Space Viking (Federation)
Vengeance is a strange human motivation -- it can drive a man to do things which he neither would nor could achieve without it... and because of that it lies behind some of the greatest sagas of human literature!
After a galaxy-wide war had left the planetary federation in ruins, every surviving civilized world was on its own. And that was a perfect setup for the mara...more
After a galaxy-wide war had left the planetary federation in ruins, every surviving civilized world was on its own. And that was a perfect setup for the mara...more
Paperback, 152 pages
Published
April 21st 2008
by Echo Library
(first published November 1st 1962)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
374)
A sentimental three stars; this was space opera without too much philosophy...Reading his other stuff (particularly Uller Uprising), I found his politics laughably simplistic and increasingly tedious.
Hotspur
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
lovers of Space Opera
Recommended to Hotspur by:
found on Librivox
Shelves:
science-fiction
A fun read, in that old-fashioned, chest-thumping, red meat eating and martini drinking fashion. I love a diversion into Space Opera now and again, and Space Viking is a fine example of the genre. The only H.B. Piper I can admit to reading so far has been LORD KALVAN OF OTHERWHEN (a great alt-history type novel, the first of the PARATIME series), plus some well-executed short stories. Space Viking wasn't extremely deep; Piper prefers the bludgeon to the rapier on some of the points he makes, ...more
I read The Cosmic Computer and Space Viking.
The first is the better of the two, involving a man who uses a rumor of a super-computer on his home planet, once a planet-wide military base of the galactic Federation, to start a boom of reclaiming military salvage so that he can get a working hyperspace ship together so he can revitalize the planet by shipping luxury goods grown on his planet to Terra. Along the way, of course, he discovers the computer, which he thought was fictional, i...more
The first is the better of the two, involving a man who uses a rumor of a super-computer on his home planet, once a planet-wide military base of the galactic Federation, to start a boom of reclaiming military salvage so that he can get a working hyperspace ship together so he can revitalize the planet by shipping luxury goods grown on his planet to Terra. Along the way, of course, he discovers the computer, which he thought was fictional, i...more
My other half picked this at random to listen to on a long drive via Audiobooks on his cell phone. What a great find! We now want to go read all his other stuff.
I kept asking when the book was written, since all LibraVox recordings are in the public domain, yet this book discusses hyperdrives and nuclear power and Hitler... turns out it was written in 1963 but it really feels modern and timeless.
This book is partly a store of one man's quest for revenge and how his life did...more
I kept asking when the book was written, since all LibraVox recordings are in the public domain, yet this book discusses hyperdrives and nuclear power and Hitler... turns out it was written in 1963 but it really feels modern and timeless.
This book is partly a store of one man's quest for revenge and how his life did...more
Very interesting story of space adventurer who, forced by events, becomes a Space Viking, a raider of worlds, in order to lure his enemy out.[return][return]Although book is based around this conflict and main characters work on bringing the world of Tanith from the barbarism to civilization it compares many forms of human society - from the very rural cultures of Tanith (medieval level society), 20th century democratic-states-organized world of Amaterasu to more advanced civilization on Beowulf...more
I listened to this novel as a Librivox free, public domain audio book. It is competently narrated by Mark Nelson. He's not in the league of the good professional audio book readers, but he's much better than some of the Librivox volunteer readers.
As for the novel itself, it is a fairly typical early 1960s space opera.
As for the novel itself, it is a fairly typical early 1960s space opera.
There are some books whose memory stays with you, and this is one. I read it first on holiday, camping and could not put it down. I went through all of my torch batteries in one night. Since then I have gone back to read it many times.
