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timinbc's review
3.0
First, let's remember that this was written in the early 1980s, as a set of novellas.
Publication year 1983 is 35 years ago.
Also, it's perhaps/probably aimed at a somewhat younger audience. It follows a young man through Starschool (and no, he doesn't meet a young Jim Kirk or Ender Bean).
Our hero is a bit dim, but that actually improves the story. One of his classmates is annoyingly capable, but it's tolerable.
In the end, this is a straightforward series of action adventures, capped by a section that actually adds some depth as the team visits a set of nested spheres that allow for multiple civilizations. This is vaguely similar to Jack Chalker's Well of Souls setup, and allows the authors a lot of room - as long as they don't have to explain the logistics of building such a thing.
If you've just read a Hannu Rajaniemi or a China Miéville, this would be a good light relief.
Publication year 1983 is 35 years ago.
Also, it's perhaps/probably aimed at a somewhat younger audience. It follows a young man through Starschool (and no, he doesn't meet a young Jim Kirk or Ender Bean).
Our hero is a bit dim, but that actually improves the story. One of his classmates is annoyingly capable, but it's tolerable.
In the end, this is a straightforward series of action adventures, capped by a section that actually adds some depth as the team visits a set of nested spheres that allow for multiple civilizations. This is vaguely similar to Jack Chalker's Well of Souls setup, and allows the authors a lot of room - as long as they don't have to explain the logistics of building such a thing.
If you've just read a Hannu Rajaniemi or a China Miéville, this would be a good light relief.
jurassicreader's review against another edition
adventurous
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
apryde6226's review
3.0
Had this book a long time ago and thought it was good. I just recently picked it up on Kindle.
I was franky disappointed. There was nothing really wrong with it, it was just predicable and had flat characters.
I was franky disappointed. There was nothing really wrong with it, it was just predicable and had flat characters.
jonmhansen's review
3.0
3 and a half stars, really. It's a good adventure tale, but not a lot of inner character to our hero, if you get me. Still enjoyable.
felinity's review
4.0
The ultimate coming-of-age story combined with the strangest school trip, and it all started with an extra charge on a Springer when the Starschool tried to land at a specific spaceport.
Carl Bok might be a poor country boybut he has his pride, and he thinks he can use his unusual size to earn back the money fighting professionally (albeit illegally). Size isn't everything, however, and he quickly learns that he must rely on his wits and friends if he wants to be successful.
But this isn't about weird cagematches, or even about space travel. It's an exploration of several planets, with different customs, different aliens, and different dangers, and the similiarities that are discovered. And it's the story of how a school trip with a scholarship boy changed lives.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Carl Bok might be a poor country boybut he has his pride, and he thinks he can use his unusual size to earn back the money fighting professionally (albeit illegally). Size isn't everything, however, and he quickly learns that he must rely on his wits and friends if he wants to be successful.
But this isn't about weird cagematches, or even about space travel. It's an exploration of several planets, with different customs, different aliens, and different dangers, and the similiarities that are discovered. And it's the story of how a school trip with a scholarship boy changed lives.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
annaswan's review
I think I saw this in a list of novels James Nicoll wrote on Tor.com, perhaps something to do with future America?
It was okay, clearly Heinlein’s Space Cadet was an influence
It was okay, clearly Heinlein’s Space Cadet was an influence
tome15's review
3.0
Joe and Jack Haldeman’s “There Is No Darkness” (1983) has features that have a lot to do with how much of science fiction has been traditionally been marketed. It is a revised and retitled edition of a book titled “Starschool” (1979)—which was a better title than the Shakespearean tag used in the revision. Pieces of “Starschool” originally appeared as stories in three different magazines. These stories have a common set of characters, which permits the common strategy for turning short magazine fiction into novel-length books. Since novels always sell better than short story collections, such works are almost always called novels rather than short story collections. Grafting these stories together is not always smooth, and one keeps thinking that Heinlein could have done it better and, in fact, did do it better in several places. All that being said, the stories are entertaining, and I give the Haledmans credit for their depiction of an interesting multispecies space habitat.
weirdtea's review
2.0
Definitely old school SF—but it doesn’t scratch any nostalgia itch for me. The sections don’t really coalesce and I lost interest. It has some decent gladiator style fights and an interesting idea for a final world. It wasn’t enough.
If, like me, you think this is going to be about Starschool in any meaningful way—you’d be mistaken. None of the themes or tropes are present. That was disappointing and likely made me enjoy this less.
The writing isn’t terrible so if the plot is up your alley, I’d say you could do worse.
If, like me, you think this is going to be about Starschool in any meaningful way—you’d be mistaken. None of the themes or tropes are present. That was disappointing and likely made me enjoy this less.
The writing isn’t terrible so if the plot is up your alley, I’d say you could do worse.
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