Secret Agent of Terra (1962) by John Brunner. It is the first book of the Zarathustra Refugee Planets series. The other books are Castaways’ World (1963) and The Repairmen of Cyclops (1965). Brunner explores aspects of survival, societal structure, and the human conflicts likely to occur when facing harsh conditions after a planet’s star goes nova. GRADE: B
A. Bertram Chandler created a series involving The Rim of Space (1958) where the unusual occurs. The crew of the starship Lorn Lady meet intelligent alien lifeforms and experience strange space anomalies in this novella.
Only one man ever survived contact with the Outsiders (aka, aliens) and Commander William Maudsley has always refused to speak of the horrors that destroyed his starship, killed his crew, and left him broken and confused.
Derek Calver intends to succeed where Maudsley failed. Despite the fears of his crew and vague rumors of terrible alien life form beyond the rim, Calver crosses the final frontier to enter the warped, unknown infinity of the “Outside” with all its dangers. This is #2 in the Commander Grimes series. GRADE: B
Are you a fan of ACE Doubles?
I really enjoyed both books but i have to give the edge to THE RIM OF SPACE. With the Rim Worlds/Grimes stories, Chandler (a ship’s captain) managed to easily transfer pulpish sea stories to the far reaches of space and, in doing so, hit my soft spot. I devoured every story in the series as if they were potato chips and could never get enough. Brunner’s works were always very good and covered a lot of territory, but Chandler’s had a consistency that I was seeking in the Sixties.
Jerry, I totally agree with you on the RIM WORLDS/GRIMES series. Chandler was in his element with these stories and they got better and better right into the 1980s.
Never read either, but, to answer the question, yes, I am a fan of Ace Doubles. Isn’t everyone?
How’s the party prep coming along? Is the Kelley Mansion fully sanitized?
Jeff, Patrick and Katie are busy baking today to provide the desserts for tomorrow’s REUNION party. I’ll be picking up the food in the morning. The party starts at 1 P.M. Diane is still trying to figure out where we’re going to seat 25 people. The weather forecast for tomorrow is warm–mid-70s–and sunny. So I’m sure we’ll be using Diane’s Deck for the overflow.
Like you, I got those Chandler reprints several years ago, and I enjoyed the ones I read. I need to check which ones I have on the shelf.
OK, it’s what I thought. I have The John Grimes Saga II and III, but not the others.
Jeff, the entire BAEN Books reprint series of Chandler are worth reading! Classic SF!
These were a few years before my science fiction period and I’ve never heard of Chandler (I have a lot of gaps in my knowledge of the genre and writers) but these sound fun and I absolutely love the perfectly sixties cover art. “Secret Agent of Terra” is so very Bond while “The Rim of Space ” has classic “Outer Limits” vibes. I would have plucked this off of the drugstore paperback spinner in a heartbeat.
Chandler was still at it into the earliest 1980s (with a few stragglers published after his death),…the work’s still there to be found.
Todd, like Jerry, I was addicted to Chandler’s space stories. When BAEN Books reprinted them a few years ago, I reread them all with delight!
Byron, I did pluck SECRET AGENT OF TERRA/THE RIM OF SPACE off the spinner rack in the early 1960s. Love the covers on these old ACE Doubles! BAEN Books reprinted all the Chandler SF novels and I highly recommend them to you!
Depends on the Double, George…but there have been worse publishing ideas!
Todd, I bought a goodly number of the original ACE Doubles–they reside at the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Special Collections. I was more casual with the TOR Doubles since so many of them were reprints of books I alway owned.
The second one seems interesting but your grade does not encourage me to search for it.
Neeru, Chandler’s early stories like THE RIM OF SPACE were average. His later work was much more challenging and entertaining!
I heard an Ace Double story, but I don’t recall who it involved! An author had both parts of an Ace Double! One under his name, the other under a pseudonym! When he got his royalty statement, one title paid less than the other! His publisher explained by saying one novel outsold the other!
Bob, that is a funny ACE Double story! There are rumors that Wollheim was tight with a buck.
George, Rich Horton reviewed Brunner’s omnibus VICTIMS OF THE NOVA today. It’s an omnibus which includes THE AVENGERS OF CARRIG, a revised version of SECRET AGENT OF TERRA. https://rrhorton.blogspot.com/2025/09/review-victims-of-nova-by-john-brunner.html?sc=1757722828715#c1259996291565916402
Jerry, thanks for the heads up on VICTIMS OF THE NOVA! I’ll look into it! I have all three books, but Brunner may have added to them in this omnibus.