This is old-fashioned SF, a Space Opera type yarn from a master. I have this in paperback (from that first holiday), in Audiobook and now on Kindle. It does not challenge you mentally, will not sweep you to emotional heights and in some ways is trite an...more
This is old-fashioned SF, a Space Opera type yarn from a master. I have this in paperback (from that first holiday), in Audiobook and now on Kindle. It does not challenge you mentally, will not sweep you to emotional heights and in some ways is trite an...more
It's an awesome title even if it doesn't quite fit the book. I found the background of civilizations rising and falling more interesting than most of the characters who weren't very well developed. Piper seems to have a better grasp on human nature than those science fiction writers who think we're going to end up in secular, socialist utopia though. It was an entertaining read and I did note that it takes place in the same universe as Little Fuzzy. If you are going to read something by Pipe...more
Space Viking -H Beam Piper
This adventure takes place in a dark age several hundred years after the demise of the great Terran Federation and a few hundred years before the rise of the first galactic empire. This like Mr. Pipers other works takes its cues from our own history. Like the vikings of old, the space viking make their living by raiding and pillaging the remnants of the old federation. By doing so the wealth and best technology are reconcentrated into the hands of these unl...more
This adventure takes place in a dark age several hundred years after the demise of the great Terran Federation and a few hundred years before the rise of the first galactic empire. This like Mr. Pipers other works takes its cues from our own history. Like the vikings of old, the space viking make their living by raiding and pillaging the remnants of the old federation. By doing so the wealth and best technology are reconcentrated into the hands of these unl...more
What starts as a Space Chase soon takes a back seat to a strange, demi-Randian commentary on governments and the manner in which they interfere with Strong, Sensible Men. Piper includes a couple of "well, who's to say" equivocations, but it's clear the reader is meant to align with the aristocratic Trask and historically-knowledgeable Harkaman, both of whom hold the opinion that if one wants to make an omelet, one has to firebomb a few thousand chicken coops. On top of this, seemingly ...more
H. Beam Piper did not write a lot of books. Little Fuzzy was the height of his short career that ended abruptly when he shot himself.
I've read several of his books, when I can find them, and I've enjoyed all of them. Some more than others. They all have a certain kind of 1940's feel to them.
There are a lot of men, very heroic men, who also know a lot of things and have a lot skills. Piper believed in the very capable man. There are usually women, though not many of them. ...more
I've read several of his books, when I can find them, and I've enjoyed all of them. Some more than others. They all have a certain kind of 1940's feel to them.
There are a lot of men, very heroic men, who also know a lot of things and have a lot skills. Piper believed in the very capable man. There are usually women, though not many of them. ...more
I guess part of this year’s reading has been visiting the “old masters”. Earlier it was Heinlein and Delany, and now it’s a free e-book version of H. Beam Piper’s Space Viking. My lone regret regarding the e-book is that it doesn’t have the really cool cover the paperback edition had when I first saw it in Crown Books (I might have just dated myself with that reference).
The sound bite plot summary is this. The Federation fell years ago and some planets fell in barbarism, others ne...more
The sound bite plot summary is this. The Federation fell years ago and some planets fell in barbarism, others ne...more
This story is in the genre of Space Opera, or even what is now called YA, though when Piper wrote it was most likely called Juvenile Fiction. It stays in print, people buy it, people reread it. I have read it virtually every other year for nearly thirty years. Not that it is great literature, but that it is a fun read. There are bad guys and good guys, quests, and evil deeds.
Along the way we are treated to what piper often does in the Terro-Human Federation stories, and that is get a...more
Along the way we are treated to what piper often does in the Terro-Human Federation stories, and that is get a...more
Ok, so I’m a big fan of H. Beam Piper. Yes classic Sci-Fi requires a certain taste, it’s certainly not for everyone, and Piper was a bit more on the fringe of political discourse than many of his contemporaries. Space Viking does tend to exhibit Piper’s personal beliefs quite plainly, but it is so jam packed with space exploration and battles that it’s delicious.
Trask’s development as a character is realistic and interesting. Plus, I love series that span an immense amount of time in a ...more
Trask’s development as a character is realistic and interesting. Plus, I love series that span an immense amount of time in a ...more
This book starts out well, but with a lot of philosophical muttering and self justification with what amounts to genocide. In the end our hero seems to wind up more on the side of the bad guys than the good guys, in a universe where achievement equates with firepower.
