Contraband from Otherspace

by A. Bertram Chandler

A deadly cargo that threatens to sheer through the fabric of reality, like a knife through soft butter.

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook

98 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Arthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912–6 June 1984) was an Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Paul T. Sherman, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M.

He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.

Reviews

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange ship from another dimension filled with human slaves escaping captivity but destroyed before they made it and what killed them sent their ship into Grimes' universe. They refit the ship and go to the universe it came from and visit the saurians on Stree who know them and tell them they want to help destroy the mutant rats that have taken over the human worlds in this universe. The eldest wise one comes on board and with the help of Mayhew links himself to the Mannschenn drive to drive the ship back in time to when the mutant rats first arrived at the Rim. The ship Sundowner with the first load of grain bound for Lorn had trouble with her Mannschenn drive enroute and it had mutated the rats on board. The saurians knew the history of the crash of that ship in the mountains of Lorn and the escape of the mutant rats that led to their taking over human space. Grimes is now in the past where his duty is to destroy the ship Sundowner in space. He gets the human captain and crew off the Sundowner into the ship's boat and sends them to Lorn in their own universe. He then sends a bomb to blow up Sundowner which propels his ship back to his own universe. The old wise one and Mayhew have been made much younger by proximity to the Mannschenn drive during the trip back in time. Sonya is grateful that Grimes was not made younger..both experiences a trip back through their memories of all the good and bad in their lives.

[Binati Sheth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that didn't work for me unfortunately. However, there were intriguing moments.

[Jorgon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather silly Grimes story. Although prefectly entertaining and an easy read, it has not dated well-either in science or in attitudes of main characters. Grimes had had MUCH better adventures.