton, who had to give up her dream of being an historian to take a job as a librarian at a young age because of the depression, loves to write futures where a computer picks your career for you. I mean, relatable! When I was 20 there was nothing I wanted more than a system to provide me with a Job I Could Do That People Will Pay Me For.
Digression. "Very Young man" as he is described in the first paragraph, and "Tall" Dane Thorson ("Viking" to his not-friends) has just graduated from ten years of Space Crew training and reports to the Psycho, the computer that calculates what crew a new recruit will best fit in, for his assignment. The snotty popular boy in class gets a cushy assignment, and Dane gets ... The Solar Queen. A free trader - this is neither high-class nor destitute, it's a risky proposition with some glamor to it.
And he's off! The trade ship has won a contract to a newly-discovered planet - Limbo - yeaaah - but Limbo is not all it appears! Alien technology is luring ships in and crashing them on the planet scarred by a centures-gone war among aliens. The Forerunners - not much is known about them other than they were wiped out in a great war - but any trace of their tech could be big bucks! If they can survive to collect ...
Cute. I mean, adjust expectations for 1950s. I liked that when the crew is introduced there's an asian, a black guy, and a middle eastern guy - but you could easily lose track of who is who because no one is given much description past the two sentences when they are introduced and then there's a lot of "the astrogator" and "the medic" and you'd best try to remember who that was. :P
There are, of course, no women in space. It is, near as you can tell, a woman-less universe. Ah, the 50s. Still, I enjoyed enough that I'm going to check out the rest of the Solar Queen series.
January 31, 2020
My wife, in her persistent attempts to expand my repetoir of science fiction literature, recommended that I try out the Halcyon science fiction collections, so I chose one of Golden-Age hits and the first one I read was a novel called "Plague Ship," which I loved. I later learned it was the second book in a series, so I peddled back and read the first one, "The Sargasso of Space."
Much like the second book, this one is kind of a mystery with an extraterrestrial setting. The beginning sets us up with the main protagonist and how he comes to join the rest of the crew of the Solar Queen, a bare-bones but reliable cargo ship. After winning an auction to buy an entire planet, they set off to explore their new territory and to find what resources they can exploit. But what they find is a graveyard of ships and desolation, and now something won't let their own ship leave.
This is an early effort by Andre Norton, who was writing as Andrew Norton in an attempt to hide her gender. Even though women were writing pulp stories long before, I guess the 50s took a step backward, as she clearly thought a woman writing about a bunch of working-class Joe's in the future was a problem for readers or publishers. Regardless of her motivation, we all know who she is now, and for good reason. Her imagination and story-craft are outstanding, and this book is no exception. Once it gets going, the latter half of the book is well-paced and exciting. The writing is a bit juvenile, but this book was originally targeted to a young male audience, and it still does not detract too much from an adult enjoyment of the story.
If you are a fan of space opera or Golden-Age pulp and have not checked out this series, do yourself a favor and start with this book tonight.
Much like the second book, this one is kind of a mystery with an extraterrestrial setting. The beginning sets us up with the main protagonist and how he comes to join the rest of the crew of the Solar Queen, a bare-bones but reliable cargo ship. After winning an auction to buy an entire planet, they set off to explore their new territory and to find what resources they can exploit. But what they find is a graveyard of ships and desolation, and now something won't let their own ship leave.
This is an early effort by Andre Norton, who was writing as Andrew Norton in an attempt to hide her gender. Even though women were writing pulp stories long before, I guess the 50s took a step backward, as she clearly thought a woman writing about a bunch of working-class Joe's in the future was a problem for readers or publishers. Regardless of her motivation, we all know who she is now, and for good reason. Her imagination and story-craft are outstanding, and this book is no exception. Once it gets going, the latter half of the book is well-paced and exciting. The writing is a bit juvenile, but this book was originally targeted to a young male audience, and it still does not detract too much from an adult enjoyment of the story.
If you are a fan of space opera or Golden-Age pulp and have not checked out this series, do yourself a favor and start with this book tonight.
March 24, 2015
携 薪械 蟹薪邪褞, 褔褌芯 褌邪泻芯谐芯 胁 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐械, 薪芯 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪胁 胁 褞薪芯褋褌懈, 褟 锌械褉械褔懈褌褘胁邪谢邪 械械 锌芯褌芯屑 薪械 屑械薪械械 10 褉邪蟹.
袠 褌芯谢褜泻芯 褋械泄褔邪褋 褟 褍胁懈写械谢邪, 褔褌芯 褝褌芯 褑械谢邪褟 褋械褉懈褟! 袩械褉械褔懈褌褘胁邪褞 胁 薪-褑邪褌褘泄 褉邪蟹 懈 斜械谐芯屑 蟹邪 锌褉芯写芯谢卸械薪懈械屑.
袩.小. 袨 写邪, 懈 褋薪芯胁邪 泻邪泄褎!
