Universe against Her [Paperback]

James Schmitz (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Ace (November 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441845770
• ISBN-13: 978-0441845774
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,022,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun adventure fantasy about a female telepath, April 27, 2000

By 

Bruce Ewing (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Universe against Her (Paperback)

James Schmitz wrote a bunch of loosely connected stories (mostly short stories), and this is the first one about Telzey Amberdon -- his favorite telepathic character. My detailed rating for this book would be 4.0. This book has been combined with another, to create the currently published "Telzey Amberdon." The story is mostly an adventure story. That is, the EVENTS that happen in the book are the most interesting part of the story. The characters, scenery, universe, history, etc. are not described in any real detail. By the end of the book, you still don't "know" Telzey. But she is a telepath, and there seem to be many interesting things you can do with telepathy! And you get into some sticky fixes too. Schmitz did an admirable job creating a very strong female character, for people who care about such things. And her adventures are fun to read -- but none of the characters in the book are greatly likeable, and that makes it all come out a little flat. I think the book gets a little dull to reread many times -- it loses a little sparkle each time through.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars read this first if you're new to Schmitz, March 23, 2007

By 

harborsparrow "geek, gardener, ecclectic foll... (Kingston, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Universe Against Her (Vintage Ace SF, F-314) (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm a long-standing fan of the writings of James H. Schmitz, the author of a number of remarkable science fiction novels and stories originally published between 1960 and 1974. I enjoy them for their bold female characters (surprising even by today's standards), for the author's deft handling of psionics, and for his surprisingly accurate forsight of certain technologies such as cell phones.

Many of Schmitz' writings fall into one of two universes and have many interlocking characters. He wrote one set of tales set in the universe of the "Agent of Vega" series. He created a different universe in the "Federation of the Hub" series which includes over two dozen stories and novels (this is the first novel set in that environment). His writings exist as eight novels and fifty-odd stories in several collections, most of which have thankfully been reprinted by Baen books.

The Universe Against Her was first published in 1964. It consists of two episodes which can be regarded as the first two Telsey Amberdon adventures. Despite the juvenile title (and equally silly pictures on the front of the book), I found this to be a great read. If you're new to Schmitz, this book would be a very good place to start.

MILD SPOILERS: The first of the two episodes describes how a very young Telsey first learns about her psionic ability, which then allows her to overcome several obstacles and avert an impending disaster. The second episode involves Telsey working to gain greater control over her new-found talent and struggling to avoid being a tool of the powerful Psychology Service.

The TV series Babylon 5, and the recent Vorkosigan novels by Lois McMaster Bujold, owe something to the excellent legacy of Schmitz and especially the Telzey character first introduced in this book. Highly recommended!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for the forever young, September 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The universe against her (The Gregg Press science fiction series) (Hardcover)

I should have guessed from the cover picture that The Universe.. was a book for adolescents. I started reading a couple of chapters then gave up. Then one rainy day, I decided to pick the slimmest volume on the shelf and promised myself to read the book to the end. The Universe got picked, and guess what? I not only managed to finish it but I enjoyed it. I guess we all have a child somewhere inside us waiting for an opportunity to get out and enjoy his/herself.