Ships of the Line (Star Trek)

Book Description

They dared to risk it all in a skiff of reeds or leather, on a ship of wood or steel, knowing the only thing between them and certain death was their ship. To explore, to seek out what lay beyond the close and comfortable, every explorer had to embrace danger. And as they did so, what arose was a mystical bond, a passion for the ships that carried them. From the very first time humans dared to warp the fabric of space, escaping from the ashes of the third World War, they also created ships. These vessels have become the icons of mankind's desire to rise above the everyday, to seek out and make the unknown known. And these ships that travel the stellar seas have stirred the same passions as the ones that floated in the oceans.

While every captain has wished that their starship could be outfitted in the same manner as the sailing ship H.M.S. Beagle -- without weapons -- that proved

untenable. From the start, Starfleet realized that each vessel, due to the limited range of the early warp engines, must be able to stand alone against any

attack. Thus arose the idea, taken from the days of wooden sailing ships, that every Starfleet vessel must stand as a ship of the line. Through the actions of their captains and crews, countless starships have taken on that role. Here we remember some of those ships and their heroic crews.

In celebration of the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek, here for the very first time collected together are the spectacular images from the highly successful and acclaimed Star Trek: Ships of the Line calendars. Gloriously rendered, each of these illustrations was created exclusively for Pocket Books. With text by Michael Okuda (The Star Trek Encyclopedia), the story of each of these valiant starships comes to life.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book for those who love Star Trek ships..........2007-09-22

I've been a fan of the "Ships of the Line" calendars for many years. This book is essentially a compilation of those stunning images, with some explanatory captions added. As such, it's a wonderful volume for any Star Trek fan who enjoys "beauty shots" of the various ships shown in the series. It should be noted, however, that these are pieces of original digital artwork. They are not screen captures of the various series or movies, but unique images created for the calendar series (and now, for this book). It was a great value and an excellent addition to my Star Trek book collection.

Ships of the Line (Star Trek) .......2007-09-21

Ships of the Line (Star Trek)was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a more techincal review of the fleet.

With that said, the artwork was great, although I would have liked more on the ships other than that bad 'Enterprise' series!

The Romulan Warbird was the best pic, in my opinion!

Ian Johnson. Perth, Australia

Beautiful book--but know what you're getting........2007-09-19

This is a beautiful, imagination-stimulating, sometimes breathtaking book. But potential buyers should know three things: 1. This book is about half the size of the average coffee table book (FYI, in case you don't read the fine print or easily "get" measurements in the Product Description), so they are not big pictures. 2. This is an *art* book; these are "illustrations," not photographic reproductions from the Star Trek T.V. series(s) or movies. I wasn't familiar with the "Ships of the Line" calendars, so was expecting "real" photos of the Star Trek ships, not paintings. However, some of the pictures are computer-design artwork that very effectively look like photographs. I know it's a matter of taste, by I find these more enjoyable, more evocative.
3. While ships from all five of the T.V. shows are included (not the animated ST), there is of course a favored emphasis on the Enterprise in its various/successive generations. There are only 37 illustrations, so that doesn't leave room for a whole lot else. (Opposing/even-numbered pages are blank, except for a short paragraph of text by official Star Trek history guru Michael Ocuda, which offers interesting commentary, though more impressionistic thatn encyclopedic.) Also, the book's cover illustration is not repeated in the book, so if you get a torn or badly smudged copy, you're out of luck. I was also disappointed that a book called "Ships of the Line" didn't have a single schematic drawing or even a comparative illustration to scale of the various ships (like is sort of done on the cover picture).
Even given all these qualifications, there are at least 10 pictures in this book that really inspire me and excite my imagination; and any two of them, for me, are worth the price of the book.

Disappointed.......2007-09-04

Great art work, but I was expecting the entire book to give us a complete look at rarely or never before seen star fleet ships in various situations. There was a limited look, but mostly that of the series ships we're already quite familiar with. I wasn't too thrilled about the blank left pages as well. Lots of potential for a great coffee table top book. Hopefully we'll get more in a Volume 2.

Another Great Star Trek Photo Book.......2007-08-12

Margaret Clark & Doug Drexler have out done themselfs. This book is packed full of some of the best CGI graphics yet to be published. It's a must for any trekie as it will keep you spell bound just looking at page after page. The book covers all era's of trekdom with graphics of all the major ships we've come to love. It even has a few hints of things to come. The book is graphic intense with very little story, but that ok because some of the graphic will have you beliving that these ship are real. The only short side to this book is it's lack of alein ships as it's cover suggests. There are some aliens ship but none are the focal point of any of the graphics. All in all I would highly recommend this book for anyones library.

Average customer rating:

Paying for the Right to Vote
My Idea of a Sci-Fi Novel
More than Sci Fi
I couldn't put this book down.... Because I wanted to know if it gets better!
Supports beating people (abuse) to "teach" them better

Starship Troopers
Robert A. Heinlein
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441783589

Amazon.com

Juan Rico signed up with the Federal Service on a lark, but despite the hardships and rigorous training, he finds himself determined to make it as a cap trooper. In boot camp he will learn how to become a soldier, but when he graduates and war comes (as it always does for soldiers), he will learn why he is a soldier. Many consider this Hugo Award winner to be Robert Heinlein's finest work, and with good reason. Forget the battle scenes and high-tech weapons (though this novel has them)--this is Heinlein at the top of his game talking people and politics.

