Robot Nemesis

By E.E. "Doc" Smith and John Betancourt

The War of the Planets ended in stalemate. Both fleets were so horribly shattered that the survivors despaired of continuing hostilities. Instead, the few and crippled remaining vessels of each force limped into some sort of formation and returned to their various planetary bases. And, so far, there has not been another battle. Neither side dares attack the other; each is waiting for the development of some super-weapon which will give it the overwhelming advantage...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wildside Press
• Release date: Jul 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667640051

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Table of Contents

ROBOT NEMESIS, by E. E. Doc Smith, Ph.D.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

ROBOT NEMESIS,

by E. E. Doc Smith, Ph.D.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Copyright © 2022 by Wildside Press LLC.

Originally published in Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1939.

Published by Wildside Press LLC.

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INTRODUCTION

Edward Elmer Smith (1890–1965)—who first published science fiction as E.E. Smith, Ph.D. and later as E. E. ‘Doc’ Smith—was an American food engineer (specializing in doughnut and pastry mixes) who also wrote science fiction. His two degrees in chemical engineering gave his work an veneer of scientific respectability in the early days of the field, even though his galaxy-ranging adventure tales had little to do with actual science. He virtually invented the sub-genre of space opera in the pulp magazine Amazing Stories, and today he is often referred to as the father of space opera.

It was not a smooth road to success for Smith. Although he complete his first book in 1920, there were no science fiction magazines in those days, so he tried general fiction pulps (which sometimes dabbled in science fiction and fantasy). The editor of Argosy rejected it with an encouraging note, saying he thought it was too far out for his readers. Clearly the other pulps agreed. The Skylark of Space would not be sold until 1927 (when Smith noticed a copy of Amazing Stories on the newsstand) and then published as a 3-part serial in Amazing in 1928.

Skylark was embraced enthusiastically by Amazing’s largely juvenile readership. Editor T. O’Connor Sloane wrote to Smith before publication of the second installment and requested a sequel. His career was launched.

Robot Nemesis, published in Thrilling Wonder Stories in June 1939, is a tale of interplanetary war in typical Smith fashion, with much at stake for whoever breaks a military stalemate with a new invention of supreme power.

—John Betancourt

Cabin John, Maryland

CHAPTER 1

The Ten Thinkers