Spaces pirates and privateers

Mivo · 10-06-2013, 05:55 AM

I'm looking for recommendations for a science fiction adventure or space opera with piracy or smuggling as the main theme. A standalone novel would be ideal, but I can cope with an engaging series as well.

I'm not overly familiar with the scifi genre in general, so chances are that all suggestions will be new to me. If this is too specific, something related would also be fine.

Thanks!

kennyc · 10-06-2013, 07:00 AM

Dune.

Mivo · 10-06-2013, 07:06 AM

That's one of the few scifi works that I HAVE read!

kennyc · 10-06-2013, 07:12 AM

Some here ... under the "Media" section...scroll down:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_space_pirates

also check this thread at SFF world (is that you asking?

)

http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showt...or-Mercenaries

Mivo · 10-06-2013, 08:35 AM

Nope, not me! I edit my typos more competently!

I think I'll pick up Anne McCaffrey's Planet Pirates series.

GeoffR · 10-06-2013, 10:07 AM

I wish I could recommend C. J. Cherryh's Company Wars books, especially Merchanter's Luck, Tripoint, and Finity's End.

Unfortunately like most of her work they not yet available as ebooks. The only ones that are so far, Heavy Time and Hellburner, are sort of prequels set in an earlier time frame to the main series. Still excellent books, but don't feature the merchanteers and Mazianni (regegade military turned pirates) of the later period.

Penforhire · 10-06-2013, 02:33 PM

I'll suggest one of the better classics, "Nova" by Samuel R. Delany. Smuggling and piracy are small parts of this amazing (for its day) space opera.

jehane · 10-07-2013, 02:04 PM

Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon, five books, complete. Central theme is (the fight against) piracy.

Deathstalker by Simon R. Green, five books plus an additional three, complete. Mostly a rebels vs evil empire story, but one of the main characters is/was a smuggler.

The rest are more espionage than piracy or smuggling.

The Rampart Worlds series by Julian May, three books, complete.

The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. A series of stand-alone novels, although it is best to read them in order due to developments in the title character's personal life.

This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman.

WillAdams · 10-07-2013, 02:12 PM

Agree w/ GeoffR on C.J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union books and jehane on Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat.

Timothy Zahn's _Ikarus Hunt_ is also quite good.

If you like Star Wars, then the Han Solo Trilogy by Brian Daley is quite good, and the Lando Calrissian Trilogy by L. Neil Smith also.

Chris Claremont's First Flight books start off a bit rough, but the last is decent enough to leave one regretting that there aren't more.

Some books in H. Beam Piper's Terro-Human future books (available in an omnibus here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47980 ) touch on piracy, notably _Space Viking_.

MickiTee · 10-07-2013, 04:40 PM

Try Robert A Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy. Its about slavery and the piracy that provides the slaves.

Apache · 10-07-2013, 07:22 PM

The Witches of Karres by James Schmitz is an old classic from 1967 and was nominated for a Hugo.
Apache

IcecreamLtDan · 10-07-2013, 09:25 PM

If you're looking for a comedic angle on the genre, you can take a look at the "Hal Spacejock" series. There's also "The Kestrel Voyages" which are very much in the vein of Firefly/Serenity by Steven Lyle Jordan and are inexpensive.

steven522 · 10-08-2013, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillAdams

If you like Star Wars, then the Han Solo Trilogy by Brian Daley is quite good, and the Lando Calrissian Trilogy by L. Neil Smith also.

I was going to recommend the Brian Daley Han Solo Adventures also:
Han Solo at Star's End, Han Solo's Revenge, Han Solo and the Lost Legacy.

Your only familiarity with Star Wars that is required is really just a passing recognition of Han solo and Chewbacca. The settings and other characters are not related to the movies at all.

Same with the Calrissian trilogy.

BenG · 10-08-2013, 09:11 PM

It's not space pirates but try Retribution Falls and the rest of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding which has sky pirates and smugglers in a steampunk setting with airships and the like.

Retribution Falls was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke award in 2010.

Geralt · 10-10-2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

Retribution Falls was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke award in 2010.

I second this.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...ion-falls?ac=1

Read it just few weeks ago, and it was entertaining and very enjoyable read.
Although, it is classified more as fantasy then sci-fi.
It was this weird mix between Pirates of the Caribbean/Firefly/something else.

