The Stars, Like Dust
A 1951 sci-fi mystery set before the Galactic Empire.
The Stars, Like Dust is a 1951 science fiction mystery novel by American author Isaac Asimov. It belongs to his Galactic Empire series, set before the Empire’s founding and before Trantor becomes a major power. The story begins with Biron Farrill, a student at the University of Earth and son of the leading nobleman of Nephelos in the Nebula Kingdoms, learning that his father has been executed for conspiring against the Tyranni.
The Tyranni, from the planet Tyrann, control a small empire of about 50 worlds near the Horsehead Nebula. They suppress science and space navigation training to keep their subject planets in check. Their ruler is called the “Khan,” a reference Asimov borrowed from the Mongol domination of Russian principalities—similar to how he used the decline of the Roman Empire for his Foundation series. Asimov once described this book as his “least favorite novel.”
The novel was first serialized as *Tyrann* in *Galaxy* magazine across three issues (January, February, and March 1951). It was released as a hardcover novel by Doubleday on February 15, 1951, under the title *The Stars, Like Dust*. A 1954 paperback edition, titled *The Rebellious Stars*, was heavily cut without Asimov’s permission and bundled with *An Earth Gone Mad* by Roger Dee.
In the plot, Biron Farrill is warned by Sander Jonti that his father—Lord Rancher of Widemos—has been arrested and killed, and that Biron himself is in danger. Following Jonti’s advice, he goes to Rhodia, the strongest conquered planet. There, Gillbret, the cousin of Rhodia’s Director, tells him rumors of a secret world where rebellion is being planned. Biron escapes with Artemisia oth Hinriad (the Director’s daughter) and her uncle Gillbret in a stolen Tyranni spaceship. They travel to Lingane, a planet not under Tyranni control but maintaining peaceful relations.
On Lingane, they meet the Autarch, who is revealed to be Sander Jonti. He claims to know the location of the rebellion world. The group heads into the Horsehead Nebula, believing any hidden rebel base must be there. The stolen ship is tracked by a Tyranni fleet led by Commissioner Simok Aratap, who also has the nervous Director of Rhodia aboard. When they land on a planet in the nebula’s heart, Biron accuses the Autarch of causing his father’s death out of fear of his growing reputation. The Autarch admits it.
- Title
- The Stars, Like Dust
- Author
- Isaac Asimov
- Publication year
- 1951
- Genre
- Science fiction mystery
- Series
- Galactic Empire series
- Original serial title
- Tyrann
- Publisher
- Doubleday
Lore & Background
The novel was first published with the title Tyrann in Galaxy magazine, serialized in three parts in the January, February, and March 1951 issues. It was published as a novel on February 15 of that year by Doubleday with the title The Stars, Like Dust. It was first published as a paperback in 1954 with the title The Rebellious Stars, though this version was heavily cut without Asimov's permission and was bound together with An Earth Gone Mad by Roger Dee.
Reader's Guide
The Stars, Like Dust is notable as Asimov's least favorite novel, a fact he stated himself. The story's climax involves the rediscovery of the United States Constitution, a subplot Asimov later considered highly improbable and regretted including, having been persuaded by editor H. L. Gold. The novel's depiction of the Tyranni, ruled by a 'Khan,' draws on the Mongol dominion over Russian principalities, similar to how Asimov used the declining Roman Empire for his Foundation series. Contemporary reviews were generally positive: Groff Conklin called it 'a first-rate piece of imaginative story-telling,' Floyd C. Gale told readers 'Don't miss' it, and The New York Times found it 'a rousing adventure story of the remote future.' However, reviewer Jane Fowler noted that the Constitution subplot fails as part of a series because the later Galactic Empire is not a democratic federation. The novel remains a part of Asimov's Galactic Empire series, though its plot does not directly lead into the later Foundation series.
Did You Know?
- Asimov once called The Stars, Like Dust his 'least favorite novel.'
- The novel was first serialized in Galaxy magazine under the title Tyrann.
- The 1954 paperback edition was titled The Rebellious Stars and was heavily cut without Asimov's permission.
More in Science fiction novels by Isaac Asimov 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced