Lorde Tedric

Lord Tedric #1

by E.E. "Doc" Smith

Tedric, membro do Corpo dos Cem, é mandado em missão ao planeta Evron Onze para auxiliar a vencer uma revolta nas ruínas Dalkanium. Mas bem cedo descobre que há outras forças que ameaçam a segurança do Império.
Numa batalha de morte, Tedric arma uma cilada e destrói a poderosa nave espacial dos invasores alienígenas. Mas a ameaça ao Império é mais vasta do que ele poderia imaginar.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fantasy, Audiobook, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy

152 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Edward Elmer Smith (also E.E. Smith, E.E. Smith, Ph.D., E.E. “Doc” Smith, Doc Smith, “Skylark” Smith, or—to his family—Ted), was an American food engineer (specializing in doughnut and pastry mixes) and an early science fiction author, best known for the Lensman and Skylark series. He is sometimes called the father of space opera.

Reviews

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would be a 3.5 if it were possible, but it certainly isn't a 4, so 3 it is.
Yes it is Space Opera which E E does so well but this is just so brief that you never really get into the characters. That said I will hunt out the next in the series to see if it possibly is a 4 or really only a 3.

[Scott Gregory · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry, not as good as the Lensman Series. I had difficulty telling where this book was going. And I can't really say I enjoyed the ride.

[Anibal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Doc" Smith, a prolific writer of the sci-fi genre, enjoyed immense popularity during the fifties and sixties. "Lord Tedric" emerges as a reminiscent figure akin to "Flash Gordon," set within a captivating blend of sci-fi and fantasy.

Despite its age, "Lord Tedric" remains an engaging tale of a hero transplanted from another universe, combating sorcery and superstition in a setting that intertwines the realms of science and fantasy. Transported to our universe by enigmatic scientists for a mysterious purpose, Tedric, a graduate of a once-elite academy now in decline, embarks on his first mission: forging alliances, investigating a laborers' revolt in a mining operation, confronting a formidable ancient foe of humanity, and uncovering a lurking terror—all while navigating internal adversaries.

The narrative unfolds with a gripping pace, offering excitement and intrigue throughout. However, it undeniably bears the marks of its era, particularly evident in its dated technological aspects. Nevertheless, delving into "Lord Tedric" provides a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of the genre and introduces memorable characters worth encountering.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Tedric is a late Golden Age science...well, there's the rub. I would call it a science fantasy because it comes in a science-ish wrapper but reads a bit more like fantasy, and really, the fantasy-ish part has no real fantasy in it when taken in the science context.
Confused yet? Good. Right there with you.
Lord Tedric is (I think) about time travel performed to change personal futures in a multitude of timelines. I'm more comfortable leaning towards the science-side of things because I know EE "Doc" Smith as the author of the Lensmen and Skylark series, both of which held me enthralled in my childhood and several times again during re-readings. Are those series and this story dated? Oh, god, yes. And misogynistic beyond measure.
But still entertaining reads.

[Phil Giunta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Tedric was written by George Eklund from an outline by E.E. Doc Smith and published after Smith's death. It is a space fantasy novel about a scientist named Skandos who travels to a different timeline, kills his doppelgänger there, and takes his place. He then constructs a plastic figure of the god Llosir and travels back in time to intervene in history as the god and advises the mighty warrior Tedric, thereby changing the fate of a kingdom. Standard fare fantasy tale of time with flat characters and a story that could have been several hundred words shorter.

[David Sheridan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty bad. Despite Doc Smith’s name on the cover, this was written by George Eklund and published in 1978, long after Smith’s death, and supposedly based on Smith’s own notes. The writing feels like SF from the 40s or the 50s with the same very basic grasp of science and very limited character development. The plot is simplistic and full of holes, and it doesn’t so much wrap up at the end as lead into the next book in the series (which I doubt I’ll bother reading).

[Scott Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one really came together for me in the last quarter of the book. It was an interesting juxtaposition of each chapter beginning with where this story ends while the rest deals with how this story begins. The main character's own bewilderment at his existence starts to make more sense by the end of the book and I can see myself tracking down the next one. But if you'd asked me halfway through, I was ready to finish it and be done. For what it is, I enjoyed it.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable, brisk even. Nothing like the folksy charm of a book where several pages of one of the final chapters have been misplaced earlier in the text. I'm not even sure how that happens in the days before modern word processors, but be on the lookout for that in the original printing of the book.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Tedric" and "Lord Tedric" are two stories about time-travelers meddling in history through the smith named Tedric. In first they teach him better techniques, and the second, ensure the king of his kingdom doesn't die and can teach some strategy and statecraft. Of some historical interest

[Ben Arispe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. Never read anything by Doc Smith before or the author Gordon Ecklund so I really have nothing to compare it to. Classic sci fi story in my opinion. Characters are a little flat but its only the first book so I assume they grow a bit in the next book.

[Dayo Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the authors finest hour, but still an interesting short read

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've given this a 3.5 instead of a 3 but the book just ends too abruptly for my taste.

[Jeff Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tedric, a wizard hunting swordsman that wouldn't be out of place in a tavern along side Fahfner and Grey Mouser, is suddenly thrown into a magicless universe of starships and aliens. The first volume of the expanded tales of EE Doc Smith's character is an enjoyable exercise in world building and unique ideas. The writing is rather good for what it is. The actual plot, however, falls a bit short. It is over too quickly to feel like much has really been done. Often glossing over ideas to the point where things felt too easy. Often the characters were under explored and a bit uninteresting, and the story felt more in control of them, than individual characters in control of what happened. Before you know it, the short adventure is over and the epilogue sets up the bigger story. It wasn't bad but certainly could have been better if expanded on. I'm still a sucker for space operas and classic sword and sorcery paperbacks, and though it didn't blow me away, were I to find another volume in the series I would probably still read it.

[Loraxe · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a novelette, it was just barely good enough that I would read the next one to see what happens. Not a lot of character developement or even description of locale. Almost as if it were a prequel.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Classic SF in the old school

[Jaq · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love lord Tedric - it's high space opera at it's best!

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really sure what this was about but there's certainly a reason I had never heard of this series.

[Scout Who · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good short story. Somewhat in the vein of "Conan" classics.

[Adam Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, breezy, fun, easy read. Made me want to read the rest of the series, so job done.