Book Description

Science FictionLarge Print EditionStarship Troopers is a classic novel by one of science fictions greatest writers of all time and is now a Tri-Star movie. In one of Heinleins most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the universe and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankinds most frightening enemy.

Customer Reviews:

Paying for the Right to Vote.......2007-09-18

When Heinlein first penned this work in response to a call by some politicians to unilaterally disarm the United States, I doubt if he thought it would become one of his best known and most controversial works, a work which continues to have steady sales and whose influence on the science-fiction field has been enormous.

It's a simple story, one of the growth of Juan Rico from boy to man, as he enlists in the military of the future, and learns just what duty and responsibility mean, what his own capabilities are, and just what he wants out of life.

What is controversial about this book is the philosophy that suffuses it, is in fact the heart of this book, as Heinlein posits a future where, in order to vote or hold political office, you must prove your willingness to support and defend the society through either military service or service in one of the non-combatant auxiliary services. As part and parcel of this idea, no one can be refused entry into these services, even if blind or paralyzed, so political franchise is available to anyone who so desires (as opposed to some of the limitations that have been put on the voting franchise by various states at various times - and remember that this book was written in 1959, long before the Voting Rights Act of 1965). Heinlein further posits that such a society, even though the people who hold office were no better, smarter, or otherwise more qualified than our current leaders, would be a more stable society than our current one because their authority is balanced by their proven sense of responsibility and duty towards that society, a point that is certainly debatable, but in the absence of any real-world society so structured, must remain a conjecture.

Right alongside this idea are statements that rights must be earned (a critical failure of our current society is the inculcated belief that people have these rights just because they exist - that they are `owed' things without having to make any effort of their own), that correct moral attitudes are not inherent but must be taught (and a lack of corporal punishment in the early developing years does not help in this education), that war is a political statement whose level of violence must be geared towards what the political goal is, that the dictum that `violence never solves anything' is hogwash, that communism is based on faulty premises, and a whole host of other such ideas.

Now quite a few people have labeled this book as `fascist' because of this military service requirement, when it is no such thing (just look up the definition of fascist). Heinlein does glorify the military to some degree, but he also shows (often by counter-example) just how screwed up the military can be. And far from robotic adherence to commands, he clearly indicates that military people should question orders they think are suspect (at the right time and place - not while the bullets are whizzing over your head). There is a well-established court system, that like ours is pretty much insulated from political influence, and a political election process that is far away from any fascist government organization.

His depiction of boot camp and later military operations is excellent, comparable to similar descriptions in things like Leon Uris' Battle Cry. Rico is very well portrayed, a man that is very easy to empathize with and understand his thought processes. The plot seems to ramble a bit, as the story is not really about the Bug war, but about Rico's development. Once you understand this, it is very logical, coherent, and often exciting. The philosophy is presented with anecdotes, analogies, and concrete examples that make it easy to understand and far from being just `dry lecture', though perhaps that is the only real flaw with this book, as there is perhaps just too much of this `telling', rather than `showing'. But in general this is extremely readable, with Heinlein's typical unforced, near-folksy prose and clear thought processes.

This book has been, at various times, on the recommended reading list of all of our military service academies. I would go further, and recommend that this book be added to the list of `required reading' that our high school students are subject to. Whether you agree with ideas of this book or not, at the very least this book will make you think, and that's not a bad thing for students to learn how to do.

--Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

My Idea of a Sci-Fi Novel.......2007-09-08

Just so there is full disclosure...I read this book years ago, so some of my recollection of the events in the book are hazy at best. However, I rate this as one of my all time favorite Sci-Fi books because of the action-adventure throughout the novel. Besides being a good adventure novel, it brings interesting philosophical questions to the table: Who should dictate rights and privileges? In the novel, in order to vote and get citizenship rights, one must serve a stint in the military. This creates a government of people who have served in the military and have first-hand experiance on defending human rights. This system, however, creates a government that is revolting to people who are students of the American Constitution. I feel this is Heinlein's intent.

Many people have commented on the brutality of the Boot Camp sections of the book. Well, boot camp is brutal. It has to be. Granted, Heinlein seems to enjoy making it seem almost a saditic exercise, but it is with the point of showing what it takes to become a citizen.

Overall, I recommend this book to anybody, whether you like science-fiction or not, because of the questions it raises about what it means to be a citizen, and a human.

As a side note, I also recommendthe movie, only if to see how not to make an adaptation.

More than Sci Fi.......2007-09-08

This novel does an excellent job of stating and offering solutions for the decline of todays great civilization. Heinlein uses the life of Rico in order to display to us the folly of many present ideas of rights, discipline and knowledge. If we apply these ideas we just might be able to turn around the place our society is heading. This novel is for anyone who would like to understand the nature of tight knit military units, and for anyone who would like a refreshing read. Heinlein was definitely ahead of his times.

I couldn't put this book down.... Because I wanted to know if it gets better!.......2007-09-07

I wasted two days on this book!

