H Beam Piper

A solid sci-fi yarn about a backwater planet with access to huge stores of salvageable war surplus teetering on the edge of economic collapse and their search for a long forgotten super computer that they hope can help turn their fate around. About the authorHenry Beam Piper (March 23, 1904 - c. November 6, 1964) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales. He wrote under the name H. Beam Piper. Another source gives his name as "Horace Beam Piper" and a different date of death. His gravestone says "Henry Beam Piper". Piper himself may have been the source of part of the confusion; he told people the H stood for Horace, encouraging the assumption that he used the initial because he disliked his name. On a copy of Little Fuzzy given to Charles O. Piper, Beam's cousin and executor, he wrote "To Charles from Henry." Piper was largely self-educated; he obtained his knowledge of science and history "without subjecting myself to the ridiculous misery of four years in the uncomfortable confines of a raccoon coat." He went to work at age 18 as a laborer at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona yards in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He also worked as a night watchman for the railroad. Piper published his first short story, "Time and Time Again", in 1947 in Astounding Science Fiction; it was adapted for the radio program Dimension X and first broadcast in 1951, and was re-produced for X Minus One in 1956. He was primarily a short story author until 1961, when he made a productive, if short-lived, foray into novels. He collected guns and wrote one mystery, Murder in the Gunroom. In 1964, his career apparently on the skids, and prevented by reticence and his libertarian principles from asking anyone to assist him with his financial difficulties, Piper committed suicide. The exact date of his death is unknown; the last entry in his diary was dated November 5 ("Rain 0930"), and according to his Pennsylvania death certificate his body was found on November 8. According to Jerry Pournelle's introduction to Little Fuzzy, Piper shut off all the utilities to his apartment, put painter's drop-cloths over the walls and floor, and took his own life with a handgun from his collection. In his suicide note, he gave an explanation that "I don't like to leave messes when I go away, but if I could have cleaned up any of this mess, I wouldn't be going away. H. Beam Piper." Some biographers attribute his act to financial problems, others to family problems; Pournelle wrote that Piper felt burdened by financial hardships in the wake of a divorce, and the mistaken perception that his career was foundering (his agent had died without notifying him of multiple sales). Editor George H. Scithers, who knew Piper socially, has stated that Piper wanted to spite the ex-wife he despised: by killing himself, Piper voided his life insurance policy, and prevented her from collecting. An unpublished story, "Only the Arquebus", was missing after his suicide; it is probable that he destroyed it along with many of his personal papers. His output was eventually purchased by Ace Science Fiction and reprinted in a set of paperbacks in the early 1980s. Many of these have since gone out of print, though his two best-known arcs were again reprinted by Ace in 1998 and 2001. Late in his career, Piper corresponded with Pournelle, who was the Ace editor who helped reprint some of his novels. (Wikipedia.org)

Space Viking is a science fiction novel written by H. Beam Piper and is set in his Terro-Human future history. It tells the story of one man's search for his wife's murderer and its unexpected consequences. The story was originally serialized in Analog magazine. BackgroundTen thousand refugees from the losing side of The Big War (The System States War of The Cosmic Computer) fled far beyond the boundaries of the Terran Federation and colonized the planet Excalibur. By the beginning of Space Viking, they had expanded to a handful of Sword Worlds (so-called because they are named after legendary swords) and had grown to a total population of three and a half billion, organized in a feudal system of kingdoms, duchies, and other small states, ruled by frequently-warring noblemen. Despite their isolation and the political instability, the inhabitants managed to retain a high level of technology, including space flight. One day, a starship rediscovered the Old Federation. Civilization had collapsed, presumably due to the war; many of the planets had regressed to varying stages of semi-barbarism. Taking advantage of the situation, "Space Vikings" (reminiscent of Norse vikings) proceeded to raid the poorly defended Federation worlds over the next three hundred years for loot.

