Amazon.com: The Currents of Space (The Empire Novels): Isaac Asimov: Books

Review

“Obviously, Isaac Asimov had a lot of fun concocting this merry tangle of interplanetary power politics. . . . If it isn't often science-fiction, it is always beautifully contrived melodrama. The reader will have just as much fun as Mr. Asimov.”
--The New York Times on The Currents of Space

"Science fiction on the larger scale is Isaac Asimov's specialty. . . . Clear writing and excellent suspense make this book a welcome addition to the science fiction lists."
--The New York Times on The Stars, Like Dust

“How do you explain Isaac Asimov to Earth men? How do you even begin to describe that glorious union of all-American optimism, bleeding-heart Yiddishkeit, and cutting-edge science speculation? You can’t. He’s one of a kind. . . . Psycho-history buffs will love this book for its through-the-looking-glass view of the Foundation series. Everyone else will love it because it’s fun, fun, fun.”
--Fantasy & Science Fiction on Pebble in the Sky

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

High above the planet Florinia, the Squires of Sark live in unimaginable wealth and comfort. Down in the eternal spring of the planet, however, the native Florinians labor ceaselessly to produce the precious kyrt that brings prosperity to their Sarkite masters.

Rebellion is unthinkable and impossible. Not only do the Florinians no longer have a concept of freedom, any disruption of the vital kyrt trade would cause other planets to rise in protest, ultimately destabilizing trade and resulting in a galactic war. So the Trantorian Empire, whose grand plan is to unite all humanity in peace, prosperity, and freedom, has stood aside and allowed the oppression to continue.

Living among the workers of Florinia, Rik is a man without a memory or a past. He has been abducted and brainwashed. Barely able to speak or care for himself when he was found, Rik is widely regarded as a simpleton by the worker community where he lives. But as his memories begin to return, Rik finds himself driven by a cryptic message he is determined to deliver: Everyone on Florinia is doomed . . . the Currents of Space are bringing destruction. But if the planet is evacuated, the power of Sark will end--so some would finish the job and would kill the messenger. The fate of the Galaxy hangs in the balance.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Spectra (December 1, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553293419
ISBN-13: 978-0553293418
Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #889,512 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

28 Reviews

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Asimov I've read so far!, October 29, 2001

By	Ritesh Laud (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Currents of Space (Mass Market Paperback)

I just finished this book a couple nights ago. I've also read all four Robot novels and the first Empire book Stars Like Dust. I have to say that out of those books, The Currents of Space drew me in the most and really delivered!

The Trantorian Empire is rapidly approaching its full conquest of the galaxy. However, the wealthy planet Sark is one of the relatively few major obstacles remaining to the Trantorians in their mission. Sark is independent and important to the galaxy for its sale of the extremely valuable substance known as kyrt. Kyrt is similar in some ways to cotton but vastly superior in other respects, and it's only available from Sark.

However, Sark doesn't produce the kyrt itself. For some unknown reason, kyrt grows *only* on the nearby planet of Florina. Sark basically uses the Florinian natives as cheap slave labor to harvest and process the kyrt. No one has been able to get kyrt to grow elsewhere as anything but plain cotton. Thus, Sark has become wealthy and powerful. In addition, though Trantor could easily subdue Sark militarily, it would face the wrath of the rest of the galaxy for disrupting the supply of kyrt. Naturally, Sark depends entirely on its exploitation of Florina for its wealth.

Now enter a man who knows that Florina is doomed and that the immensely important kyrt production may be in jeopardy. This leads to a fantastic tale of political intrigue, murder, and sci-fi that somehow seems to have a lot more substance than the 200 pages it takes up. Read it!

If you can get it, that is. All three Empire novels are out of print. I suggest trying online auctions or used book stores.