The first day I read a few pages and put it down. I was thinking, "OK he can't be serious, he is not naive is he?" And then to give the book a second chance I read it entirely the second day and no, it don't get better!

The Good:

1- I liked the idea that people have a responsibility to society at large. That is a good one.

The Bad:

1- Don't question your leaders. NO! Question the baztards! I don't know how someone who can believe that people are naturally self interested, like the author believes, can also believe in follow the saintly leader bull crap!

2- Spanking stops crime. BULL CRAP, the crime rates were worse in the 1920s than today and they did not only spank, they beat the hell outta their kids! Corporal Punishment Stops crime. BULL CRAP, IT CREATES HARDER CRIMINALS! Corporal punishment don't work, people will only support a law if they can see it is in their self interest. Making someone frightened, angry, or hateful does not show that a law is in their self interest!

3- It just is, there is no point to the story. The ending? There is no conclusive ending, it is crap! The story just lags on and on, and believe me I was reading this book all the way through trying to find some entertaining and redeeming qualities.

4- Lets quote Das Kapital and then come up with inane conclusions from two sentences of it. I have read Das Kapital, can someone else show me how someone being a s--ty cook disproves the book and merits of Communism? I mean really the part he was quoting was describing a capitalistic mechanic anyways! So if that part he "disproves" disproves the merits of communism, I guess it also disproves the merits of Capitalism as well! (Capitalism you can see he supports in the book: He supports the use private contractors logistical involvement in military affairs, so don't say he is anti-capitalist and anti-communist, cause he ain't!)

5- He says his main character was part of a debate club, but guess what? There ain't any debating in this book! It is just one one-sided throughout the book, basically the book can be summed up by the Ex-Cincinnati Reds Owner Marge Schott "Hitler was good in the beginning, but went too far."

The Ugly!

1- This is one case where I can say, I liked the Movies better than the book and guess what? I hated the movies! Though part two with the fully naked chick was soft on the eyes.

Supports beating people (abuse) to "teach" them better.......2007-09-03

I liked the movie, so I decided to read the book. It was far different. I found that Heinlein was a very nasty person who writes in a mean, nasty, boring style. When I got to the part where he advocated beating soldiers during training, I had enough. Japanese soldiers in WW2 were beaten a lot in their training, and they were by far the most vicious, sadistic soldiers in WW2, committing many atrocities, rapes, and murders of innocent people and babies. I think Heinlein was an idiot and won't be reading any more of his books.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable, but just too naive
Its not awful but its not good either.
Lots of action
scifi
Fast moving SciFi

Mutiny (Starship, Book 1)
Mike Resnick
Manufacturer: Pyr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1591023378

Book Description

The date is 1966 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now, and the Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, finds itself in an all-out war against the Teroni Federation, an alliance of races that resent Man's growing military and economic power. The main battles are taking place in the Spiral Arm and toward the Core, but far out on the Rim, the Theodore Roosevelt is one of three ships charged with protecting the Phoenix Cluster, a group of seventy-three inhabited worlds. Old, battered, some of its weapon systems outmoded, the Teddy R. is a ship that would have been decommissioned years ago if a war wasn't raging. Its crew is composed of retreads, discipline cases, and a few raw recruits. But a new officer has been transferred to the Teddy R. His name is Wilson Cole, and he comes with a reputation for heroics and disobedience. Twice he has ignored or exceeded his orders—both times he has presented the Republic with unexpected triumphs, and both times he has had his ship and crew shot out from under him. Now, he's been banished to the Teddy R., where he will be a mere second officer, behind Captain Makeo Fujiama and Executive Officer Podok, a fierce Polonoi female.

Tensions rise on the Teddy R., discipline is lax, and Wilson Cole is not a man to sit idly by as a war rages elsewhere. But the Phoenix Cluster is the last place in the galaxy that the enemy would think of attacking. Or is it? With Starship: Mutiny, five-time Hugo winner Mike Resnick brings his prodigious imagination to bear on his very first military SF. Will the galaxy ever be the same?

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable, but just too naive.......2007-08-27

Maybe I had the ill fortune to read this book just after the wonderful "the lost fleet: Dauntless". This is absolutely an enjoyable reading, but it lacks depth. The story is fast and it keeps you reading, but if you like a semblance of truth in space travelling and in space warfare, this isn't the right book. It is a good novel, but I found it lacking when it comes to integrate the plot with problems like travelling in space, communications and so on.

Its not awful but its not good either........2007-07-19

The basic plot of the book and the characters have potential but in this 1st book of the series there isn't alot worth looking at or reading. Those people giving 4 or 5 stars probably haven't read any good SciFi (ie. Asher, Vinge, Cherryh, etc.).

Lots of action .......2007-06-20

This is Book One of this series by enduring Sci-fi author Mike Resnick. This is the story of Wilson Cole, an officer in the Navy of the Republic. It appears the Republic has been fighting a war for a very long time with the Teronis. Its never quite clear when some races of the Outer Rim change alliances and jump from one side to the other for whatever reasons.

Wilson is known for breaking the rules of the established Military. He gets the job done, but in his own way and his own time. So he is banished to the Theodore Roosevelt, an aging ship patrolling space where it can do no harm to anyone, including the enemy. On board are misfits from the military. Each one, human or otherwise has a history and a story as to why they are being kept in the military, but out of the loop of the main war.

