Appointment at Bloodstar (Jove V4005) [Paperback]

Edward E. ("Doc") Smith (Author), Stephen Goldin (Contributor)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Jove (June 1, 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515040053
• ISBN-13: 978-0515040050
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,826,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Princesses, spaceships, blasters, and pirates., April 23, 2006

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Appointment at Bloodstar (Family d'Alembert #5) (Mass Market Paperback)

And a circus. Yes this really does have it all. Swashbuckling, daring rescues, evil conspiracies, and the silent band in the Service Of The Empire or SOTE - super-secret protectors of the imperial family. The good guys (and gals) are teeth-achingly good, so of course the bad guys (and gals) don't stand a chance.

This is fifth in Doc Smith's little-known Family D'Alembert series, a 1970s successor to his earlier Lensman and Skylark space operas. These aren't quite so technologically whiz-bang as the earlier books, and not so mired in the stereotypes of the Eisenhower era ideals. Unfortunately, Smith and Goldin never manage to regain that melodramatic sense of straight-faced, goofy heroism that makes the earlier books so memorable. What's new, compared to the older series, is a post-Neolithic view of women and a flailing attempt at emotional depth. The latter tops out around high school level, though, based on soured sibling rivalries and girl-fights to see who gets the boy.

The only reason to read this is A) a nostalgic attachment to Smith's earlier work, in the vain hope that the magic could be rekindled, B) you're stranded on a desert island with only this and a parrot, and you've already read the newspapers in the bottom of the cage,or C) you're a nine year old boy and want something more sophisticated but without all that mushy stuff.

//wiredweird