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Skylark (series)
''Skylark'' is a science fiction/ space opera series by American writer E. E. Smith. In the first book, ''The Skylark of Space'' (first published in ''Amazing Stories'' in 1928), a scientist discovers a space-drive, builds a starship, and flies off with three companions to encounter alien civilizations and fight a larger-than-life villain. ''The Skylark of Space'' was the first of a series which continued through three subsequent books—''Skylark Three'' and ''Skylark of Valeron'' written during the 1930s, and '' Skylark DuQuesne'', written in 1963. R. D. Mullen declared that "The great success of the stories was surely due first of all to the skill with which Smith mixed elements of the spy thriller and the western story (our hero is the fastest gun in space, our villain the second fastest) with those of the traditional cosmic voyage." [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Space Opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and social advancements (or lack thereof) in faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and sophisticated technology, on a backdrop of galactic empires and interstellar wars with fictional aliens, often in fictional galaxies. The term has no relation to opera music, but is instead a play on the terms "soap opera", a melodramatic television series, and " horse opera", which was coined during the 1930s to indicate a clichéd and formulaic Western film. Space operas emerged in the 1930s and continue to be produced in literature, film, comics, television, video games and board games. An early film which was based on space-opera comic strips was ''Flash Gordon'' (1936), created by Alex Raymond. '' Perry Rhodan'' (1961–) is the most successfu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Skylark Of Space
''The Skylark of Space'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Edward E. "Doc" Smith, written between 1915 and 1921 while Smith was working on his doctorate. Though the original idea for the novel was Smith's, he co-wrote the first part of the novel with Lee Hawkins Garby, the wife of his college classmate and later neighbor Carl Garby. The novel starts as an edisonade, but turns into a space travel adventure when the characters go into deep space. ''The Skylark of Space'' is considered to be one of the earliest novels of interstellar travel and the first example of space opera. Originally serialized in 1928 in the magazine ''Amazing Stories'', it was first published in book form in 1946 by the Buffalo Book Co. The novel was followed by three sequels, beginning with ''Skylark Three''. Plot synopsis : ''Note: This synopsis is consistent with the novel in its later forms (1946 and subsequent editions) but differs in detail from the original 1928 text as transcribed at P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amazing Stories
''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances in other magazines, including some published by Gernsback, but ''Amazing'' helped define and launch a new genre of pulp fiction. As of 2018, ''Amazing'' has been published, with some interruptions, for 92 years, going through a half-dozen owners and many editors as it struggled to be profitable. Gernsback was forced into bankruptcy and lost control of the magazine in 1929. In 1938 it was purchased by Ziff-Davis, who hired Raymond A. Palmer as editor. Palmer made the magazine successful though it was not regarded as a quality magazine within the science fiction community. In the late 1940s ''Amazing'' presented as fact stories about the Shaver Mystery, a lurid mythos that explained accidents and disaster as the work of robots named deros, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spacecraft Propulsion
Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. In-space propulsion exclusively deals with propulsion systems used in the vacuum of space and should not be confused with space launch or atmospheric entry. Several methods of pragmatic spacecraft propulsion have been developed each having its own drawbacks and advantages. Most satellites have simple reliable chemical thrusters (often monopropellant rockets) or resistojet rockets for orbital station-keeping and some use momentum wheels for attitude control. Soviet bloc satellites have used electric propulsion for decades, and newer Western geo-orbiting spacecraft are starting to use them for north–south station-keeping and orbit raising. Interplanetary vehicles mostly use chemical rockets as well, although a few have used ion thrusters and Hall-effect thrusters (two different types of electric propulsion) to great success. Hypothetical in-space propulsion technologies des ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Starship
A starship, starcraft, or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between planetary systems. The term is mostly found in science fiction. Reference to a "star-ship" appears as early as 1882 in '' Oahspe: A New Bible''. While NASA's ''Voyager'' and ''Pioneer'' probes have traveled into local interstellar space, the purpose of these uncrewed craft was specifically interplanetary, and they are not predicted to reach another star system (although ''Voyager 1'' will travel to within 1.7 light years of Gliese 445 in approximately 40,000 years). Several preliminary designs for starships have been undertaken through exploratory engineering, using feasibility studies with modern technology or technology thought likely to be available in the near future. In April 2016, scientists announced Breakthrough Starshot, a Breakthrough Initiatives program, to develop a proof-of-concept fleet of small centimeter-sized light sail spacecraft named ''StarCh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skylark Three
