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Heart Stars #2
Mission to the Heart Stars
Into the heart of the Milky Way
Earth wants to join the incredibly powerful Federation of the Heart Stars. But first, an expedition mys journey to the center of our galaxy to be accepted by the ancient and advanced civilization of Malis, the leader of the Heart Stars.
After receiving space directions on the Mars moon of Phoebus, the earth expedition proceeds into the uncharted vastness of space. Streaking faster than the speed of light, they venture where no man or woman has ever been before, to strange--and dangerous--planets. But the biggest peril of all awaits them on Malis itself, where the fate of earth will be decided!
Earth wants to join the incredibly powerful Federation of the Heart Stars. But first, an expedition mys journey to the center of our galaxy to be accepted by the ancient and advanced civilization of Malis, the leader of the Heart Stars.
After receiving space directions on the Mars moon of Phoebus, the earth expedition proceeds into the uncharted vastness of space. Streaking faster than the speed of light, they venture where no man or woman has ever been before, to strange--and dangerous--planets. But the biggest peril of all awaits them on Malis itself, where the fate of earth will be decided!
- GenresScience FictionFiction
127 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
2 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
James Blish
455 books328 followersJames Benjamin Blish was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. Blish also wrote literary criticism of science fiction using the pen-name William Atheling Jr.
In the late 1930's to the early 1940's, Blish was a member of the Futurians.
Blish trained as a biologist at Rutgers and Columbia University, and spent 1942–1944 as a medical technician in the U.S. Army. After the war he became the science editor for the Pfizer pharmaceutical company. His first published story appeared in 1940, and his writing career progressed until he gave up his job to become a professional writer.
He is credited with coining the term gas giant, in the story "Solar Plexus" as it appeared in the anthology Beyond Human Ken, edited by Judith Merril. (The story was originally published in 1941, but that version did not contain the term; Blish apparently added it in a rewrite done for the anthology, which was first published in 1952.)
Blish was married to the literary agent Virginia Kidd from 1947 to 1963.
From 1962 to 1968, he worked for the Tobacco Institute.
Between 1967 and his death from lung cancer in 1975, Blish became the first author to write short story collections based upon the classic TV series Star Trek. In total, Blish wrote 11 volumes of short stories adapted from episodes of the 1960s TV series, as well as an original novel, Spock Must Die! in 1970 — the first original novel for adult readers based upon the series (since then hundreds more have been published). He died midway through writing Star Trek 12; his wife, J.A. Lawrence, completed the book, and later completed the adaptations in the volume Mudd's Angels.
Blish lived in Milford, Pennsylvania at Arrowhead until the mid-1960s. In 1968, Blish emigrated to England, and lived in Oxford until his death in 1975. He is buried in Holywell Cemetery, Oxford, near the grave of Kenneth Grahame.
His name in Greek is Τζέημς Μπλις"
In the late 1930's to the early 1940's, Blish was a member of the Futurians.
Blish trained as a biologist at Rutgers and Columbia University, and spent 1942–1944 as a medical technician in the U.S. Army. After the war he became the science editor for the Pfizer pharmaceutical company. His first published story appeared in 1940, and his writing career progressed until he gave up his job to become a professional writer.
He is credited with coining the term gas giant, in the story "Solar Plexus" as it appeared in the anthology Beyond Human Ken, edited by Judith Merril. (The story was originally published in 1941, but that version did not contain the term; Blish apparently added it in a rewrite done for the anthology, which was first published in 1952.)
Blish was married to the literary agent Virginia Kidd from 1947 to 1963.
From 1962 to 1968, he worked for the Tobacco Institute.
Between 1967 and his death from lung cancer in 1975, Blish became the first author to write short story collections based upon the classic TV series Star Trek. In total, Blish wrote 11 volumes of short stories adapted from episodes of the 1960s TV series, as well as an original novel, Spock Must Die! in 1970 — the first original novel for adult readers based upon the series (since then hundreds more have been published). He died midway through writing Star Trek 12; his wife, J.A. Lawrence, completed the book, and later completed the adaptations in the volume Mudd's Angels.