It's a great book to start a series with, that's for sure.

10-06-2013, 05:55 AM	#1
Mivo Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 3531054 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Germany Device: In use: Pocketbook InkPad 3, Kobo Glo, iPad Air 2	Spaces pirates and privateers I'm looking for recommendations for a science fiction adventure or space opera with piracy or smuggling as the main theme. A standalone novel would be ideal, but I can cope with an engaging series as well. I'm not overly familiar with the scifi genre in general, so chances are that all suggestions will be new to me. If this is too specific, something related would also be fine. Thanks!

10-06-2013, 10:07 AM	#6
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	I wish I could recommend C. J. Cherryh's Company Wars books, especially Merchanter's Luck, Tripoint, and Finity's End. Unfortunately like most of her work they not yet available as ebooks. The only ones that are so far, Heavy Time and Hellburner, are sort of prequels set in an earlier time frame to the main series. Still excellent books, but don't feature the merchanteers and Mazianni (regegade military turned pirates) of the later period. Last edited by GeoffR; 10-06-2013 at 10:59 AM. Reason: spelling

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10-06-2013, 07:00 AM	#2
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Dune.

10-06-2013, 07:06 AM	#3
Mivo Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 3531054 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Germany Device: In use: Pocketbook InkPad 3, Kobo Glo, iPad Air 2	That's one of the few scifi works that I HAVE read!

10-06-2013, 07:12 AM	#4
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Some here ... under the "Media" section...scroll down: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_space_pirates also check this thread at SFF world (is that you asking? ) http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showt...or-Mercenaries

10-06-2013, 08:35 AM	#5
Mivo Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 3531054 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Germany Device: In use: Pocketbook InkPad 3, Kobo Glo, iPad Air 2	Nope, not me! I edit my typos more competently! I think I'll pick up Anne McCaffrey's Planet Pirates series.

10-06-2013, 02:33 PM	#7
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I'll suggest one of the better classics, "Nova" by Samuel R. Delany. Smuggling and piracy are small parts of this amazing (for its day) space opera.

10-07-2013, 02:04 PM	#8
jehane Book addict Posts: 441 Karma: 2650464 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Antarctica/Australia/Ohio Device: Sony PRS-300/T1/Asus TF101	Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon, five books, complete. Central theme is (the fight against) piracy. Deathstalker by Simon R. Green, five books plus an additional three, complete. Mostly a rebels vs evil empire story, but one of the main characters is/was a smuggler. The rest are more espionage than piracy or smuggling. The Rampart Worlds series by Julian May, three books, complete. The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. A series of stand-alone novels, although it is best to read them in order due to developments in the title character's personal life. This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman.

10-07-2013, 02:12 PM	#9
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Agree w/ GeoffR on C.J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union books and jehane on Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat. Timothy Zahn's _Ikarus Hunt_ is also quite good. If you like Star Wars, then the Han Solo Trilogy by Brian Daley is quite good, and the Lando Calrissian Trilogy by L. Neil Smith also. Chris Claremont's First Flight books start off a bit rough, but the last is decent enough to leave one regretting that there aren't more. Some books in H. Beam Piper's Terro-Human future books (available in an omnibus here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47980 ) touch on piracy, notably _Space Viking_.

10-07-2013, 04:40 PM	#10
MickiTee Guru Posts: 838 Karma: 3976266 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: London, UK Device: Sony PRS-505, Pocketbook TL3, TL4, TL5	Try Robert A Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy. Its about slavery and the piracy that provides the slaves.

10-07-2013, 07:22 PM	#11
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,137 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	The Witches of Karres by James Schmitz is an old classic from 1967 and was nominated for a Hugo. Apache

10-07-2013, 09:25 PM	#12
IcecreamLtDan Groupie Posts: 178 Karma: 1928980 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: North Carolina Device: JetBook Lite, Kobo wireless, Kobo Glo	If you're looking for a comedic angle on the genre, you can take a look at the "Hal Spacejock" series. There's also "The Kestrel Voyages" which are very much in the vein of Firefly/Serenity by Steven Lyle Jordan and are inexpensive.

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10-08-2013, 09:11 PM	#14
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	It's not space pirates but try Retribution Falls and the rest of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding which has sky pirates and smugglers in a steampunk setting with airships and the like. Retribution Falls was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke award in 2010.