Even the Captain has a history.

As Wilson does what Wilson does best, ignore rules, get into trouble and save the day, he begins to have a following of fellow crewmembers as well as the media.

This book sets us up for Book 2 Starship: Pirate. I believe it will continue where this one leaves off.

So we can look for further adventures of the misfits who "get-her-done" despite bureaucracy and protocol.

scifi.......2007-05-29

A very good book. Just sitting here waiting for the rest of the seris to come out which I will buy. It sure held my attention and was hard to put down.

Fast moving SciFi .......2007-02-27

This here's a very entertaining and fast moving SciFi adventure story. Nice clean prose with snappy dialoge left me wanting more. This is the first book I've read by Mike Resnick and I'm sure to read more by him. Nice edition by Pyr Books and even enjoyed the appendixes. Highly Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Pleasant easy read.
Like the 1st book Mutiny but only more so.
scifi
Starship:Disappointing
Plenty to like in this fast-paced saga.

Pirate (Starship, Book 2)
Mike Resnick
Manufacturer: Pyr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1591024900

Book Description

The date is 1967 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. After his latest exploit saved millions of lives but embarrassed his superiors, Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of the media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service. Faced with a court martial, he was rescued by the loyal crew of his ship, the Theodore Roosevelt. Now branded mutineers, the crew of the Teddy R. has quit the Republic, never to return.

Seeking to find a new life for themselves, Wilson Cole and comrades remake the Teddy R. as a pirate ship and set sail for the lawless Inner Frontier. Here, powerful warlords, cut-throat pirates, and struggling colonies compete for survival in a game where you rarely get a second chance to learn the rules. But military discipline is poor preparation for a life of pillaging and plundering, and Cole's principles naturally limit his targets. Seeking an education on the nature of piracy, Cole hunts more knowledgeable players. Enter the beautiful but deadly Valkyrie, Val for short, and the enigmatic alien fence known as David Copperfield. But hanging over everything is the fearsome alien pirate—the Hammerhead Shark.

With Starship: Pirate, five-time Hugo winner Mike Resnick continues the story begun in his very first military SF. Will the galaxy ever be the same?

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant easy read........2007-09-27

Pleasant easy read. It's not a mind boggling read with a lot of twists and turns, but it is entertaining.

Like the 1st book Mutiny but only more so........2007-07-19

Slightly better than the 1st book in the series but still not what I would call good or even OK. The writing is very ho-hum and plods along at a predictable level, you can usually see whats coming a dozen pages or more ahead of time. I won't be buying anymore books in this series.

scifi.......2007-05-29

Once again a very good book. The same as book 1. We need MORE books like this.

Starship:Disappointing.......2007-03-23

It's difficult for me to review this book without spoilers, but I'll try. While the major characters are generally likeable, there is little depth to any of them. The plot plods along dealing the central dilemma, "How can we be pirates and good guys?" The answer seems to be: not very well.

While there is action, it is formulaic and predictable. When there's a problem to be solved you can count on a lucky, and obvious, plot device to pop up. What isn't so obvious is why none of the characters thought of it before. Particularly since, as the Captain explains it to his crew and the reader, it's made quite clear that it's the sort of thing the senior crew members would already know about.

Plenty to like in this fast-paced saga........2007-02-08

It's 1967 of the Galactic Era, nearly three thousand years from our times, and the human-created Republic is in the middle of a war against an alien federation of races. Captain Wilson Cole is a political scapegoat despite his dedicated military career, facing a court-martial when he's rescued by his ship's crew and they all flee to the lawless Interior Frontier. Fans of military science fiction and especially libraries with the prior introductory STARSHIP: MUTINY in the stacks will find plenty to like in this fast-paced saga.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Starship Battles Huge Booster (Star Wars Miniatures)

Average customer rating:

Great figures, mediocre game

Starship Battles Huge Booster (Star Wars Miniatures)
Wizards Team
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

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ASIN: 0786941006
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Product Description

From starfighters to capital ships, Starship Battles presents authentic starship figures from across all eras of the Star Wars saga! This 40-figure series is introduced in Starter Sets containing two exclusive, non-randomized ships (the Super Star Destroyer Executor and the Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount), 10 randomized figures with stat cards, a game map, a rulebook, and a set checklist. Supplement your Starship Battles campaigns with boosters packed with seven randomized figures.

Customer Reviews:

Great figures, mediocre game.......2006-12-15

Reviewer's note: I wrote a similar review for the starter set, so please excuse me if you see it twice. However, since I didn't know where most buyers would start, I figured it was best to provide the review under both the boosters and the starters to be safe. That said...

I'm a big fan of Star Wars minis (especially Rebel Storm), and I couldn't wait to get my starter and boosters for the new Star Wars Starship Battles minis game. Each booster comes with seven random ships (including one rare ship and one large ship). The game/set includes 60 different ships (30 "light side" and 30 "dark side" -- approximately 1/2 are from the original trilogy, and the other half are from the prequel). I have to admit, the ships look pretty cool (especially the smaller ones like the Millennium Falcon, Salve 1, TIE Fighters, TIE Interceptor, TIE Bomber, B-Wings, X-Wings, Y-Wings, etc.), and as I first read the instructions and looked at the ship stats cards, I was looking very forward to playing. In the end (after playing several games with a friend), however, I was largely disappointed with the game itself. Though there are a few interesting twists (like the command effects),the game is pretty basic, and unfortunately does not allow much room for strategy and/or creativity.