袠 褌芯谢褜泻芯 褋械泄褔邪褋 褟 褍胁懈写械谢邪, 褔褌芯 褝褌芯 褑械谢邪褟 褋械褉懈褟! 袩械褉械褔懈褌褘胁邪褞 胁 薪-褑邪褌褘泄 褉邪蟹 懈 斜械谐芯屑 蟹邪 锌褉芯写芯谢卸械薪懈械屑.
袩.小. 袨 写邪, 懈 褋薪芯胁邪 泻邪泄褎!
February 6, 2017
艩墨 savulaik man bija 募oti iem墨募ota gr膩mata, las墨jis esmu reizes piecas, un praktiski si啪etu zinu no galvas. Protams, no gr膩matas atcer膿jos tikai piedz墨vojumu da募u un jap膩艈u nindzju Muru. Izv膿loties n膩kamo 鈥淔antastikas pasaul膿鈥� s膿rijas gr膩matu, nol膿mu izv膿l膿ties savu b膿rn墨bas favor墨tu un pie reizes atsvaidzin膩t sev atmi艈膩 gr膩matas varo艈us.
Feder膩cij膩 ietilpst simtiem zvaig啪艈u sist膿mu. Galvenais ekonomikas dzin膿jsp膿ks ir tirdzniec墨ba. Bez tirdzniec墨bas ku模iem plan膿tas paliktu izol膿tas un neizp膿t墨tas. Cilv膿ki galaktik膩 nav vien墨gie, iepriek拧膿jo civiliz膩ciju piem膿ri r膩da, ka galaktisk膩 dominance nevelkas ilgi, parasti iek拧膿jo pretrunu d膿募 civiliz膩cija izn墨cina pati sevi. Ta膷u 鈥淪aules karalienes鈥� komandai 拧膩das lietas pr膩tu nenodarbina. Vi艈i ir br墨vie tirgo艈i, no tiem, kas izple拧 Feder膩cijas ietekmes sf膿ru, kontakt膿 ar citplan膿tie拧iem un ar to nopelna sev iztiku. 鈥淪aules karalienes鈥� komanda nop膿rk ties墨bas apsaimniekot k膩du noma募u plan膿tu Limbo, iesp膿jams, ka tas b奴s vi艈u lielais 姆膿riens.
Gr膩matas ievad膩 br膩募i Strugacki saka atzin墨gus v膩rdus par 拧o darbu, uzslav膿 autores meistar墨bu izcelt soci膩las probl膿mas. Neizsl膿dz, ka tas dar墨ts neapzinoties, bet vis膩di cit膩di pasludina 拧o darbu par fantastikas etalonu. 艩is nu ir tas gad墨jums, kad pui拧i ir pamat墨gi k募奴d墨ju拧ies. J膩, kad tev ir divpadsmit gadi, tu 拧o gr膩matu lasi ar aizraut墨bu. Izlasi, noliec mal膩 un p膿c p膩ris dien膩m p膩rlasi atkal. Jo padomju laikos jau interesanti piedz墨vojumi bija retums. Tagad, kad esmu nedaudz paaudzies, man par no啪膿lu n膩c膩s atkl膩t, ka gr膩mat膩 jau ar墨 ir tikai t膩 piedz墨vojumu da募a. Person膩啪i te ir tikai statisti, kas v膿sta un kuri veic piedz墨vojumus.
Saprotu savu b膿rn墨bas lielo aizraut墨bu. Galvenis varonis ir izv膿l膿ts 募oti veiksm墨gi, puika Deins, kur拧 tikko pabeidzis tirdzniec墨bas skolu un kura sap艈i uz 膿rtu vietu starpzvaig啪艈u megakomp膩nij膩 izbeidzas jau atlas膿. Vi艈am nav nedz sakaru, nedz bag膩t墨bas, un vi艈拧 tiek nor墨kots uz 鈥淪aules karalienes鈥�. Te vi艈am n膩kotne nesol膩s p膩r膩k spo啪a, ta膷u vi艈拧 apmekl膿s t膩las me啪on墨gas plan膿tas un vesels vezums ar piedz墨vojumiem tiek garant膿ti nodro拧in膩ts. T膩l膩k viss ir p膿c agr墨n膩s fantastikas standartiem 鈥� labie ir labi un sliktie ir slikti. Lai las墨t膩j膩 nerastos nek膩das 拧aubas, autore vajadz墨gos br墨啪os to noska艈o pret sliktajiem Sargasu plan膿tas pir膩tiem, un viss k膩rt墨b膩.
Vienu nevar noliegt, gr膩mata las膩s 募oti 膩tri, jo vi艈a ir gan pl膩na, gan interesanta. Jau no s膩kuma ir skaidrs, kur拧 uzvar膿s, un tas liekus p膩rdz墨vojumus nerada. Gr膩matas izn膩k拧anas gados galvenajiem varo艈iem v膿l liel膩koties bija neaizskaramo statuss un t膩d膿募 pat 墨pa拧i 募aunie vienm膿r tika nog膩d膩ti taisnas tiesas priek拧膩. Jo no拧aujot 募aundari, labais nevar triumf膿t visa piln墨b膩. Taisn墨bas triumf膿拧anas fon膩 labi iederas citplan膿tie拧i artefakti, seni iero膷i un pir膩ti.
