Into the Sea of Stars

ISBN: 0-345-32426-9 Order from: Amazon.com

A mildly amusing, self-consciously satiric space opera.

Reviewed by David on November 08, 1998

Genre: Science Fiction (Space Opera, Humor)

Synopsis: When Dr. Ian Lacklin, a History Professor in a provincial American university, manages to get grant approval for exploration of lost colonies, his ambitious dean blackmails Lacklin and a few other undesirables to take part in the risky, interstellar voyage.

As the Professor, his infatuated graduate assistants and a few of his most ardent enemies from the faculty conduct a voyage on an outdated and unreliable starship, their vicious academic arguments barely abate when they encounter estranged societies, which range from hypocritical to politically correct, from pacifist to insanely ambitious.

Full Review: Dr. Lacklin has never been ambitious. In fact, calling him lazy and cowardly is, while unkind, quite accurate. Unfortunately, his star-struck assistant Shelley, and the ambitious and unscrupulous dean manage to turn him into a nominal head of an interstellar expedition. Placed on a starship too dangerous to use, but too expensive to write off, piloted by a drunk pilot and enclosed in a small space with his infatuated assistant, a bitter academic enemy, and a drinking partner, Dr. Lacklin somehow muddles through as they encounter and study a number of strange civilizations, all strangely reminiscent of some aspects of modern American society, a society of which the good professor is an expert. Faced with humorous, dangerous and amorous encounters, the unlikely crew manages to survive and even save human civilization.

The adventure is wildly implausible, but the satirical plot provides some attraction. The episodic nature of the story, and the somewhat dated humor, make it a light-weight, if pleasant, entertainment.

Overall: 5; Plot: 4; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5; World-building: 4; Originality: 5;

ISBN: 0-345-32426-9 Order from: Amazon.com