Product Description
Legacy is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James H. Schmitz is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James H. Schmitz then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An excellent Schmitz with some of my favorite characters
I fell in love with the stories of James Schmitz when I was a teenager, especially the characters of Telzey Amberdon and Trigger Argee.Now, many years later, I can appreciate Schmitz' going against the grain of his time and writing about strong female characters who aren't sexualized or trivialized as arm-candy. There's also Heslet Quillan, a charming rogue who appreciates competent women as well.

I had read Legacy many years ago, and it's always a pleasure to revisit it.Though I do own it in paperback, I bought the Kindle edition as well. The book was translated well to the Kindle, including front and back cover graphics, but the scanning included the page numbers which interrupted the flow of the text. (I expect to see page numbers in a paper book, but they're visually separated from the text.)

I have frequently given Schmitz books as gifts to younger readers - there's never anything that would be inappropriate for even a young teen, and even in Schmitz' "juvenile" books (most famously, The Witches of Karres), he never talks down to his audience and just tells a cracking-good story with intriguing characters.Highly recommended.

Duplicate Titles
New James H. Schmitz fans beware:This book was also published under the title "A Tale of Two Clocks".

Duplicate Titles
New James H. Schmitz fans beware:This book was also published under the title "A Tale of Two Clocks".

Super Reader
Old Galactic Gun Girl mission.


While not the precocious super bright type Telzey Amberdon is, this not-kid-either can handle a gun.

Again, a mission for a talent young woman with the skills to suit a mission with strange aliens, disguise, subterfuge, and more.

At stake could be interplanetary war, as the plasmoids are Repulsive.

The Hub is in good hands with the platinum blonde Space Agent babe on the case (with the odd bit of male help of varying use).

Okay, not great
Not bad, but this book revolved mainly around the characters.Not that it's a bad thing to spend time on the characters and their machinations.However there is an underlying mystery that in my opinion was somewhat neglected.I didn't find the resolution to be particularly satisfying, and in fact the mystery itself wasn't laid out in much detail.

It was a pleasant read, and I would recommend it.However I feel that it's just an average SF book. ... Read more

Product Description
Captain Pausert thought his luck had finally turned-but he did not yet realize it was a turn for the worse. On second thought, make that a turn for the disastrous! Pausert thought he had made good with his battered starship, successfully selling off odd-ball cargoes no one else could sell. And then he made the mistake of freeing three slave children from their masters (who were suspiciously eager to part with them). No good deed goes unpunished, and those harmless-looking young ladies were just trying to be helpful, but those three adorable little girls quickly made Pausert the mortal enemy of his fiancée, his home planet, the Empire, warlike Sirians, psychopathic Uldanians, the dread pirate chieftain Laes Yango-and even the Worm World, the darkest threat to mankind in all of space. And all because those harmless-looking little girls were in fact three of the notorious and universally feared Witches of Karres. A rollicking novel from the master of space adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (62)

Great Little Witches
The Witches of Karres is a great book for adult Science Fiction fans, being true science fiction with some fantasy aspects, i.e., magic (similar to science fiction writings by Andre Norton in that regard). It was also an excellent book for children ages 5-12, as I read it to six of my children, one chapter a day prior to bedtime.

The copy is out of print, but the used copy I purchased was in excellent condition . . . Definitely a book to keep.

Witches of Karres
I read this book in High School and it was haunting me to find and read it again. To locate this book and find it at a good price and in new condition was amazing.

The Witches of Karres
This book was good the first time I read it and is still good.My original copy was falling apart and needed replacing.My son who has never read it is now in the process of reading it and the next two.

A classic
I read most of Schmitz's work as a teen in the seventies and thanks to Baen publishing am reading them again. The Witches of Karres was originally written, I believe, in 1949, but Schmitz had a remarkable vision of the future. You won't find dated inventions in his books, if you forget the fact that these stories were written over forty years ago, there is very little evidence that they weren't written yesterday. (except for stories featuring Heslet Quillan, who's opening line to most women is "Look Doll")
Witches of Karres is often refered to as his best book, buy it! you will enjoy and maybe treasure it. But be sure to catch his other stories they are fun reading for both teen and adult alike.

Sci-Fi classic, funny and brilliant
The witches of Karres are three young girls whom the hero, feeling smugly virtuous, saves from slavery, only to realize too late that most of the galaxy is after them. It is funny, with memorable and charming characters.

My brother and I read this book as children, and loved and reread it so much that it fell into tatters. I spent years looking for it and about ten years ago tracked down two out-of-print copies. It is now back in print and my brother sent me the hardcover version as a birthday present. Both my husband and 15-year-old son were soon enthralled by the magic of Karres. My husband never reads science fiction, and my son doesn't usually read "books about girls." But they couldn't put down "The Witches of Karres."

"It's so frustrating!" my husband said a day after he finished the book. "This book cries out for a sequel." [which Schmitz never wrote.]

How can movie producers be missing this one? ... Read more

Product Description
A powerful xenotelepath and a crack shot have separately fought crime for most of their lives, but when an evil force threatens the "Hub" civilization, they team up to save the galaxy. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A glimpse of the future
Others have discussed the general content of this book, so I won't repeat what they have said. Schmitz is my favorite sci-fi writer of all time. His "Agent of Vega" stories, and "Witches of Karres "novel are my two favorites in sci-fi history. That's subjective, but there are some reasons why he was and is so compelling. His books have totally stood the test of time for me. I loved them as a 15 year old boy back in 1962, and I still love them.

Around 1950, he created something we might have never seen before. He created the hero who is female, and during his career was criticized some by critics and readers (males), who tended to ask. "Why isn't the hero a male?"

Why indeed? This was in a totally male-dominated society, where women who didn't have graduate degrees were usually secretaries, and taking care of their home was their primary job, no matter what else they did.

Yet Schmitz truly looked far into the future, and knew for a fact that when brute strength is eliminated as important (which technology had amply demostrated long before 1950), then there is no reason why females can't and won't be as capable as males in virtually any position. This is totally accepted now, but was against the grain back then, especially by males, and it was a mostly male audience he was writing for.

I loved his stories and heroines. For the first time I encountered heroes I could admire and emulate, and in addition be attracted to them, since I was a boy, and they were girls and women. In his first truly successful story, "Agent of Vega" (one of four Agent of Vega stories), his hero is a male, but we meet a female in that story, who appears in three of the four Agent of Vega stories, and Schmitz never looked back. From that point on, virtually all of his heroes were females. It was incredibly refreshing. He never attempted to claim that females constituted most, or even half, of Zone Agents or other "adventure/power" roles. He simply focused on heroes who happened to be female, as a natural/ordinary role for a female in the future, if she wished it.

This was quite an extraordinary departure in fiction, and I loved it. In Witches of Karres, the main character is male, but the power figure is a 10 year old girl, and to a lesser extent, her 5 year old sister.

Most writers have a character which defines them, and Telzey was Schmitz's. Her stories didn't sell as much as the "Agent" stories, nor Witches of Karres, but he loved writing about her, and I loved reading about her. Since she was about my age, I was particularly fond of her, and attracted to her. I loved Schmitz's fascination with "psi" (Mental) powers, andTelzey was truly awesome, from the time she discovered she had these powers in her first story as perhaps a 15 year old, until her last story, where she is still not an adult. Her stories and adventures are well written, and we watch her grow up. There is no PC in her stories. She is capable of unleashing a killing mental blast without remorse, or even altering a person's mind or memories, if she decides that should happen.

