Agent of Vega & Other Stories [Mass Market Paperback]

James H. Schmitz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2001

Previously appearing in separate publications, these stories of the Galaxy are now in a unitary publication. After the Galactic Empire crumbled, the Vegan Confederacy was too weak to survive, yet it prospered because of its secret weapon--telepathy. Not all of the Agents of Vega were human, but all were the most powerful telepaths in the Galaxy.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Baen (October 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671318470
• ISBN-13: 978-0671318475
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #593,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Anthologies
  • #71 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Short Stories

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An answer to a prayer, January 29, 2003

By 

"sdixonsf" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Agent of Vega & Other Stories (Mass Market Paperback)

I have an original Pocket paperback of Agent of Vega. It came out in 1962, which makes my copy more than seven years older than I am. I found it on the shelf of a mechanic's office in Pickens, Mississippi, while waiting with my father for the overhaul of some cotton picker parts. I was 8 or 9. I started reading the book, and then begged to have it. My father was angry, but the mechanic was amused and let me have it.
That book has been loved. Not only by me, but I have loaned it to many people.
If this volume was nothing but a reprint of that earlier one, it would be enough for me to jump with joy and give copies to all my friends who love science fiction. But it is better than that. The four stories that comprise Agent of Vega are only about one third of this volume. The other two thirds are stories I have NEVER seen before.
Schmitz was one of THE most popular SF writers of his time. Unfortuantely for posterity, his work was mostly at shorter lengths. Even his only full length novel, the wonderful Witches of Karres, was an expansion of an earlier novella.
Kudos to Baen for reissuaing in seven volumes the complete works of this master. Schmitz was one of the first SF writiers to have female characters who not only solved their problems without male assistance, but were "total badasses" on their own.
Which brings me to my favorite story in this book, called "The Second Night of Summer." Not only is the undercover galactic agent female, not only is she unflaggingly competent, she is also old enough to be a grandmother. How many SF writers even now would risk this, let alone in the fifties when the story was written?
If you are a fan of classic science fiction, you owe it to yourself to check out these reissues of one of the masters.

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Ever, November 10, 2001

By 

Robert A. Woodley (Toledo, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Agent of Vega & Other Stories (Mass Market Paperback)

I haven't bought this book yet, and so don't know what other stories it has other than the four "Agent of Vega Stories". It doesn't matter. These four stories (collected in 1960 and issued as a book called "Agent of Vega"), constitute my favorite science fiction book of all time. I own all of the pulp stories and the First Edition and all paperback editions of this collection. It's utterly spectacular.

This is not a novel; but four separate stories about these future galactic secret agents known as "Galactic Zone Agents". They all possess "psi" (telepathic) powers and communicate mentally with their robot ships; each agent having a ship which is to some extent bonded with the agent's mind.

In these stories Schmitz displayed, 50 years ago, a concept which would dominate his writing; the hero who is female. He was soundly critized for this, in those sexist days, but as a male I accepted them wholeheartedly and immediately. They are magnificent, deadly, intelligent, and ruthless.

The third story, "The Truth About Cushgar", is my favorite story in all of science fiction.

The imagination and descriptive prose Schmitz displays in these stories is incredible, and the excitement and characters unforgettable.

I picked up a paperback of this book in 1962, when I was 15, and nothing has ever compared to this work of science fiction for me. Most famous for his Telzey Amberdon stories, and his "Witches of Karres" novel (my favorite Sci-fi novel); Schmitz created these Agent of Vega stories in the span of a few years around 1950, and never again returned to this "universe" or these amazing creations. I've always lamented this, though a jewel is often more brilliant for its rarity.

The first story has a male hero, but soon we are introduced to a young female humanoid alien known as "Pagadan", who has feathers for hair. She is in the first three stories, and stars in the second one. In the third story we meet "Zamm", a different type of humanoid alien female who is the most ruthless killer of all the Zone Agents. In the fourth we meet a harassed old woman on a primitive world known as Grandma Wannatel; but she also happens to be a Zone Agent, and she is something tough.

The villains are fascinating, and the technology spectacular in these books, which are as good today as they were half a century ago. Battles and weapons and mental contests abound in these stories.

I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough, and will soon buy it. Even without the additional non-Vegan stories, this book is priceless.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sense of Wonder again, October 27, 2001

By 

Jerry Simmons (St. Louis MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Agent of Vega & Other Stories (Mass Market Paperback)

For golden age galactic space opera this is simply as good as it gets. Memorable, larger than life characers, awesome intrigues and really alien aliens. I loved the maverick agent with the yellow eyes and special ship the most. Don't miss these stories.