I devoured these classic space operas as a kid. The scale of, well, everything was enormous: ships the size of moons (long before the Death Star–Star Wars is small potatoes compared to Lensmen series, although there are a lot of similarities). Psychic abilities magnified by mysterious Lenses created by an incredibly advanced race to help in the battle against an equally advanced but EEEVIL race…men in space armor battling it out in hand-to-hand combat in boarding actions that took place in the open space between ships and on the ship’s hulls.

I doodled this stuff, and lived this stuff, and those who detect a faint whiff of pulpy space opera goodness about my own books have “Doc” Smith to thank (or blame) as much as Heinlein, Asimov and Clarke.

Man, I hope this movie gets made!*

*As long as, you know, it doesn’t suck.

Terra Insegura (May, $7.99) by Edward Willett. This
post-Apocalyptic series tells of an Earth ruled by religious zealots and a distant world that is humankind’s last, best hope.

Last, best hope…last, best hope…that reminds me of something…