At some point, Schmitz created Trigger Argee, a different (and more traditonal) type of hero(ine), who uses intelligence and technology to accomplish her objectives, rather than rare mental powers; so Trigger represents the reality that a female can compete with a male in any type of role. As the stories were written, they overlapped, but in the Baen books we read all of Telzey's stories first, and then Trigger's, and it' sn enjoyable way to present the characters. They are together in a few stories, so we see two different types of female heroines, each of which Schmitz enjoyed writing about. I prefer the Telzey stories, but I enjoy Trigger, though not as much as Nile Etland, yet another female heroine who has no abnormal powers, and who is featured in a short story and also a novel.

In his books, Schmitz totally obliterated the idea that females were at any type of logical disadvantage in a technological society, and I really enjoyed all of his stories, and this very logical "future" which in fact we have achieved in most respects in our own present society. And in fact his 1950s-60's heroines were far more believable than those we encounter in modern films. Schmitz never contended that a female could physically overpower a male. He merely demonstrated the reality that this physical factor was irrelevant.

I won't discuss the stories themselves. Suffice it to say that they are imaginative and well written, with very appealing characters, as well as some very unappealing, but very intelligent, villains. Schmitz didn't resort to the lazy plot device we see constantly in modern fiction and film, where the villain's inevitabable stupidity is a major factor for the hero's triumph. Telzey, Trigger, Nile, and his other heroines had to deal with very intelligent and ruthless villains. That makes for interesting and more realistic reading. Because these are generally short stories, Schmitz introduces us to a wide variety of stories and characters, and most of them are very good. And we also come to "know" Telzey as a person, and to have affection for her, and to a lesser extent, Trigger.

Perhaps I'm a Schmitz KAD, but I really don't think so. Most of the science fiction I read so long ago doesn't appeal to me these days, but I still love his stories and novels, as a matter of subjective pleasure, and as a matter of appreciating his imagination, his prose, his values, and his variety. In his stories I first encountered "tractor beams", many years before Star Trek, and the robot ships his Zone Agents possessed was and still is incredibly imaginative. I have no idea to what extent these were original concepts, but they were and are very compelling, as are Telzey's mental powers, Trigger's intelligence, and Nile's aggressive but thoughtful sense of adventure.

They are all brilliant young women, and of course very pretty. Despite our own technological advances which have rendered many older sci-fi novels obsolete, Schmitz's still stand the test of time. He even has a "comweb", which isn't so different from the Internet.

Most of all he tells very engaging stories, with very appealing characters, and in this book we see the end of his most endearing character, and the introduction of another one he enjoyed writing about. When you read these very entertaining stories, think about the era in which they were written, and notice how they are not that dissimilar from how we look at gender roles today.

I can't recommend any of his books highly enough.

Super Reader
Starting with the afterword, Guy Gordon, the co-editor, tries to pin down the elements that make Schmitz so entertaining. If you want to know more about Schmitz, you could check the esteemed Mr. Gordon's Schmitz Encyclopedia website, it is outstanding.

This, also, is a really good collection, whether one T or two in each story, there are no bad stories to be found here, as Telzey and Trigger get into a lot of trouble, and back out of it, in their own inimitable styles.

Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 1 Company Planet [Telzey Amberdon] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 2 Resident Witch [Telzey Amberdon] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 3 The Pork Chop Tree [Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 4 Compulsion [Telzey Amberdon; Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 5 Glory Day [Telzey Amberdon; Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 6 Child of the Gods [Telzey Amberdon] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 7 Ti's Toys [The Telzey Toy; Telzey Amberdon] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : TnT Telzey and Trigger 8 The Symbiotes [Telzey Amberdon; Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz


Telzey finds Mind Control useful to get you out of a surgical torture jam, when looking for information.

4 out of 5


An interstellar detective agency needs a Psi, and Telzey knows just the girl for a transfer.

3.5 out of 5


Potential worldtree addict problem.

3.5 out of 5


Trigger needs Telzey's xenotelepathy help, with a strange alien lifeform:

"That incredible species! Waiting on the three worlds they'd filled wherever they could grow, worlds transformed into deadly psi fortswaiting for the return of an enemy they'd fought, how long ago? Fifty thousand human years? A hundred thousand? They'd been convinced the Veen would be back and attempt again to enslave or destroy them. And they'd been ready to receive the Veen. What giant powers of attack and defense they'd developed in that long waiting while their minds lay deeply hidden!"

4 out of 5


"Well" Trigger shrugged. "Let's freshen up and change our clothes before we have visitors. What do you wear on Askanam in the palace of a Regent who might be thinking of featuring you in the upcoming arena games?" "Something quietly conservative, I suppose," Telzey said. "All right. Just so it goes with my purse." The cosmetics purse didn't contain cosmetics but Trigger's favorite gun, and was equipped with an instant ejection mechanism."

Some psi havoc to be caused after this and a teleporter's panty raid.

3.5 out of 5


Picking Telzey as the psionic you try and control to use in your schemes perhaps not the wisest move.

3 out of 5


Telzey, captured again, this time by your mad scientist type for his compound of artificial creations and drugged humans - wanting a copy of Miss Amberdon for his entertainment and reserach into creating Psis.

Creating a double-team opponent? Oops.

4.5 out of 5


Trigger and Telzey have an Imskian type situation to deal with, and some body snatching villains into the bargain.

3 out of 5

a little dated, but still enjoyable
I've always enjoyed this author's book "witches of Karres" so it has been interesting to read some of his other, long out of print works.This book should be read after the first book in this series "Telzey Amberdon" to bring it into perspective.

Essentially, this is a series of linked short stories and novelettes.The writing sytle is simple and easy to read.All the main characters are polite, even the the bad guys!They would easily be suited to younger readers.

This second book introduces the readers to Trigger Argee, who doesn't have the mental "super powers" that make Telzey such a striking figure, but who is never-the-less very capable.

These books have been enjoyable so far, but really bring home how much SF has changed in recent decades.These characters are much less introspective than most modern SF characters, even in short stories, and the emphasis is definitely on action!

I also agree about the cover."TNT" is really on the corny side - ignore it and concentrate on the contents.

Great stories, but the cover...!
I read my parents' copies of these stories in the seventies and eighties.They have long been among my favorite short stories, and I'm definitely a James Schmitz fan. I'm glad to see that the stories are being republished. In this collection, I was also glad to see the pairing of Schmitz's "Pork Chop Tree" and "Compulsion" into the single story they are, especially because "Pork Chop Tree" is so hard to find.

This series has definitely been edited, and the more anachronistic technical elements of Schmitz's stories (microfilm, etc) have been suppressed.Other than that, the stories are as Schmitz wrote them.

My one major complaint are the covers, which are a big letdown, especially compared to the covers of the '80s editions. And T'Nt! Give me a break!These books should be packaged to attract new readers to Schmitz's work.The title of this volume strikes me as a cheesy in-joke that will attract people who already know about the stories but which will repel everyone else.These stories are truly classic SF, and they should have classier jackets!