A solid sci-fi yarn about a backwater planet with access to huge stores of salvageable war surplus teetering on the edge of economic collapse and their search for a long forgotten super computer that they hope can help turn their fate around. About the authorHenry Beam Piper (March 23, 1904 - c. November 6, 1964) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales. He wrote under the name H. Beam Piper. Another source gives his name as "Horace Beam Piper" and a different date of death. His gravestone says "Henry Beam Piper". Piper himself may have been the source of part of the confusion; he told people the H stood for Horace, encouraging the assumption that he used the initial because he disliked his name. On a copy of Little Fuzzy given to Charles O. Piper, Beam's cousin and executor, he wrote "To Charles from Henry." Piper was largely self-educated; he obtained his knowledge of science and history "without subjecting myself to the ridiculous misery of four years in the uncomfortable confines of a raccoon coat." He went to work at age 18 as a laborer at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona yards in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He also worked as a night watchman for the railroad. Piper published his first short story, "Time and Time Again", in 1947 in Astounding Science Fiction; it was adapted for the radio program Dimension X and first broadcast in 1951, and was re-produced for X Minus One in 1956. He was primarily a short story author until 1961, when he made a productive, if short-lived, foray into novels. He collected guns and wrote one mystery, Murder in the Gunroom. In 1964, his career apparently on the skids, and prevented by reticence and his libertarian principles from asking anyone to assist him with his financial difficulties, Piper committed suicide. The exact date of his death is unknown; the last entry in his diary was dated November 5 ("Rain 0930"), and according to his Pennsylvania death certificate his body was found on November 8. According to Jerry Pournelle's introduction to Little Fuzzy, Piper shut off all the utilities to his apartment, put painter's drop-cloths over the walls and floor, and took his own life with a handgun from his collection. In his suicide note, he gave an explanation that "I don't like to leave messes when I go away, but if I could have cleaned up any of this mess, I wouldn't be going away. H. Beam Piper." Some biographers attribute his act to financial problems, others to family problems; Pournelle wrote that Piper felt burdened by financial hardships in the wake of a divorce, and the mistaken perception that his career was foundering (his agent had died without notifying him of multiple sales). Editor George H. Scithers, who knew Piper socially, has stated that Piper wanted to spite the ex-wife he despised: by killing himself, Piper voided his life insurance policy, and prevented her from collecting. An unpublished story, "Only the Arquebus", was missing after his suicide; it is probable that he destroyed it along with many of his personal papers. His output was eventually purchased by Ace Science Fiction and reprinted in a set of paperbacks in the early 1980s. Many of these have since gone out of print, though his two best-known arcs were again reprinted by Ace in 1998 and 2001. Late in his career, Piper corresponded with Pournelle, who was the Ace editor who helped reprint some of his novels. (Wikipedia.org)

Jeff Rand had a tough, athletic appearance that suggested he may be a good friend or a nasty foe. Women had a gut feeling that he would be a very satisfying lover. Most of all, he appeared to be King Charles II of England dressed in a Brooks Brothers suit in an anachronistic manner. His secretary, Kathie O'Grady, who had the curvaceous features of a Renaissance goddess, walked in as he was getting to his feet. Rand went back to his car and circled the home while admiring the assortment of handguns kept in the basement garage. There were about thirty different all-metal handguns, ranging from percussion to wheel lock. Mick McKenna had placed his finger exactly where the pain was. Rand was severely injured; the Tri-State Agency received no compensation for the nice, dramatic murder. Someone would need to be convinced to provide funding for such an inquiry. preferably some unjustly accused innocent person. Someone who could best defend themselves by exposing the genuine bad guy. They were attempting to determine if he was an ally or an adversary as they stared at him carefully. The subsequent month saw events unfold through a deepening fog of rumors, official statements, speculative reporting, and plain lies.

The book "" Graveyard of Dreams "" has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.