Blish lived in Milford, Pennsylvania at Arrowhead until the mid-1960s. In 1968, Blish emigrated to England, and lived in Oxford until his death in 1975. He is buried in Holywell Cemetery, Oxford, near the grave of Kenneth Grahame.
His name in Greek is Τζέημς Μπλις"
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 4, 2017
This is a sort of sequel to the Star Dwellers - Let me explain.
The characters, the setting even the universe are the same, however there are elements of this story which by rights should have been evident in the first book and they were not (all I am going to say is Phobos). Its like a story needed to be told and it was just convenient to use those from the Star Dweller.
Dont get me wrong its not like they have taken the story in a different direction suddenly re-writing personalities or ideals no they are still there and as ever trying to provoke thoughts and ideas in the reader - no I just feel that a series is best when it has continuity in both directions and this just didnt feel quite there.
Okay now we will consider it as a standalone book and for me that sits better. The story itself has an interesting concept in about stagnation and longevity but I will not give any of it away but its interesting in how a few throw away comments suddenly make a lot more sense literally in the last pages of the book.
You can see why in this story - not one of James Blish's best or most famous stories - still has a attention to detail that gained him the respect of many, after all he also wrote some of the most famous and critically claimed star trek stories.
For me I think James Blish is often over looked with only being recognised for his tales of the Okie cities in flight, but you need to dig a little deeper and look a little closer and suddenly you will find a wealth of amazing stories and ideas.
The characters, the setting even the universe are the same, however there are elements of this story which by rights should have been evident in the first book and they were not (all I am going to say is Phobos). Its like a story needed to be told and it was just convenient to use those from the Star Dweller.
Dont get me wrong its not like they have taken the story in a different direction suddenly re-writing personalities or ideals no they are still there and as ever trying to provoke thoughts and ideas in the reader - no I just feel that a series is best when it has continuity in both directions and this just didnt feel quite there.
Okay now we will consider it as a standalone book and for me that sits better. The story itself has an interesting concept in about stagnation and longevity but I will not give any of it away but its interesting in how a few throw away comments suddenly make a lot more sense literally in the last pages of the book.
You can see why in this story - not one of James Blish's best or most famous stories - still has a attention to detail that gained him the respect of many, after all he also wrote some of the most famous and critically claimed star trek stories.
For me I think James Blish is often over looked with only being recognised for his tales of the Okie cities in flight, but you need to dig a little deeper and look a little closer and suddenly you will find a wealth of amazing stories and ideas.
February 27, 2019
It's interesting, going as I have from reading this 1965 science fiction novel to a modern one. The good news is the modern ones are better written and less sexist. The bad news is that the modern one is far too long (at least three times the length), weighs four times as much (it's bigger format too) and is, inevitably, book one of a series, where most 60s novels were standalone.
That last comparison is a little unfortunate as Mission to the Heart Stars is the second of James Blish's 'Heart Stars' novels - but still there were a lot more individual novels back then. It's only by going back to my old books that I can find a novel I can read in a couple of days, and that's something that can be very satisfying. I blame Dune and the successors in Herbert's series for giving us the doorstop SF book. I loved Dune back in the day (though I find it a bit heavy-handed now), but it still has a lot to answer for.
One advantage of the short SF novel is that the author could use it to explore a specific topic - and that's what Blish does in a tradition that goes back to the likes of Erewhon and Gulliver's Travels. (In fact, Blish actually references Butler's book), by exploring the implications of different ways for civilisations to exist. The future Earth describes itself as 'post-civilisation' which is an interesting choice of terminology. It is contrasted with both that of the dolphins (now recognised as sentient) and various alien worlds briefly visited on the journey to the titular Heart Stars near the centre of the galaxy.
Blish's 'post-civilisation' is a reflection of how the Earth might end up if, as was forecast by some observers back in the 60s, we would end up with energy too cheap to meter. This is a world of abundance where no one need work - but to keep the place stable, only those who do work can vote or breed. The suggestion is that although this approach has its totalitarian aspects, it's the only way to have a stable society in a world without energy limits. Whether or not you agree with Blish, it's an analysis that makes the reader think - although dressed up as a neo-classical expedition story (the ship is called the Argo), the book is really a vehicle for ideas.
There are two aspects here that put this novel firmly in period. One is its gender imbalance. There is only one female character, a reporter - but the three central characters are all male. The other is a collection of flops in the imagination of future technology. Blish is often the exemplar of this in one of his early books, where he states you couldn't have electronics in Jupiter's atmosphere as the pressure would cause the vacuum tubes to implode. Here we have solid state electronics, 3D TV and lasers and computers. But the slide rule still exists, computers output their results on paper tape and photography requires a darkroom. It's interesting to ponder what the modern equivalents would be (though I still don't understand why the idea of a pocket computer/calculator didn't occur to SF writers sooner - they just loved their slide rules).
All in all, then, not a great novel, but an interesting one both for its ideas and as a peek into mid-60s thinking. One last thing you wouldn't see today - Blish ends a useful foreword, where he berates Aldous Huxley for apparently being unaware of most science fiction written since the 1920s, with what appears to be his home address, a rather pleasant looking New York apartment block.
That last comparison is a little unfortunate as Mission to the Heart Stars is the second of James Blish's 'Heart Stars' novels - but still there were a lot more individual novels back then. It's only by going back to my old books that I can find a novel I can read in a couple of days, and that's something that can be very satisfying. I blame Dune and the successors in Herbert's series for giving us the doorstop SF book. I loved Dune back in the day (though I find it a bit heavy-handed now), but it still has a lot to answer for.
One advantage of the short SF novel is that the author could use it to explore a specific topic - and that's what Blish does in a tradition that goes back to the likes of Erewhon and Gulliver's Travels. (In fact, Blish actually references Butler's book), by exploring the implications of different ways for civilisations to exist. The future Earth describes itself as 'post-civilisation' which is an interesting choice of terminology. It is contrasted with both that of the dolphins (now recognised as sentient) and various alien worlds briefly visited on the journey to the titular Heart Stars near the centre of the galaxy.
Blish's 'post-civilisation' is a reflection of how the Earth might end up if, as was forecast by some observers back in the 60s, we would end up with energy too cheap to meter. This is a world of abundance where no one need work - but to keep the place stable, only those who do work can vote or breed. The suggestion is that although this approach has its totalitarian aspects, it's the only way to have a stable society in a world without energy limits. Whether or not you agree with Blish, it's an analysis that makes the reader think - although dressed up as a neo-classical expedition story (the ship is called the Argo), the book is really a vehicle for ideas.
There are two aspects here that put this novel firmly in period. One is its gender imbalance. There is only one female character, a reporter - but the three central characters are all male. The other is a collection of flops in the imagination of future technology. Blish is often the exemplar of this in one of his early books, where he states you couldn't have electronics in Jupiter's atmosphere as the pressure would cause the vacuum tubes to implode. Here we have solid state electronics, 3D TV and lasers and computers. But the slide rule still exists, computers output their results on paper tape and photography requires a darkroom. It's interesting to ponder what the modern equivalents would be (though I still don't understand why the idea of a pocket computer/calculator didn't occur to SF writers sooner - they just loved their slide rules).
All in all, then, not a great novel, but an interesting one both for its ideas and as a peek into mid-60s thinking. One last thing you wouldn't see today - Blish ends a useful foreword, where he berates Aldous Huxley for apparently being unaware of most science fiction written since the 1920s, with what appears to be his home address, a rather pleasant looking New York apartment block.
February 9, 2025
An unexpected sequel to The Star Dwellers, Blish' best YA novel in my opinion.
Like every good sequel, it feels bigger and badder.
The lyricism of Jack's first venture into space has been cast (mostly) aside for more and more international, interplanetary, and intergalactic political games that, as usual, seem to all depend on the one, risky, improbable mission.