Other than that, buy this book!

More Stories From the Federation of the Hub
An excellent book.This the second of four books that Baen Books is publishing that are compilations of the short stories my James Schmitz.While I normally am not a fan of short stories, these are some of the finest that I have read. ... Read more

Product Description
James H. Schmitz and "Space Opera" were almost synonymous.He was best known for his tales of interstellar secret agents and, galactic criminals, and particularly for heroines like Telzey Amberdon and Trigger Argee.This collection of stories, while not lacking in cosmic adventures also shows that he was capable of showing other facets in his work.Find adventure, humor and fear in... Schmitz Resurrected!

Stories include:
An Incident on Route 12
Watch the Sky
The Other Likeness
The Star Hyacinths
Oneness
The Winds of Time
Ham Sandwich
Gone Fishing

Please Search Amazon for "Resurrected Press" to see all of the books we have available, both in print and for the Kindle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

super science sci-fi
Schmitz is one of my favorite authors. His general style is what I call super science. Other authors who write in this vein are Van Vogt, Campbell (Stuart), Wallace and Doc Smith. If you like those guys you'll love Schmitz (and vice versa).

An Introduction to Some Good Old Stuff
This anthology was assembled after Schmitz's death in 1981 in the hope that it would revive interest in his work. Many times such hopes are in vain. But shortly after the publication of _The Best of James Schmitz_ (1991), Ace Books began the noble task of compiling multiple volumns of his stories. There seems to be a resurgence in popularity for this author... at least, for a while.

The NEFSA Press anthology remains an excellent introduction to one of the best craftsmen in science fiction. There is a good critical introduction by Janet Kagen, an excellent bibliography of Schmitz's stories by Mark Olson, a good cover by Kelly Freas (originally illustrating "The Custodians") and several interior illustrations by Merle Insinga. Oddly enough, there are only three interiors. I would have liked to see a few more.

There are nine stories in all: "Grandpa" (_Astounding_, 1955), "Lion Loose..." (_Analog_, 1961), "Just Curious" (_Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine_, 1968), "The Second Night of Summer" (_Galaxy_, 1950), "Novice" (_Analog_, 1962), "Balanced Ecology" (_Analog_, 1968), "The Custodians" (_Analog, 1968), "Sour Note on Palayata" (_Astounding_,1956), and "Goblin Night" (_Analog_, 1965). This anthology marked the first book publication for "The Custodians" and "Sour Note..."

Three of the best stories are short pieces: "Grandpa," "Balanced Ecology," and "The Second Night of Summer". The first two are classical biological hard science fiction stories. The third is a straight space opera that features a sly old secret agent named Grandma Wannattel, who is like a benevolent Long John Silver. The story is irresistably charming.

Almost as good are "Novice" and "Goblin Night," two early adventures of the psionically gifted Telzey Amberdon. All of the Telzey tales are well-written, but the early stories strike me as a bit fresher and crisper. In "Goblin Night," Schmitz demonstrates his ability to end his story at just the right spot, without dragging it on.

"Lion Loose..." was nominated for a Hugo in 1961, which indicates that it is a story of some popularity. (It was beaten by Brian Aldiss' Hothouse series.) I have always felt that the story could have been better than it is. Schmitz dreamed up a marvelously deadly alien. But instead of pitting it agaist the hero, the alien and the hero are allies against some rather colorless space pirates. The conflict isn't as interesting as it could have been. It is resolved too easily.

"The Custodians" is an aliens-among-us tale with a few new twists. "Sour Note on Palayata" is a study of human-alien relations that is crashingly dull. "Just Curious" is a well-written but nasty piece of goods. I will leave it to you to decide whether you like it.

I would like to close on a bibliographical note. When this anthology was published, there were a number of Schmitz stories that had not yet been published in book form: "Beacon to Elsewhere," "Ham Sandwich," "Left Hand, Right Hand," and "Clean Slate". Other stories like "Gone Fishing" and "Planet of Forgetting" had been collected-- but only once or twice. This is indicated in the bibliography. Since 1991, thanks largely to the project launched by Ace Books, many of these uncollected and neglected stories have been rescued from oblivion. Let us hope they stay that way.

excellent sci-fi
Very enjoyable. Schmitz is one of the few sci-fi writers who does not rely entirely upon technology and gadgets, but instead actually develops the characters personality.

It is nice to have these stories available again
Schmitz was a very unusual author for his time, and each of his stories brings something new to the table. Even today, his work stands out for being so far in advance of our technology yet still shows the human (or some cases non-human) element within these technological worlds. While we see some of what he foresaw in the Internet and other similar inventions, he has carried them farther than we have been able to to date. On the human side, while many of his stories are the classic hero's journey, each one of them tells this classic model in a unique way - and with Schmitz, the end of the journey is rarely what you would expect!

A Book of Wonders
The Best of James H. Schmitz is a selection of stories published by NESFA as the first in their "Choice" series.Its genesis was a panel conducted by the editor, Mark L. Olson, during Boskone 27 "which proved that Schmitz still has fans out there".It contains an introduction by Janet Kagan and a bibliography of Schmitz's SF works in addition to nine stories.

The introduction provides a rather good analysis of Schmitz's characters, plots, and style, but doesn't much address his environments, probably due to length considerations.A more extensive analysis of these environments is provided by Eric Flint in the Baen editions of Schmitz's SF works.

"Grandpa" is a story of a Colonial team that found a surprise in the ecology of an unexplored planet."Lion Loose" is a Quillan tale wherein he gains an unusual ally."Just Curious" is about a unique mental ability and the reaction of a man who has been subjected to it."The Second Night of Summer" tells what Grimp and Grandma did during summer vacation."Novice" is another summer vacation story, in which Telzey drives her Aunt Halet to hysterics."Balanced Ecology" is the story of an environent that adopts a human family."The Custodians" is a tale of a hijacking and a man's conscience."Sour Note On Palayata" is a Psychological Service story about consciousness and wisdom."Goblin Night" is a yarn about Telzey, Chomir and a spook.

This collection is a fairly balanced selection of the author's short works, ranging from the quite familiar to the fairly obscure.Although not necessarily the "best" of his short stories, all are interesting and enjoyable and have that characteristic sense of wonder.While this is a good starting point for readers who have never before encountered this author, serious fans will also want to buy the Baen publications, which contain so much more.

Highly recommended to Schmitz fans and anyone who enjoys interstellar adventure with a sense of wonder. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. The Conservation of Races - The American Negro Academy. Occasional Papers No. 2 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

good short stories and novellas from Schmitz
Very imaginative short stories (with a novella thrown in) The typical schmitz mixture of humor and action

Super Reader
This is part of a series of 'resurrection' or rediscovery efforts if you like, spearheaded by Eric Flint at Baen. This publisher has done some very cool stuff here, and some of these (including this book) are available in the Baen Free Library.

There are nine stories and a novel in this book, the novel being a pretty short and highly entertaining combination of sea with a bit of space adventure.

Also part of Schmitz's future history which you can call the Hub, or the Federation of the Hub - a huge number of loosely connected worlds in space, and what goes on therein.

Basically what you get is optimistic fun light space opera, in general, with the depiction of female characters well ahead of the times, in general. The Demon Breed itself reminds me of Elizabeth Bear's Undertow, for a very recent and more sophisticated take in a quite similar situation plotwise.