Gr膩matai n膩ktos likt ne vair膩k par 3 no 10 ball膿m. Ja vi艈ai l墨dzi nen膩ktu gai拧膩s b膿rn墨bas atmi艈as, t膩 laika pozit墨vie iespaidi un sapratne, ka k膩dreiz jau visiem autoriem j膩s膩k m膿模in膩t rakst墨t. Tad t膩 ar墨 ieliktu, bet 艈emot iepriek拧 min膿to, v膿r膩 lieku 7 no 10 ball膿m, laba gr膩mata, ar kuru ies膩kt fantastikas 啪anru agr膩 vecum膩. Viss cikls kopum膩 neb奴t nav slikts, ja pat墨k uzsvars uz piedz墨vojumiem.
Feder膩cij膩 ietilpst simtiem zvaig啪艈u sist膿mu. Galvenais ekonomikas dzin膿jsp膿ks ir tirdzniec墨ba. Bez tirdzniec墨bas ku模iem plan膿tas paliktu izol膿tas un neizp膿t墨tas. Cilv膿ki galaktik膩 nav vien墨gie, iepriek拧膿jo civiliz膩ciju piem膿ri r膩da, ka galaktisk膩 dominance nevelkas ilgi, parasti iek拧膿jo pretrunu d膿募 civiliz膩cija izn墨cina pati sevi. Ta膷u 鈥淪aules karalienes鈥� komandai 拧膩das lietas pr膩tu nenodarbina. Vi艈i ir br墨vie tirgo艈i, no tiem, kas izple拧 Feder膩cijas ietekmes sf膿ru, kontakt膿 ar citplan膿tie拧iem un ar to nopelna sev iztiku. 鈥淪aules karalienes鈥� komanda nop膿rk ties墨bas apsaimniekot k膩du noma募u plan膿tu Limbo, iesp膿jams, ka tas b奴s vi艈u lielais 姆膿riens.
Gr膩matas ievad膩 br膩募i Strugacki saka atzin墨gus v膩rdus par 拧o darbu, uzslav膿 autores meistar墨bu izcelt soci膩las probl膿mas. Neizsl膿dz, ka tas dar墨ts neapzinoties, bet vis膩di cit膩di pasludina 拧o darbu par fantastikas etalonu. 艩is nu ir tas gad墨jums, kad pui拧i ir pamat墨gi k募奴d墨ju拧ies. J膩, kad tev ir divpadsmit gadi, tu 拧o gr膩matu lasi ar aizraut墨bu. Izlasi, noliec mal膩 un p膿c p膩ris dien膩m p膩rlasi atkal. Jo padomju laikos jau interesanti piedz墨vojumi bija retums. Tagad, kad esmu nedaudz paaudzies, man par no啪膿lu n膩c膩s atkl膩t, ka gr膩mat膩 jau ar墨 ir tikai t膩 piedz墨vojumu da募a. Person膩啪i te ir tikai statisti, kas v膿sta un kuri veic piedz墨vojumus.
Saprotu savu b膿rn墨bas lielo aizraut墨bu. Galvenis varonis ir izv膿l膿ts 募oti veiksm墨gi, puika Deins, kur拧 tikko pabeidzis tirdzniec墨bas skolu un kura sap艈i uz 膿rtu vietu starpzvaig啪艈u megakomp膩nij膩 izbeidzas jau atlas膿. Vi艈am nav nedz sakaru, nedz bag膩t墨bas, un vi艈拧 tiek nor墨kots uz 鈥淪aules karalienes鈥�. Te vi艈am n膩kotne nesol膩s p膩r膩k spo啪a, ta膷u vi艈拧 apmekl膿s t膩las me啪on墨gas plan膿tas un vesels vezums ar piedz墨vojumiem tiek garant膿ti nodro拧in膩ts. T膩l膩k viss ir p膿c agr墨n膩s fantastikas standartiem 鈥� labie ir labi un sliktie ir slikti. Lai las墨t膩j膩 nerastos nek膩das 拧aubas, autore vajadz墨gos br墨啪os to noska艈o pret sliktajiem Sargasu plan膿tas pir膩tiem, un viss k膩rt墨b膩.
Vienu nevar noliegt, gr膩mata las膩s 募oti 膩tri, jo vi艈a ir gan pl膩na, gan interesanta. Jau no s膩kuma ir skaidrs, kur拧 uzvar膿s, un tas liekus p膩rdz墨vojumus nerada. Gr膩matas izn膩k拧anas gados galvenajiem varo艈iem v膿l liel膩koties bija neaizskaramo statuss un t膩d膿募 pat 墨pa拧i 募aunie vienm膿r tika nog膩d膩ti taisnas tiesas priek拧膩. Jo no拧aujot 募aundari, labais nevar triumf膿t visa piln墨b膩. Taisn墨bas triumf膿拧anas fon膩 labi iederas citplan膿tie拧i artefakti, seni iero膷i un pir膩ti.
