King David's Spaceship

Rating:
Summary: Great SciFi novel
Review: "King David's Spaceship" is the story of a desperate attempt on the part of some inhabitants of a newly rediscovered lost Earth colony to find the means to build a working spaceship before the Empire that rediscovered them officially lists them as suitable for Colonization, thus removing any chance they would have of political autonomy. It is thus both a fine adventure story and an interesting exploration of the politics of interaction between advanced and primitive societies. Pournelle touches on this subject with care and intelligence, and manages to communicate everyone's POV fairly. I would not that this occurs in the same universe and time frame as the classic "Mote in God's Eye", although it is set in a totaly different place.

Rating:
Summary: Great SciFi novel
Review: "King David's Spaceship" is the story of a desperate attempt on the part of some inhabitants of a newly rediscovered lost Earth colony to find the means to build a working spaceship before the Empire that rediscovered them officially lists them as suitable for Colonization, thus removing any chance they would have of political autonomy. It is thus both a fine adventure story and an interesting exploration of the politics of interaction between advanced and primitive societies. Pournelle touches on this subject with care and intelligence, and manages to communicate everyone's POV fairly. I would not that this occurs in the same universe and time frame as the classic "Mote in God's Eye", although it is set in a totaly different place.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting military adventure
Review: Colonel Nathan MacKinnie is bitter about the world. The Imperial Navy has propped up the Havenite government and wiped out MacKinnie's resistance killing the woman he loves while doing so. When King David of Haven asks for MacKinnie's assistance, he has decidedly mixed feelings. Still, the choices available for a retired colonel in a losing army are limited.

With help from the Imperial Navy and Imperial merchants, MacKinnie and a small group of associates leave Prince Samual's World to journey to Makassar, an even less advanced planet which happens to contain an ancient First Empire library. If MacKinney can learn enough, Prince Samual's World stands a chance to become a full member of the Empire rather than simply another colony world.

KING DAVID'S SPACESHIP is an intriguing 'fish out of water' story. MacKinnie and his collegues are from a low-technology world by the standards of the Empire, but have far more advanced technologies than those available on Makassar. Unfortunately, they are forbidden to use these technologies, and Makassar is bound and determined not to let anyone have access to the library, which they regard as a holy place. Somehow MacKinnie must take what he knows and dominate the Makassar civilization--without Imperial soldiers learning anything about it. His military background gives him hope, but what can he do against the tens of thousands of barbarians threatening the ancient temple city?

KING DAVID'S SPACESHIP is set in the motie world created by Pournelle and his frequent collaborator Larry Niven, but can be read without any knowledge of the excellent MOTE IN GOD'S EYE novel.

It's great to see this novel back in print.

Rating:
Summary: Praise for King David's Spaceship
Review: It is a real shame to see this book out of print. Janissaries by the same author seems to have been a popular book, and for those who liked that, they should definately give this a look. It combines similar themes of modern military knowledge with ancient military situations, but without the hardware available to Tran's mercenaries. It is set in the same universe as the Mote in God's Eye, at almost exactly the same time, which gives it an interesting context for those who follow this author. However, the plotline has almost nothing to do with Moties. Rather it is the case of a world at roughly industrial revolution level which is faced with the prospect of forceable reunification into the human empire. They discover that the only way to retain any kind of autonomy is to show that they can independently launch a spaceship. People from their world are forbidden to travel to any "higher" level planet, but are allowed to travel to planets classified as being in a primitive state. They send a team, led by one of their soldiers to another planet which is in a state of medieval technology, but where a galactic library survives. In the process of recovering vital information, they are forced to mobilise the local population to defeat the equivalent of a Mongol horde. An interesting military situation, mixed in with all sorts of historical and science fiction elements. It deserves wider attention, and certainly to be available in print. Thank God I already have a copy!

Rating:
Summary: King David's Spaceship - Good Intro to Pournelle's FH
Review: King David's Spaceship is set principally on two worlds: One, Prince Samual's World, which has only recently gained a measure of stability and civilization as the Kingdom of Haven seeks to reunite the planet under one banner after it was destroyed during the Secession Wars that led to the demise of the First Empire of Man. The second is Makassar, a world that has a still extant Imperial Library with a civilization more primitive than the horses-and-steam engine technology on Prince Samual's. The book captures a number of interesting viewpoints. That of Imperial Navy Lieutenant Jefferson who reflects on his providence on Prince Samual's World and the enormous task of the Second Empire of Man and its goal of forcibly reuniting all planets under its rule. That of Colonel Nathan MacKinnie, whose fiancee was killed when the Imperials intervened on behalf of Haven and who is tasked by that same kingdom that defeated him to gain secrets from that Imperial Library on Makassar (and to evade Imperial scrutiny) to help them build a spaceship. Lastly, that of Malcolm Dougal, an ardent patriot not only of Haven but also of Prince Samual's World, who wants to see the planet freely admitted to the Empire as a self-governing entity rather than a colonial planet ruled by newly created Imperial royalty. This is a must-read book that is set shortly before Niven and Pournelle's masterpiece ``Mote in God's Eye'' and I highly recommend it. Good adventure, fierce fighting and even a love story develops, to boot.

Rating:
Summary: Hey Publishers - Put this book back in print!
Review: Pournelle is a first rate Science Fiction writer. He also understands military history and this comes through in alot of his work.

In 'King David's Spaceship' the reunification of the Human Race has begun. The once mighty empire has fallen apart and new alliances and takeovers are occurring.

The rank of planets in the new situation is based on their technology - space travel being prized.

This book reads like one of those English WW2 movies like 'The Dambusters', with a group of people trying to find a technological solution to stop bad things happenning.

Get this book and read it. One day I hope it returns to print.

Rating:
Summary: Fine book, set in the same universe as "The Mote in Gods Eye
Review: The Empire has returned to Prince Samuel's World. The Empire is helping the government of Haven conquer the rest of the planet so the world has a single government and can be brought into the Empire. But Haven has discovered that, unless it can build a spaceship in the few years left to it, and secretly, it will become a mere colony world, with the natives treated like dirt and the colonists ruling the roost. But Haven has technology equivalent to only about 1900. With the Empire's unwitting help, they send a desperate expedition to a primitive world, seeking information contained in a First Empire library. If they can return with knowledge, then there might be a chance . . .

This is a quite good page turner by Pournelle, set simultaneously with the Motie incident (though there is only casual mention of it in "Spaceship". But it is a very good read, and I can't imagine why it is not in print.

Rating:
Summary: Fine book, set in the same universe as "The Mote in Gods Eye
Review: The Empire has returned to Prince Samuel's World. The Empire is helping the government of Haven conquer the rest of the planet so the world has a single government and can be brought into the Empire. But Haven has discovered that, unless it can build a spaceship in the few years left to it, and secretly, it will become a mere colony world, with the natives treated like dirt and the colonists ruling the roost. But Haven has technology equivalent to only about 1900. With the Empire's unwitting help, they send a desperate expedition to a primitive world, seeking information contained in a First Empire library. If they can return with knowledge, then there might be a chance . . .

This is a quite good page turner by Pournelle, set simultaneously with the Motie incident (though there is only casual mention of it in "Spaceship". But it is a very good read, and I can't imagine why it is not in print.