I'd suggest to SF fans in general it is worth taking a look at this author (who I had only come across in a rare story or two before, until relatively recently thanks to the evils of publishing oligopoly geography).

So thanks again to Flint and Baen for these, and also to Guy Gordon who has a James H. Schmitz encyclopedia which should tell you most of what you want to know bar reading the stuff. Google will find it, and under non-fiction on the appropriate blogs, too.

I am quite looking forward to reading the rest of these.

Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : The Searcher - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : Grandpa - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : Balanced Ecology - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : A Nice Day for Screaming - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : The Winds of Time - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : The Machmen - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : The Other Likeness - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : Attitudes - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : Trouble Tide [Nile Etland] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Hub Dangerous Territory : The Demon Breed [The Tuvella; Nile Etland] - James H. Schmitz


A purple people eating alien energy monster, gangsters, and two interstellar secret agents who I am sure Blaise and Garvin would have invited to dinner many times if they knew them.

3.5 out of 5


Big ol' beast ride.

4 out of 5


Violent diamondwood negotiator humbugged.

3.5 out of 5


Pseudospace robot servo stop surprise.

3 out of 5


Charter return betrayal with worm guy secret makes for a quick trip.

3.5 out of 5


Cyborg takeover shutdown.

3.5 out of 5


Mutability experiment failure.

2.5 out of 5


We really could use a bunch of zombie bodies.

3 out of 5


Nile Etland's investigation of missing Sea Beef is a rather transforming experience.

3.5 out of 5


Alien repulsion otter assist.

On an obscure planet an alien force that had previously tried to take territory in the Hub has a breakaway political group that decides to do some smalltime invasion.

A smart scientist, a local agent and their highly intelligent new species mutant otter friends are up to the challenge, though, at least until the Federation warships can get there to offer a hand.

A fast-paced action adventure with some superhuman subterfuge and an interesting epilogue type overview of some of what is really going on.

3.5 out of 5





3.5 out of 5

High time Schmitz was rediscovered
These are nice collections of the works of James H. Schmitz.Some of the stories Eric Flint came up with for this series are new to me.So if you already have a few Telzy Amberdon's and the Witches of Karres floating around, this is still a useful addition.

If you haven't read him, then prepare yourself for a treat.What can I call it but intelligent space opera?The Miles Vorkosigian stories come to mind, and Jo Clayton's "Diadem" books, perhaps certain Keith Laumer... If you want a well-told, involving, and exciting tale showing tough intelligent people being tested to their limits, well, Schmitz is that story-teller.

You like the "one man army" exploits of Ahnold and Van Damm?Take a look at how a young marine biologist wages a devastating one-woman battle of psychological warfare against an alien invasion ("The Demon Breed"). And then there is the battle of wits as the captain of a tramp freighter has to defend against an alien rather more intelligent than he is ("The Winds of Time.")

At the risk of being misunderstood, I'd like to call the writings of James H. Schmitz "Golden Age as it should have been."Oh yes...and track down the "Witches of Karres"; one of the most perfect and delightful SF books ever written.

Contains possibly the very best of Schmitz.
As I noted in my review of _Telzey Amberdon_, James Schmitz was known for his strong female lead characters. In _The Hub_, we have a collection of stories set in his most famous universe, that of the star civilization called the Hub, and many of these feature the strong female characters for which he was known.

Perhaps most notable are the two stories featuring Nile Etland, a scientist on the rather remote world of Nandy-Cline, both hinging on some of the peculiar lifeforms native to that planet. My favorite has been listed under at least two titles -- "The Tuvela" and "The Demon Breed" -- and shows a unique method of dealing with an alien invasion. The ending is also unusual and gives us some very telling insight into the functioning of the Hub government.

Many of the other stories have similar links, in that they chronicle the interaction of people with the ecologies of other planets, giving us both a grasp of the characters and a sometimes startling glimpse into the way life on alien worlds could be at once very similar to our own and yet startlingly -- even dangerously -- different. Schmitz' alien lifeform design was always well-thought-out, and _The Hub_ showcases this skill. Many people who are good at convincing science-fictional detail tend to be weak at characterization, but Schmitz is strong on all fronts. This book shows clearly why he is considered one of the greats of his era.

A great wrap up
This is the last, and in some ways the best of the Baen re-issue of the Hub Stories. The range of stories is impressive. It starts with The Searcher, one of the best Schmitz stories. The Protagonists, Danestar Gems and Corwin Wergard, are from the Keth Interstellar Agency, which is a recurring character in the tales. By the way, Schmitz gave his characters great names. The searcher of the title is one very unusual and interesting monster with plausible motives. The human protagonists also have to deal with some human gangsters and corrupt U-League officials. The pacing is good, the story is fun and complex, and the resolution works. Recommended. A Nice Day for Screaming, Attitudes,The Winds of Time, Machmen, and The Other likeness all deal with five different types of alien invasion and with five different types of outcomes. Schmitz had a penchant for sly twists in his tales. Along with The Searcher, The Winds of Time would make a great horror SF movie. Much better than most of what Hollywood churns out. The other four stories in this book deal with ecology, a recurring theme in Schmitz's stories. Grandpa and Balanced Ecology are both good stories where the environment is a major character. The other two stories, Trouble Tide and The Demon Breed both feature Nile Etland, one of Schmitz's most fascinating characters. She is not psychic or immortal or more than human. Like trigger she depends on wits, courage, intelligence, and her gun skills. She also has a good working knowledge of the local (and dangerous) environment. Trouble tide introduces her, but she comes up to speed in The Demon Breed. The story was originally serialized as The Tuvela in the September and October 1968 issues of Analog. The amphibious invaders are calles Parahuans, the action takes place on a water world far from the Hub cnter called Nandy-Cline, and Nile is a biologist for a pharmaceutical company. One of the things I like about Schmitz's stories is that the characters have lives and jobs and are believable. Nile defeats the invaders with the help of some talking intelligent otters, both domestic and feral. There are interesting sidelights on the quest for immortality as well. The story is one of the best Science Fiction action-adventure stories I have ever read and I highly recommend it. Unlike many other SF writers Schmitz saw action (during WWII). Despite that, or maybe because of it, his stories are not particulary violent. His characters do not merely shoot their way out of trouble, but rely on wits, skills, and brains. Even Heslett Quillan, the wise-cracking gunman/secret agent and husband of Trigger Argee, uses brains and schemes to defeat his enemies. Although he is good with his Miam Devil blaster. In The Demon Breed Nile uses her considerable knowledge of the local ecology to mount a psychological campaign against the invaders and then to defeat them. The story ends with an exciting commando raid and space battle. But the ending really takes place off world, when the Psychology Service and an alien committee independently evaluate the events on Nandy-Cline. They cast a whole new light on the story. I recommend going to the James Schmitz website (after you read the story) for more background on the history of how the ending came to be written. My one quibble with the book is the cover. The original Scheonherr cover on the September 1968 Analog was much superior. I wish it had been used for this book. You can also find it on the website. All in all I heartily recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Telzey Amberdon was only in her teens when she discovered that she was a telepath.Not only a telepath, but a xenotelepath, able to communicate mentally not just with humans, but with alien intelligences. And she turned out to be one of the most powerful telepaths in the history of the galactic civilization called the Hub.