H. Beam Piper wrote the science fiction book Four-Day Planet, which was originally released in 1961. It tells the tale of the planet Fenriss, which rotates in 2000 hours. A 17-year-old teenage reporter who is looking into the planet's corrupt leadership is the main character. A rocket ship arrives at the spaceport at the beginning of the narrative on a regular basis. The Federation manages the port, and former members of the Federal Army work as security guards. It doesn't meddle in neighborhood matters. Leo Belsher, the Earth-based representative for the Co-operative, and Bish "Bishop" Ware, the town alcoholic, are among the passengers. Bish is unemployed but receives a bank deposit for each ship that arrives. If they start a civil war, Bish suggests making sure to kill all of their adversaries. Joe wants to form a group of guys to go after Ravick; Bish recommends a lynch mob. In the movie, a party of hunters learns that Hallstock and Ravick are in the spaceport and protected by the Federation. The hunters intended to make a distraction, but Ravick's crew set some tallow wax on fire. The Co-operative will file a lawsuit on Earth to recover the money that was taken from Ravick/bank Gerrit's account. The natives will be able to see Gerrit's trial for the murder of Loki.

Lone Star Planet is set on New Texas, where everything from cows to nuts is prefixed. Silk, the unwilling, banished replacement for the Solar League's former ambassador, must solve the murder and stave off an anticipated invasion by the Srauff, a canine alien race, while preventing his own assassination on a planet where the killing of politicians is acceptable, if they ""had it coming."" Four-Day Planet is set on a planet called Fenris, where extremes in climate have resulted in an extremely small population with very few off-world contacts. The protagonist is a 17-year-old reporter who fights to overturn the corrupt 'government' and coercive mercantilist monopoly on 'tallow-wax', the sole export from Fenris.

This book has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Ten thousand refugees from the losing side of The Big War fled far beyond the boundaries of the Terran Federation and colonized the planet Excalibur. They had also expanded to a handful of Sword Worlds. On the Sword World Gram, Lucas Trask, Baron of Traskon, is about to marry Elaine Karvall, whose father owns the Karvall steel mills. In addition to being a political alliance, it is also a love match. But Andray Dunnan, the insane nephew of Duke Angus of Wardshaven, is under the delusion that Elaine loves him and is being forced into the marriage. When she tries to correct him, his anger boils over. He crashes the wedding ceremony, kills her and seriously wounds Trask, before stealing the Duke's newly built starship, the Enterprise, and escaping.

Musaicum Books presents to you the complete Paratime series, formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all dvices. The Paratime series deal with an advanced civilization that is able to travel between parallel universes with alternate histories, and uses that ability to trade for goods and services that their own, exhausted Earth cannot provide. Specifically, the Paratime series deals with the Paratime Police, the organization that protects the secret of paratime travel.

This book has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. The Terro-Human Future History is an account of the next 6,000 years of human history. In 1973, a nuclear war devastates the planet, eventually laying the groundwork for the emergence of a Terran Federation, once humanity goes into space and develops antigravity technology.

This book has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Jack Holloway lives a solitary life in a wilderness of planet Zarathustra, itself ""owned"" by the Chartered Zarathustra Company, which installed basic services and colonial outposts initially, and now reaps the benefits of new discoveries, such as the valuable 'sunstones' mined by Holloway until he befriends a tiny, golden-furred humanoid that he names 'Little Fuzzy.' Little Fuzzy brings his family/tribe to meet Holloway and the lot of them promptly adopt Holloway as well. Upon discovery that the Fuzzies intelligence may qualify them as a sapient species, the Company moves against them.

This book edition of Murder in the Gunroom has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. The Lane Fleming collection of early pistols and revolvers was one of the best in the country. When Fleming was found dead on the floor of his locked gunroom, a Confederate-made Colt-type percussion .36 revolver in his hand, the coroner's verdict was ""death by accident."" But Gladys Fleming had her doubts. Enough at any rate to engage Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand—better known just as Jeff - private detective and a pistol-collector himself, to catalogue, appraise, and negotiate the sale of her late husband's collection.

This book has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Uller is a corporate world where the natives (silicon humanoids with four arms and a face like a lizard) are ruled by Terro-Human Company. Natives, who outnumber humans, but aren't as advanced, have had it up with the imperialist Company and start a rebellion which will see many dead on both sides.

This book has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Conn Maxwell is designated to travel to Earth from the colony world of Poictesme, a world desperate for regeneration following an intersystem war, to try and identify the location of the super computer Merlin, which many of the colonists believe is hidden somewhere on the planet and which they see as their salvation.

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