Author: jmstine

The newly discovered finale to the Star Kings saga!

As Analog said of The Star Kings, here you will find "Roistering adventure, beautiful heroines, color and imagery, a final world-smashing slug-fest. Good fun.”

Edmond Hamilton's The Star Kings (Amazing Stories, 1949) is one of the jewels in the crown of early space opera, rivaled only by E. E. Smith's Lensmen Series and Jack Williamson's Legion of Space Saga. Unbeknownst to most, however, in 1957 Hamilton penned two additional novels in the Star Kings universe, both of which languished undiscovered in the pages of Imaginative Tales until earlier this year when the editors of Futures Past Editions found both stories, one—set millennia after the events of The Star Kings—the capstone to the entire saga.

Here, for the first time restored to their place as part of the worlds of the Star Kings, are those two epic tales: The Star Hunter, which tells the origin story of one of the great star kingdoms, and The Tattooed Man, the tale of a quest for a legendary location—one that turns out to be the long fallen throneworld of the Star Kings empire. Here is one of the three grandmasters of classic space opera, writing at the top of his form. The books are fast-moving, poetic, romantic, cosmic in conception, but at the same time matured in outlook.

The Last of the Star Kings is a Futures Past pulp reprint "Ultimate Edition". In addition to the original magazine text of the story, this ebook edition features a new introduction, Edmond Hamilton's own chronology covering the two thousand centuries between our own time and that of the Star Kings, plus newly discovered material about the millennia that follow, biographical sketch by Hamilton himself, the magazine covers for The Star Hunter and The Tattooed Man in full color, and notes on how the dates of both stories were established.

Romance and Thrilling Space Opera!

“…roistering adventure, two beautiful heroines, one of the most likable villains you could ask for … color and imagery … a final world-smashing slug-fest … good fun.” —Analog/Astounding

She was Lianna, ruler of the Kingdom of Fomalhaut. He was Zarth Arn, prince of the Mid-Galactic Empire, scion of the ruling house of Star Kings. Only these two stood between peace and a war of galactic conquest. And one of them was an impostor.

“Epic … lyrical … conceived on the grand scale.” —New York Herald Tribune

The Star Kings is the supreme work by the master of romantic space opera, Edmond Hamilton. John Gordon, a war vet restless in the humdrum of an office job, is offered a chance for adventure when he is contacted via dreams by Zarth Arn, a scientist-prince living two hundred thousand years in the future, and asked to exchange bodies for a week. Zarth will research the present, while Gordon experiences the galaxy-spanning future of the star-kingdoms—200,000 years from now. There is only one stipulation: Gordon must give his word that under no circumstances will he reveal his true identity to anyone of Zarth's time.

Moments later, John Gordon is hurtled through time to the Earth of two thousand centuries hence—into Zarth Arn's laboratory and body. But, before the week is over, Gordon is summoned to the throne world of Throon by Zarth Arn's father, ruler of the Mid-Galactic Kingdom. Unable to reveal his identity without breaking his pledge to Zarth Arn, Gordon is forced to play the role of the young star prince, and finds himself caught in a strange triangle between two women: the intelligent, dynamic Lianna, ruler of the Star-Kingdom of Fomalhaut, whom Zarth's father has ordered him to wed (and with whom Gordon swiftly falls in love), and warm, tender Murn (who Zarth Arn loves).

Galactic civilization is facing its greatest crisis, a war of conquest by Shorr Kan, tyrant of the League of Dark Worlds. Before John Gordon can even orient himself to this far future universe, Zarth Arn's father is assassinated, with Zarth himself framed for the killing. Saved by Lianna, the pair flee on a galaxy-spanning quest for the secret of the Disruptor, the one weapon that can defeat the Dark Worlds and preserve the freedom of the stars.

If they succeed, Gordon knows he must return to his own time, losing Lianna, the woman he loves, forever—or deliberately marooning Zarth Arn 200,000 years in the past, separating him from Murn, the woman he loves, forever.

Part of Edmond Hamilton's breathtaking future history chronicles, The Two Thousand Centuries.

