The Skylark of Space

Plot synopsis

The Skylark of Space is the first book of the Skylark series. The idealistic protagonist Dick Seaton accidentally discovers a workable space drive by combining pure copper with a newly discovered element "X" in solution. Unable to recreate the effect, he realizes the missing component is a field generated by Marc "Blackie" DuQuesne's particle accelerator. Seaton partners with his millionaire friend Martin Crane to build a spaceship.

DuQuesne sabotages Seaton's ship and builds his own from Seaton's plans, using it to kidnap Seaton's fiancée Dorothy Vaneman to exchange for the "X". During a fight, DuQuesne's ship is accidentally set to full acceleration on an uncontrolled trajectory until its copper power bar is exhausted far from Earth's Solar System. Using an Object Compass that always points toward a locked object, Seaton and Crane follow in their spaceship the Skylark to rescue Dorothy and fellow hostage Margaret "Peg" Spencer.

They find DuQuesne's ship derelict in orbit around a massive dead star resembling a cold neutron star. After obtaining the hostages, Seaton extracts a promise from DuQuesne to act as one of the party until they return to Earth, and they travel further in search of fuel.

Reception

Frederik Pohl stated that with the exception of H. G. Wells and possibly Jules Verne, the book has inspired more imitators and done more to change the nature of science fiction than almost any other single work. Mike Ashley called it the seminal space opera. Despite its influence, critical reputation has been mixed. Groff Conklin reviewed the 1950 edition as the sort of thing only insatiable fans would enjoy, being uncommonly amateur and awkward.

Isaac Asimov wrote that it had adventure of an unprecedented kind and was the first great classic of American science fiction, but as literature it was a total flop. Damon Knight praised its fast, lean plot, air of excitement, four characters bigger than life, and the feeling that adventures are everywhere. R. D. Mullen attributed Smith's great success to skillfully mixing elements of the spy thriller, western story, and traditional cosmic voyage. In Arthur C. Clarke's novel Islands in the Sky, a starship is named The Skylark of Space.