- Paperback: 30 pages
- Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd; New edition edition (31 May 1989)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0749301600
- ISBN-13: 978-0749301606
- Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 10.8 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,223,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Computer engineer Lou Christopher's life falls apart when the World Government decrees that the project he is working on is too dangerous to continue. Thus, he and thousands of other scientists and their families are sentenced to permanent exile from Earth on a space station. But Lou and several others decide to escape--by converting the space station into a starship.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book - the exiles trilogy- about ten years ago and have since read it twice and passed it on to a good friend.
basicaly this book tells the story of a group of scientists and adventurers that are exiled from earth for various reasons- mainly political and follows their life onboard a rather large spaceship into deep space. these people have to survive all kinds of problems on their way to an unknown promised land many millions of miles away which will take a number of lifetimes to reach. theres policial intrigue between rival factions, break down in technology and, in the final throes of the book a complete breakdown in what they would call modern civilisation- the final section of the book is a written masterpiece. The people on board live and die on board their ship and their children take over from them, over and over again. as more and more systems fail on their way life becomes harder and harder for each generation- plus the upper and lower class thing that goes on in the background- its a very very good read.
without giving too much away, by the time the ship is truly falling apart around them and they are approaching what could be their only chance of survival- an M class planet in an unknown solar system the one last adult guardian/pilot/navigator goes to the people in his care to report that theiy are finaly at their new home to find that the technology that controlled the education (amongst other things) had failed years earlier and his charge have regressed to something akin to the dark ages with no knowledge or understanding of technology. he has to pursuade them to leave the ship- the only world they have ever known and somehow bring them up to speed... not an easy task.
like I said, awesome read, real page turner and definately gets the thumbs up from me.
basicaly this book tells the story of a group of scientists and adventurers that are exiled from earth for various reasons- mainly political and follows their life onboard a rather large spaceship into deep space. these people have to survive all kinds of problems on their way to an unknown promised land many millions of miles away which will take a number of lifetimes to reach. theres policial intrigue between rival factions, break down in technology and, in the final throes of the book a complete breakdown in what they would call modern civilisation- the final section of the book is a written masterpiece. The people on board live and die on board their ship and their children take over from them, over and over again. as more and more systems fail on their way life becomes harder and harder for each generation- plus the upper and lower class thing that goes on in the background- its a very very good read.
without giving too much away, by the time the ship is truly falling apart around them and they are approaching what could be their only chance of survival- an M class planet in an unknown solar system the one last adult guardian/pilot/navigator goes to the people in his care to report that theiy are finaly at their new home to find that the technology that controlled the education (amongst other things) had failed years earlier and his charge have regressed to something akin to the dark ages with no knowledge or understanding of technology. he has to pursuade them to leave the ship- the only world they have ever known and somehow bring them up to speed... not an easy task.
like I said, awesome read, real page turner and definately gets the thumbs up from me.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Have enjoyed many of Ben Bova's books and this was no exception. I especially enjoyed the idea of bringing together three volumes in one. Could not put it down!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
8 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A good starter book for the young reader
12 May 1998
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This was the first science fiction book I read as a kid. The simple but imaginative storyline launched me forever into a love for true science fiction. The story is simply written but is very thought provoking. I have recently found the book again, and re-read it. It still has a magical effect on me, and it will be one that I hope does the same for my kids someday! I too would love to see a sequel of some sorts from Mr. Bova...!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Great sci-fi that should be made into movies!
28 May 2008
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Someone recommended Bova's EXILES trilogy to me and at first, when I read the description, I wasn't too sold on the idea but I went ahead and decided to take in this adventure.
The three books that make up this trilogy are as different as different can be. EXILED FROM EARTH, the first in the series, was my least favorite. In fact, after reading it, I wasn't sure I wanted to read the rest of the series. It basically focuses on the world government forcing many scientists off Earth and onto a satellite that orbits Earth. It ends with the exiled crew voting to turn their satellite/prison into a spaceship that will carry them to another planet so that they can live in freedom once again. There's a lot of pulp-style action in it but a lot of it just wasn't very compelling and didn't make sense, ie, Lou escapes capture only to immediately return to work and grow suspicious that the place is deserted and then acts surprised when they come to capture him again. Unfortunately, if you're going to read any of this series, the first book is necessary to set up the real stories to come later on. I don't think the first book would make a good movie at all. On the bright side, it's a short, quick read.
