Beginning Operations (Sector General Novels) (Paperback)

by James White (Author), Brian Stableford (Introduction) "The alien occupying O'Mara's sleeping compartment weighed roughly half a ton, possessed six short, thick appendages which served both as arms or legs and had..." (more)
Key Phrases: strata creature, artificial gravity grids, emotional radiation, Sector General, Chief Psychologist, Monitor Corps (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Sector General is one of the few places in SF that one would really, really like to exist." --David Langford

"Over the years White has built a large and enthusiastic audience for his Sector General series, which concerns a fully realized interspecies hospital on the rim of the Galaxy. His fascinating cast of characters and his belief in the basic decency of all intelligent life-forms have seen him through six Sector General books over the past quarter century." --James Gunn, The New Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

"Neat, humorous, and humane." --The Ultimate Guide to SF
-- Review

Review

"Sector General is one of the few places in SF that one would really, really like to exist." --David Langford

"Over the years White has built a large and enthusiastic audience for his Sector General series, which concerns a fully realized interspecies hospital on the rim of the Galaxy. His fascinating cast of characters and his belief in the basic decency of all intelligent life-forms have seen him through six Sector General books over the past quarter century." --James Gunn, The New Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

"Neat, humorous, and humane." --The Ultimate Guide to SF

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 512 pages Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (June 2, 2001) Language: English ISBN-10: 0312875444 ISBN-13: 978-0312875442 Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #266,462 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #3 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( S ) > Stableford, Brian

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
The alien occupying O'Mara's sleeping compartment weighed roughly half a ton, possessed six short, thick appendages which served both as arms or legs and had a hide like a flexible armor plate. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
strata creature, artificial gravity grids, emotional radiation, physiology tape, xenological medicine, little empath, translator pack, lock antechamber, ambulance ship, cultural contact people, empathic faculty, pressor beams, recreation level, manipulatory appendages, retro pack, gravity requirements, pressure tents, translated voice, beam operators, spinning ship, elephantine feet, junior interns, beam men, repeater screens, casualty section

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sector General, Chief Psychologist, Monitor Corps, Doctor Conway, Colonel Skempton, Senior Physician, Major O'Mara, Lieutenant Harrison, Captain Williamson, Lock Six, Major Edwards, Imperial Representative, Diagnostician-in-Charge of Pathology, Doctor Mannon, Captain Summerfield, Major Stillman, Sector Twelve General Hospital, Colonel Williamson, Galactic Federation, Lock Twelve, Tralthan Diagnostician, Charge Nurse, Observation Ward Three, Radiation Theater

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 21 books:

• Sector General by James White on 8 pages
• Hospital Station by James White on 4 pages
• Star Surgeon by James White in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Front Matter (3)
• Ambulance Ship by James White in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
• Double Contact (White, James, Sector General Series.) by James White in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)

See all 21 books this book cites

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Alien Emergencies by James White

Discusses:

• strata creature
• artificial gravity grids
• emotional radiation

General Practice by James White

Discusses:

• strata creature
• artificial gravity grids
• emotional radiation

Final Diagnosis by James White

Discusses:

• emotional radiation
• physiology tape
• xenological medicine

Mind Changer by James White

Discusses:

• emotional radiation
• translator pack
• ambulance ship

Double Contact by James White

Discusses:

• emotional radiation
• translator pack
• ambulance ship

Alien Emergencies by James White Discusses: strata creature artificial gravity grids emotional radiation General Practice by James White Discusses: strata creature artificial gravity grids emotional radiation Final Diagnosis by James White Discusses: emotional radiation physiology tape xenological medicine Mind Changer by James White Discusses: emotional radiation translator pack ambulance ship Loading...

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	60% buy the item featured on this page: Beginning Operations (Sector General Novels) 4.7 out of 5 stars (6) $21.59
	12% buy Double Contact (White, James, Sector General Series.) 4.7 out of 5 stars (3) $6.99
	11% buy Mind Changer : A Sector General Novel 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) $6.99
	9% buy Alien Emergencies: A Sector General Omnibus 4.0 out of 5 stars (2) $15.56

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.7 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 21 of 24 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Classics reissued, May 23, 2001 By  G. P. Morrow "gpmorrow" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This omnibus collects the first three Sector General books--Hospital Station, Star Surgeon, and Major Operation. White's Sector General books exemplify the medical subgenre of the SF puzzle story--what weird E.T. thing is going on and how do we solve the problems it presents? This series is part of my personal "Golden Age" of science fiction and I'm delighted to see it back in print. 11 of 13 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Great to see the beginning.., June 26, 2001 By  netkat - See all my reviews I have read the later James White books and was pleasantly surprised to be able to pick up and read his early writing. You will find that the characters were the same back in the 60's as they are now, but it is wonderful to see how he came up with the "Hospital to Aliens" in space. If you have never read any of his books pick this up for an introduction, but I have to say his later books are still my favorites. He reminds me of the old style of writing in the 50's and 60's and it is wonderful that they have reprinted these older titles. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Three books in one., March 31, 2004 By  Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    James White is one of the first sci-fi authors I grew up with and in fact is one of the first authors, right up there with Zane Grey and Robert Heinlein, whose books I learned to read without being pushed into it by parents or teachers. The first book in this omnibus is really a bunch of short stories put together. These stories help us to understand how Sector General came about and allow us to see where the main characters of Conway and O'Mara came from. It also allows the reader to get use to how the hospital deals with everyday problems, ill aliens and special VIPs. The next two books are full length novels, one about war and the other is about one of the biggest patients you'll ever read about. A 511 pages full of humor, drama and optimism. James White believes that, not only can we all get along, even with aliens, but that we could thrive working together. He believed in the humanity in everybody, including aliens!		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I finally found James White I read this after "The Galactic Gourmet" and was thoroughly engrossed. What great fantasy and futurism. I could visualize what he was writing about. Read more Published 1 month ago by Burt C. Pattee 5.0 out of 5 stars Beginning Operations The book began strongly. Often with books in which there are multiple species, it is difficult to keep up with the transitions. This is deftly handled by the author. Read more Published on August 5, 2006 by Judy C. Carpenter 5.0 out of 5 stars Think your friends are strange? After spending some time at Sector General where the humans and aliens learn to interact with the main purpose being to give health and understanding to all; most of the people we... Read more Published on September 29, 2005 by Donna Esper Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (June 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312875444
• ISBN-13: 978-0312875442
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #266,462 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #3 in

  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( S ) > Stableford, Brian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classics reissued, May 23, 2001

By	G. P. Morrow "gpmorrow" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This omnibus collects the first three Sector General books--Hospital Station, Star Surgeon, and Major Operation. White's Sector General books exemplify the medical subgenre of the SF puzzle story--what weird E.T. thing is going on and how do we solve the problems it presents?

This series is part of my personal "Golden Age" of science fiction and I'm delighted to see it back in print.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great to see the beginning.., June 26, 2001

By	netkat - See all my reviews

I have read the later James White books and was pleasantly surprised to be able to pick up and read his early writing. You will find that the characters were the same back in the 60's as they are now, but it is wonderful to see how he came up with the "Hospital to Aliens" in space. If you have never read any of his books pick this up for an introduction, but I have to say his later books are still my favorites. He reminds me of the old style of writing in the 50's and 60's and it is wonderful that they have reprinted these older titles.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three books in one., March 31, 2004

By	Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

James White is one of the first sci-fi authors I grew up with and in fact is one of the first authors, right up there with Zane Grey and Robert Heinlein, whose books I learned to read without being pushed into it by parents or teachers.
The first book in this omnibus is really a bunch of short stories put together. These stories help us to understand how Sector General came about and allow us to see where the main characters of Conway and O'Mara came from. It also allows the reader to get use to how the hospital deals with everyday problems, ill aliens and special VIPs.
The next two books are full length novels, one about war and the other is about one of the biggest patients you'll ever read about. A 511 pages full of humor, drama and optimism. James White believes that, not only can we all get along, even with aliens, but that we could thrive working together. He believed in the humanity in everybody, including aliens!