FORGOTTEN BOOKS #83: THE SPACE-BORN By E. C. Tubb


E. C. Tubb died on September 10, 2010. He was 91. During his long and productive career, Tubb wrote in many genres. But, I suspect, Tubb will best be remembered for his science fiction novels. I picked Tubb’s ACE DOUBLE classic, The Space-Born (with Philip K. Dick’s The Man Who Japed on the other side), because it was the first E. C. Tubb book I ever read. You never forget your first time. Over the following decades, I read dozens of Tubb’s works. My favorites were the Dumarest series where an adventurer tries to find his way through the galaxy back to his home planet: Earth. However, Earth seems to have disappeared from the star charts and most people consider Earth as a mystical place. Dumarest’s Odysseus-like quest to get home filled 33 volumes of good old-fashioned space opera. If you’d like to see the wonderful cover artwork in the Dumarest series, click here.  I hope all of E. C. Tubb’s novels eventually become available as ebooks so new audiences can discover his entertaining stories.

16 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN BOOKS #83: THE SPACE-BORN By E. C. Tubb

  1. Randy Johnson

    it’s been a number of years since I read any of tubb’s work. A number of the early Dumarest and the tie-ins he did for Space: 1999 come to mind. I’m sure there were other of his works, but you know how it is. I’ll be sixty-one next month(don’t tell anyone) and it’s likely been forty years since I last read a Tubb.

    Hang on, I keep forgetting. I’ve been working my way through his Cap Kennedy series(as by Gregory Kern). I own twelve and have three of those left.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Homeworld Press planned to release omnibus volumes of the Dumarest saga, Randy. But the recession put that project on hold. I prefer the Dumarest series to the Cap Kennedy series, but they’re both fun.

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    1. george Post author

      Sadly, the available Tubb books will now be eagerly sought by collectors, Rick. Artists’ work disappears from the shelves after their deaths.

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    1. george Post author

      THE SPACE-BORN is a Generation Ship story, Drongo. It takes place on a ship carrying the 13th and 14th generations of descendants from the original space ship crew. And, like LOGAN’S RUN, no one gets to live past 40. I loved the blurb: “Death Was Their Pilot, Fear Was Their Fuel.”

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    1. george Post author

      If you’re in the mood for space opera, Scott, the Dumarest series delivers. Yes, the books follow a formula, but I’ve read all 33 books in the series and the quality standard is pretty consistent.

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    1. george Post author

      There are rumors of another volume of Dumarest’s adventures, Bill. I doubt it. The same rumors made the rounds when John D. MacDonald died. Remember BLACK LACE FOR MCGEE?

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  2. Richard

    I have read countless short stories by E. C. Tubb, both in collections and in original magazines and anthologies. I have also enjoyed stand alone novels such as ALIEN DUST (superb) and THE LUCK MACHINE. The Cap Kennedy series is brilliant, as are his westerns and Roman gladiator novels.

    But, of course, it is for his Earl Dumarest novels that he is most renowned. These books are outstanding as entertainments, with much to provoke thought as well. They incorporate philosophy and social commentary, each novel exploring various sub themes as well as the central plot of Dumarest’s search for his home planet of Earth. Lean prose; realistic, and almost painfully accurate, fight scenes; sex; reflections on morality; depictions of poverty, made all the more poignant for their directness, their lack of sentimentality; great dialogue; intricate plotting; evocative descriptions of colonised worlds; ingenuity and suspense … the Dumarest series should be in print, at all times, forever more.

    I would urge all lovers of SF to check out this series. I believe it is the longest (and certainly the most accomplished) in all SF literature — can somebody prove me wrong?

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      You’ll get no argument from me, Richard. I can’t think of a series with such sustained suspense and quality as the Dumarest series. And 33 wonderful books! How many series peter out after the first half-dozen titles!

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  3. Richard

    Thank you, George. I wish I could have attended his funeral service, which took place this morning in South London (fans were, apparently, welcome).

    Tubb was a fine writer, and it annoys me that while perusing the SF section of W H Smith or Waterstones, you will certainly not find anything by Tubb. This situation is an absolute disgrace. As is his complete absence from the so-called “SF Masterworks” series published by Orion.

    Sorry for the rant, but it’s what I feel.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      There’s no doubt that E. C. Tubb is an underrated writer, Richard. For decades he practiced his craft and produced an impressive body of work. Given the current trends in publishing, I’m hoping all of Tubb’s works will someday be available as ebooks. Until then, I’ll keep buying and reading Tubb’s books as they are published.

      Reply

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