Gr膩matai n膩ktos likt ne vair膩k par 3 no 10 ball膿m. Ja vi艈ai l墨dzi nen膩ktu gai拧膩s b膿rn墨bas atmi艈as, t膩 laika pozit墨vie iespaidi un sapratne, ka k膩dreiz jau visiem autoriem j膩s膩k m膿模in膩t rakst墨t. Tad t膩 ar墨 ieliktu, bet 艈emot iepriek拧 min膿to, v膿r膩 lieku 7 no 10 ball膿m, laba gr膩mata, ar kuru ies膩kt fantastikas 啪anru agr膩 vecum膩. Viss cikls kopum膩 neb奴t nav slikts, ja pat墨k uzsvars uz piedz墨vojumiem.
August 9, 2020
A bit dated, but good. 3.5 stars.
April 23, 2008
Back in the 1950s, many writers were churning out space adventure books in response to the increasing interest in space travel. Most of them stunk. This one didn't. Yes, it features an all-male cast of tough characters, but the writing is up there to Ms. Norton's usual standard. Mary Alice Norton, a librarian, began writing boys' adventure novels, but to keep her gender from becoming an issue, used the pen names Andrew North and Andre Norton. Which amuses me no end, because when I read my first book by Ms. Norton, Witch World, I knew the author was a woman immediately. I was surprised to find out later that I was supposed to think she was a he.
In a book like .Sargasso of Space I imagine readers did think she was a man, because this is a "gee-whiz isn't this exciting-space adventure." I like the protagonist, Dane Thorson, a young man fresh out of school, who takes a berth on The Solar Queen, a Trader ship. The Queen isn't fancy, but her crew is tough and smart and when they buy trade and salvage rights to the planet Limbo, all sorts of adventures ensue.
In a book like .Sargasso of Space I imagine readers did think she was a man, because this is a "gee-whiz isn't this exciting-space adventure." I like the protagonist, Dane Thorson, a young man fresh out of school, who takes a berth on The Solar Queen, a Trader ship. The Queen isn't fancy, but her crew is tough and smart and when they buy trade and salvage rights to the planet Limbo, all sorts of adventures ensue.
May 11, 2022
Norton, Andre (a.k.a. Andrew North). Sargasso of Space. 1955. Solar Queen No. 1. Open Road Media, 2014.
Andre Norton鈥檚 Solar Queen series is not one of the enduring science fiction monuments of the 1950s, such as Fahrenheit 451, I, Robot, or The Stars My Destination; it is not even up there with Starship Troopers. It is, nevertheless, a book I probably read and enjoyed when I was 11 or 12 in the 1950s, and I enjoy it still. Apprentice Cargo-Master Dane of the independent trade Solar Queen is a likeable young man who learns from experience negotiating with aliens on newly opened planets. The crew of the Queen are a well-individualized set of characters who have believable relationships with each other. Sadly, Norton still felt compelled to make space travel a boys club, and the cool-your-rockets space opera slang is hard to take, though it is no worse than Heinlein got away with in some of his juveniles. Still 4 stars from me.
Andre Norton鈥檚 Solar Queen series is not one of the enduring science fiction monuments of the 1950s, such as Fahrenheit 451, I, Robot, or The Stars My Destination; it is not even up there with Starship Troopers. It is, nevertheless, a book I probably read and enjoyed when I was 11 or 12 in the 1950s, and I enjoy it still. Apprentice Cargo-Master Dane of the independent trade Solar Queen is a likeable young man who learns from experience negotiating with aliens on newly opened planets. The crew of the Queen are a well-individualized set of characters who have believable relationships with each other. Sadly, Norton still felt compelled to make space travel a boys club, and the cool-your-rockets space opera slang is hard to take, though it is no worse than Heinlein got away with in some of his juveniles. Still 4 stars from me.
April 20, 2020
Full review:
"Andre Norton鈥檚 Sargasso of Space (1955), the first installment of her Solar Queen sequence of novels, delivers everything a 1950s juvenile science fiction adventure should. Sargasso of Space is not only blessed with genuine tension, intriguing situations, heroic young adults, but also a multi-racial cast (an African-American apprentice engineer and two crew members [...]"
"Andre Norton鈥檚 Sargasso of Space (1955), the first installment of her Solar Queen sequence of novels, delivers everything a 1950s juvenile science fiction adventure should. Sargasso of Space is not only blessed with genuine tension, intriguing situations, heroic young adults, but also a multi-racial cast (an African-American apprentice engineer and two crew members [...]"
Read
December 19, 2014One of Norton's strongest SF books, Sargasso of Space puts us firmly on the side of the 'little guy' independent trader, the Solar Queen, aiming to make a profit within the rules, up against the bottomless pockets of the large trading combines.
With an excellent combination of comradeship, mystery and adventure, this is a quick and engrossing read. The only mar is the usual issue with Norton's early work - women don't exist.
