Operation: Outer Space

Jed Cochrane is about to take off on man\'s first interstellar voyage. His mission: Make sure it\'s good television! “The indefatigable Leinster! This is his fourth 1954 novel – and another 1954 item is on hand for review next month, too! What a man! The current tale, which has never been serialized, takes an entirely new look at faster-than-light travel to the stars: a fast-paced, sardonic job that is primarily a satire on the future of mass communications. Fella discovers faster-than-light communications technique. TV producer says, ‘Why not physical objects, too?’ Filthy rich neurotic buys ‘fame-rights’ to the invention. Luxurious spaceship built as a giant hoax to hook investors in a non-existent expedition to Mars (the Moon is already colonized) becomes the first, almost involuntary faster-than-light vessel, with as screwy a crew as has ever been cooked up (including the inevitable and delightful Leinster heroine), and the whole jaunt to the stars is turned into raw material for the TV producer’s regular ‘space opera’ show – with commercials – and what commercials! It’s a jolly tale indeed.” -Groff Conklin, Galaxy Magazine, March 1955