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Stars #3
To Escape the Stars
Del Rey / Ballantine, 1978. Mass market paperback, 1st of two printings. This is the third in a trilogy of novels; it follows
Master of the Stars (1976)
To Control the Stars (1977)
This trilogy describes, over a period of aeons, a cluster of galactic civilizations connected by a system of ancient Stargates.
Master of the Stars (1976)
To Control the Stars (1977)
This trilogy describes, over a period of aeons, a cluster of galactic civilizations connected by a system of ancient Stargates.
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 2, 2025
The back cover does lay out the various phases of the story, as Oregas meanders through the pieces. But review of that after the fact doesn't make the story itself feel more cohesive: it starts with a large-scale heist and the results of that vector Oregas elsewhere, and that almost coincidentally sets him on the path towards the finale. So much effort is spent on the 'heist' section that it felt like the author was proceeding without a plan.
Still: surprises abound. This takes place tens of thousands of years after _To Control the Stars_, with Hoskins introducing the concept of a Second Interregnum and collapse of galactic civilization.
It does noodle around with Space Primitivism and lost civilizations and collapsed post-apocalyptic societal structures, and that is exactly the jam that I crack a book for. Unfortunately it seems like Hoskins is here for The Cycle of Civilization jam and a sudden expansionist ending.
Also: consider the concept of a brutal firefight and battle on a high-gravity planet, and what it means for the combatant. Where even falling to the ground may cause you to crack a rib or a tooth.
Still: surprises abound. This takes place tens of thousands of years after _To Control the Stars_, with Hoskins introducing the concept of a Second Interregnum and collapse of galactic civilization.
It does noodle around with Space Primitivism and lost civilizations and collapsed post-apocalyptic societal structures, and that is exactly the jam that I crack a book for. Unfortunately it seems like Hoskins is here for The Cycle of Civilization jam and a sudden expansionist ending.
Also: consider the concept of a brutal firefight and battle on a high-gravity planet, and what it means for the combatant. Where even falling to the ground may cause you to crack a rib or a tooth.
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March 1, 2012Well, this was a strange one. It began with little character development or exposition, leaving me to believe it is part of some long-forgotten book series, although it turned out to be a self-contained story.
The novel quickly propels itself into the machinations of a conniving, amoral conman and the stubby inhabitants of a planet he is bent on screwing over for their petroleum... this section included a bunch of economic prattle, which (along with this storyline) was thankfully neglected to make room for a much more interesting second act.
The second act resolves almost entirely on some ambitious world-building, especially considering how short the novel is. I've read plenty of sci-fi novels that parody bureaucracy, but non that so earnestly report of cosmic bureaucracy, or have census takers as their heroes. Yet this novel spends pages upon pages making sure we understand the political and governmental history of the galaxy, that there have been all sorts of histories of the exploration and colonization of the galaxy thousands and thousands of years ago, and the Earthman-hero (the conman) spends a good many pages and days in an ancient library researching this history, which is always crumbling yet is tirelessly being maintained by the aforementioned, forgotten census-takers.
It is a history depressingly dull as it is believable, centered on "Stargates" (of which the franchise "Stargate" is perhaps an unintentional but no less blatant ripoff), which are portals centered on worlds that make the transportation from world to world quite simple. Their origin is a mystery, as are the times of the First Empire before the gates were rediscovered by Earthmen, who sparked a new colonization of the galaxy... etc.... Like I said, for such a short book it owns an impressive and ambitious universe.
The story propels itself along, though it is not in the least compelling: the protagonist, despite some barely-disguised homoerotic undertones, is cardboard of the Han Solo variety, though half as clever and charismatic. Yet by the end of the third and final act- which bounces around worlds, and bares a resemblance to one of my favorite ST:TNG episodes, "The Chase"- he has somehow shed his avarice persona, even though he has always seemed more catalyst of movement than living, breathing man.
Nonetheless, there was something about the randomness of this story- the overly-developed then quickly-dropped narratives, the comfortably bureaucratic galactic history- that left me readily entertained. I read it quickly over two days during a slush-storm and I consider it time pleasantly spent.
PS: This is now the second average-or-so novel in two days I've had to add a plot description to on Goodreads, and the third to which I can find little to no information on its author. How depressing!
The novel quickly propels itself into the machinations of a conniving, amoral conman and the stubby inhabitants of a planet he is bent on screwing over for their petroleum... this section included a bunch of economic prattle, which (along with this storyline) was thankfully neglected to make room for a much more interesting second act.
The second act resolves almost entirely on some ambitious world-building, especially considering how short the novel is. I've read plenty of sci-fi novels that parody bureaucracy, but non that so earnestly report of cosmic bureaucracy, or have census takers as their heroes. Yet this novel spends pages upon pages making sure we understand the political and governmental history of the galaxy, that there have been all sorts of histories of the exploration and colonization of the galaxy thousands and thousands of years ago, and the Earthman-hero (the conman) spends a good many pages and days in an ancient library researching this history, which is always crumbling yet is tirelessly being maintained by the aforementioned, forgotten census-takers.
It is a history depressingly dull as it is believable, centered on "Stargates" (of which the franchise "Stargate" is perhaps an unintentional but no less blatant ripoff), which are portals centered on worlds that make the transportation from world to world quite simple. Their origin is a mystery, as are the times of the First Empire before the gates were rediscovered by Earthmen, who sparked a new colonization of the galaxy... etc.... Like I said, for such a short book it owns an impressive and ambitious universe.
The story propels itself along, though it is not in the least compelling: the protagonist, despite some barely-disguised homoerotic undertones, is cardboard of the Han Solo variety, though half as clever and charismatic. Yet by the end of the third and final act- which bounces around worlds, and bares a resemblance to one of my favorite ST:TNG episodes, "The Chase"- he has somehow shed his avarice persona, even though he has always seemed more catalyst of movement than living, breathing man.
Nonetheless, there was something about the randomness of this story- the overly-developed then quickly-dropped narratives, the comfortably bureaucratic galactic history- that left me readily entertained. I read it quickly over two days during a slush-storm and I consider it time pleasantly spent.
PS: This is now the second average-or-so novel in two days I've had to add a plot description to on Goodreads, and the third to which I can find little to no information on its author. How depressing!
October 2, 2016
The book had three parts and each part was disconnected from each other. The build up in each part was not followed through with any type of conclusion. It was fun to read a book from the 1970's because it had the texture of that decade, and it was curious to read one of the early uses of Star Gates, but overall the book was disappointing and unsatisfying. I'd only recommend it to people who have a soft spot for SciFi from the 1970's.
January 29, 2012
I don't read much sci-fi any more, but figured I would enjoy a quick escape read in this. However, if it had not been so short, I would not even have finished it. Wretched writing, silly, dated characters, shallow premise, and nothing thought-provoking.
November 27, 2014
1980 grade B
November 7, 2015
Definitely a dated story. 'Twas ok, but not on par with today's stories
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews