A Mind for Trade: A Great New Solar Queen Adventure (A Solar Queen adventure) [Mass Market Paperback]

Andre Norton (Author), Sherwood Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

The new novel in the popular "Solar Queen" series. Hesprid IV can't be that bad. Especially when it holds such a huge deposit of lucrative cielanite ore. Or so thinks Dane Thorson and the rest of the crew of the "Solar Queen", and its new sister ship, the recently recovered derelict "North Star". The plan seems simple--make landfall, mine ore, leave. Too bad things are never as easy as they appear.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Following Derelict for Trade (LJ 12/96), Grand Master Nebula award winner Norton teams up again with Smith (coauthor of a hard sf series with Dave Trowbridge) to continue her venerated "Solar Queen" series. Their new space opera mixes psychology with adventure. Four crew members inexplicably develop a not necessarily welcome psi (telepathic) link among themselves. As they attempt to mine a planet with hostile weather and floating creatures that appear to kill on contact, they find their psi abilities necessary to save their lives. The novel is short on character development while long on perilous situations and scientific detail. Buy where series demand is high.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

A new adventure for the Trader ship Solar Queen (Derelict for Trade, 1997, etc.), continuing the update of a series begun long ago by Norton. This time, the Solar Queen's Captain Jellico controls two vessels--the North Star having been liberated from pirates in the previous adventure--and has a contract to mine a rare mineral (it has the property of augmenting electromagnetic storms, and may also be used illegally to make deadly space blasters) on the storm-racked planet Hesprid IV. Also, thanks to a previous incident, four crew members are developing psi powers among themselves. Solar Queen lands on the planet, only to find a crew of alien Tathians who are already engaged in mining but who agree to hand over their claim. Then three pirate ships show up. Unarmed and unable to tackle the pirates, North Star calls the cops before hiding in space. Other problems are caused by the planet's weird native Floaters, who've already zapped several of the Tathians, while the stormy weather approaches a destructive climax. With their newfound psi powers, Solar Queen's crew discover that the Floaters are sentient. So, in exchange for the ore, they arrange to protect the Floaters from the storms, leaving the cops to deal with the pirates. Another solid and agreeable adventure in an unpretentiously serviceable series. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1 Mass Mkt edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812552733
• ISBN-13: 978-0812552737
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #844,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars After 40 years, but the Solar Queen and crew are still fresh, October 6, 1998

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Mind for Trade: A Great New Solar Queen Adventure (A Solar Queen adventure) (Mass Market Paperback)

The Solar Queen and the North Star are checking out the Hesprid IV claim in hopes that they can clear a profit. But several external circumstances seem to be conspiring against them. First there are the unknown ' PSI ' effects being displayed by the apprentices. The planet's extreme fluctuations in EMP, hostile weather, frequent earthquakes, and increasing solar activity, are compounding the dangers of trying to mine any profitable cargo volume. And then there are the other ships 'hiding' within the system who could very well be pirates.

The Solar Queen is back!! When I first began to read science fiction as a teen, Andre Norton was a favorite. In later years she expanded to subject and style areas that I did not, but I always maintained my enjoyment of her 'original' works. 'THE BEAST MASTER', 'THE SIOUX SPACEMAN', and all of the 'Solar Queen' series are still on my 'Favorite Books for life' list! Now, in partnership with Sherwood Smith, Norton has returned to the original 50's sci-fi opera style with two new Solar Queen stories. 'DERELICT FOR TRADE' and 'A MIND FOR TRADE' are better than Cool...

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Solar Queen is Back, October 21, 1999

By 

Sharron Albert - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Mind for Trade: A Great New Solar Queen Adventure (A Solar Queen adventure) (Mass Market Paperback)

I grew up reading Andre Norton. And the adventures of the Solar Queen were always a favorite. Once again the intrepid crew must overcome the obstacles in their pursuit of profitable trade, from pirates and aliens to a strange telepathic link developing between the main characters. Olds fans will enjoy it -- still some of the best young adult sf. This is not "great" sf, but it is a fine rainy afternoon read, and what more can anyone want.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Characterization & Setting, May 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Mind for Trade: A Great New Solar Queen Adventure (A Solar Queen adventure) (Mass Market Paperback)

Yes, another Solar Queen adventure. Again Andre Norton has surpassed the average writer's abilities to write a great book. Sherwood Smith was the reason why I bought this book, he needs to get more books out in print, NOW!