However, book two is where things really get cooking. FLIGHT OF EXILES is somewhat of a murder mystery/political drama played out in space. The situation was much more compelling, as were the characters. This would make an excellent Sci-Fi channel movie-of-the-week.
My favorite book in the series was definitely book three - END OF EXILE. Talk about coming out of left field! It focuses on Linc, a kid amongst many other kids on the now century old, falling apart spaceship. There is almost no explanation given as to what happened to the adults in the prior book. Bova does a great job of leaving stuff up to the reader's imagination and I'm glad about that because I didn't necessarily want him to break away from the story he's telling here to take a time out and fill in the blanks. The story plays out almost like a LORD OF THE FLIES in space. There are a lot of themes about religion and faith - Linc ascending "up" the ship to consult Jerlet (more or less, God in this story) and then coming back ("resurrected") to face the masses and lead them to salvation. This third book would make an excellent made-for-tv movie.
The three books that make up this trilogy are as different as different can be. EXILED FROM EARTH, the first in the series, was my least favorite. In fact, after reading it, I wasn't sure I wanted to read the rest of the series. It basically focuses on the world government forcing many scientists off Earth and onto a satellite that orbits Earth. It ends with the exiled crew voting to turn their satellite/prison into a spaceship that will carry them to another planet so that they can live in freedom once again. There's a lot of pulp-style action in it but a lot of it just wasn't very compelling and didn't make sense, ie, Lou escapes capture only to immediately return to work and grow suspicious that the place is deserted and then acts surprised when they come to capture him again. Unfortunately, if you're going to read any of this series, the first book is necessary to set up the real stories to come later on. I don't think the first book would make a good movie at all. On the bright side, it's a short, quick read.
However, book two is where things really get cooking. FLIGHT OF EXILES is somewhat of a murder mystery/political drama played out in space. The situation was much more compelling, as were the characters. This would make an excellent Sci-Fi channel movie-of-the-week.
My favorite book in the series was definitely book three - END OF EXILE. Talk about coming out of left field! It focuses on Linc, a kid amongst many other kids on the now century old, falling apart spaceship. There is almost no explanation given as to what happened to the adults in the prior book. Bova does a great job of leaving stuff up to the reader's imagination and I'm glad about that because I didn't necessarily want him to break away from the story he's telling here to take a time out and fill in the blanks. The story plays out almost like a LORD OF THE FLIES in space. There are a lot of themes about religion and faith - Linc ascending "up" the ship to consult Jerlet (more or less, God in this story) and then coming back ("resurrected") to face the masses and lead them to salvation. This third book would make an excellent made-for-tv movie.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Good sci-fi
9 Sep 2003
Format:Mass Market Paperback
People like to divide Science fiction in many genres: hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, alien sci-fi, whatever. I don't even know what each one means. All I care is if it's good sci-fi or not. "The exiles trilogy", though not a masterpiece, is one very enjoyable story.
Ben Bova wrote the three parts of his trilogy between 1971 and 1975. The first part, "Exiled from Earth", set in the near future, tells about how the World government decides to cast away all the top-most genetic scientists and people working with them, least they un-balance the already precarious staquos quo of the overpopulated planet. This first part is the most action packed and has little science fiction in its lines, and is in fact the least likeable part of the trilogy. But what I noticed is that Bova's style is very similar to some of Asimov's stories, the ones featuring Lucky Starr, Elijah Bailey and Hari Seldon in the prequels to the "Foundation" series (books that I constantly re-read). Full of little plots that get together in the end, shallow but likeable characters, fast-paced reading.
The second and third parts, "Flight of the exiles" and "End of exile" are set aboard the sattelite/spaceship that becomes home to the exiles. These two parts have little or no connection between themselves or the first part of the trilogy, except for the fact of the earlier exile. They're darker, better written and the main plots are much more interesting. I won't say anything because I don't want to spoil the fun of reading them.
But my two comments on "The exiles trilogy" are: 1) Although the three parts were written in separate and were meant to be standalones, I think they must be read back-to-back. They'll be better enjoyed this way. 2) There are many things that happened between the three parts of the trilogy, but Bova hardly explains what happens. I was left with the feeling that I wanted something more, and I kept looking for it till the end, but those explanations never came. Maybe Bova could write new books about the Exiles. The story is very good and has potential for further development.
Grade 8.1/10
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