The Skylark of Space

Providence: Buffalo Book Company, 1946. First Edition. (preceded only by the novel’s appearance as a 3 part serial in Amazing Stories magazine). Smith’s first book Just 500 copies were published (Hadley’s 1947 edition is a reprint). Near fine in a very good dustjacket. Ref: Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 2–114, ”The archetypal pulp space opera...”. Although earlier snippets of science fiction, imaginary voyages, and futuristic military fiction, touched the concept of what is now called space opera, The Skylark of Space is the modern template, the first significant science fiction sub–genre development since H. G. Wells, and one of monumental effect, encompassing among its themes the vast interstellar stage, horrific alien civilizations (the despotic circumstance), and ongoing battles with arch–enemies possessing advanced technologies, laying the baseline for the likes of Asimov’s Foundation, Herbert’s Dune, Roddenberry’s Star Trek, Lucas’ Star Wars, and all those that followed (and will follow) in their wake.