The Rebel Worlds [Import] [Paperback]

Poul Anderson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: CORONET; paperback / softback edition (1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340163380
• ISBN-13: 978-0340163382
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,917,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, Fun Space Opera by Anderson, June 20, 2009

By 

Mithridates VI of Pontus (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Rebel Worlds (Signet) (Paperback)

This is the first Poul Anderson book I have finished (I got bogged down in one of his later novels a few years ago). The Rebel Worlds is part of a series of books by Anderson about his main character Dominic Flandry and the failing Terran Empire. The series includes Ensign Flandry (1966), a Circus of Hells (1970), etc. The paradigm of collapsing civilization, decentralization, corruption, despair, rebellion, is by far my favorite sci-fi premise. Space Opera thrives off this sprawling format. What makes Dominic Flandry so appealing (at least to me) was that he sees the state of the failing empire and remains an servant of the Empire. The Hero is content to remain loyal to the Empire. Although I had not read the previous books in the series Anderson gives ample descriptions of his character for first time readers.

(brief plot summary - no spoilers) The story takes place in the last days of the Terran Empire. Barbarians (hark, Ancient Rome analogies proliferate!) threaten the borders of the Empire. ex-Admiral McCormac forced into rebellion gathers discontents (he even employs Barbarians to help his cause!). McCormac's ravishing wive, Kathryn, is rescued by Flandry from a corrupt governor. Flandry falls in love of course. The result of the love triangle is a MAJOR spoiler so I will stop here. Along the way we learn about a particularly fascinating jungle planet and its unique alien inhabitants (comprised of three distinct live forms that gather together to become sentient). Anderson does dwell on descriptions but I did not find that it distracted much from the plot. My main complaint comes from the fact that Anderson skips over MAJOR action sequences. For example, very early in the story Flandry rescues Kathryn and an ingenious plan is hinted at but Anderson never tells us how she was rescued. A nice chapter could have been devoted to this sequence. Perhaps Anderson was working under a stringent page number limit.

Overall, this is fun (albeit semi-empty) Space Opera. The paradigm of decaying empire always holds my attention. Take a peek. 3.75/5

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No development., January 2, 2002

By 

Duane Simolke "author, The Acorn Stories, Deg... (Lubbock, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rebel Worlds (Signet) (Paperback)

I only recently discovered Poul Anderson and plan to read more of his works. Unfortunately, I picked a bad place to start. From his Hugo Award and his many rave reviews, I know he must deserve recognition, but not for this book. He spends most of The Rebel Worlds trying to explain the plot and the different races to the readers, but never really develops much in terms of character or action.