In the lengthy introduction, Blish makes no mystery of the fact that the main focus of the book is the following: given the increased necessity for hypercompetence in the commanding roles of a global, federal society, leaders will end up having to make decision that will influence entire populations without even consulting them, and will do so on a terrifyingly regular basis.
These being the premises, it's no surprise how bleaker the novel feels in comparison to its predecessor. However, a stint of optimism survives, with the feeling that "Mission to the Heart Stars" should be ready as a cosmological moral tale of sorts by the younger generations.
The big pro of the novel is that we get to see more of Captain Langer, the mentally hyperactive troubleshooter hero that feels quite like space Sherlock Holmes.
Like every good sequel, it feels bigger and badder.
The lyricism of Jack's first venture into space has been cast (mostly) aside for more and more international, interplanetary, and intergalactic political games that, as usual, seem to all depend on the one, risky, improbable mission.
In the lengthy introduction, Blish makes no mystery of the fact that the main focus of the book is the following: given the increased necessity for hypercompetence in the commanding roles of a global, federal society, leaders will end up having to make decision that will influence entire populations without even consulting them, and will do so on a terrifyingly regular basis.
These being the premises, it's no surprise how bleaker the novel feels in comparison to its predecessor. However, a stint of optimism survives, with the feeling that "Mission to the Heart Stars" should be ready as a cosmological moral tale of sorts by the younger generations.
The big pro of the novel is that we get to see more of Captain Langer, the mentally hyperactive troubleshooter hero that feels quite like space Sherlock Holmes.
October 20, 2020
James Blish was a futurist, concerned with the social evolution of mankind in what he calls high energy societies and post-civilisation society. His speculation was that mankind would move from our current phase into a 4th cycle, based on restricting democracy to highly educated elite (selected based on intelligence combined with parental ability to pay for that benefit) and restricting the ability to have children. This latter bit actually doesn't make much sense, as the global population would collapse rapidly, but that doesn't seem to be part of his theory.
Each Heart Star visited is meant to contrast this essentially dynamic-equilibrium Human society against other options/course that we might follow, which lead t different forms of stability and static societies, organised under an absolute military tyranny, whose rulers are themselves trained by their reliance on computerised decision making and static, unchaining laws.
One observation that interests me is why some/many ? 60s sci-fi writers posited a future society where to become fully free at an individual level, society as a whole must restrict some of those same freedoms.
As a piece of sci-fi it makes an interesting read, but the "message" is more important than the novel, and the narrative story doesn't actually make that much logical sense. The journey time to the core Heart Star needs to be more than 2 years for the story conclusion to actually make any sense imo.
It's well worth reading imo, but I don't think everyone will nee willing to suspend their judgement to enjoy.
Each Heart Star visited is meant to contrast this essentially dynamic-equilibrium Human society against other options/course that we might follow, which lead t different forms of stability and static societies, organised under an absolute military tyranny, whose rulers are themselves trained by their reliance on computerised decision making and static, unchaining laws.
One observation that interests me is why some/many ? 60s sci-fi writers posited a future society where to become fully free at an individual level, society as a whole must restrict some of those same freedoms.
As a piece of sci-fi it makes an interesting read, but the "message" is more important than the novel, and the narrative story doesn't actually make that much logical sense. The journey time to the core Heart Star needs to be more than 2 years for the story conclusion to actually make any sense imo.
It's well worth reading imo, but I don't think everyone will nee willing to suspend their judgement to enjoy.
April 2, 2023
A bit of a number 2 here, following on from The Star Dwellers we once again follow our main characters Jack Loftus (gosh darn, all American teenager cadet that he is) his fellow cadet Jerry and mentor Dr Langer on a mission into space.
This time, with a short and thoroughly enjoyable (for the reader) stop on Mars, they are on a mission to contact The Hegemony of Malis, which encompasses worlds with intelligent life and includes them if they seem worthy but have a nasty habit of blowing up their sun if they do not.
The science is as well constructed as the first book, and it is just as well written. This one included some thought provoking elements of power, politics and social endings. How a society might stagnate for example. As well as the overt message propounded by his protagonists, these themes also say a lot about the society the author was from - much of what it says is disturbing and far from nice. Possibly explaining a lot about the state of the world today.
There is a fascinating description of an ocean planet where the dominant life form is an invertebrate resembling a squid as an adult but with a juvenile phase similar to Cnidarian. I really liked the ocean planet, would have been happy to see more of it. Hope they did not end up sending the dolphins in as shock troops to eradicate the natives.
Like the last one, a fun romp of a classic sci-fi book. A teeny bit mysogistic, as was the fashion of the day, rather YA-ish in tone and inclined to get a bit preachy (much like Robert A. Heinlein can be) but still a good bit of fun. Well written, well edited well constructed and a bit more thought provoking than the first one.
This time, with a short and thoroughly enjoyable (for the reader) stop on Mars, they are on a mission to contact The Hegemony of Malis, which encompasses worlds with intelligent life and includes them if they seem worthy but have a nasty habit of blowing up their sun if they do not.
The science is as well constructed as the first book, and it is just as well written. This one included some thought provoking elements of power, politics and social endings. How a society might stagnate for example. As well as the overt message propounded by his protagonists, these themes also say a lot about the society the author was from - much of what it says is disturbing and far from nice. Possibly explaining a lot about the state of the world today.
There is a fascinating description of an ocean planet where the dominant life form is an invertebrate resembling a squid as an adult but with a juvenile phase similar to Cnidarian. I really liked the ocean planet, would have been happy to see more of it. Hope they did not end up sending the dolphins in as shock troops to eradicate the natives.
Like the last one, a fun romp of a classic sci-fi book. A teeny bit mysogistic, as was the fashion of the day, rather YA-ish in tone and inclined to get a bit preachy (much like Robert A. Heinlein can be) but still a good bit of fun. Well written, well edited well constructed and a bit more thought provoking than the first one.
November 11, 2018
Perfect for fans of plausible scifi, but this is not a swashbuckling adventure
Blish is incredibly imaginative and knows his planetary geology. Apparently he came up with the term "gas giants".
I liked the simplicity of this story. Mission to the Heart Stars is solid plausible scifi (hard scifi) and gives no pretense of character development, or really even suspense. It's just a collection of visits to fascinating alien worlds, for thinly explained plot reasons. I don't mind this, in fact it was kind of refreshing to read such an idea-focused book.
I think the story shines in its description of the chemical makeup of various worlds or technology, and associated alien life. Yes it is a bit dated (it was written in the mid 1960s), but it's chock full of very interesting ideas, and entirely plausible technology.
I liked Blish's final message, surprisingly, that humanity's tendency toward chaos was a benefit to the universe, not a negative. Very forward thinking of him!
If you read scifi for adventure, then don't read this. But if you are looking for scientific ideas or have nostalgia for a time when reason was king, then go for it!
Blish is incredibly imaginative and knows his planetary geology. Apparently he came up with the term "gas giants".
I liked the simplicity of this story. Mission to the Heart Stars is solid plausible scifi (hard scifi) and gives no pretense of character development, or really even suspense. It's just a collection of visits to fascinating alien worlds, for thinly explained plot reasons. I don't mind this, in fact it was kind of refreshing to read such an idea-focused book.
I think the story shines in its description of the chemical makeup of various worlds or technology, and associated alien life. Yes it is a bit dated (it was written in the mid 1960s), but it's chock full of very interesting ideas, and entirely plausible technology.
I liked Blish's final message, surprisingly, that humanity's tendency toward chaos was a benefit to the universe, not a negative. Very forward thinking of him!
If you read scifi for adventure, then don't read this. But if you are looking for scientific ideas or have nostalgia for a time when reason was king, then go for it!
