I've read that many of Blish books are similar to Star Trek. This is the first Blish novel I've read, and in many ways it is like it. There as an crew of a space craft (which only numbers 3 people) who go off to negotiate a peace treaty with an alien race that is vastly different than humans. The crew all belong to a special group of cadets (Star Fleet Academy, perhaps?) who are smarter than the average human. The book is relatively short, 128 pages, and so the plot isn't too complex, but it has about as much depth as a one hour epside of Star Trek. In a few parts it starts to read like a Heinlien novel as the characters start talking about how stupid people were back in the old days, and how everything they do now-a-days is so much better. That is to say, they speak just to give the chance for the author to promote his own agenda for how the world should be. But these parts are rare and don't overwhelm the story at all.
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15. ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.