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Orbit Unlimited (The Gregg Press science fiction series) by [Poul Anderson]

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Poul Anderson

Orbit Unlimited (The Gregg Press science fiction series) Kindle Edition

by Poul Anderson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Seeking freedom from their oppressive government on Earth, a ragtag group of idealists embark on a perilous journey to found a new world light-years from home

On a future Earth, gone are the halcyon days of the early space program, when the universe held endless promise and excitement. Overcrowded, ruled by a corrupt autocracy, and plagued by vast economic inequalities, life on Earth has become nightmarish, and the promise of a world beyond the planet is diminishing rapidly as the government begins shuttering its interstellar efforts. But for a small band of rebels called Constitutionalists, escaping into the vast universe beyond is the only hope. And so off they set for a distant planet where they can start over, building a new society on the principle of liberty, testing the very limits of human capability. Their years-long trip is not without its tribulations, from internecine conflict on the ship to ambiguous pleas from Earth to return. Their destination, an Earth-like planet called Rustum, is twenty light-years away, and through every treacherous moment of the journey they know that their most harrowing trials are yet to come when they finally reach their new home.

The story of Rustum and the Constitutionalists who settled there continues in New America.

Print length

287 pages
Language

English
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Publisher

Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Publication date

December 30, 2014
File size

3721 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Poul Anderson is] one of science fiction’s authentic geniuses.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“Anderson fuses elegiac prose and a sweeping vision of man’s technological future …” —Booklist

“One of science fiction’s giants.” —Arthur C. Clarke

About the Author

“[Poul Anderson is] one of science fiction’s authentic geniuses.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“Anderson fuses elegiac prose and a sweeping vision of man’s technological future …” —Booklist

“One of science fiction’s giants.” —Arthur C. Clarke

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00PI18256
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy (December 30, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 30, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3721 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 287 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #493,596 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #853 in Colonization Science Fiction eBooks
- #1,075 in Colonization Science Fiction
- #3,367 in Dystopian Fiction

Customer Reviews:
27 ratings

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"Poul Anderson (1926-2001) grew up bilingual in a Danish American family. After discovering science fiction fandom and earning a physics degree at the University of Minnesota, he found writing science fiction more satisfactory. Admired for his ""hard"" science fiction, mysteries, historical novels, and ""fantasy with rivets,"" he also excelled in humor. He was the guest of honor at the 1959 World Science Fiction Convention and at many similar events, including the 1998 Contact Japan 3 and the 1999 Strannik Conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Besides winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, he has received the Gandalf, Seiun, and Strannik, or ""Wanderer,"" Awards. A founder of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, he became a Grand Master, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

In 1952 he met Karen Kruse; they married in Berkeley, California, where their daughter, Astrid, was born, and they later lived in Orinda, California. Astrid and her husband, science fiction author Greg Bear, now live with their family outside Seattle."

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

27 global ratings

5 star		44%
4 star		34%
3 star		13%
2 star		6%
1 star		3%

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John Harrison

Libertarians In Spaaaaaaaace!!!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is not a terrible read. Kind of preachy in places, but it’s Poul Anderson, so the narrative is worth it.

Helpful

Very good science fiction from one of the greats

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 13, 2012

Verified Purchase

"Orbit Unlimited" is not the best of Poul Anderson's writing, but it is not bad at all. At its core this is a political novel. Totalitarianism has overtaken most of unified Earth. America still has a streak of libertarianism and a group called the Constitutionalists has come to find society on Earth intolerable. Constitutionalism, as defined by this movement, has a double meaning. Superficially it refers to reverence of the American Constitution. But its deeper meaning is a respect for the universe as it is actually "constituted" (i.e. objective reality) as opposed to the Eastern mysticism which is coming to dominate Earth.

Eventually the Earth authorities and the Constitutionalists find one another mutually intolerable, and the Constitutionalists manage to amass capital and backing to leave Earth to undertake the colonization of the planet Rustum -- the only known semi-Earthlike planet. With this theme as a backdrop Poul Anderson weaves a pretty good yarn about interstellar travel and what it might be like someday.

My main criticism of this novel is its dark pessimism with respect to the future of humanity on Earth. Anderson quite rightly believes that mankind has a destiny out among the stars. Hopefully mankind on Earth will be part of that adventure and not fall victim to political oppression. Recommended. RJB.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Among his most successful novel from the early part of his career.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 24, 2012

I have yet to see any problem, however complicated, which, when looked at in the right way did not become still more complicated - Poul Anderson

The fixed-up novel Orbits Unlimited (1961) by Poul Anderson (1926-2001) is, in my estimation, among his most successful from the early part of his career.

Anderson draws parallels between the Quakers and the Russian old Believers [mentioned in the novel] and the constitutionalist: technology types upset with the existing welfare state. The Constitutional party decides to embark on a space voyage to a world that will support life. This avoids a violent revolution, utilizes the dry-docked space fleet and spreads man to the stars. The book is divided into several parts; the decision to immigrate, conflicts during the deep-sleep expedition and the challenges of setting up the colony. I found the plot expositions logical and the characters sympathetic and creditable. Along with a damn fine story we get some thoughtful ruminations of how a society might best serve its constituents.

"Portions of this book appeared, in somewhat different form, in ''Astounding Science Fiction'' for January 1959 and January 1960, and in ''Fantastic Universe'' for October 1959."

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Dorothy Steffensen

Spectacular Imagery

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 15, 2017

I have read this author for years. He has only gotten better. Speculative world- and culture- building of the pure science fiction genre.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Sensei Mike

A story with depth hampered by typos from the original manuscript

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 29, 2015

This review is for the ebook issued by Open Road Media. I was reading the sample chapters, and I was struck by the depth of the story and development of characters. However, there were several typos in the manuscript in just that short section -- "Ms" for "his" -- which happens often with OCR scanners and the older fonts in paperbacks. I love the story, but typos always take me outside of the story. Once an updated version, with better copy editing is complete, I will buy this book. Until then I have to give it "3" stars, unfortunately.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Mithridates VI of Pontus

Uninspired/Standard Planet Colonization Novel

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 24, 2009

Poul Anderson's Orbit Unlimited is comprised of four short stories linked together chronologically and occasionally by recurrent characters. This structure is essentially a loose form novel. The first section describes the persecuted Constitutionalists (essentially Libertarians). There is a actually an interesting twist to this section however it feels very abrupt and hasty and leaves the reader at a loss (why didn't the father reconcile with the son?). The next section is from the perspective of the fleet captain (leading the colonization fleet) nearing the point of no return (i.e. if they are to head back to earth they need to or else it would take equally as long getting back as if they arrived at the destination and turned around - or something like that). This is actually the most interesting section since Anderson explores some themes that crop up in his later novels relating the culture the spacemen. Of course, he is not forward thinking enough to have women in the space crews and thus depicts the spacemen as sexist (the captain constantly worries that the women will be raped and even keeps them veiled). Anderson also explores the concept of time dilation etc. The "Most Dangerous Voyage of All Time" blurb on he front cover is essentially wishful thinking. The last two short stories describe the actually time on the planet. The planet is actually quite interesting so I won't give away its secrets since there isn't much else of to hold your attention in terms of plot/tension/culture/characters.

My main gripe is that Poul Anderson's characters are quite sexist. Women are veiled on the spaceships. On the planet the mothers are too scared to do much (even the most "developed" of the few female characters). Poul Anderson raises some interesting ideas. The colonists divide into small family units and when they settle the mayor of the colony seeks to rectify this situation since it will spell disaster for the colony in the future.

On the whole its almost worth a read. If you enjoy Poul Anderson then it probably is worthwhile. 3/5

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