First she had to deal with an alien race that humans hadn't realized were intelligent, and who were about to eliminate those troublesome humans who thought they were colonizing an uninhabited world. Then, she had to fend off the secret psi agents of the Psychological Corps who took a dim view of any telepath, let alone one with Telzey's powers, operating outside of their control. Next, she stumbled across a telepathic serial killer, who used an unstoppable predator, under his mental control, to hunt and kill his victims -- and Telzey was to be the catch of the day.

It was fortunate for the human race that she survived, since she next found herself in the middle of a secret war between two hidden races of genetically engineered humans. They called it the "Lion Game," and they made the mistake of thinking that in this clash of predators, Telzey was just a harmless kitten. But when the dust settled, Telzey would be the only one purring.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Super Reader
To start with the end of the book, there is an Afterword, where Flint talks about having the idea for the Schmitz project, the most excellent Mr Baen saying give it a shot, and then Flint coming across Guy Gordon's very impressive James H. Schmitz website encyclopedia. Hence evolving into a co-editing credit because of his vast knowledge. Very nifty.

There's a second end piece, with a general overview of the Hub society, so interested parties can check that out too, as well as the rest, given this is part of the Baen Free Library (speaking of brilliant Jim Baen stuff).

Here's a quote "James H. Schmitz knew one of the cardinal rules of writing science fiction adventure: don't inflict the reader with irrelevant background materialget on with the story! And so Schmitz seldom comes right out and tells us any facts about the Hub. (After all, when was the last time world geography came up in your casual conversation?) Part of the fun of reading Schmitz is piecing together the clues dropped here and there, because the Hub is an amazing place to visit."

Sometimes these days when I hear or read the evil words 'worldbuilding' you can feel like taking an editor and a writer linging them up, getting a suitably weightt tome, like say, the Geographica atlas, sticking their nose on a whole globe map, then closing book forcefully, one side to each ear. Maybe that would cut down on a bit of tedious excess tree-slaughtering verbiage.

Anyway, again, Schmitz has written a bunch of fun stories that are compiled here.

Telzey Amberdon is utterly precocious, brilliant, and only 15. You'd might think she was an annoying brat at a fancy school, but she is really quite charming, and not self-centred at all. She is also happy to take down the bad guys with anything from legal references to psi-bolts, to guns. The one thing people might find odd about her, as her powers grow, is her tendency to be of the Doc Savage/early Xavier school of rehab, as far as other brains go.

A pleasure to read this sort of entertainment.

Hub : Telzey Amberdon 1 Novice - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 2 Undercurrents - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 3 Poltergeist - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 4 Goblin Night - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 5 Sleep No More - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 6 The Lion Game [Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 7 Blood of Nalakia [The Vampirate] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Telzey Amberdon 8 The Star Hyacinths - James H. Schmitz

"These, she told herself defiintely, were powers one should treat with respect! Better rattle through law school first; then, with that out of the way, she could start hunting around to see who in the Federation was qualified to instruct a genius-level novice in the proper handling of psionics . . ."

Of course, this is after she makes a deal with the bureacracy to stop the hunting and study of the local intelligent telepathic crest cat population, and at 15, no less.

4 out of 5


One of Telzey's friends happens to be wealthy and involved in corporate plans involved it getting at her stockholdings - removing the opposition from the state of being living is part of corporate work where she is from.

Some psionic work from Miss Amberdon is required, and a bit of blackmail, when he discovers the levels of psionic snooping the government actually does get up to.

3.5 out of 5


Telzey comes across a man with a very powerful psi split personality, and has to try and help.

3.5 out of 5


Telzey is camping with some classmates when someone makes contact with her, psi fashion. She soon finds out that this man is not what he seems. It is a good thing that she is looking after a friend's large, powerful and very capable pooch when the 'Goblin' appears.

3.5 out of 5


A few weeks after the events of Goblin Night, Telzey is doing some investigating of the area, and finds that another monsters with powers are still out there.

3.5 out of 5


Telzey is tapped to investigate a series of murders, alien teleport portal networks, a conspiracy, so plenty of psionics, gunplay, and a scrambling wilderness duel to be had, all before her birthday.

4 out of 5


Early Lion Game. In Telzey's past, the aliens she encounters in the aforementioned story feature here.

3 out of 5


Dasinger, a blonde, and maybe more than a bit of the possibility of space pirate, with some Quist.

3 out of 5

A nostalgic trip to the future that still inspires me!
As a female who has appreciated SF/F since the age of twelve, I have been in a very small minority for most of my life.Along came validation in the form of Telzey Amberdon, the Nancy Drew of Science Fiction for her day, and suddenly I felt that I had a place in our speculative future.

Telzey is cool.Telzey is brilliant, beautiful, and a very independent-minded fifteen-year-old; and apparently, also a powerful latent psi (psychic).She's the genius daughter of some powerful politicians several hundred years into the future when humanity had expanded into the stars and founded homes on countless planets in a system called the Hub. Somehow our intrepid heroine ends up getting pulled into several mysteries and thrillers during the course of this book, and of course she handles herself with wit and self-confidence against the universe's fiends, human and non-.But the worst threat to this budding psi is the ever-watchful Psychology Service, which has its own agenda for her powerful talents even as it purports to protect and serve all the citizens of the Hub. Telzey has to learn a lot of psychic self-defense on the fly against her own in addition to everything else on her plate.

This is a collection of the short novellas that Schmidt wrote at various points in his career for magazines, and as such they had to be combined to make a novel hefty enough for publishing by today's standards.I rather enjoyed this format, as Telzey's character can be explored in chunks of chronological development rather than skimmed as one would through the plot of a larger novel.It works well on the level of light entertainment and gave me more natural reading breaks than the standard Chapter format.

I was also appreciative of the slightly retro flavor of stories that were written mostly during the `60s and `70s.Now and then an anachronism caught me off guard, such as a reference to a rotary dial-up communication system.But in many ways Schmidt was so ahead of his time, with the subtly feminist flavor of his themes and main characters, that I can gloss over those tiny lapses without skipping a beat. Mostly, I just have fun exploring this speculative future through Telzey.

Gosh I enjoyed getting back into the Hub universe; now I want more.Happily there are more Telzey stories out there, and soon I will be reacquainting myself with all of them and some others I had never met.It's good to live in the age of Internet bookstores!
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

Telzey returns, FINALLY!!
I first read the Telzey Amberdon stories back when Ace Books reissued them in the early 1980's.Unfortunately, I lost my copies over the course of several moves, and for a long time was not able to find replacements.Well, thank goodness Baen (which is gaining a good reputation for reissuing old classic SF authors) has stepped in, with the first volume of its compendium of the works of James H. Schmitz.Telzey Amberdon is back, and the stories are just as good as I remember them.

For those who are unfamiliar, Telzey is a rather precocious 15-year old girl who, over the course of several stories, discovers that she is also a rather powerful telepath.And not just any telepath, but one who can read the minds of non-humans as well as humans.This brings her into contact with a number of alien races, and hence forms the gist to some very good adventure writing.

