A boy joins a starhip crew and ends up in the center of the galaxy.

[das]

I have been trying to remember the title/author to a couple of Science Fiction novels I read back in the 80's/90's.

1. It is about a young man who joins a tramp starship crew and travels to a planet on a salvage operation. While there they come across an alien in that I believe was a black sphere. They end up taking the alien to the center of the galaxy where they have numerous adventures on a different planets and alien ships. When they alien sends them home, they arrive back before they could possibly have returned.

2. This one i am a little vague about the plot. It is about 2 brothers that get taken into space. While there, they convert an airliner into a spaceship.

Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks

 

[monkeypooper]

no 2 sounds like a book i read but they do something to a plane to go into space with a girl some material x they discover it when the bath used to mix it flies through the wall can't remember the name though sorry

 

[Pyan]

No 2 sounds like Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers, a space opera spoof by Harry Harrison.

monkeypooper, the book you're thinking of is The Skylark of Space, a genuine space opera by E.E. "Doc" Smith, first published in Amazing Stories, about 1928.

 

[monkeypooper]

thats the prob read both the buggers as a kid enjoyed both

 

[das]

Thank you...just read a few sample chapters and it is Harry Harrison I was looking for on #2.

 

[galron]

Just posting to let you know your not alone in looking for book 1. Ive been trying to find it for the past several years.. some additional info about the story...

The alien sphere is buried in a massive diamond. (early part of book)

During the course of their trip to the galactic center they find a Crab like alien that joins them, also 2 of the crew members are genetically modified humans (modified for war.. able to regenerate limbs multiple simple hearts distributed through out their bodies ect...) and the whole purpose of this trip is to fight another entity residing in the core of the galaxy.

 

[monkeypooper]

thought it might be Dumarest saga by E C Tubb, which starts with a young boy joining a spaceship by stowing away but, unsure as, only just got them and, only read the 1st so far

 

[LowNSlow77]

Book number one is actually a book I have had to buy twice. I am pretty sure you are thinking about "Space Angel" by John Maddox Roberts.

 

[galron]

LowNSlow77.. Thank You!.. i have been trying to figure out what book this was for the longest time. as soon as I saw the cover on fictiondb Blam!. I was happy. I fount that quite funny. Going along kind of a meh day, and someone on a forum actually makes me HAPPY! no just oh that is nice but happy. So again Thank You!