Eternal Frontier - James H. Schmitz

The final collection, (as opposed to novel) and the sixth of seven books in Baen's complete James H. Schmitz run. It is also a good one.

This collects the collected assorted other stories that were not related to the major series characters or other work of the authors. The editors break them up into several sections thematically:

Adventures in Time and Space
Homo Excelsior - stories concerned with a superhuman theme
Dark Visions - a few darker or tending towards horror tales
Time for Crime - crime stories, a few of which are non-sf

Finishing with a short novel at the end.

There are a few average stories here, but the overwhelming majority is above average or even btter, so well worth the time.

The only bad thing, having read the Karres book first, is that it is now over for me. This is certainly one author I'd like to revisit.

If the author sounds interesting to you, check out the Baen Free Library - several books there, and stories from the other couple are available as samples, too.

Eternal Frontier : The Big Terrarium - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Summer Guests - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Captives of the Thieve-Star - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Caretaker - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : One Step Ahead - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Left Hand Right Hand - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : The Ties of Earth - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Spacemaster - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : The Altruist - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Oneness - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : We Don't Want Any Trouble - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Just Curious - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Would You? - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : These Are the Arts - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Clean Slate - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Crime Buff - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Ham Sandwich - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Where the Time Went - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : An Incident on Route 12 - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Swift Completion - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : Faddist - James H. Schmitz
Eternal Frontier : The Eternal Frontiers - James H. Schmitz

"Wilma is a charming life-form," it stated then, somewhat to Fred's surprise, "whereas the Cooney is as offensive as he is ignorant. I approve of your attitude, Fred! How do you intend to kill him?"

3.5 out of 5


Other dimension stinger Green.

3.5 out of 5


"WHOO-WHOOO!" it howled. "This is the Space Ghost!"

3 out of 5


Shocking planet encounter a fair bit uglier than it seems.

3 out of 5


Got to get this Terrestrial League together!

3.5 out of 5


Got to do something about this Hammerhead-penguin guys - both lots!

3.5 out of 5


"...began to matter when New Minders developed a conscious interest in what was now called psi. That was an Earth life ability which had its purpose in keeping the patterns intact; and only the New Mind, which had intelligence without responsibility, was capable of using psi individualistically and destructively."

3.5 out of 5


Empire genetic rise and fall.

3 out of 5


Unseen Agency Normal Loss.

3 out of 5


Mars Convict FTL Machine communication torture.

3.5 out of 5


Hope the alien overlords don't think we are too cute.

4 out of 5


Getting rid of the mind power problem.

3.5 out of 5


Things are fine just how they are.

3.5 out of 5


Galactic Community Symbol Craze resistance.

3.5 out of 5


Accelerated education superman failure.

3.5 out of 5


Comprehensive family education.

4 out of 5


Food illlusion scam psi recruiting.

3.5 out of 5


Subjective time theft.

3.5 out of 5


Faraway body snatch.

4 out of 5


Mailed in his own murder fail.

3.5 out of 5


Diet end plan a fertile one.

3.5 out of 5


"And . . . that's it."

To quote Eric Flint, that is the whole lot of James H. Schmitz in these 7 books from Baen - the 7th being The Witches Of Karres, which I actually read first of all these volumes.

"this project .. the culmination of what had been a lifelong daydream to see James H. Schmitz restored to the place I believe he deserves in SF's roster of great writers. The fact that he fell almost completely out of print for so many years after his death in 1981 was, in my opinion, the single most outstanding "injustice" of this sort in the science fiction genre.

For that we say thank you. Schmitz it would appear to me is a writer with a certain X-factor of atmosphere and enjoyment, where you actually like the stuff more than where you might actually slot him in with the actual ratings. (Same thing for Melissa Scott, for me).

This short, standalone novel is an example of all of that. Instantly into the story with aircar antics, and what looks to be political machinations between various space-adapted and not groups of humans just keeps getting wilder and wilder, with Ragnor Rangers, space superbeasts, and more. As per usual, the male and female characters are on an even footing.

So much so almost, that if Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes showed up somewhere into it, you might not be too surprised.

A lot of fairly justified criticism can be levelled at current SF for being downbeat and depressing - if you need an antidote to that, then JHS is definitely your man. His characters (much like Kal-El, Rokk, Imra and Garth and friends) will just keep on fighting for the right thing.

Hopefully, as Flint says later in his afterword "But . . . someone, perhaps Baen Books itself, will do another edition of some kind. Someone always does, with those few authors who gain a permanent place in SF's pantheon."

Or, to put it another way, he deserves a spot in science fiction's Eternal Frontier.

3.5 out of 5




4 out of 5