Star Flight

~ An Omnibus for the Astra Series by Andre Norton

(Series aka) Pax

Contains ~

• The Stars Are Ours! (1954) Published by World, HC, LCCN 54008169, 237pg ~ cover by Virgil Finlay

• Star Born (1957) Published by World, HC, LCCN 57005898, 212pg ~ cover by Virgil Finlay

Synopsis ~

Write-up from an old Amazon.com posting ~

Two Complete novels of courageous men and women whose only hope was escape in an untested starship to other worlds of bright promise—and unknown dangers:
The Stars Are Ours - Dard Nordis is a hunted man. His brother was murdered for covert activities as a scientist in a world which scientists and engineers are blamed for the global war that smashed civilization, and the global dictatorship of Pax has ordered their execution. Now he is on the run, trying to find the secret stronghold of his brother's friends and colleagues—a hidden place where the few remaining scientists are desperately building a spaceship to escape to the stars.
Star Born - Centuries after the desperate flight from Earth, Pax has been overthrown and humanity again reaches for the stars. Rof Kurbi's spaceship reaches the planet Astra, not knowing that the planet already has a colony established centuries ago by the fugitive humans from Earth . . . and that the apparently friendly natives of the planet are actually malevolent invaders from elsewhere, who are plotting to eliminate all humans from Astra, both the recent arrivals and the star born colonists.

Write-up from the front flap of the 2007 dustjacket ~

UNKNOWN WORLDS-UNKNOWN DANGERS
The Stars are Ours: Dard Nordis is a hunted man. His brother was murdered for covert activities as a scientist in a world in which scientists and engineers are blamed for the global war that smashed civilization. The global dictatorship of Pax has ordered their execution. Now he is on the run, trying to find the secret stronghold of his brother’s friends and colleagues—a hidden place where the few remaining scientists are desperately building a spaceship to escape to the stars.
Star Born: Centuries after the desperate flight from Earth, Pax has been overthrown and humanity again reaches for the stars. Rof Kurbi’s spaceship reaches the planet Astra, but he and the crew do not know that the planet already has a colony established centuries ago by the fugitive humans from Earth. Nor do they know that the apparently friendly natives of the planet are actually the malevolent remnants of a corrupt civilization that all but destroyed itself millennia ago—and that they are plotting to eliminate all humans from Astra, both the recent arrivals and the star born colonists.

Write-up from the back of the BAEN paperback edition ~

Two Complete novels of courageous men and women whose only hope was escape in an untested starship to other worlds of bright promise—and unknown dangers:
The Stars Are Ours - Dard Nordis’s brother was murdered by the global dictatorship of Pax, which has ordered the death of all scientists. Now he is on the run, trying to find the secret stronghold of his brother’s friends and colleagues, where the few remaining scientists are desperately building a spaceship to escape to the stars..
Star Born - Centuries after Pax’s overthrow, Rof Kurbi's spaceship reaches the planet Astra, unaware that the planet has a colony established by the fugitives from Earth. Nor do they know that the apparently friendly natives of the planet are actually the malevolent remnants of a corrupt civilization that is planning to eliminate all humans from Astra.
“The sky’s no limit to Andre Norton’s imagination… a superb storyteller.” – The New York Times
“One of the most popular authors of our time.” – Publishers Weekly
“High adventure, fast-paced action and sustained suspense.” - Booklist

Write-up from a fan ~

The Stars Are Ours! ~ This is another post-apocalyptic novel with a twist. Science is outlawed, because some scientists were framed for the nuclear holocaust that destroyed much of the world. The world government, PAX is always hunting down "Stinkmen"(scientists) to stop them from destroying the world again. Some renegade scientists are building a colony ship to get away from the tyranny of PAX. This book has everything--tyrants, the oppressed, and people caught in the middle and unexpected allies. There is a harrowing flight to take vital information to the scientists' hidden base It has a daring raid on PAX headquarters to use the last known functioning computer, desperate escapees, and a climactic battle and the ship taking off. And this is just the first half!
The second half concerns landing upon a new planet and all the discoveries, both dangerous and beneficial to these colonists. They must share this world, but with whom and how successfully? This is an exciting, fast-paced novel which leads into the sequel, Star Born. ~ PG

Star Born ~ This is an interesting book. It is a follow-up to The Stars Are Ours taking place three generations after the events in The Stars Are Ours. The chapters are told alternately by Dalgard Nordis, the great-grandson of Dard Nordis from TSAO and Raf Kurbi, a flitter pilot from an FTL exploration ship from Earth. Andre used this technique of alternate narration in Moon of Three Rings and I think maybe others (can anyone think of anymore?). I like this technique though I have met others who think it is too confusing. I recommend reading the two books back-to-back to enjoy the planet Astra and all its Flora and Fauna. Action and adventure, danger and moral and ethical dilemmas and hard choices face the protagonists. A thoroughly enjoyable read. ~ PG

Bibliography of English Editions ~

• (2007) Published by BAEN, HC, 1-416-55506-4, $24.00, 384pg ~ cover by Stephen Hickman

• (2007) Published by BAEN, DM, 1-416-55506-4, $6.99, 384pg ~ cover by Stephen Hickman

• (2009) Published by BAEN, PB, 1-439-13272-0, $7.99, 416pg ~ cover by Stephen Hickman

• (2021) Created by Trantor Audio, Audible, length 12hrs & 51mins, $15.30 ~ narrated by Ryan Burke

View the 1999 BAEN contract

• Star Flight - 2007 HC Star Flight - 2007 HC
• Star Flight - 2009 PB Star Flight - 2009 PB
• Star Flight - 2021 Star Flight - 2021
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