《Appointment at Bloodstar 》作者：- E. E. _Doc_ Smith & Stephen Goldin【

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And a circus. Yes this really does have it all. Swashbuckling, daring rescues, evil conspiracies, and the silent band in the Service Of The Empire or SOTE - super-secret protectors of the imperial family. The good guys (and gals) are teeth-achingly good, so of course the bad guys (and gals) don't stand a chance.


This is fifth in Doc Smith's little-known Family D'Alembert series, a 1970s successor to his earlier Lensman and Skylark space operas. These aren't quite so technologically whiz-bang as the earlier books, and not so mired in the stereotypes of the Eisenhower era ideals. Unfortunately, Smith and Goldin never manage to regain that melodramatic sense of straight-faced, goofy heroism that makes the earlier books so memorable. What's new, compared to the older series, is a post-Neolithic view of women and a flailing attempt at emotional depth. The latter tops out around high school level, though, based on soured sibling rivalries and girl-fights to see who gets the boy.


The only reason to read this is A) a nostalgic attachment to Smith's earlier work, in the vain hope that the magic could be rekindled, B) you're stranded on a desert island with only this and a parrot, and you've already read the newspapers in the bottom of the cage,or C) you're a nine year old boy and want something more sophisticated but without all that mushy stuff.