The best advice I can give you is to begin with the starter set, which comes with everything you'll need to play (including two exclusive rare ships -- the big guns in the set, eight randomized common and uncommon ships, map, instructions, command cards, damage counters, D20, etc.). You MIGHT also want to buy a couple of boosters (each booster includes seven randomized ships -- one rare, two uncommon, and four common). This way your buy-in isn't too bad; otherwise, it can get very expensive very quickly. You'll definitely get at least a few good games out of it, and if you like the game more than I did, you can easily buy more boosters (that is much better than the alternative of buying a ton of boosters and not being very happy with the game). Also, if you are interested the minis themselves (i.e., to collect them, for use with the D20 role playing game, or to use with some other Star Wars game/scenario), you'll probably be mostly happy with what Wizards of the Coast came up with.

In sum, the game/rules gets 3 stars, and the minis get 4-5 stars (rounded up to a 4 star rating overall). Hope this helps!

Starships of the Galaxy (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)

Average customer rating:

Mediocre at best
A very useful tool. Though out of date now...
Not Worth the $... i paid for it.
Useful Reference
Better than the hype, worth your while for a Space campaign

Starships of the Galaxy (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)
Owen Stephens , and Owen K. C. Stephens
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786918594
Release Date: 2001-12-01

Book Description

This is the ultimate guide for players and Gamemasters who wish to build custom starships for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. In addition to newly expanded rules to enhance starship combat, this guide contains new ship types, templates, and powerful systems to add to your character's ship. Covering everything from laser cannons to defensive shields, it has what your character needs to make your ship a heavy cruiser or a nimble fighter.

Customer Reviews:

Mediocre at best.......2003-05-09

I never truly enjoyed this book, and even though Amazon doesn't carry it any more, I feel compelled to write a review of it for the sake of completeness. If you're looking at it now, the main reason to get it would be as a reference tool for the wide variety of starships described within. It is, at least, useful for that purpose. There is also a rule system that one can use for custom starship construction, and while it is overly complex, at least it's available.

Unfortunately, Starships of the Galaxy stops delivering about right there. Not only is it softcover, a fact that I despise, but all of the content within is in black and white. At least the old Alien Anthology, a book cut in the same mold which I also disliked, was full-color. The interior artwork is composed mostly of rough sketches showing several ships squashed together in the same frame, leaving the reader to determine which vessel is which. No offense to the artist, Matt Hatton, but he has really done much better work elsewhere. There are a few new feats and a few new prestige classes, but none of them really stand out as anything special. It's also important to note that this book uses the older rules from the Original Core Rulebook, not the Revised Rulebook. If that doesn't turn you off even further, then there is a PDF rule update for the prestige classes on the Wizards of the Coast website, in the Star Wars RPG section archive.

In short, unless you are really dying to get at this book, I'd suggest spending your money elsewhere. While there was a point two years ago where this book might have been considered merely adequate, it was never much better than mediocre, and has now fallen far into obsolescence. Of course, that is merely my opinion. In the meantime, we can only hope that at some point in the future we see an improved, revised version of this book that succeeds in taking advantage of the topic's potential.

A very useful tool. Though out of date now..........2003-05-06

It is out of date. The Starships of the Galaxy worked with the original rules for Star Wars RPG d20. Since the revised rule book came out, many of the things in this book are no longer valid, just as the range increment or even the Starship record sheet. But is it still worth it? well that's for you to decide.

I write many different types of campaigns, and one of the types i write cater towards those people who put a lot of points in Pilot and Astrogate skills, as well as those who ventured into the Ace Pilot or Jedi Ace prestige classes. With this book i have managed to come up with so many varieties of craft and made so much available to my heroes. This book gives you guidelines for creating small craft (starfighters and transports) capital class (Star Destroyers, Frigates) and space stations (Executor, Hosk). It comes in very handy when for a reference on how to modify a craft. I use it a lot when writing these types of campaigns to try and provide a craft for the heroes on a budget. It list out many things about creation of starcraft that i wouldn't be able to write these modules without it.

It lacks in many departments as well, partly due to the outdated rules it was based off of. First of all, the combat system for space combat and airspeeder combat has changed dramatically, from abstract to a grid. So range increment is no longer needed and now the Speed needs to signify how many squares the ship can move. Since Ramming is the fastest Ion engine in this book, you're left wondering why a Ramming-class ion engine in the X-wing only moves 10 squares while the Ramming-class ion engine in the Millennium Falcon moves 12 squares. (RCR p 277 & 230). There is no clarification for this. As well many craft have a different atmospheric speed, this book doesn't even mention that. Another smaller problem are the prestige clases, they're outdated and you have to get the official Errata from WoTC.

Final verdict? I use it a lot when writing. I use it for the creation purposes of starships, capital to small, and even installations. I've already created my own starship record sheet. See if you can find this book for a cheaper price... becuase right now it really isn't worth what many places are asking for it...