In "Novice", Telzey's abilities are triggered by a race of psionic cats who no one knows are intelligent; in "Undercurrents", Telzey uses her new-found abilities to try to thwart both the Psychological Corp and some unsavory people who are trying to kill her best friend; "Poltergeist" offers an unusual turn on an old ghost story idea; and the "Goblin Night", "Sleep No More", and "The Lion Game" sequence (probably the most well known of the Telzey Amberdon stories) puts Telzey in the middle of a power struggle between multiple alien factions.This collection also contains two other Schmitz stories, "The Blood of Nalakiaï" and "The Star Hyacinths", neither of which contain Telzey but do provide background for many the stories in the series (Schmitz, after all, set nearly all of his novels and short stories in the same universe).

All together, this is a very good collection of short stories from an author who is unfortunately not as well known today as he should be.Perhaps this and the subsequent volumes in Baen�s series will rectify that matter; one can hope.In the mean time, pick this book up and read; you won�t be disappointed.Highly recommended.

Almost forgotten, still important.
James Schmitz is perhaps the classic SF author who is simultaneously most important and least remembered by the average modern fan. Schmitz began his writing in 1943, when many of the other greats were just starting out. Clearly influenced by Doc Smith in some areas (his "Agent of Vega" series even has some definitely Smithian prose), Schmitz was best known for the fact that he wrote stories featuring strong, believeable, effective female lead characters, in an era when many SF stories -- even those by the greats such as Heinlein and Asimov -- rarely even acknowledged the existence of women except by an occasional reference to a character's mother or a token girlfriend. Schmitz' characters, by contrast, lived in a world populated equally by men and women, and had no trouble interacting with either sex (any more than they do in the real world, at any rate).

In the Telzey Amberdon stories, we get to see all three of the things Schmitz became known for: strong female characters, an interesting and consistent use of psionic powers, and solid universe design. Telzey's adventures take place in the Hub, perhaps Schmitz' best known setting and certainly his most detailed. Often the Telzey stories are criticized for making her a superwoman, but I think this is often a reaction without consideration. She is no more superior to her opposition than many a male hero, and as a general rule is much more in need of subtlety and caution than male heroes common in the SF of the time. Not to say you couldn't call her a superwoman -- she's certainly got enough talent, power, and so on to qualify -- but her opposition is always formidable enough to REQUIRE a superwoman to defeat.

These stories have been somewhat edited from their original form; for the most part the editing involved minor terms, removal of redundant punctuation (which Schmitz himself tended to do upon re-issues), and so on. A few have had noticeable changes. Personally I do not agree with a few of them, but the resulting stories are still clearly Schmitz' work, and the overall volume is more than merely worth the money; this is an excellent collection, and all the ones in the Schmitz re-issue series are must-haves for any SF fan.

Explore the Hub -- Sci-Fi at its Best
James Schmitz wrote well-crafted stories with strong characters. The background settings are intriguing and the stories have unusual plot twists.These volumes maintain their freshness and appeal, even after more than a quarter of a century. If you haven't met Telzey and Trigger or explored the Federation of the Hub, you will enjoy discovering this new world.(Even if you have read Schmitz' work before, it's well worth the re-visit.) ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / Science Fiction / General; Fiction / Science Fiction / Short Stories; Fiction / Science Fiction / General; ... Read more

Product Description
'The End of Time" and "The Winds of Time" are two short science fiction novels about time and time travel that were written in 1933 and 1962, respectively. The two stories were published originally in two popular science fiction magazines of those times. In 'The End of Time" by millions of millions the creatures of earth slow and drop when their time-sense is mysteriously paralyzed. In 'The Winds of Time" Gefty Rammer has hired out his spaceship to a man who wants to pick up some strange equipment stranded on an airless moon just outside the Hub. It turns out they picked up a Janandra as well. The Janandra has the run of the ship, and the equipment is taking them away from the Hub, fast. It is a pleasure to publish this new, high quality, and affordable edition of these two timeless stories. ... Read more

Product Description
Earth's colonists have divided into the Swimmers, who spend their entire lives in zero-gravity and claim to be the next step in evolution, and the planet-dwelling Walkers. The Swimmers regard those who prefer to live on the surface of a planet as little better than unevolved apes, while the Walkers are not about to say farewell to the planets they grew up on, and think the Swimmers are not advanced at all, but merely deranged. Crowell, born a Swimmer but now a Walker by choice, is caught in the middle as the two sides prepare for war. Then he discovers the true cause of the altercation: a hidden alien race trying to provoke a war of extinction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

For the collector
Fans and collectors of James H. Schmitz will definitely want this one. Particularly useful is the appendix which lists all of Schmitz's published works, along with the publication where they first appeared (and the volume # of the Baen re-issues in which they reappear). Baen did SF readers everywhere a great service by re-issuing ALL of Schmitz's work in this seven-volume series--except for one obscure collaboration with A. E. Van Vogt.

That being said, if you have not read Schmitz before, this is not the place to start. The stories here are not his best, and his short novel Eternal Frontiers is his last and least charming. I recommend starting with one of his other novels, either the ever-popular The Witches of Karres or The Demon Breed, which makes my personal Ten Best list of SF novels.

Little known but deserves to be read
I think this one dates from 1973.It is a very good crime story.It has always been obscure and difficult to find but deserves more light of day.I couldn't put this down when I read it.Recommended!

Schmitz was a master of short fiction
This is a comprehensive collection of short works, written between the 40s and the 70s (but mostly in the 40s and 50s). Unlike many of the short stories from that period, these could have been written yesterday.

Even the novel included in the book is very short by today's standards, and would be considered a modern "novella".

These are all non-Hub, non-Vega, non-Karres stories. Some are even not Science Fiction. But they are all great. As the co-editor Guy Gordon wrote in an earlier book, "There's just something about a Schmitz story..."

This is the sixth of a seven-book reissue of all of Schmitz's work. Get it. Get two, in fact, if you even plan to loan it out. It probably won't come back to you if you let someone else get their hands on it!

An obscure Schmitz gem
This novel is one of my two favorite Schmitz titles (the other being The Demon Breed). I last read it back in the early 80's - my hometown public library had a copy, titled "The Eternal Frontier" - and have been looking for it ever since; I'm delighted to see it back in print.

It's the story of a group of colonists on an unexplored world, who confront a mysterious and malevolent alien presence. My strongest memory of the book is the creeping sense of suspense the author builds throughout the novel.

Unlike the huge majority of Schmitz stories, [The] Eternal Frontier is not part of the Federation of the Hub cycle, so you won't see these characters in any of his other work. Still, it's one of his very best.

Invaluable collection of obscure Schmitz stories
_Endless Frontier_ is the sixth book in Eric Flint and Guy Gordon's project to return James H. Schmitz' work to print. From my perspective this has been a successful and welcome undertaking. This book is particularly welcome, not because it is the best (it is not, not by a long shot), but because it contains some of the most obscure of Schmitz' stories. Fans of Schmitz, like me, spent much time in used book stories finding his work before the recent reprint series -- and in that way it was relatively easy to collect most of the Telzey stories, the Trigger stories, and books like _Agent of Vega_ and _The Demon Breed_. But it was much harder to find stuff like "The Ties of Earth", a long novella only published as a two-part magazine serial, or "Captives of the Thieve-Star", a novelette which prefigures in some way Schmitz' later female characters, but which was only ever published in a 1951 issue of the classic pulp Planet Stories. But _Endless Frontier_ collects all of Schmitz' short fiction that had not previously been reprinted -- including some stories from mystery magazines. It also includes Schmitz last (and by far weakest) novel, _The Endless Frontiers_. My rating for the book is based more on its appeal to its intended audience -- Schmitz fans -- than on its intrinsic merits. It's fair to say that the earlier Baen reprints gathered the bulk of his best work -- it's easy to see why some of these stories haven't seen the light of day in a while. But for those of us who have learned to love his work, this is an invaluable way to get those tantalizing few stories we haven't yet found.

