The Flight Engineer
A space opera trilogy about a Commonwealth engineer in wartime.
The Flight Engineer is a trilogy of science fiction novels by S. M. Stirling and James Doohan, published by Baen Books. The series, defined as space opera, follows Commander Peter Raeder as he serves as chief engineer on the fast carrier CSF Invincible during a conflict between the Commonwealth and the extremist religious group the Mission Of Life Lived In Ecclesia, along with their alien allies, the Fibians.
Quick Facts
- Books
- The Rising (1988) · The Privateer (1999) · The Independent Command (2000)
- Author
- James Doohan and S.M. Stirling
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Genre
- Space opera
- Publisher
- Baen Books
- Pub Date
- 1996–2000
- Media Type
- Print (hardback & paperback)
- Number Of Books
- 3
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In The Privateer, Raeder faces a board of inquiry for his actions during the first missions. To avoid a desk job, he agrees to go undercover with a special ops Marine group as a pirate to uncover an antihydrogen smuggling ring and gather intelligence on the Mollies and Fibians. After succeeding, he is reassigned to the Invincible, which requires extensive repairs. The Independent Command finds the crew of the Invincible in a distant, unexplored part of the galaxy, where they discover the origin of the Fibians. They learn that the Fibians are subdivided by color, and only one color has allied with the Mollies. The protagonists secure an alliance with the other Fibian groups, and upon returning to human space, the Commonwealth defeats the Mollie fleet and overwhelms the Mollies' Fibian allies.
Reader's Guide
The Flight Engineer trilogy is significant as a collaborative work between noted science fiction author S. M. Stirling and actor James Doohan, best known for his role as Montgomery Scott on Star Trek. The series explores themes of resource scarcity, espionage, and alien diplomacy within a space opera setting. Its focus on antihydrogen as a critical resource mirrors real-world concerns about energy dependence. The trilogy's depiction of a prosthetic hand limiting a pilot's abilities, and the subsequent technological solution, reflects broader science fiction interest in human-machine interfaces. The series also presents a nuanced view of alien species, with the Fibians not being a monolithic entity but divided by color, allowing for diplomatic resolution. While not as widely known as other space opera series, The Flight Engineer offers a self-contained narrative of military conflict and alliance-building.
Did You Know?
- The trilogy was co-authored by James Doohan, who played Montgomery Scott on Star Trek.
- The conflict in the series is driven by the scarcity of antihydrogen, a particle required for high-technology space travel.
- Commander Peter Raeder lost a hand prior to the events of The Rising and uses a high-tech prosthetic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Flight Engineer?
It is a space opera trilogy co-written by S. M. Stirling and James Doohan and published through Baen Books. The narrative follows a Commonwealth naval engineer through a war against a fanatical religious faction and its extraterrestrial partners.
Who is the main character in The Flight Engineer?
Commander Peter Raeder, who holds the post of chief engineer aboard the fast carrier CSF Invincible. His technical expertise and leadership aboard the ship drive the plot across all three volumes.
What is the central conflict in the Flight Engineer trilogy?
The Commonwealth is locked in a war against the Mission Of Life Lived In Ecclesia, an extremist religious organization. That group has secured the support of an alien species called the Fibians, creating a combined enemy Raeder must face.
Who co-authored The Flight Engineer alongside S. M. Stirling?
James Doohan, widely recognized by the general public for portraying Scotty on the original Star Trek television series, is the series' co-author. He and Stirling collaborated on every book in the trilogy.
What are the three books in the Flight Engineer series?
The trilogy opens with The Flight Engineer, continues with The Privateer (1998), and concludes with The Independent Command (1999). All three volumes were issued by Baen Books.
More in Novels by S. M. Stirling 1-24
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