Kings of the High Frontier

1996 novel by Victor Koman
0-9665662-5-4 (slipcased)
ISBN 0-9665662-0-3 (hardcover)

Kings of the High Frontier is a hard science fiction novel by American writer Victor Koman, first published (electronically) in 1996.

Summary

The story is a polemic about NASA. The thesis is that NASA, far from helping space exploration, actually prevents it from going forth. The narrative follows disparate engineering efforts, ranging from New York University engineering students working out of a warehouse in the Bronx to full-fledged commercial rocket operations, to create a single-stage to orbit reusable launch vehicle.

All of the science and equipment used in the story was based on technology that existed at the time of writing, like the space activity suit.

Editions

The novel was first published electronically by J. Neil Schulman's pulpless.com in 1996. It has since been published in hardcover by Bereshith Publishing in 1998, first in a "deluxe edition" of 250, then as a regular hardcover in a small print-run of 1250 copies. As of 2016[update], there is no paperback edition. KoPubCo released an ebook edition in 2017, with significant changes by the author.

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1979
  • Wheels Within Wheels by F. Paul Wilson (1979)
1980–1989
  • The Probability Broach by L. Neil Smith (1982)
  • Voyage from Yesteryear by James P. Hogan (1983)
  • The Rainbow Cadenza by J. Neil Schulman (1984)
  • The Cybernetic Samurai by Victor Milán (1986)
  • Marooned in Realtime by Vernor Vinge (1987)
  • The Jehovah Contract by Victor Koman (1988)
  • Moon of Ice by Brad Linaweaver (1989)
1990–1999
  • Solomon's Knife by Victor Koman (1990)
  • In the Country of the Blind by Michael F. Flynn (1991)
  • Fallen Angels by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Michael F. Flynn (1992)
  • The Multiplex Man by James P. Hogan (1993)
  • Pallas by L. Neil Smith (1994)
  • The Stars Are Also Fire by Poul Anderson (1995)
  • The Star Fraction by Ken MacLeod (1996)
  • Kings of the High Frontier by Victor Koman (1997)
  • The Stone Canal by Ken MacLeod (1998)
  • The Golden Globe by John Varley (1999)
2000–2009
  • A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge (2000)
  • The Forge of the Elders by L. Neil Smith (2001)
  • Psychohistorical Crisis by Donald Kingsbury (2002)
  • Night Watch by Terry Pratchett (2003)
  • Sims by F. Paul Wilson (2004)
  • The System of the World by Neal Stephenson (2005)
  • Learning the World by Ken MacLeod (2006)
  • Glasshouse by Charles Stross (2007)
  • The Gladiator by Harry Turtledove and Ha'penny by Jo Walton (2008)
  • Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (2009)
2010–present


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