Forum: Lost Stories

Lost story that was never on sol

mtr1go 🚫

I know I'm going to get flack for this, but I'm at my wits end. (Not a great distance now days.) I read a sci-fi book decades ago that took place thousands of years in the future when mankind had populated the stars and many genetic variations of humans populated the planets. The MC was born from normal humans (they may have been missionaries) on a planet with almost twice normal gravity. The humans on the planet had been genetically changed to survive the conditions. The parent died soon after the MC was born and raised the "sickly" child to be one of their own. Planet was known for piracy as the people could take more g forces during space battles than other human races.

If this story rings any bells, I would really appreciate the title and author. Thanks for your time.

Replies: Remus2

Radagast 🚫

There is a slim possibility that you are conflating parts of Larry Niven's Tales of Known Space.
Jinx is a high gravity planet, Beowulf Shaeffer is a Belter (grew up on low gravity) whose wife is an earthbound flat lander, unable to deal with Space. Beowulf can't get a license to have children so he has his friend Carlos Wu do the deed as he has an unlimited breeding license.
There are several incidents of piracy including use of micro black holes to disable space ships. Pirates in diferent stories are felinoid Kzin, Jinxian and earth normal.

Pixy 🚫

I know this story!Sadly I can't remember it at the moment and will need to check my library for it, which I can't do for the next few weeks :(

It's an old story, I remember reading it back in the 90's and it was 'old' then. I can't say for definite without looking at the book, but I think its 'Starwolf' by Edmond Hamilton.

Replies: Ernest Bywater

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@Pixy

I think its 'Starwolf' by Edmond Hamilton.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starwolf_(novel_series)Starwolf is a series of three novels by Edmond Hamilton featuring heavy-worlder Morgan Chane. Chane was the son of a human missionary family to a heavier-than-Earth-normal world of Viking-like aliens. During the years of his life, his parents died and left him an orphan to be incorporated into the Starwolf society. As an adult he felt himself to be as much a Starwolf as his alien companions. After a dispute over plunder with a fellow Starwolf (leaving the other Starwolf dead), Chane flees (under threat of death) from Starwolf society. As a fugitive and hiding his ex-Starwolf status (the rest of the galaxy "declares a holiday when a Starwolf is killed"[1]), Chane becomes part of a "Merc" human mercenary group commanded by a Merc named John Dilullo.

Replies: Pixy

Pixy 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

Yeah, I forgot about the internet... :Facepalm:

That sounds like the one. When lockdown is over, I might dig it back out, it's been about thirty years since I read it last and I remember it being bloody good (which is why I remember it!). Don't remember it being more than one book though, so I either have them (inherited) or never had the sequels and will have to pick them up...

Replies: Ernest Bywater

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@Pixy

so I either have them (inherited) or never had the sequels and will have to pick them up...

it was released as an anthology at one time. However:

https://www.baen.com/allbooks/category/index/id/1760

Have a lot of his books, including that series

Remus2 🚫

@mtr1go

It rings a CRS bell. I've read it, but can't recall the title or author.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

I must admit my first thought on the request was the Deathworld series of stories by Harry Harrison, but the MC wasn't born or raised on the planet. My next thought was conflating the Anne McCaffrey Planet Pirates / Dinosaur series. While there are a lot of close fits for a different books in each set no one story is a full fit for everything stated.

Pixy 🚫

Cheers Ernest. It might be the anthology I have. I can't remember and will need to check my library. It's the UK print, so the cover is probably different as well, as it's certainly not that one in the link.

Replies: Dinsdale

Dinsdale 🚫

@Pixy

Are the covers shown on the Baen site real? I'm used to different books having different covers (ignoring old Penguin books for a second) but those 20 books all have the same figure in pretty much the same pose with only two different backgrounds.

Replies: Pixy Ernest Bywater

Pixy 🚫

@Dinsdale

Are the covers shown on the Baen site real?

No idea, never been on that site before.

Replies: limab

limab 🚫
Updated:

@Pixy

I have never found an unmarked false one (there was one cover that got changed)

I just looked at the covers, those look like an other publisher selling through the site. PM me for more information .

Good Hunting,limab

Ernest Bywater 🚫
Updated:

@Dinsdale

Are the covers shown on the Baen site real?

From the prices listed I suspect they're e-books where they took one cover image and duplicated that due to royalty costs for the other images.

Just checked a few - yes, they're e-books.

mtr1go 🚫

It's the Hamilton "Starwolf" series!! Thank you so much!!

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Forum: Lost Stories

Lost story that was never on sol

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