That said, there are some very fine pieces here. The above-mentioned longer stories, "The Ties of Earth" and "Captives of the Thieve-Star", are both very uneven, but even if they don't work completely, they have some nice bits. And among the shorter stories are some first-rate pieces. Many of these are in the section the editors have called "Dark Visions" -- Schmitz usually went for fairly conventional happy endings, but in these stories the horrific implications of some of Schmitz' ideas are fully explored. Especially good is "We Don't Want Any Trouble", a very neat SF horror story about an alien invasion. Another fine alien invasion story is "These are the Arts". Schmitz wrote some crime fiction as well, often for the SF magazines, but also in mystery magazines. Stories like "Ham Sandwich", about a slick operator running a psi scam, and "Where the Time Went", about a very different SFnal crime, are clever and enjoyable.

Even the lesser stories here are generally breezily enjoyable. This book probably isn't a good choice for your first Schmitz book, but if you try the more famous ones and find you like his stuff, it's a worthwhile purchase. ... Read more

Product Description

IF BUREAUCRACIES HAD STARSHIPS

Con games. Corrupt governors. Deadly rivalries between departments of the same government. And, of course, the long arm of the Mob. Even in our future among the stars, some things never change -- except that the governors run (and ruin) planets, the rivalries are fought with spacecraft and energy bolts, and the mobsters smuggle real illegal aliens and make their getaways with subspace portals. It's all just another day in that bastion of galactic peace and democracy, the Federation of the Hub --

-- and somebody has to clean up this mess!

Join secret agent Trigger Argee, scout adventurer Heslet Quillan and Holati Tate, master of intrigue, as they battle the criminal element on its own interstellar turf...and make the future a little safer for the rest of us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Super Reader
In the afterword, Eric Flint has this to say :-

"James Schmitz's Hub tales revolve around a central core. Or, it might be better to say, a tandem axlethe adventures of Telzey Amberdon and Trigger Argee. Those core stories, with two exceptions ("The Searcher" and "A Nice Day for Screaming"), have all been assembled in the first three volumes of this four-volume series."

and

"But the core stories involve more than just Telzey and Trigger. In addition, there are a number of secondary characters who frequently appear in Telzey and Trigger's adventures. Many of these "secondary" characters are quite prominent in their own right, and they are as much a part of the "core" as Telzey and Trigger. In fact, most of them get at least one story in which they are the protagonist rather than the spear-carrier."

One of the stories has apparently been 'De Camped', so that Planet of Forgetting is adapted into a Heslet Quillan story for this volume.

Anyway, some more good stuff in this book, whether Trigger features, supports, or other agents and superspies are shooting it out with bad guys.


Hub : Trigger and Friends 1 Harvest Time [Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Trigger and Friends 2 Lion Loose [Heslet Quillan] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Trigger and Friends 3 Aura of Immortality [Trigger Argee] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Trigger and Friends 4 Forget It [Heslet Quillan] - James H. Schmitz amd Guy Gordon
Hub : Trigger and Friends 5 Legacy [A Tale of Two Clocks] - James H. Schmitz
Hub : Trigger and Friends 6 Sour Note on Palayata - James H. Schmitz


Some cleaning up of some nogoodniks murderous types for Tate and Trigger.

3 out of 5


Heslet Quillan in the middle of guns and gangster, on an old space resort.

3.5 out of 5


Heslet Quillan in the middle of guns and gangster, on an old space resort.

3.5 out of 5


Amnesiac agent adventures, revisited.

3.5 out of 5


Old Galactic Gun Girl mission.


While not the precocious super bright type Telzey Amberdon is, this not-kid-either can handle a gun.

Again, a mission for a talent young woman with the skills to suit a mission with strange aliens, disguise, subterfuge, and more.

At stake could be interplanetary war, as the plasmoids are Repulsive.

The Hub is in good hands with the platinum blonde Space Agent babe on the case (with the odd bit of male help of varying use).

3 out of 5


Pilch investigates a planet whose locals seem humanlike, but their minds are rather strange.

3.5 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

Hang onto your hats!
James Schmitz was a very popular science fiction writer in the 60s, but since has fallen off the map.Why?Because he didn't much write novels - he wrote short stories and novellas.I'm happy that Eric Flint worked to bring us the Hub series as a set of books, bringing together the short stories of Schmitz for the first time in years.

Trigger & Friends revolves around Trigger Argee (obviously).It is impossible to really devolve the plot into a review; suffice it to say that the short stories in this book are a great deal of fun - this is what science fiction should be all about!

Interstellar Action & Intrigue
This third volume of the Hub Stories reveals more of Trigger Argee and those around her. Heslet Quillan is here. He's a sixties sort of wise-cracking secret agent gunman transported to the Hub Universe. He first appears in Lion Loose and tangles with a monster and two mobs of the Interstellar Underworld. The story is basically a gangster story but the monster is interesting, one of Schmitz's more interesting ones. Schmitz did good monsters. He reappears in Legacy, along with Trigger. Legacy is a complex story with interesting, unusual, and believable aliens. It also gets into the inner workings of the Federation and the lives of the people who live in it, work in it, and keep it going. An interesting look. The Hub was one of the more interesting backgrounds in Science Fiction, and it's fun to visit. A good Saturday afternoon read.

Agents of the Hub
The first two volumes of the Hub series published by Baen Books presented the experiences of the teen-aged Telzey Amberdon. The other volumes gather together stories centered on other characters of the Hub civilization (including in one case an ecology!). Volume 3 presents the adventures of Trigger Argee, Pilch, and Hezlet Quillan, agents of the Hub Overgovernment. In these stories, we have some background filled in and begin to understand how the Hub culture deals with an unfriendly galaxy. Strongly recommended.

Welcome Back to a Friend
I am delighted to welcome back these stories by James Schmitz featuring his wonderful character, Trigger Argee, and her friends.James Schmitz had the knack of creating futurescapes and characters which are deep, insightful, and riveting -- especially female characters.Trigger feels like a friend by the time an Argee story ends.

I had promised myself ONE STORY PER DAY, but I could not put this book down.This is the third of four collections featuring the stories of James Schmitz which are edited by Eric Flint -- this one co-edited with Guy Gordon.In this book you will find Trigger and Holati facing off the top eschelon of government.You'll find Quillan, well named "Bad News", getting some bad news of his own.You'll find Professor Mantelish giving one interview too many.All have the flow of a good story -- one that feels like reality and moves at a fast clip.

