The Rim of Space by A. Bertram Chandler is a heart-pounding adventure on the wild frontier of the galaxy with The Rim of Space! Meet Derek Calver, a rogue spacer with a haunted past, diving headfirst into the gritty, lawless world of the Rim Runners. These misfits and outcasts?castaways from the elite Interstellar Transport Commission, the Survey Service, and the glamorous Trans-Galactic Clippers?pilot creaking, outdated ships along the galaxy's perilous edge. Calver, a fugitive from his own regrets and shattered dreams, fits right in aboard the Lorn Lady, a battered relic of a starship that's one part rust, one part defiance, and all heart.
Enter Jane "Calamity" Arlen, a fiery, enigmatic woman who's as tough as the void itself. She's got a reputation for chaos and a heart locked tighter than a starship's airlock, dodging connections to outrun the disasters she believes she brings. When she sizes up Calver with a piercing question?"Are you a happy drunk?"?his blunt "no" sparks a connection. "Then you're one of us," she declares, welcoming him to the Rim's brotherhood of broken souls who find a wild, reckless joy in skimming the edge of eternity in ships held together by grit and hope.
But the Rim is no place for the faint of heart. As Calver navigates the Lorn Lady's treacherous runs, he's drawn to a charismatic off-world tourist who seems refreshingly unscarred by the Rim's harsh realities. Yet, one wrong move in a seedy spaceport tavern lands him in hot water with the Rim Runners' iron-clad code. A single slip of the tongue could trigger a court-martial, and with the law closing in, Calver's past threatens to collide with a future he's barely begun to fight for.
The Rim of Space is a pulse-pounding tale of redemption, rebellion, and raw survival on the galaxy's untamed frontier. Will Calver outrun his demons and carve a new destiny among the stars? Grab this electrifying novel and blast off into a universe where every choice could be your last!
Autorentext
A. Bertram Chandler (1912?1984) was a master of science fiction whose tales of interstellar adventure pulse with the authenticity of a seasoned mariner. A British-born Australian, Chandler spent decades commanding ships, from tramp steamers to the HMAS Melbourne, infusing his Rim World and John Grimes series with a naval flair that earned him comparisons to Horatio Hornblower. With over 40 novels and 200 short stories, his work blends gritty realism, humor, and cosmic exploration. A four-time Ditmar Award winner, Chandler's legacy endures through the A. Bertram Chandler Award for Australian science fiction. His stories, set on the galaxy's wild frontier, captivate readers with their vivid characters and thrilling narratives.
Chandler grew up in Beccles, Suffolk, attending Peddar's Lane Council School and Sir John Leman School. At 16, he embarked on a maritime career, joining the Sun Shipping Company as an apprentice in 1928. He rose through the ranks, earning his second mate's certificate in 1932 and first mate's in 1935, before serving with the Shaw Savill & Albion Co. Ltd. from 1936 to 1955, eventually becoming chief officer. During World War II, he served as a gunnery officer on troopships and later as chief officer on passenger liners. In 1956, Chandler emigrated to Australia, becoming a citizen and commanding merchant ships under Australian and New Zealand flags, including the HMAS Melbourne, where he was the last master before its decommissioning.
Chandler's writing career began in 1944 with his first story, "This Means War!", published in Astounding Science Fiction at the invitation of editor John W. Campbell Jr. He wrote under pseudonyms like George Whitley and Andrew Dunstan, producing over 40 novels and 200 short stories. His maritime experience shaped his work, particularly in the Rim World series and John Grimes novels, which echo the naval adventures of C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower. Chandler's vivid depictions of spaceship life and crew dynamics brought a gritty realism to his space operas. He won four Ditmar Awards (1969, 1971, 1974, 1976) for works like False Fatherland and The Bitter Pill. After retiring from seafaring in 1975, he focused on writing until his death in Sydney in 1984. The A. Bertram Chandler Award, established in 1992, honors his contributions to Australian science fiction.