June 12, 2025
I’ve had this on my shelf for five years and I really wonder what made me buy it as it is not popular and the cover isn’t particularly cool, but I figured I should read it which meant its predecessor too. The first book is so fun and lighthearted and while this feels like it should be a direct sequel it’s just pretty dry uneventful unemotional sequences of planet hopping. It feels like the plot of both books should have been just one to begin with with more room to distinguish characters from each other and build their relationships, but both books being exactly 112 pages feels like an external restriction that unfortunately really hinders it. 2.5
June 6, 2020
A very light read that skips along at an incredibly rapid pace, this little book is the definition of a pocket book. The story is certainly an intriguing one, and the book accomplishes what the best of the SciFi genre seeks-to explore human issues from another perspective.
Unfortunately, the desire to explore certain political concepts sometimes gets in the way of good writing. As a result, the book reads more like a manifesto than a fiction at times. Still though, a fun and light read.
Unfortunately, the desire to explore certain political concepts sometimes gets in the way of good writing. As a result, the book reads more like a manifesto than a fiction at times. Still though, a fun and light read.
July 14, 2012
Short YA novel, a sequel to "the Star Dwellers". I found that I could read and enjoy this book without having read the first one, as there's enough backstory worked into it that new readers aren't left floundering. It's set in a relatively near future, not long after mankind has first developed an interstellar drive and made contact with other intelligent species. One of those species is an energy-based lifeform which has been around since the Big Bang, but which is nevertheless culturally compatible with humans. The Angels have sponsored humans for membership in another galactic culture, one that is short-lived by the standards of the Angels, but still remarkably long-lived and stable by human standards. So long-lived that even having the normal probationary membership period cut in half at the Angels' urging means waiting 50,000 years for full membership.[return][return]Naturally, some politicians are too impatient to wait. And so begins the mission to the Heart Stars, a journey to the heart of the empire to ask in person for immediate full membership. Along the way, the crew of the diplomatic mission ship see exactly how that peaceful, prosperous stability is achieved.[return][return]The book has a reasonable balance of engineering and social commentary. The science behind the faster-than-light drive is pseudo-science, but it's the sort that's extrapolated from real physics and internally consistent, not pure plot-devicium powered. It's a little too overtly preachy, but that's largely a result of it being a YA book written in the mid 60s. I'm not sure I'll keep it any longer, but it's a book I enjoyed enough that I've read it more than once.
December 1, 2010
This is a follow-up to The Star Dwellers. Blish examines possible pitfalls for societies with high-energy economies as his protagonists venture into the heart of the galaxy on a mission to force admittance to the Hegemony of Malis, a conglomerate of civilisations that uses proof of "stability" as the entry requirement.
The Hegemony, however, threatens destruction to any "unstable" civilisations and forcibly incorporates the stable but reluctant....
Blish claims in his introduction to have invented the term "high-energy economy" and his look at how such societies might develop again packs more ideas into 140 or so pages than many novelists' entire output.
Fast-paced fun that makes you think.
The Hegemony, however, threatens destruction to any "unstable" civilisations and forcibly incorporates the stable but reluctant....
Blish claims in his introduction to have invented the term "high-energy economy" and his look at how such societies might develop again packs more ideas into 140 or so pages than many novelists' entire output.
Fast-paced fun that makes you think.
November 24, 2018
1) A wonderful read.
2) Mission of the Heart - http://www.josephcarrabis.com/2018/04...
3) My Sister Got Me Started - http://www.josephcarrabis.com/2018/04...
2) Mission of the Heart - http://www.josephcarrabis.com/2018/04...
3) My Sister Got Me Started - http://www.josephcarrabis.com/2018/04...
August 8, 2009
Another that I read when very young and remembered fondly. I only recently got a copy of it but I had recalled it for years.
March 11, 2011
Grade B. Book A2.
November 12, 2011
Sixties-era Sci-Fi past its sell-by date. It was a sequel to The Star Dwellers and unfortunately doesn't stand up on its own.
December 5, 2016
Sort of a sci-fi Gulliver's Travels, similarly political.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews