Operation: Outer Space

By Murray Leinster

Book Overview

Blast off with "Operation: Outer Space," a classic work of science fiction from William Fitzgerald Jenkins that explores the vast and humorous possibilities of space exploration. This meticulously prepared edition brings a vintage television program to life on the printed page. Dive into a world where outer space is not just a frontier, but a stage for unexpected comedy and thrilling adventure.

This book falls under the categories of space exploration and media tie-in fiction, with a strong undercurrent of humor. "Operation: Outer Space" presents a timeless vision of television and its fictional counterparts. Whether you're a seasoned science fiction aficionado or simply looking for a lighthearted escape to the stars, this book promises an engaging journey beyond the boundaries of Earth. Discover why this story continues to resonate with those who dream of the cosmos and appreciate a good laugh.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1022958712
• ISBN13: 9781022958715
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 134 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Edisonian Heroes Who Surge Ahead

Murray Leinster's _Operation: Outer Space_ (1954) first saw the light of day as a paperback original. It received more critical attention than most of Leinster's books, and it sold well enough to go through several printings. It is of some interest today because it is an Edisonade, a type of science fiction that few authors were writing by the 1950s. The Edisonade is a kind of breathless adventure in which a young male inventor tinkers around and makes a fabulous invention (usually a form of transportation) which becomes a means of conquering enemies. The classic example of the science fictional Edisonade is E.E. Smith's _The Skylark of Space_ (1928), in which Smith's inventor-hero makes the galaxy his playground. It was not the sort of story that the rational, ironic Leinster usually wrote. Nevertheless, Leinster demonstrates a knowledge of the conventions of this form of writing. Leinster (real name, Will F. Jenkins) was a successful inventor himself and knew a thing or two about making fictional inventions seem realistic. The Edisonade was named after Thomas Alva Edison. John Clute (1992) notes that there were in effect two Edisons: the young innocent inventor, and the self-promoting older man who took credit for the work of others and who claimed to have made fictitious inventions that would end war and make America invincible. There are two such characters in _Operation: Outer Space_: Jones, the actual inventor of communication and transportation devices, and Dabney, a neurotic fraud who bought the rights to one of Jones' inventions. Since Jones shuns publicity and wants to continue his work, Dabney is allowed to take the credit for the inventions. He serves as a front to help raise money while the real scientific work is done in the background.