Masters Of Space by E.E. “Doc” Smith

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Masters of Space is one of the novels that does not involve any kind of telepathy (a common theme in Doc Smith’s works), though it does have some unspecified mental powers. And like most Smith novels, it moves along with a lot of action. A team of scientists an military go on an exploratory expedition, and find something puzzling: robots who think they are the “Masters” finally returned. They find that the”Masters” were in a conflict with an evil alien race, and that these aliens also think they are the Masters returned. Are they? Maybe they are. Overall, this is a pleasant diversion, but not something that will go on anyone’s “must read” list. I happen to be a huge fan of Doc Smith and have read just about everything he wrote. This is a work that exemplifies “pulp fiction”.

I read this as part of a collection “The Works of E.E. “Doc” Smith”



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The Galaxy Primes by E.E. “Doc” Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Galaxy Primes involves yet more “psionics”, a common theme in Doc Smith’s works. And like most Smith novels, it moves along with a lot of action. A team of mentally advanced people takes out an experimental space ship, and quickly gets lost in a vast universe. They do eventually figure out how the ship works and manage to control it and come home. There is a surprising discovery involved, but I don’t want to give it away in a review. Overall, this is a pleasant diversion, but not something that will go on anyone’s “must read” list. I happen to be a huge fan of Doc Smith and have read just about everything he wrote. This is a work that exemplifies “pulp fiction”.

I read this as part of a collection “The Works of E.E. “Doc” Smith”



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Subspace Encounter by E.E. “Doc” Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the second book in a two-book series (the first being Subspace Explorers), and we have two story lines that seem separate, but eventually get tied together when when the inhabitants from two different universes combine to defeat an evil enemy. This is mostly missing the right-wing rants from the first volume and is a much more straight forward space opera, which is what Doc Smith is really best known for.



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Subspace Explorers by E.E. “Doc” Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the first of two novels in short series of 2. It is classic Doc Smith space opera, combining gee-whiz science with psychic abilities. I happen to be a huge Doc Smith fan, and I’m pretty sure I have everything he ever published. This book has three parts. The first is about a disaster in space and how his characters survive it, the second about how the psychic abilities are used to transform part of society, and the third a frankly right-wing screed where the CEOs are the good guys, labor unions are evil, and the ultimate evil is a revived Communism in space. So Doc, for all that he writes a good adventure yarn, has some issues. I just overlook that because I like his stories.



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