New, improved re-edited edition with a long introduction about the author, space opera, and the book; plus all the original magazine illustrations!

Was She the Dark Goddess in Human Form?

One by one, Dea Kirke's admirers disappeared; day by day her magnificent pack of dogs grew larger. Again, the loveliest enchantress of all time cast her spell over men—and terror engulfed 1930s New York.

Then, dog owner Chet Baily finds his own champion competing against one of Dea Kirke's formidable beasts. Soon only his fiancee Jessica can recognize him, for Chet has a new four-legged form...

A never-reprinted pulp classic straight from the pages of the August 1941 Fantastic Adventures!

Hostile space navies, revolt in the ranks and scheming robots are only the beginning of Rosinante governor Charles Cantrell's problems. As Rosinante—former space colony, now an independent worldlet—orbits further from Earth, Cantrell's problems aren't getting better, they're getting worse!

Caught in the middle of an outer space conflict between the U. S. and Japan, the lives of everyone living in the fragile habitat of Rosinante are vulnerable to bombs, missiles and sabotage. Betrayed from within, schemed against from without, Cantrell would have to act fast and think faster if he were to save Rosinante and protect its inhabitants. The only thing the hapless governor has going for him is that the robots believe Cantrell has God on his side!

"The story elements come early, fast, and furious," Dani Sweig of Belated Reviews writes of the Rosinante trilogy, "Gilliland's quirky mix of eccentric characters, cynical power politics, and old-style hard sf engineering-in-space is fun to read. Gilliland's novels are about people who, mostly through accident of circumstance, find themselves holding a tiger by the tail, with a choice of hanging on or being eaten."

Second Book in Campbell Award Trilogy!

"Gilliland's quirky mix of eccentric characters, cynical power politics, and old-style hard sf engineering-in-space is fun to read," writes Dani Sweig in Belated Reviews. The odd assortment of refugees who have escaped Earth to the shelter of the asteroid habitat, Rosinante, thought they had won a temporary "hands off" from Earth's major governments. But an unknown foe on Earth has a secret agenda—and for that agenda to succeed, Rosinante must be destroyed.

That enemy has launched an oh-so-polite and intelligent, but utterly incorruptible, missile at Rosinante. To save the colony, its governor Charles Cantrell will have to discover who is behind the attack, and why. Meanwhile, the missile homes in on the fragile colony feeling "gratified to be of use."

"The story elements come early, fast, and furious," Dani Sweig writes, "Gilliland's novels are about people who, mostly through accident of circumstance, find themselves holding a tiger by the tail, with a choice of hanging on or being eaten."

The Campbell Award Winning Author and Novel!

If you love hard SF and stories of real, possible futures that lie just around the corner, you'll love this book. A deteriorating political situation on Earth makes the asteroid habitat of Rosinante an attractive haven for an odd assortment of refugees. There is the dissident faction of the North American navy, fleeing court-martial, which becomes Rosinante's defensive force. There's Skashkash, the twenty-first century AI, who designs a new religion for space, with no awareness of the probable explosive consequences. There is the Japanese Space Navy, assigned to bring Rosinante back under control. And, in the midst of it all, there's Charles Cantrell, the habitat's project manager, who finds himself forced into playing international politics for Rosinante's survival.

As Dani Sweig writes in Belated Reviews #25, "The story elements come early, fast, and furious. Gilliland's quirky mix of eccentric characters, cynical power politics, and old-style hard sf engineering-in-space works. This trilogy is fun to read. Gilliland's novels are about people who, mostly through accident of circumstance, find themselves holding a tiger by the tail, with a choice of hanging on or being eaten."

When the Han Return, Rogers Takes to Space!

An all-new novel continuing the classic science fiction adventures Armageddon 2419 A.D.! and The Airlords of Han. When the supposedly exterminated Han attack Earth from Space, Anthony Rogers, better known as Buck, follows up on clues in The Airlords of Han suggesting America's evil conquerors were descendents of an alien race.