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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely one of Asimov's best, July 26, 1999

By	John Domby (UNC Chapel Hill, NC) - See all my reviews

This is certainly the best of the three Empire novels, and one of Asimov's best science fiction novels of any type. I love his early fiction in general more than his later stuff, like FOundation and Earth and Robots and Empire and Nemesis. In comparison, Currents is much tighter, and more cleanly written, with a plot that GRIPS you like a good mystery(which, I think, is the type of writer Asimov was at heart). My one regret about this novel is that it is one of the last of his that I have to read, and I don't want to be left without any more. And if there was one thing I was left wanting in the book, it was for a certain kiss(not to give away anything) to develop into something more-- but I suppose that is the working of modern hack-fiction on me, and Asimov's abstinence from such cheap "attention-catchers" demonstrates his superior writing ability. He didn't NEED that to make the book more interesting.

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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Empire and Robot novels, November 10, 2000

By	Craig MACKINNON (Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Having read all of Asimov's early works, it's fair to say that this is the best of the crop of the Empire novels, and is better than all the Robot novels as well. It's not quite up to the Foundation stories, hence the rating of 4 stars.

The plot is interesting, and has aged well. There is not very much that makes you snicker in the light of current scientific knowledge. He has a lot of characters for a 200 page book, but it is never confusing; they are individuals and it's easy to keep them separated in your mind. The story draws you in and keeps you interested from beginning to end.

Asimov had the tendency to throw too many cliffhangers/revelations that didn't go anywhere in his early novels (as compared to, say, Nightfall), and it feels like he's cheaply manipulating the reader. This book, while containing some of these events, are far more logical and less contrived than in the other Empire and Robot novels. This makes it a far more enjoyable read.

It is a shame that these books are out of print. I think the fact that 14 people have written reviews of this book points to the fact that there is still a following for Asimov out there, and maybe the publishers should print another edition of these early books, even in a single volume (as each Empire book is only 200 pages or so).

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Action-packed far future detective thriller by one of the best writers of SF ever
In this story of a far-flung humanity, the planet Florina is subjugated by the planet Sark. But when a Spatio-analyst learns that the world of Florina is soon to be extinct, a web... Read more

Published 6 hours ago by Sacramento Book Review

4.0 out of 5 stars Really good story, exciting and suspenseful.
Again Asimov enthralls us with another exciting and suspenful story with good characters and fast action. Read more

Published 19 days ago by N. Colon

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Asimov
Legendary author Isaac Asimov has written a tale full of murder and political intrigue along with some great science fiction. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Jeffrey T. Munson

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read
A great book which showcases the perils of capitalist profit dictating what can and can't be done. Asimov demonstrates that if the rich would lose too much luxury and wealth in... Read more

Published 10 months ago by SF Review

4.0 out of 5 stars Early Asimov Still Beats Par
It is really an enormous tragedy that so many of Isaac Asimov's great Science Fiction works remain out of print. The three `Empire' novels by Asimov are a great example. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Peter Dykhuis

3.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Early Asimov Empire Novel
This early Isaac Asimov novel is set in the same "Universe" as Asimov's Foundation series, and is one of a group of early Asimov novels often referred to as the "Empire" series... Read more

Published 22 months ago by Roger J. Buffington

3.0 out of 5 stars The Best Of The Galactic Empire Novels
After finishing "The Stars, Like Dust", Asimov started working on a third novel which would be called "The Currents of Space", which he was intending to publish in "Astounding"... Read more

Published on January 1, 2007 by Dave_42

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Adventure
This is easily the best of the three "Empire Novels". In fact, I found this story to be better than those from Asimov's more famous Foundation Trilogy. Read more

Published on July 2, 2004 by Stewart Teaze

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Foundation Prequel
When a man known only as Rik finds himself on the planet of Florina, he has no memory of his past and little hope for the future. Read more

Published on January 13, 2004 by Garrett J. Menning

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid slab of science fiction, if not a classic
The Currents of Space is the second of Isaac Asimov's Empire novels, the first one being The Stars, Like Dust, and the final one being Pebble In The Sky. Read more

Published on September 19, 2003 by VoodooLord7

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