Customer Reviews

The complete adventures of Lucky Starr (Lucky Starr series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Isaac Asimov, one of the principal forces behind modern science fiction, wrote this book under a pseudonym (Paul French), he eventually tired of the pseudonym and in later books put clues into them that should have led most readers to figure out who the actual author was.

This book collects all six Lucky Starr books in one volume. These books are also available individually and in two collections, "The Adventures of Lucky Starr" and "The Further Adventures of Lucky Starr."

"David Starr, Space Ranger"

In this book we meet David Starr, who we will know as Lucky for the remaining five books in the series. David is eating in a restaurant when one of the patrons dies. David is soon on his way to Mars to try and understand the source of the poisonings that have randomly killed a number of Earth people.

Working incognito, David encounters John Bigman Jones, a blustering little man whose courage matches his big mouth. In spite of the help that Bigman gives David, David's life is nearly ended more than once. David also discovers a surprise on Mars that he decides does not need to be revealed to anyone else in the solar system.

Eventually David figures out how the poisoning was done, and who the poisoners are. The ending of this short book is fun and makes this book a quick read.

"Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids"

In this book, Lucky journeys to the asteroid belt to fight the pirates that may have killed his parents. Lucky appears to join the pirates as a trick to get them to reveal where the pirate base is hidden, but he does so without the knowledge of most of those who know him, so he appears to be a traitor. Can Lucky defeat the pirates! Will he survive to clear his name! Only you, the reader, will ever know!

"Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus"

In this book, the third in the series, Lucky and his friend Bigman journey to Venus to learn why Lucky's friend Lou Evans has been accused of corruption. Lou Evans was sent to Venus to investigate incidents on the planet that suggested sabotage. While the incidents were small, they were starting to suggest a possible conspiracy that might involve theft of highly valuable yeast technology from Venus.

As Lucky investigates, he learns a secret about one of the species on Venus. He, Bigman Jones and Lou Evans also encounter the largest life form known to exist in the solar system. Can Lucky, Bigman and Lou survive the encounters with alien life? What is the motivation behind these incidents? Why would Venusian life be dangerous now, when the settlements on Venus have existed for decades? These and other questions will be answered for the intrepid reader!

"Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury"

In this book, the fourth in the Luck Starr series, Lucky and his friend Bigman journey to Mercury to try and learn who is sabotaging an important series of experiments. The plot thickens as Lucky attempts to mislead the leader of the Mercury expedition, an overweight bully, and even Lucky's big-mouthed sidekick, Bigman.

Lucky and Bigman journey through the abandoned mines of Mercury, learning of the hazards in the mine, on the surface, and in the project. Yet, as always, Lucky and Bigman prevail over all, bring the culprits to justice, and ride off into the sunset.

"Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter"

In the fifth in the Luck Starr series, Lucky and his friend Bigman journey to Jupiter to visit the site of a highly important experiment for a new space drive system. The new system, called Agrav, for anti-gravity, is a target of spies from another solar system. Lucky tries to keep the spies from revealing the secret of Agrav while finding the spies.

The plot thickens as we meet a varied cast of characters and wonder which of them might be the spy. Lucky has yet to find the spy when the first Agrav ship is tested. During the test the drive fails and the ship begins to hurtle toward Jupiter and certain death! Can the day be saved? Who is the spy? I leave the exciting conclusion for a reader to discover.

"Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn"

In the sixth and final book in the Lucky Starr series, Lucky and his friend Bigman journey to Saturn as they chase a Sirian spy that has information regarding Earth's defenses. Unfortunately, Lucky is captured by the Sirians and it appears that the Sirians will use Lucky to set all human settled worlds against Earth. Things look tense as a meeting of all human worlds gathers to determine the fate of humankind. Can Earth keep peace? Can the Earth remove a Sirian settlement from the Solar System? How will Lucky and two other Earthmen escape from the clutches of the cold-hearted and sinister Sirians? Read the book and find all the answers!

Isaac Asimov originally wrote the Lucky Starr books in the 1950s. By the time the books were reissued, our knowledge of our solar system had changed dramatically. Flybys and landings from various space craft have invalidated many of Asimov's descriptions, as Asimov explains in a forward to the revised books.

The Lucky Starr books are a casual read and perfect for readers who enjoyed the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet series of books and Heinlein's juvenile books. There is a lot of logic in each of the books, and just enough hard science fiction to tantalize a reader and hopefully cause the reader to learn more. These books do have a flavor of Asimov's other books, but are less sophisticated. I enjoy these books, but some other readers may find them too mundane. I recommend these books carefully, because I do not know which category of reader you may be. Good luck!

Apparently all six Lucky Starr books are in this volume. These are classic Asimov, where all the clues were laid out but you never saw them. They are exciting for perhaps the older juvenile reader. Each chapter ends on a cliffhanger. It's hard to stop reading. It's perhaps a little bit of "space opera", but intelligent, internally consistent, and exciting. Any developing science fiction fan will love it!

Isaac Asimov did as nice a job with the Lucky Starr books as he did with the Robot books and Foundation series.

It's nice to read someone who actually has a vocabulary, and uses it.

Sometimes make you think a little.

Entertaining, thought provoking, futuristic, yet contemporary.

Although annoying at times, because our conventions of characterisation and plot development have changed slightly, this is a fine example of Fifties Science Fiction written by a skilled author for a primarily male juvenile audience. The six books nearly span the decade, the first having been written in 1951 and the last in 1958, and bear the ominous imprint of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR, with the Sirians and their allies standing in for the Soviets, who are here depicted as masters of a society built upon a foundation of robot labour (do we detect a hint of editorialising here?) and as implacable foes of the free citizens of Earth. The technologies through which humanity has spread to encompass the entire galaxy are somewhat glossed over, but considerable effort is made to explain that scientific advances are the key to human success in extending human civilisation to at least our island universe.

As we might recall from the Lone Ranger television series (and the earlier Radio drama), "Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear..." and follow the collected adventures of David "Lucky" Starr, Space Ranger.