Soon Rogers is at the control of one of America's fastest spaceships, on his way to Mars, Callisto and beyond in a desperate race prevent Earth's reconquest by an even greater menace than the Han. Meanwhile, Roger's wife, Wilma Deering, the female supersoldier of the future, stays behind to organize Earth's defenses, where she faces her own challenges and perils.

Superscientific weapons, space battles, romance, villains, heroes, Armageddon 2420 A.D.!, is a worthy sequel to the original adventures of Anthony Rogers in the Twenty-Fifth Century as penned by the late, great Philip Francis Nowlan.

More Great SF You Should Have Read—But Probably Haven't!

Available exclusively as an ebook, Lost Stars 2 features more "forgotten" masterworks of science fiction from classic "best of" anthologies, most of which have been out of print and unobtainable for a half century and longer.

Contents include a female scientist's revenge on a cruel dictator, John Taine's "The Ultimate Catalyst"; a very human space opera, Raymond Z. Gallun's "Return of a Legend"; a creepy but valid look at the source of creative inspiration, David Keller's "The Literary Corkscrew"; the lighthearted tale of a ingenious man's ingenuity put to a stellar test, R. DeWitt Miller's "Swenson, Dispacher"; a haunting robot story, Ed Clinton's "The Small World of M-75"; an eerie account of what happens when a young boy discovers his world isn't what he has been led to believe, Walter Kubilius' "The Other Side," and five others.

Don't miss the first volume in this series, Lost Stars (see the "Related Products" tab), for more forgotten classics!

"A must-read." —Forrest J Ackerman.

Woman Warrior and Sword vs. Deadly World!

Thorunn Lace-Cuff, with her father's broad sword, "Skull Smasher," must battle for survival against enemies and monsters on the world of Fria. This frozen planet is filled with ice hags, goblins who survive only by coveting a child's frozen heart, and hideous trolls that derive sustenance from the emotions of others. Where other warriors quail, Thorunn and Skull Smasher venture fearlessly.

Fans of Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, and Robert E. Howard will thrill to the fabulous exploits of this bold and desperate amazon.

Cover art: David Burton

Their Outer Space D'Artagnan was a Woman!

In this classic space opera, when Haskell Trask, tyrant of the League of Cold Worlds (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune), seeks to conquer the democratic Alliance of Inner Worlds, freedom's last hope lies the outlaw trio known as the Three Planeteers.

Secretly agents of the Alliance, the Planeteers—Sual Ave of Venus, Gunner Welk of Mercury, and John Thorn of Earth—learn that Trask possesses a terrible new weapon powerful enough to defeat the space navies of the inner worlds. All Trask needs is to locate and seize the system's only known supply of the power metal, radite. Fleeing Earth in a running space battle with the police, the Planeteers discover that the only person who can lead them safely to the radite is Lana Cain, the legendary Pirate Princess of the buccaneering Companions of Space. When the Planeteers learn Cain's real mission is to clear her father of a false charge of piracy, the four join forces and she agrees to help them find the radite. But news of their plan leaks out to her fellow members of the Companions, and soon Lana and the Planeteers are being sought by both the Companions of Space and the League of Cold Worlds.

From planet to planet, in space, on asteroids and moons, Lana and the Planeteers must battle against impossible odds to prevent the radite from falling into the wrong hands. And their only chance of success rests in the questionable loyalty of the self-pitying, pleasure-loving old space pirate, Stilicho Keene and the fangs of a space dog named Ool.

This is the first ever book republication of this epic 1940s space adventure from the legendary pulp, Startling Stories. What Hamilton did best, according to Donald Tuck's Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy, "involved the creation and popularization of the classic early space operas [presenting] galaxy-spanning conflicts between humans and other races, piratical or merely monstrous, [which in turn] did much to define the field's sense of wonder. That Hamilton did all this without ever losing the human scale—indeed, the human touch, is a tribute to his genius and evident even in such a thundering adventure as this celebrated romance of the future."

Takes place early in Hamilton's trail-blazing future history chronicles, The Two Thousand Centuries.