Not Worth the $... i paid for it........2003-02-06

Where to Begin...
This book is not what you want. Granted, this book has About 150 or so Spaceships described, With Basically full stats and a short biography for each, There are very few inaccurate pictures of Each. Each picture may contain up to 7 ships, with merely a sidebar to say what ships are included in the picture.
While i don't actively play The Star Wars RPG, I am interested in simply learning the rules so that it may be adapted to D&D, or some other RPG World. This is Not what i expected. I expected More ships to be explained, More pictures, and better descriptions. If your looking for an indepth book thats worth the time to invest money in, Look somewhere else.

Useful Reference.......2003-01-10

This could have stood to feature more starships, but it is useful for a lot of GM NPC ships and the like. The new combat system is confusing, but my RPG group ignores it anyway, and uses the original system from the Core Rulebook.

This features many lesser known vessels, including the recently-added Defender Star Destroyers, and offers some help for customizing and modifying vessels. For those who can't find the YT-1300, you are just too lazy to actually read the Core Rulebook. The YT-2400 is nice to see, but others like the older Clone Wars vessels, YT-2000 and YV-666 would have been nice to see. Overall, if you just want to yank a lesser seen vessel into an RPG, this is helpful.

Better than the hype, worth your while for a Space campaign.......2002-07-23

Campaigns set on one planet are fine, but what if you want to step offworld, or duke it out with Tie Fighters? You could hop into a Corellian YT-1300 or an X-Wing Fighter for the Nth time, but what if you want some spice?

Starships of the Galaxy gives you all sorts of options. That's what most of this book is about. There are a few new feats, the mandatory prestige classes, etc., but most of SotG is dedicated to building starships and giving stats to Established ships of the Star Wars Universe.

SotG is an excellent reference book, and great for building your own ships. The rules for modifications are scant, but they are there and can be worked with.

The new space combat rules are about 50/50--They can help as much as they hurt. It's nice to have the options, though, and they are strictly at the GM's discretion.

Book Description

In one of Robert A. Heinlein's most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe-and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind's most alarming enemy.

Customer Reviews:

I pity the fool who hasn't read this book.......2007-09-20

I know I'm going to read this book again, and recommend it to all my friends. I especially recommend this book to anyone considering going into the military, because so much of this reflects Heinlein's personal experience. On top of that, this book is full of his wit, wisdom, and brilliant story writing...which means it's a great read even for those who don't normally enjoy sci-fi. The characters in this story are awesome. I don't want to give any spoilers, but don't expect a lot of action. Just good combat action. Rest assured that you won't be wasting your time with this one. Everything of any importance is founded on mathematics...might be hard to accept, but it's true.

Controversy and illusion.......2007-06-17

I first encountered this story in October of 1959, when the first part of a two-part serial entitled _Starship Soldier_ appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. I had just turned nine, so I didn't understand what I was reading all that well -- but I really liked the cover art for the second installment, in December, which was a stunning scene of the Mobile Infantry in combat, done by Emshwiller. My main memory of it at the time was that my father didn't think I could understand what I was reading; he asked me if I could explain "genetic impoverishment" (I couldn't).

I'm not going to give a neat plot synopsis here; most of the other reviews have that.

In the nearly 48 years since then, I have re-read this book more times than any other of my favorites. I don't know why this is, and it would probably be pointless to speculate on it. The point here is that I have come to see things about this story that others might miss.

This book represents a major watershed in Heinlein's career. _ST_ was his last juvenile novel, and it marks the beginning of Heinlein being a controversial figure. This book is one of the greatest bones of contention in the history of science fiction, with people arguing mightily (and seemingly endlessly) over it, dividing themselves neatly on opposite sides of the right-left faultline. Many opinions have been given on it, almost all of them quite worthless, a point which applies to those approving of the book as well as those disapproving of it.

This is one of Heinlein's strangest books, and one of his most convoluted. One has to read it closely (or many times, anyway) to really take note of it. The story is told from the first person point of view, a point which starts to take on significance when the reader realizes that there are entirely too many casual references to drugs and hypnosis through the
text, starting with the very first paragraph.

One might consider also that nowhere else in the body of Heinlein's work does he describe a society like that of _ST_ (a limited franchise democracy, with a decidedly right-wing, law-and-order ambience, complete with floggings and hangings). If he really were advocating this, one would expect to see this type of society depicted in many of his novels -- but it isn't. This is the only one.

And, of course, it's well-known that the opinions that authors put in the mouths of their characters are not necessarily the opinions of the authors. The opinions of Johnnie Rico's mentors and authority figures are not, I think, identical with those of Heinlein himself -- but that's sort of hard to tell, because Heinlein always maintained a closed front to the world, only displaying the sides of himself that he wanted to.

The one other thing I want to say about this book is the fact that you can keep on finding things in it that you hadn't previously noticed, even after many readings (that's also true of much of his other work). I noticed a new thing just a few months ago; this has to do with Heinlein's technique of showing rather than describing, and it makes for the sort of book you can read more than once. I won't go on about that; you can look for yourself, and maybe you'll find things that I've missed.

_Starship Troopers_, is one of the absolutely essential works that someone interested in Heinlein should read. The corollary to that is that, in order to have a valid opinion on Heinlein and his work, one needs to read more of his work than one book, or even half a dozen; depending on which ones one reads, that number would be around fifteen or twenty.

This book, of course, works on a number of levels. Whatever level you want to approach it on, I highly recommend it -- just don't stop here, because all of Heinlein's work deserves attention.

Interesting experiment (look up Rodger W. Young) on the net........2007-05-23

As with any good sci-fi the story and descriptions of the latest gadget are important; however this is just the window dressing or vehicle to carry a message or concept to you with out sounding too preachy.

Basically this book is not fascist like the movie. It suggests that people should be responsible for their actions and have a stake in what they make decisions on. Never did it say that these people were smarter or better, just that when you have a vested interest your decisions tend to work or you will pay.

I was intrigued in the process that Johnny Rico was going through in the story. The movie does not phase me as it looks like cartoon hype. But the book was too close to home. I hope my memory is flawed as I remember every one of the people types that he described. Actually I think with the volunteer Army today it is closer to the book than was Vietnam where conscripts looked on it this as slightly preferable to prison. I know that this story is not about the military but it is too real to be ignored as just the story.

You could have floored me with I found out there were no naked women in the book. Dizzy Flores must have had a great Swedish doctor. This could have been a genuine attempt to update the story; however it distracted from the original purpose.

Basically after school Johnny Rico is whisked into the military by peer pressure and to finds out if he is more than just the factory owner's son. While going through boot camp he learns of different cultures and the intricacies of military life. Naturally he makes mistakes and learns from others mistakes. As he grows he learns what make the world the way it is. I will not contrast this book with the movie because I think you enjoy the story more if you find out what happens as it unfolds.

Starship Troopers.......2007-02-21

"His head came off as I tried to take him out of his suit..."
This is one of the many gripping lines that doesn't let you put this book down. The story goes into the mind of a soldier going through boot camp and entering a career in the military.
The main character joins the army thinking that it would be an easy way to earn money and gain citizenship. His plan to earn some quick cash ended abruptly when the bugs attacked. In an attempt to avenge the innocent lives that the bugs had already slaughtered many were over zealous to fight their enemy. Most quickly learned that these were not the bugs you can spray with Raid and watch as they squirm in agony during their last moments of life. THESE bugs fought back!
Being outnumbered and outgunned the humans were fighting to survive. This book is an excellent read and is a must for any Sci-Fi lover. The author, Robert Heinlein, does an excellent job of pulling you in and keeping you suspended from beginning to end.

An amazing book, but don't expect lots of battle scenes.......2006-08-13

...because there aren't. This book has very little to do with the movie of the same name, other than some of the characters have the same name (but completely different personalities, not to mention different races), and the overall idea of fighting against an alien race known as the bugs.

This book is more about philosophy, why do we fight, why a volunteer army is important, and morality. Heinlein is one of the few people to admit that our Justice system is based on the principle of people wanting vengeance against criminals who have caused pain and harm to innocents. I believe he sums this up very in one particular line which states, "While a Judge's purpose is benevolent in nature, his rewards are supposed to make the criminal suffer". It also points out the failures in our modern society. In our society, people are punished more harshly than murderers sometimes. Disgusting.

Anyway, like I said, there aren't too many battles, but the few ones there are, are pretty cool. I find myself re-reading those parts because Heinlein also gets into the idea of fighting an enemy who won't roll over and die just because you throw a million nukes at their planet. Not gona work on the bugs pal. The technology they use is also really cool, the power armor in particular.

Bottom line, read this book.

Average customer rating:

Could have been better
Will Not Purchase
Interesting Book
Potential sadly unrealized.
Already been done

Star Trek : Starship Spotter
Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz , and Robert Bonchune
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 074343725X

Book Description

Starship Spotter was created more than two centuries ago to serve as a reference guide to assorted space-going vessels. Captains of the spaceships of the United Earth Space Probe Agency used this simple paper tool to enable a ship's crew to quickly distinguish friend from foe in the unexplored reaches of the cosmos. When the services were merged to form Starfleet, this paper book disappeared from use. Only recently rediscovered, the newest editions of this book have been the sole purview of Starfleet Academy.

Each year, a new class of Starfleet cadets carefully reviews and revises the contents. The ships displayed in Starship Spotter have been chosen as a tribute to the crews who have served on them and the valor shown, regardless of the ship's affiliation. Although only thirty ships could be included, the cadets feel these ships reflect the noble history of space travel.

We proudly present to you the Class of 2383 edition of Starship Spotter.

Customer Reviews:

Could have been better.......2007-08-12

Each ship listed has basic info, specifications, and a wire-frame view on the first two pages. That is followed by a 2 page full cgi rendering in the black of space.

The renderings are dimly lit and don't show the ships well, unless you only wanted to see engines glow.

Will Not Purchase.......2007-03-12

This was a ill-concieved item and the publishing company was looking for a quick buck. This book debuts a month after Enterprise debuts on television. What were they thinking? Just from the table of contents, it isn't worth the cost or the effort to produce this.