With an excellent combination of comradeship, mystery and adventure, this is a quick and engrossing read. The only mar is the usual issue with Norton's early work - women don't exist.
April 14, 2013
I have been an avid reader of Andre Norton works for years but I never got to read this book till now. It is odd to finally read the first book in a series years after you read all the others. It is a wonderful space adventure from the golden age of sci-fi. I think it was a excellent beginning to a series I have loved for years.
April 30, 2020
After having known the title of this book for more than thirty-five years, and having a a vague notion of what it was about, I saw a copy in the local Oxfam shop, and had to pick it up to finally give it a read.
It is pretty much exactly what I expected鈥攁 1950s space opera where a new young recruit on a trading ship has an adventure on a planet that is mysteriously covered in wrecked spaceships. It feels at times like Asimov, E.E. "Doc" Smith or other mid-20th century SF, such as The Forbidden Planet.
Diversity is acknowledged鈥攖here are black, asian, and (implied) Middle-Eastern crewmembers who aren't at all defined by their ethnicities. Yet it definitely illustrates how impactful Star Trek must have been in the following decade鈥攆or even though this book was written by a woman, there is not a single female character in the book: it is a strictly boys-only affair! The bridge of the Enterprise was much more gender-balanced.
And its influence on subsequent stories also seems apparent, as I can clearly see tonal elements from this in stories such as Alien, Prometheus, Mass Effect, Babylon 5, Firefly, or even the original Unreal videogame.
This is right up my alley鈥擨 love space opera, and I rather enjoy the simplistic style of writing (I suppose I would describe it as direct and to the point!), although it would never win awards for style.
It is a fun adventure that doesn't have pretensions of grandness, and is content to be resolved with blasters and fisticuffs. I would have preferred the mystery to be more, well, mysterious鈥攎y favourite parts of the novel are the drama and tension of exploring a mysterious planet covered in wrecks, with limited visibility and the threat of enemies and aliens鈥攕o I would have preferred a less prosaic ending.
It's short, but action packed throughout. I'll give it a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4, and would recommend it to any fan of space opera, from the age of 8 upwards.
It is pretty much exactly what I expected鈥攁 1950s space opera where a new young recruit on a trading ship has an adventure on a planet that is mysteriously covered in wrecked spaceships. It feels at times like Asimov, E.E. "Doc" Smith or other mid-20th century SF, such as The Forbidden Planet.
Diversity is acknowledged鈥攖here are black, asian, and (implied) Middle-Eastern crewmembers who aren't at all defined by their ethnicities. Yet it definitely illustrates how impactful Star Trek must have been in the following decade鈥攆or even though this book was written by a woman, there is not a single female character in the book: it is a strictly boys-only affair! The bridge of the Enterprise was much more gender-balanced.
And its influence on subsequent stories also seems apparent, as I can clearly see tonal elements from this in stories such as Alien, Prometheus, Mass Effect, Babylon 5, Firefly, or even the original Unreal videogame.
This is right up my alley鈥擨 love space opera, and I rather enjoy the simplistic style of writing (I suppose I would describe it as direct and to the point!), although it would never win awards for style.
It is a fun adventure that doesn't have pretensions of grandness, and is content to be resolved with blasters and fisticuffs. I would have preferred the mystery to be more, well, mysterious鈥攎y favourite parts of the novel are the drama and tension of exploring a mysterious planet covered in wrecks, with limited visibility and the threat of enemies and aliens鈥攕o I would have preferred a less prosaic ending.
It's short, but action packed throughout. I'll give it a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4, and would recommend it to any fan of space opera, from the age of 8 upwards.
March 21, 2021
Pa艈em jebk膩du piedz墨vojumu st膩stu par 15.gs Eiropas j奴rasbrauc膿ju, bet iedom膩jies, ka tas notiek kosmos膩. Pieliec kl膩t da啪as 20.gs tehnolo模ijas (piem.: kasetes, filmu, projekcijas apar膩tu...), lai 20.gs las墨t膩jam 拧姆iet ticam膩k. Protams, pieliec kl膩t ar墨 da啪us neparastus v膩rdus, k膩 "radiotelefons", "hipertelpa", "blasters", "fliters", "skait募ojam膩 ma拧墨na", "gangsteris", "tr墨sdimensiju glezna", kas rosin膩s las墨t膩ja izt膿li par super墨go n膩kotni. Svar墨gi pastarp膩m iez墨m膿t ar墨 k膩du hibr墨disku b奴tni, kas pat 21.gs las墨t膩jam rad墨s bailes nakt墨 iet uz tualeti. Ak, lai b奴tu apokaliptisk膩ka noska艈a j膩piemin ar墨, ka iepriek拧膿j膩 cilv膿ce bija varena plan膿tu sist膿mu valdniece, ta膷u kar膩 izmantot膩s v膿lvarenak膩s tehnolo模ijas to izn墨cin膩ja.
