Books › The Skylark of Space
The Skylark of Space
First published 1980 · 528 pages
A breathless, retro-futuristic joyride fueled by boundless optimism and the sheer thrill of cosmic discovery.
What it feels like
Reading this foundational space opera feels like strapping into a rocket ship built of pure, unadulterated 1920s optimism. The narrative moves at a propulsive, breakneck speed, dragging you through a cosmos painted in the bright, primary colors of early pulp science fiction. There is an earnest, almost innocent enthusiasm to the prose, which delights in throwing out pseudo-scientific jargon and escalating the stakes to unimaginable, galactic proportions. The mood is one of constant, wide-eyed wonder mixed with melodramatic peril. It is a delightfully retro experience, perfect for readers who want to surrender to the sheer, unironic fun of square-jawed heroes, dastardly villains, and the boundless, dazzling potential of the universe before the genre grew cynical.
- Mood
- adventurous
- retro-futuristic
- awe-struck
- dazzling
- Tone
- earnest
- enthusiastic
- melodramatic
- optimistic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- boundless potential of science · thrill of discovery · good versus evil · human ingenuity · cosmic scale
- The writing
- Pulpy and exclamation-heavy, packed with pseudo-scientific jargon delivered with breathless, unironic enthusiasm.
- The arc
- Moves from grounded, earthbound rivalry into a breathless, awe-inspiring escalation of cosmic survival and triumphant return.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave the unironic, wide-eyed wonder and high-stakes adventure of golden-age pulp science fiction.
Content notes
- dated cultural attitudes
- kidnapping
- mild violence
About the book
Skylark Series, Book 1 of 4
Brilliant government scientist Richard Seaton discovers a remarkable faster-than-light fuel that will power his interstellar spaceship, The Skylark. His ruthless rival, Marc DuQuesne, and the sinister World Steel Corporation will do anything to get their hands on the fuel. They kidnap Seaton's fiancée and friends, unleashing a furious pursuit and igniting a burning desire for revenge that will propel The Skylark across the galaxy and back. The Skylark of Space is the first and one of the best space operas ever written. Breezy dialogue, romantic intrigue, fallible heroes, and complicated villains infuse humanity and believability into a conflict of galactic proportions. The Amazing Stories publication of The Skylark of Space in 1928 heralded the debut of a major new voice in American pulp science fiction and ushered in its golden age. Legions of interstellar epics have been written since that time, but none can match the wonder, dazzle, and sheer fun of the original.
Description from Open Library.
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