Free Lancers

Alien Stars #4

by Elizabeth Mitchell (Editor), Orson Scott Card, Lois McMaster Bujold

THREE TOP AUTHORS-
THREE SHORT NOVELS
NEVER BEFORE IN PRINT

1 - West by ORSON SCOTT CARD
A one-man army leads the survivors of an anti-Mormon pogrom cross-country to Utah. By the author of Ender's Game.

83 - Liberty Port by DAVID DRAKE
A new "Hammer's Slammers" adventure! Paradise Port advertised everything for the soldier on leave—but some who went hunting for pleasure found death instead.

161 - The Borders of Infinity by LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD
Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, hero of The Warrior's Apprentice, trapped in a prison camp? The situation looks hopeless...but never under-estimate Miles.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Novella, Collections, Anthologies, Fiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1987

About the author

Elizabeth (Betsy) Mitchell has been a New York science fiction/fantasy editor for more than 30 years, publishing such authors as Terry Brooks, Naomi Novik, Octavia E. Butler and Peter F. Hamilton. She received a World Fantasy Award for co-editing the anthology Full Spectrum 4, and is the author of Journey to the Bottomless Pit, a biography of Stephen Bishop, an African-American guide who made many major discoveries in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final volume of four anthologies that Elizabeth Mitchell edited for Baen 1985 - '87 in the Alien Stars series, and it is my favorite of the bunch. Each book contained three original novellas from popular writers of the time, and the authors included in this one were Orson Scott Card, David Drake, and Lois McMaster Bujold. Card's story, West, is one of his Mormon Sea stories, part of the post-apocalyptic The Folk of the Fringe, and Drake's Liberty Port is one of his better Hammer's Slammers military-mercenary novellas. Bujold's The Borders of Infinity is one of the best pieces of her Miles Naismith Vorkosigan adventures. Miles is alone and unarmed and incarcerated in a prison camp and how he emerges triumphant is an excellently written and very clever piece. I'll give Miles all five stars, and Card and Drake both four.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contains three novellas, by Orson Scott Card, David Drake, and Lois McMaster Bujold. All are good. My favorite was by Bujold. I'd heard good things about her before but had not read anything by her previously. I'll be remedying that soon. The first story, "West," by Card, is quite different from the other two. It's a post apocalyptic fantasy instead of military SF. Well written, with interesting characters. Something of an ode to Mormons it seems, of which Card is a member. Drake's "Liberty Port," peripherally involves Hammer's Slammers but is primarily about a crippled ex-soldier and his love for an android. Interesting. "The Borders of Infinity" by Bujold has her main character, Miles Vorkosigan, locked in an inescapable prison. A very interesting character, not your usual kind of hero.

[Peggi Warner-Lalonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the first I’ve read of Card, and one of many of Bujold. Still not a fan of Drake, but that’s because military SF is not really to my taste. However, an interesting read overall for fans of the genre.

[Pamphilene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mass market PPB contains the short story, Borders of Infinity. What an explosive introduction to Miles Vorkosigan. I was blown away. Haven't recovered yet.

[Jackson Warwick]

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[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three excellent Novellas!

[Lee Pfahler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only read the story "West" by Orson Scott Card. A quite entertaining post-apocalyptic story about religious discrimination, survival and redemption.