猸愨瓙 鈥� b奴tu visas zvaigznes, ja piemin膿tu to, kas man vienm膿r interes膿 鈥� k膩 cilv膿ki nok膩rtojas uz cit膩m plan膿t膩m.
艩墨 nav gr膩mata kam j膩notic. 艩ad tad ir jauki palas墨t k膩du darbu no 20.gs zin膩tnisk膩s fantastikas lauka, lai sirsn墨gi pasmaid墨tu par pag膩tnes fantastu "paredz膿jumiem".
"Sargasi kosmos膩" n膩kotnes cilv膿ce klejo visum膩, mekl膿jot jaunas plan膿tas, t膩s koloniz膿 un tirgo izsol膿s t膩l膩k ar vis膩m t膩s maz膩k-vai-vair膩k sapr膩t墨gaj膩m b奴tn膿m = pirmdzimtajiem. Gandr墨z tas, kas notiek jau tagad, neatst膩jot plan膿tas Zeme biosf膿ru.
Dom膩ju, ka 50.tajiem gadiem neparasti, ka pamatvaro艈i ir da啪膩du rasu cilv膿ki. K膩 ar墨 tas, ka gr膩mat膩 prec墨zi 0 rei啪u tika min膿ta jebk膩da sievi拧姆墨ga b奴tne. Kosmosa iekaro拧ana ir v墨rie拧a padar墨拧ana.
Lai gan priek拧v膩rd膩 min膿ts, ka galveno varo艈u starp膩 past膩v tikai "attur墨ga v墨rie拧u draudz墨ba bez siekalainas t膩s apliecin膩拧anas un izskaidro拧anas", es pat teiktu, ka 拧ai st膩st膩 ir pietiekami daudz tuk拧umu, kas 募autu to las墨t caur citu seksualit膩拧u prizmu (eng- queering).
猸愨瓙 鈥� b奴tu visas zvaigznes, ja piemin膿tu to, kas man vienm膿r interes膿 鈥� k膩 cilv膿ki nok膩rtojas uz cit膩m plan膿t膩m.
艩墨 nav gr膩mata kam j膩notic. 艩ad tad ir jauki palas墨t k膩du darbu no 20.gs zin膩tnisk膩s fantastikas lauka, lai sirsn墨gi pasmaid墨tu par pag膩tnes fantastu "paredz膿jumiem".
"Sargasi kosmos膩" n膩kotnes cilv膿ce klejo visum膩, mekl膿jot jaunas plan膿tas, t膩s koloniz膿 un tirgo izsol膿s t膩l膩k ar vis膩m t膩s maz膩k-vai-vair膩k sapr膩t墨gaj膩m b奴tn膿m = pirmdzimtajiem. Gandr墨z tas, kas notiek jau tagad, neatst膩jot plan膿tas Zeme biosf膿ru.
Dom膩ju, ka 50.tajiem gadiem neparasti, ka pamatvaro艈i ir da啪膩du rasu cilv膿ki. K膩 ar墨 tas, ka gr膩mat膩 prec墨zi 0 rei啪u tika min膿ta jebk膩da sievi拧姆墨ga b奴tne. Kosmosa iekaro拧ana ir v墨rie拧a padar墨拧ana.
Lai gan priek拧v膩rd膩 min膿ts, ka galveno varo艈u starp膩 past膩v tikai "attur墨ga v墨rie拧u draudz墨ba bez siekalainas t膩s apliecin膩拧anas un izskaidro拧anas", es pat teiktu, ka 拧ai st膩st膩 ir pietiekami daudz tuk拧umu, kas 募autu to las墨t caur citu seksualit膩拧u prizmu (eng- queering).
May 26, 2025
Apprentice Cargo Master Dane Thorson, fresh out of the Trade academy, signs onto the crew of the Solar Queen for his first assignment. The Solar Queen is a Free Trader, not owned by any of the great trading houses, and a rather low-prestige assignment. But the life of a Free Trader isn't as constrained as that of a member of one of those great houses either.
This is a classic space adventure, with strange new planets, ruthless villains, odd aliens, and mysteries from the ancient past. The characters are stock adventurers and the plot isn't especially surprising, but the package is well plotted and compelling, and there is a sense of wonder that is seldom seen in modern SF.
Recommended.
This is a classic space adventure, with strange new planets, ruthless villains, odd aliens, and mysteries from the ancient past. The characters are stock adventurers and the plot isn't especially surprising, but the package is well plotted and compelling, and there is a sense of wonder that is seldom seen in modern SF.
Recommended.
April 23, 2022
The first of.the 鈥淪olar Queen鈥� series by Andre Norton is an adequate 鈥渂oys鈥� adventure鈥� short novel. And as such there is not one female of any significance in the book. This is a pity as Norton is well able to create strong female characters. I suppose that she felt she knew the expectations of her target audience of young pre- and early teens of the fifties.
The various members of the Solar Queen crew are all created in broad strokes as are the villains. So emphasis is on a fairly decent plot.
The book works but one would hope that later entries will improve.
The various members of the Solar Queen crew are all created in broad strokes as are the villains. So emphasis is on a fairly decent plot.
The book works but one would hope that later entries will improve.
March 20, 2022
Derring do on the space lanes. A new planet, ripe for development is won at auction by the crew of the Solar Queen. Unfortunately, they don't have a cargo or the money left to pay for their field fees. A archaelogist wants to pay them to go to ruins found on their new planet. Problem solved? (And I thought, rather convenient that, eh?) Of course it creates new ones. This is the first in a series that I look forward to reading. Recommended.
Read
July 12, 2024Rough
August 12, 2024
Loved it.
January 8, 2013
First published in 1955, Sargasso of Space is the first book of the Solar Queen series. It introduces Dane Thorson as a young man just graduated and chosen by a Psycho computer machine as apprentice-Cargo-Master to join the 12 crew members of the slightly battered Solar Queen, a Free Trader ship. Their space adventure begins when the crew pool all their money together to enter a blind auction and win the ten year trading rights to D-rated planet Limbo. After opening the sealed information packet and finding out that their investment might be a losing venture, they begin to feel lucky again when archaeologist Salzar Rich hires the Solar Queen to explore the planet for Forerunner archaeological sites and all begin to hope there are other riches for trade. Once at Limbo, there's the planet to explore, mysteries to be solved, and a quick paced action adventure full of danger for young Dane and the crew.
Sargasso of Space is a fun space adventure that may have originally been written as a 'boys' space adventure.' Regardless, I really enjoyed it. There's no question that to a certain degree the story is dated, (i.e: packets of information are in microfiche or microfilm) but because Norton focuses on the mystery, adventure, and the human aspects of the story instead of spectacular science fiction details, it holds up pretty well.
There are no over-the-top hidden messages, instead basis for the plot is pretty obvious. Norton focuses worldbuilding and conflicts for the space adventures on trade between the planets and pits the heroes in her adventures, a small crew of twelve Free Traders who in essence always begin from a disadvantaged position, against the big "Company" or all-powerful and wealthy trading moguls who seem to hold all the cards. Norton also uses a version of this device when creating her young character Dane Thorson who comes from a poor background, an orphanage, and through his own efforts receives an education, graduates, and is given the opportunity for a better future. The supposed impartial Psycho machine doesn't match him with one of the big companies, but he is given the opportunity to explore, gain experience, and to "make it" as a Free Trader. Both the crew and Dane are underdogs overcoming obstacles to succeed.
I didn't find deep characterization in this story, however, the crew of the Solar Queen make a great team. It is also tough to measure true character growth when taking into consideration that Sargasso of Space is the first book of a long series. In this first book, Norton introduces Dane's young character as an apprentice mentored and accepted by the crew. He fits in even as his confidence fluctuates from highs to lows when making rookie mistakes and begins the process of learning the ropes. In Captain Jellico, the all knowing Cargo-Master Van Rycke, and the Cook-Steward Frank Mura, Norton introduces strong role models for Dane and the other young apprentices. Additionally, there is a mixture of cultures within the crew members, although not surprising for the time this novel was written, it is an all male crew.
In this first book, I found Dane Thorson to be a bit of a "goody-two-shoes" compared to some of the other crew members, but I'm reading the second book of the series at the moment, Plague Ship (Solar Queen #2), and am hoping that he will break out of his little self-imposed box. The action, however, is quick paced and the adventure once begun, fun enough to keep me engrossed to the end. I've heard and read a bit about this young adult science fiction series throughout the years, and it seems to be beloved by old fans. As a new reader, I found the first book enjoyable enough to continue by reading the second book of the Solar Queen series.
So, did I miss out during my teenage years by not reading Andre Norton's science fiction stories? I believe so! So far these are just fun! Recommended for young (and not so young) adults who love a good space adventure.
Sargasso of Space is a fun space adventure that may have originally been written as a 'boys' space adventure.' Regardless, I really enjoyed it. There's no question that to a certain degree the story is dated, (i.e: packets of information are in microfiche or microfilm) but because Norton focuses on the mystery, adventure, and the human aspects of the story instead of spectacular science fiction details, it holds up pretty well.
There are no over-the-top hidden messages, instead basis for the plot is pretty obvious. Norton focuses worldbuilding and conflicts for the space adventures on trade between the planets and pits the heroes in her adventures, a small crew of twelve Free Traders who in essence always begin from a disadvantaged position, against the big "Company" or all-powerful and wealthy trading moguls who seem to hold all the cards. Norton also uses a version of this device when creating her young character Dane Thorson who comes from a poor background, an orphanage, and through his own efforts receives an education, graduates, and is given the opportunity for a better future. The supposed impartial Psycho machine doesn't match him with one of the big companies, but he is given the opportunity to explore, gain experience, and to "make it" as a Free Trader. Both the crew and Dane are underdogs overcoming obstacles to succeed.
I didn't find deep characterization in this story, however, the crew of the Solar Queen make a great team. It is also tough to measure true character growth when taking into consideration that Sargasso of Space is the first book of a long series. In this first book, Norton introduces Dane's young character as an apprentice mentored and accepted by the crew. He fits in even as his confidence fluctuates from highs to lows when making rookie mistakes and begins the process of learning the ropes. In Captain Jellico, the all knowing Cargo-Master Van Rycke, and the Cook-Steward Frank Mura, Norton introduces strong role models for Dane and the other young apprentices. Additionally, there is a mixture of cultures within the crew members, although not surprising for the time this novel was written, it is an all male crew.
In this first book, I found Dane Thorson to be a bit of a "goody-two-shoes" compared to some of the other crew members, but I'm reading the second book of the series at the moment, Plague Ship (Solar Queen #2), and am hoping that he will break out of his little self-imposed box. The action, however, is quick paced and the adventure once begun, fun enough to keep me engrossed to the end. I've heard and read a bit about this young adult science fiction series throughout the years, and it seems to be beloved by old fans. As a new reader, I found the first book enjoyable enough to continue by reading the second book of the Solar Queen series.
So, did I miss out during my teenage years by not reading Andre Norton's science fiction stories? I believe so! So far these are just fun! Recommended for young (and not so young) adults who love a good space adventure.
January 8, 2020
Early in her career, Alice Mary Norton wrote science fiction under the name of Andrew North, but fantasy under the name of Andre Norton. In 1955, Sargasso of Space by Andrew North was the first of her 鈥淪olar Queen鈥� young adult science fiction novels, so named because of the Free Trader ship to which young Dane Thorson is assigned as apprentice cargo-master. Subsequent novels are (1956) and (1959). Decades later, there were further additions to the series.
Almost immediately after his assignment, the members of the Solar Queen鈥檚 small crew vote to take a high-risk, once-in-a-lifetime, opportunity to buy access to a planet released by Galactic Survey auction. Their desperate bid obtains the last to be offered Planet Limbo, and leads to an adventure with alien contact, human artifacts, and pirates, with framing somewhat akin to Robert Heinlein鈥檚 juveniles.
I chose to read this book because I wanted one quick read for the end of the year, and was unsure whether I had read this as a child. I did. Re-reading it now, shortly after one of her Witch World books, I confirm that her plots in science fiction and fantasy are actually very similar 鈥� differing mostly in superficial trappings, such as magic spells versus sleep rays. As an adult reader of hard-sf, this writing falls far short of my normal expectations for realism. But books like this were once my staple diet, and led to choices later in my life.
First read 鈥� 1968 鈥� **** This is a guess as to when I read the book. But upon my recent second reading, I found that I did remember a few things, such as the title, the crawlers, the micro-gardens, and the seamless doors into rock faces.
Almost immediately after his assignment, the members of the Solar Queen鈥檚 small crew vote to take a high-risk, once-in-a-lifetime, opportunity to buy access to a planet released by Galactic Survey auction. Their desperate bid obtains the last to be offered Planet Limbo, and leads to an adventure with alien contact, human artifacts, and pirates, with framing somewhat akin to Robert Heinlein鈥檚 juveniles.
I chose to read this book because I wanted one quick read for the end of the year, and was unsure whether I had read this as a child. I did. Re-reading it now, shortly after one of her Witch World books, I confirm that her plots in science fiction and fantasy are actually very similar 鈥� differing mostly in superficial trappings, such as magic spells versus sleep rays. As an adult reader of hard-sf, this writing falls far short of my normal expectations for realism. But books like this were once my staple diet, and led to choices later in my life.
First read 鈥� 1968 鈥� **** This is a guess as to when I read the book. But upon my recent second reading, I found that I did remember a few things, such as the title, the crawlers, the micro-gardens, and the seamless doors into rock faces.
March 7, 2025
Almost half a century ago, renowned science fiction and fantasy author Andre Norton introduced apprentice cargo master Dane Thorson in Sargasso of Space, in the first of the star-spanning tales of the Solar Queen series
Dane signed on with the independent cargo ship Solar Queen looking for a career in off-world trade. In Sargasso of Space, the Solar Queen free traders win exclusive rights to trade with the planet Limbo, but the crew arrives to find most of the planet鈥檚 surface charred, with little signs of life. They find a valley with life, but others may still lurk. Worse yet, a strange force threatens to cripple the Queen. They must solve the planet鈥檚 mysteries if they hope to escape not only with tradable goods, but their lives.
First of the "Solar Queen" adventures, originally published under the pseudonym "Andrew North." This is the second ace edition.
Dane signed on with the independent cargo ship Solar Queen looking for a career in off-world trade. In Sargasso of Space, the Solar Queen free traders win exclusive rights to trade with the planet Limbo, but the crew arrives to find most of the planet鈥檚 surface charred, with little signs of life. They find a valley with life, but others may still lurk. Worse yet, a strange force threatens to cripple the Queen. They must solve the planet鈥檚 mysteries if they hope to escape not only with tradable goods, but their lives.
First of the "Solar Queen" adventures, originally published under the pseudonym "Andrew North." This is the second ace edition.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.