To The Stars
by Harry Harrison
Homeworld
Jan Kulozik is an upper crud Brit Engineer who leads a posh life stepping on ‘proles'(proletariat’s) on his way to completing projects that bring him fame and fortune. At least until he is rescued during a boating accident by an Israeli submarine which shouldn’t exist. Then his picture of the world changes and he begins trying to do things that will equalize the class abuse by helping foreign agents. Mayhem, intrigue, action, betrayal and punishment ensue.
Wheelworld
Jan Kulozik is indentured to the colony on the Agricultural world of Halvmork. (Nanu-Nanu) This planet has a forty one degree axial tilt which scorches half of the planet every four years. Ships are supposed to come to take the corn harvest to the other colony worlds which would starve without it but they are late by six weeks. A hazardous trek across the planet must happen to save the people and the harvest. Jan tangles at every step with hideous matriarch called the Hradil. People die, most of the corn is saved and Jan is in peril due to his flaunting of the Law.
Starworld
Jan Kulozik is leaving Halvmork to secure benefits for it’s people in the rebellion but is seized by Earth Commonwealth forces before leaving orbit. Escaping he has quite a chase until cornered by his Security douche brother-in-law and shoved into a huge conspiracy resulting in more space war, Entebbe style raids, missile attacks and lots of chaos. Will there be anything left. I suggest you find out.
These three works make up the ‘To the Stars‘ trilogy which I originally read over twenty five years ago. They were so good I reread them now with a more critical eye. There are some things that were time dated and are now nonexistent but the story flows. This was a product of the big six and now I can see where the editors perhaps phoned it in several times. Misused, misspelled and missing words. The three Ms live large in this collection. Three stars for editing, Five stars for the story for an overall rating of four stars.
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