The Reefs of Space
1964 science fiction novel by Frederick Pohl and Jack Williamson
The Reefs of Space is a dystopian science fiction novel by American writers Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson, published in 1964. It is part of the Starchild Trilogy, the other books in the series being Starchild (1965) and Rogue Star (1969).
Plot
The novel is set in a dystopian future where mankind is ruled by a brutal totalitarian government known as the Plan of Man, enforced by a computerized surveillance state. The main character is a genius scientist, Steve Ryeland, who is trying to build a new type of rocket drive. While Ryeland is struggling with amnesia, he has a computer companion named Oporto. Due to Ryeland's anti-government actions in the past, the Plan of Man Computer deems him to be a security risk, so he is forced to wear a bomb-equipped collar, which he is hoping to be able to remove.
Reception
Joachim Boaz's review in Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations calls it "an enjoyable read" and he praises the "quick prose", action, and dialogue that keeps the reader interested.[1]
References
- ^ Boaz, Joachim (2 June 2010). "BOOK REVIEW: THE REEFS OF SPACE, FREDERIK POHL AND JACK WILLIAMSON (1964)". sciencefictionruminations.com. Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
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Works by Frederik Pohl
(with Jack Williamson)
- Undersea Quest (1954)
- Undersea Fleet (1956)
- Undersea City (1958)
- Gateway (1977)
- Beyond the Blue Event Horizon (1980)
- Heechee Rendezvous (1984)
- The Annals of the Heechee (1987)
- The Gateway Trip (1990)
- The Boy Who Would Live Forever: A Novel of Gateway (2004)
- The Other End of Time (1996)
- The Siege of Eternity (1997)
- The Far Shore of Time (1999)
- Man Plus (1976)
- Mars Plus (1994) (with Thomas T. Thomas)
(with Jack Williamson)
- Farthest Star (1975)
- Wall Around a Star (1983)
(with Jack Williamson)
- The Reefs of Space (1964)
- Starchild (1965)
- Rogue Star (1969)
- The Space Merchants (1953) (with Cyril M. Kornbluth)
- The Merchants' War (1984)
- Venus, Inc. (1985 Omnibus) (this is a two-in-one volume containing The Space Merchants and The Merchants' War)
- Search the Sky (1954) (with Cyril M. Kornbluth)
- Gladiator-At-Law (1955) (with Cyril M. Kornbluth)
- Preferred Risk (1955) (with Lester del Rey)
- Slave Ship (1956)
- Presidential Year (1958) (with Cyril M. Kornbluth)
- Wolfbane (1959) (with Cyril M. Kornbluth)
- Drunkard's Walk (1960)
- A Plague of Pythons (1964)
- The Age of the Pussyfoot (1965)
- Day Million (1970)
- The Best of Frederik Pohl (1975)
- Jem (1979)
- The Cool War (1981)
- Syzygy (1981)
- Starburst (1982)
- The Years of the City (1984)
- Black Star Rising (1985)
- The Coming of the Quantum Cats (1986)
- Terror (1986)
- Chernobyl (1987)
- Land's End (1988) (with Jack Williamson)
- The Day the Martians Came (1988)
- Narabedla Ltd. (1988)
- Homegoing (1989)
- The World at the End of Time (1990)
- Outnumbering the Dead (1990)
- Stopping at Slowyear (1991)
- The Singers of Time (1991) (with Jack Williamson)
- Mining the Oort (1992)
- The Voices of Heaven (1994)
- O Pioneer! (1998)
- The Last Theorem (2008) (with Arthur C. Clarke)
- All the Lives He Led (2011)