Where's the Breen, The Gorn, The Tholians. Bajoran ships are missing, Ferengi ships are missing. Both Enterprise B and Enterprise C are missing, what a glaring error on the part of the writers and the publisher. Even among those that are mentioned, this book just barely touches on what can be found in the Star Trek Encyclopedia.

This book has nothing to offer the fans or the occasional watcher. It toutes itself as a reference for "Academy Students" of the class of 2383. It's a good thing this is science fiction, because it would leave them with nothing useful to have embarking on their careers.

This really shouldn't have a rating of any stars, but...

Don't go near this book unless you like wasting money.

Interesting Book.......2006-11-10

This book has many important info about some interesting ships seen on the TV series. The graphics are good but are in double page, so sometimes you don't a good overall vision because the division of the pages.

Potential sadly unrealized........2005-09-13

The previous reviews are quite accurate, and should be read before deciding to purchase. For my part, I was overall content with the book, since I was more interested in the ship statistics and some of the "historical" descriptions than the artwork, so the admittedly disappointing nature of the ship renderings did not put me off as badly. However, the omission of key ships (see below) was a major disappointment, particularly galling was the insistence on describing things I could care less about, such as the Midas Array, "worker bees", etc. If one is going to limit oneself to 128 pages and 30 ships, then perhaps a little more common sense ought to have been devoted to selecting which "ships" to describe!

Another problem I had with some of the more exotic alien ships was a lack of information on their statistics, especially the Species 8472 bioship. While one cannot reveal all secrets, having everything listed as "unknown" is more than a little unsatisfying. At the least simply state observed qualities (i.e. maximum warp (observed) 9.46) or something similar.

I also agree that the line drawings of the ships were not as useful as they could have been. I would suggest either replacing or perhaps augmenting them with more standard 3 view drawings (front, profile, and top) as are given in the Star Fleet Technical Manual, for example.

It is my sincerest hope that a revised and heavily expanded 2nd edition will be released. Should the author(s) read this, here are some glaring omissions in need of being added:
- Excelsior class
- Ambassador class
- Constellation class
- Oberth class
- Daedalus class
- Borg cube
- Borg sphere
- Borg tactical cube
- Enterprise NX-01
- Klingon Negh'Var battleship
- K'Vort class cruiser

Very nice and much appreciated additions would be:
- Vulcan ships from Enterprise
- Klingon ships from Enterprise (a number of new designs are in evidence)
- The Romulan ship from Enterprise (the minefield episode)
- Other Earth ships from Enterprise (particularly the 2nd season finale)
- "Kobyashi Maru" Neutronic Fuel carrier
- Freighter destroyed in STIII by Bird of Prey
- Tholian ships
- Kazon ship

In spite of the unflattering reviews, this is a neat little book. For the price (on Amazon, that is), it is not a terribly bad buy. Wouldn't pay any more for it, though! However, there is much room for improvement, and I fervently hope the authors will take it upon themselves to release a vastly enhanced manual in the near future.

Already been done.......2003-12-15

There's plenty of Star Trek websites that feature schematics of starships featured in this book. Most of them provide more information than published. A Google search will turn up these sites and you'll enjoy the lot of them.

Starships: Stories Beyond the Boundaries of the Universe

Average customer rating:

best scifi compilation ive ever read

Starships: Stories Beyond the Boundaries of the Universe

Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0449007480
Release Date: 1995-03-01

Customer Reviews:

best scifi compilation ive ever read.......2003-04-04

Ive had this book since 1989. Most collections of short stories have a few interesting stories and the rest are filler but thats not the case here. The sheer number of excellent stories in this one volume is a shock. the common thread being that each had space vessels in it, Though the stories have little more in common than that, except being excellent. My favorites would have to be Far Centaurus by A.E. Van Voght, a moving tale of a suspended animation ship. A Chance Encounter by A. Bertram Chandler, a romantic first contact story. The Oceans are Wide- a really cool novella from Frank M. Robinson on one of my favorite subjects-generation ships. Avoidance Situation by James McConnell
a chilling tale of First Contact with the Dakn Empire. If you can find this collection, buy it!

Starship Troopers: The Klendathu Invasion (Starship Troopers the Minuatures Game)

Average customer rating:

Starship Troopers: The Klendathu Invasion (Starship Troopers the Minuatures Game)
A. Hahn
Manufacturer: Mongoose Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1905176112

Product Description

The first major supplement for the Starship Troopers miniatures game, the Klendathu Invasion provides everything you need to expand your games to include the disasterous Klendathu campaign, Mankind's first strike against the Arachnid's homeworld. Included in this book, you will find: * The complete history of the invasion, including SICON reports on estimated bug strength and the changes made in the Mobile Infantry in the aftermath of disaster. * A brand new army list covering Light Armour Troopers, the brave men who joined the massive Invasion Companies. Poorly equipped and sent to battle with only half the training of Cap Troopers, these guys nevertheless pack a heavy punch with their own unique weapons, access to Fleet assets and nukes! * The Arachnid Response - full rules on the nasty tricks and ambushes the bugs employed on Klendathu, useable in any game. * A complete camapign, allowing you to chart the progress of your Mobile Infantry company during the Invasion. Will you make it back to the Retrieval Boats or will you be stranded on a hostile alien world?

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