Erik Graff
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Piper fans
Recommended to Erik by:
no one+
Shelves:
sf
I loved this military science fiction when I was a kid, the drawing on the cover of the Piper novel inspiring a lot of artistic attempts on my own part until I gave up art for study in high school.
Current e-read (courtesy of manybooks.net, I think) - started early Jun 2008 - finished 22 Aug 2008
It starts a bit schmoopy, but that's necessary for the resultant tale of vengeance and adventure. It's basically a medieval society w/ interstellar travel - the titular group raiding planets throught the System for spoils and plunder.
Felt Heinleinesque in that there's a good chunk of polemic wrapped in adventure - tho the characters aren't quite as well-drawn; found myself losin...more
It starts a bit schmoopy, but that's necessary for the resultant tale of vengeance and adventure. It's basically a medieval society w/ interstellar travel - the titular group raiding planets throught the System for spoils and plunder.
Felt Heinleinesque in that there's a good chunk of polemic wrapped in adventure - tho the characters aren't quite as well-drawn; found myself losin...more
Classic 60's sci-fi. I still haven't tired of quoting the blurb, "To avenge his wife's murder, he conquered the galaxy ...".
Can we all bask for a moment in the glory of that title?
With Space Kings and their Space Feudalism! And Space Amish (sort of)! It's interesting and I think another example of how Piper (like another favourite of mine, David Drake) pulls from historic battles and whatnot. The only problem with Piper is that his books are great, I just don't want to ruin a fun story for someone else. This one has revenge, though—and a space ship named Nemesis. Oooh. By this point in time, colonisi...more
With Space Kings and their Space Feudalism! And Space Amish (sort of)! It's interesting and I think another example of how Piper (like another favourite of mine, David Drake) pulls from historic battles and whatnot. The only problem with Piper is that his books are great, I just don't want to ruin a fun story for someone else. This one has revenge, though—and a space ship named Nemesis. Oooh. By this point in time, colonisi...more
A fun adventure, but it doesn't help to think to carefully about the millions of people killed in the Viking raids.
Vikings + Space. Space travelling vikings. Vikings pitted against each other in space. Enough said.
One of the best H. Beam Piper Space Operas I've read. Easily his most memorable book.
For a book with as cool a title as "Space Viking", this one was pretty dull. If Piper had spent a little more time with characterization and a little less time throwing out planet names and starship names at me, I could have gotten more into it. I mean, guy's wife gets killed on their wedding day and he sells everything to track down her murderer across space in a starship called "Nemesis", that's a really cool story. This could have done with less high-falutin' ideas abou...more
Space Opera at its worth, laughable characters, plot and politics.
Not as much action as I remembered, and more pondering the fall of civilizations. Imitated approximately a thousand times, however.
Good. Not outstanding but enjoyable reading. Space opera.
Classic space opera...what's not to like?
Chadwick
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Chadwick by:
the awesome cover
Shelves:
sf
It is delightful to find a chunk of good old-fashioned space opera that is thoughtful and well-written. In a way, it's a real shame that this is out of print, not that Piper is necessarily ripe for rediscovery, a la Cordwainer Smith, just that it is a serviceable and enjoyable novel, and it will probably eventually be completly forgotten. Oh, and it's available for free through Project Gutenberg.
Heather
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Heather by:
someone on a mailing list
Shelves:
sci-fi-or-speculative,
kindle
Not like the Fuzzy books.
There's swashbuckling space battles, but there's also exploration of political systems and the true price of swashbuckling.
I don't think I'd enjoy a political chat with Piper himself. But who knows.
There's swashbuckling space battles, but there's also exploration of political systems and the true price of swashbuckling.
I don't think I'd enjoy a political chat with Piper himself. But who knows.
view 1 comment
Political intrigue, sexism, and war. Pretty much the opposite of what I like.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Henry Beam Piper was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales.
More about H. Beam Piper...
Share This Book
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