Fortunately, I can go back to my story-a-day promise.With this book and in these stories, there is always more to discover. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. Watch the Sky is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James H. Schmitz is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James H. Schmitz then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Short, but interesting
This is a very short story - Read it on a kindle, so I am not sure about the page count. For me it was about 15 minutes of reading, so I would guess no more then 30 pages. Not a bad story, but not much time for development or plot! ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. Oneness is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James H. Schmitz is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James H. Schmitz then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Super Reader
Alien repulsion otter assist.

On an obscure planet an alien force that had previously tried to take territory in the Hub has a breakaway political group that decides to do some smalltime invasion.

A smart scientist, a local agent and their highly intelligent new species mutant otter friends are up to the challenge, though, at least until the Federation warships can get there to offer a hand.

A fast-paced action adventure with some superhuman subterfuge and an interesting epilogue type overview of some of what is really going on.


3.5 out of 5

Super Reader
Alien repulsion otter assist.

On an obscure planet an alien force that had previously tried to take territory in the Hub has a breakaway political group that decides to do some smalltime invasion.

A smart scientist, a local agent and their highly intelligent new species mutant otter friends are up to the challenge, though, at least until the Federation warships can get there to offer a hand.

A fast-paced action adventure with some superhuman subterfuge and an interesting epilogue type overview of some of what is really going on.Alien repulsion otter assist.

On an obscure planet an alien force that had previously tried to take territory in the Hub has a breakaway political group that decides to do some smalltime invasion.

A smart scientist, a local agent and their highly intelligent new species mutant otter friends are up to the challenge, though.

A fast-paced action adventure with some superhuman subterfuge and an interesting epilogue type overview of some of what is really going on.


3.5 out of 5

The Legend of the Demon
There was a type of story closely associated with _Astounding/Analog_ under the editorship of John W. Campbell, Jr. If there was a conflict between humans and aliens, Campbell wanted the ornery but likeable humans to emerge triumphant. Well, we are all more sophisticated nowadays. We know that this view is ethnocentric. We know that not only do we sometimes fail, we know that we frequently don't _deserve_ to win. Yes, indeedy.

But let us be honest. Given a choice, which would you rather read-- a literate, world-weary, black comedy or a well-crafted Campbellian space opera? How many times do you really _want_ to watch humanity go down the drain? How many novels do you _want_ to read that tell the stark truth about the Human Condition? We _say_ that we religiously watch _Masterpiece Theatre_... but in our heart of hearts, we know that we watch _Desperate Housewives_. In short, there is still a place for the old-fashioned _ASF_ story.

James H. Schmitz's _The Demon Breed_ is an _ASF_-type story, and a good one. It was serialized in _Analog_ in 1968 under the title, "The Tuvela." It was accompanied by a marvelous John Schoenherr cover depicting Nile Etland and her mutated otter companion, Sweeting.

Now in novels of this sort, a few conventions are usually followed. First, the hostile aliens must appear to have all the advantages at the outset of the novel. Second, the aliens must have a psychological weakness. It might be an overly literal way of thinking, it might be a superstition, it might be an overly ritualistic behavior pattern. Whatever it is, the plot of the novel shows how the humans sieze upon that weakness and manipulate it until the enemy is defeated. These novels might be called "guerrilla warfare novels." [Some novels in this tradition include Eric Frank Russell's _Wasp_ (1957), Poul Anderson's _The High Crusade_ (1960), Randall Garrett's _Anything You Can Do_ (1963), and William R. Burkett, Jr.'s _Sleeping Planet_ (1965).]

The aliens are a race of demonic creatures who are attempting a test invasion of an aquatic planet populated only by a female biologist and a few companions. (Schmitz has developed the ecology of this planet in loving detail.) The weakness of the aliens is their belief that the actual rulers of the Hub in the past were superhumans called the Tuvela. The heroine, anything but a superwoman, must find a way to convince the aliens that the Tuvela (who never really existed) still exist. The title has a double meaning, of course. It refers to the alien invaders, but it also refers to the real "demon breed"-- the humans. I will not reveal the details of how the adventure spins out. Suffice it to say that Schmitz does a masterful job of telling his tale. It's a first-class piece of entertainment.

The forgotten James Schmitz heroine
Nile Etland is another of James Schmitz' strong female characters, every bit as engaging as Telzey Amberdon (The Universe Against Her, The Lion Game, The Telzey Toy), Trigger Argee (A Tale of Two Clocks, or Legacy), andyoung Goth (Witches of Karres). Readers of his diamondwood grove (short)story will also cherish the comprehensive ecosystem he's woven for thistale.

Unfortunately, with the current competing tides of sensationaloccult fantasy and sensational fundamentalism, this title probably puts offpotential readers of quality science fiction. (I believe the story wasoriginally titled The Tuvela when a version of it was serialized in one ofthe older SF mags--Astounding? or SF&F?.)

One of the many things thatSchmitz does well is to leave one's mind full of interesting ideas andchallenging debates.What about those entertaining mutant otters that weget to see so little of, will they be given citizenship?Is humankindreally innately dangerous?What sort of government would humanity needamong the stars?

For those who enjoyed the complex and naturallyhazardous ecosystem, you might also enjoy two of Alan Dean Foster's works:Midworld, and Sentenced to Prism. (Foster is a print chameleon, withseveral styles and subgenres to his credit, so I can't blanket-recommendhis work. But these two are fascinatingly creative ecosystem-basedstories.)

This is very good indeed !!
'The Demon Breed' and 'The Witches of Karres are the only two books I've read from 'James Schmitz'. With both books I couldn't stop reading. Normally I only have this when I read 'Jack Vance'. This is very good stufffor addicted readers who like fast story writing with good intelligenthumor in it. I see there are not a lot of people who have read this book,otherwise this review page would be filled with remarks from fans. It wasby coincedence that I've got to read this book (in Dutch, I'm from Holland,so that's the reason for the mistakes in writing in this review). The book'The Witches of Karres' is from 1969. My father gave it to me when Istarted to read sf-books. Like 'The Demon Breed' I've read this book overand over again. And still love it! ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fantasy fiction; Magicians; Teenage girls; Wizards; Magic; Guilds; Fantasy fiction, Australian; Fiction / Fantasy / General; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A book about a batch of not-your-average-monsters
A series of stories, mostly set in Schmitz's Hub Universe, with some very unusual aliens. Not your usual black and white stories. The monsters are interesting, have good reasons for what they do, and give the humans a run for their money. The humans are as interesting as the aliens. Schmitz always pulls a rabbit out the hat. But sometimes it's not a rabbit..., and sometimes the hat is not what you thought it was. A lot of fun. Schmitz did a lot of other alien-human stories set in the Hub. I'd like to see them all collected somewhere. Maybe some publisher will take the hint?

A great collection of Schmitz's short stories
Unfortunately the book is currently hard to find. Most of these stories take place in Schmitz's future universe, involving characters from other novels. I particularly liked the stronge female "heros" with the image of a future well balanced between male & female power. These are adventure stories of the "Space Opera" type, in a world where good and evil are pretty in black and white ... Read more

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This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages.

An Incident on Route 12 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James H. Schmitz is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James H. Schmitz then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. Ham Sandwich is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James H. Schmitz is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James H. Schmitz then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fathers and sons/ Fiction; Fishing/ Fiction; Size/ Fiction; Fathers and sons; Size; Fishing; Juvenile Fiction / Boys ... Read more