The Star Kings [The Two Thousand Centuries] Enhanced, Improved, Pulp Edition - original illustrations

I first encountered The Star Kings in '76, when I found a copy in the overstock bin of a Woolworths for twenty-five cents. I was delighted in every way by the novel, a feeling I have rediscovered decades later. A charming, fun and provocative adventure story, The Star Kings was years ahead of its time. When the book and then the movie Star Wars came out soon after, I recognized the source of so many ideas in that blockbuster. A dozen other great science fiction stories have their roots in this Edmond Hamilton masterpiece. It is not a great book, nor particularly well written, but it makes up in vision what it lacks in polish. The Star Kings is nothing but a really fun read.

I first read THE STAR KINGS (under the title BEYOND THE MOON, Signet Books 812) in 1950 when I was in the second grade. It was given to me by my Uncle Morris Garnick and it was the first "adult" book I ever read.It is a novel about an ordinary man who has his mind (only) exchanged into the body of a scientist living 200,000 years in the future in order that the scientist, placing his own mind in the body of this 20th-century man, can explore our age (he has explored other past ages as well) from first-hand experience, it is the best "space-opera" novel (with exotic planets, rocket ships, aliens, galactic battles, lovely women, and LOTS of unforeseen - by both the scientist and the 20th-century man - adventure) that I have read even to this day.In my opinion, while you may find a "space-opera" novel as good as this one, you won't find one which is better.I still have the copy that my uncle gave me, rather the worse for wear, being held together with Scotch tape and glue, and, in addition, I own several other editions of the book.A year or two after I had first read it, having received my first bicycle and being able to travel a bit, I went to the closest local bookstore in the next town to see if I could buy a copy of the original hardback edition which had been published by Frederick Fell in 1949.When I got to the bookstore, I was told that it was out of print and unavailable.For the next fifty-five(!) years I searched high and low for a hardbound copy of that book; friends and relatives also searched for me whenever any of us went into a used bookstore - but to no avail.Finally, in 2006, I was able to find a copy on AbeBooks - it cost $95.00 (plus $3.50 shipping) but I ordered and received it. It was in excellent condition and was everything for which I had hoped.In the meantime, I had found several other editions of the book, most especially this one:  Stark and the Star Kings .Now many fans of this story do not know that there are TWO versions of it: the first version, the one under discussion here released by Armchair Fiction which is a reprint (with some modifications) of the original story as it appeared complete in the AMAZING STORIES issue of September 1947 (a copy of which I own) and the second version, the one published in hardback by Frederick Fell in 1949 and reprinted in paperback by Signet in 1950 (it's the version used in most subsequent editions including the Haffner Press edition mentioned above  Stark and the Star Kings , which is, in my opinion, the most beautiful edition ever published. It's out of print now and you can only get a used copy for well over $100.00! Lucky me - I own TWO copies!).The footnotes which appear in the second version are actually incorporated into the main text in the first version though in this current paperback edition the footnotes are restored as in the second version. (Those footnotes were printed at the bottom of the page on which they appeared originally in earlier editions but in this one they are printed at the back of the book on page 193.).In the original AMAZING STORIES version and a few subsequent ones there were no footnotes; those sections which appear as footnotes in this Armchair Fiction version (as well as all editions of the second version of the story) are incorporated within the main text of the story. I think it was correct for Edmond Hamilton to take these sections and create footnotes from them as they do impede somewhat the flow of the text.Most significantly, the last chapter is VERY different in the two versions.I shall not spoil anyone's enjoyment by spelling out the differences of that final chapter (by revealing the ending as well as the implications of the revised ending) but, suffice it to say, if you are, as I am, a great fan of this story, you will want to have copies of both versions.Both versions are excellent and both are satisfying to read.And the last chapter, different in both versions, is nonetheless VERY satisfying in both, again in my opinion.I must state that ALL of the early editions discussed above are riddled with typographical errors. some (not all) of which were corrected in subsequent paperback editions (Paperback Library 64-472 from August 1967 and November 1970 and the Warner Books edition - the successor to Paperback Library - 76-942 from September 1975). (The Haffner Press edition has NO misprints.)One of the most "notorious" errors (not considering Hamilton's error in defining a morganatic wife) is in the last sentence which, in the Fell and Signet editions, begins with "Words of the star kings ..." which, of course, should read "Worlds of the star kings ..." (This error appears only in the second version of the story and does not appear at all in this current Armchair Fiction paperback edition.)In this current edition, most of the misprints have been corrected - but there is one egregious error on page 135. The captain of the Ethne (a space-battleship) is named Val Marlann. In most previous editions, at the same point which his name appears in this edition, his name is misspelled as Val Marlanne. But in this edition the misspelling is even worse: Val Marianne! Oh, brother! (Automatic Spell-Check striking again?)But, that aside, this new paperback is a worthwhile addition to anyone's science fiction library. It is hard to believe but, since 1947, it has only rarely been out of print.I bought two copies of this edition, one for my granddaughter, and, oh well, one for me!Why would I buy another copy of this book when I have so many of them?For this reason: this one has the same cover art as on the Signet book my uncle gave me so long ago. For me it's like having an old friend in a brand-new form.What else can I say? Just buy it. You'll love it. I can say that with full confidence: EVERY person to whom I have made that recommendation (and who has actually bought the book and read it) thanked me profusely, telling me that they really enjoyed it.I hope that you will too.Lawrence H. Bulk

I picked this up for Kindle because the cover looked interesting and I was in the mood for some good old fashioned space opera. It was good, action packed and all. You can tell it was originally published in serial form because key plot points get reiterated over and over again, like about Gordon's solemn promise to Zarth Arn, and how Gordon is in love with Lianna whereas the real Zarth Arn is in love with Murn. I rather liked the villain, Shorr Kan. Main problem is, every time I would read about Prince Zarth Arn, I kept picturing "Prince of Space", a cheesy Japanese sci-fi movie which was featured on MST3K.

This is a great story, one of my all time favorites. Romance and swashbuckling action like nobody writes anymore. While I really enjoyed reading this again after many years, the thing I found most surprising was the ending. When published in book form it ended very differently. This would be the original magazine publication, I would have to assume. I like this ending. Hamilton had good reason to change it, but the original ending works, and I like it.While I can't take it seriously as a vision of what the future might be, for what it is it is great. It would still make a great movie, better than any of the Star Wars movies that were directly or indirectly influenced by it.

This book is the precursor to all those sci-fi's like Star Wars. It came first. It is written in the same vein as the Edgar Rice Boroughs books about John Carter who is also a man taken out of his time and planet. In this book a man trades his mind with a scientist (who is also a Prince) from the future who then gets kidnapped along with a princess (he fall for) and he has to use his 20th century know how to figure out how to stop an intergalactic war. This book is awesome because although you've seen this sort of plot in our tv shows and movies...this one was way ahead of its time in 1949.

I read this novel many years ago and enjoyed it then. After rereading it the story still was a good experience

I have read the print copy of this book many times and was pleasantly surprised to see a different ending in this Kindle book! In the print copy I have, Gordon is back in the past and Lianna calls to him from the future to tell him they are working on a way to get him to the future. I like this version better!

though clearly written many years ago, this spirited (literally and figuratively) tale holds up very well. reading it I could feel the same excitement, wonder and pleasure that readers 70 years ago must have experienced. maybe that's because I am not young and have been reading SF for 50+ years. nevertheless, I think readers of all ages would enjoy this lively and touching space opera.

I read this book years ago thought it was fantastic then as it is now the formating on kindle does the book justiceHope they now release the sequel

最初に読んだのは小学生の頃か。とてもワクワクする展開で一気に読み終えたのを覚えてます。巻末の解説で続編があると知り本屋、図書館を探しても見つけられずしばらくがっかりしてたような。大学生になり創元社の文庫で続編を見つけ、本編と合わせて購入。またまた一気に読破しました。今度は原著を読みたくなり、amazonで見つけ購入。年齢を問わず、時代を問わず楽しめる本です。翻訳を読んだ後、原著を読むことをお薦めします。