''Skylark Three'' is a science fiction novel by American writer E. E. Smith, the second in his ''Skylark'' series. Originally serialized through the ''Amazing Stories'' magazine in 1930, it was first collected in book form in 1948 by Fantasy Press. Plot synopsis ''Skylark Three'' (1948) is the second book in the ''Skylark'' series and is set a year after the events of ''The Skylark of Space'', during which year antagonist Marc "Blackie" DuQuesne has used the wealth obtained in the previous book to buy a controlling interest in the story's 'World Steel Corporation', a large company known for its ruthless attitude. When the story begins DuQuesne announces a long absence from Earth, to find another species more knowledgeable than the Osnomians allied with protagonist Richard Seaton. Shortly thereafter, DuQuesne and a henchman disappear from Earth. DuQuesne, by now aware of the 'Object Compass' trained on him, travels far enough to break the connection, then turns toward the 'Green ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skylark Of Valeron
''Skylark of Valeron'' is a science fiction novel by the American writer E. E. Smith, the third in his Skylark series. Originally serialized in the magazine ''Astounding'' in 1934, it was first collected in book form in 1949 by Fantasy Press. Plot summary The story continued from the last scenes of battle in ''Skylark Three''. Having pursued and destroyed the fleeing Fenachrone colony spaceship, The Skylarkers decided to explore the galaxy seen up ahead, to take the opportunity offered by the great velocity resulted from the chase and the distance they had traveled. Along the way, Seaton discovered thought is a phenomenon of the "sixth order", and developed the technologies in relation with it. Meanwhile, DuQuesne's ruse faking death (see Skylark Three) fooled all the Fenachronians, the Skylarkers and the Norlaminians. He successfully deceived the Norlaminians into giving him everything the Norlaminians had given Seaton, eluded their watchful eyes, returned to Earth and quickly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skylark DuQuesne
''Skylark DuQuesne'' is a science fiction novel by American writer E. E. Smith, the final novel in his ''Skylark'' series. Written as Smith's last novel in 1965 and published shortly before his death, it expands on the characterizations of the earlier novels (written 1919 - about 1938) with some discrepancies (some of which may relate to unwritten background developments). Marc DuQuesne, the major villain of the three previous novels, is shown to have matured, reformed, and been offered a chance at what amounts to a pardon for his prior crimes against the heroes. The book ends with Dick Seaton and DuQuesne teaming up to perpetrate a galaxy-wide genocide against the Chlorans, causing all their suns to go nova. This act is condoned with the argument that otherwise the Chlorans would have eventually broken out of their galaxy and taken over the entire universe; Seaton compares the Chlorans to a cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Science Fiction Studies
''Science Fiction Studies'' (''SFS'') is an academic journal founded in 1973 by R. D. Mullen. The journal is published three times per year at DePauw University. As the name implies, the journal publishes articles and book reviews on science fiction, but also occasionally on fantasy and horror when the topic also covers some aspect of science fiction as well. Known as one of the major academic publications of its type, ''Science Fiction Studies'' is considered the most "theoretical" of the academic journals that publish on science fiction. History ''SFS'' has had three different institutional homes during its lifetime. It was founded in 1973 at Indiana State University by the late English professor Dr. R. D. Mullen, where it remained for approximately five years. In 1978, it moved to McGill University and then to Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, where it was supported by a Canadian government grant until 1991. ''SFS'' was brought back to Indiana to DePauw University i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spacewar!
''Spacewar!'' is a Space combat game, space combat video game developed in 1962 by Steve Russell (computer scientist), Steve Russell in collaboration with Martin Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, Robert Alan Saunders, Bob Saunders, Steve Piner, and others. It was written for the newly installed Digital Equipment Corporation, DEC PDP-1 minicomputer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After its initial creation, ''Spacewar!'' was expanded further by other students and employees of universities in the area, including Dan Edwards and Peter Samson. It was also spread to many of the few dozen installations of the PDP-1 computer, making ''Spacewar!'' the first known video game to be played at multiple computer installations. The game features two space vehicle, spaceships, "the needle" and "the wedge", engaged in a dogfight while maneuvering in the gravity well of a star. Both ships are controlled by human players. Each ship has limited weaponry and fuel for maneuvering, and the ships re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a printing or publishing format by which a single larger work, often a work of narrative fiction, is published in smaller, sequential instalments. The instalments are also known as ''numbers'', ''parts'' or ''fascicles'', and may be released either as separate publications or within sequential issues of a periodical publication, such as a magazine or newspaper. Serialisation can also begin with a single short story that is subsequently turned into a series. Historically, such series have been published in periodicals. Popular short-story series are often published together in book form as collections. Early history The growth of moveable type in the 17th century prompted episodic and often disconnected narratives such as ''L'Astrée'' and '' Le Grand Cyrus''. At that time, books remained a premium item, so to reduce the price and expand the market, publishers produced large works in lower-cost instalments called fascicles. These had the added a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
