Mark's Reviews > The Invincible

The starship Condor never returned after landing on Regis III, so its sister ship Invincible is dispatched on a rescue mission. The sf portions are classic 60s hard science fiction, a gradual exploration of an alien planet and the threat that defeated the first crew. However what I really love is the sparse but effective characterization of the Invicible's crew. From the beginning there is an undercurrent of tension implying that the crew has been together in space a little too long. There is the subdued conflict between the captain who may be past his prime and his second in command. As the threat mounts there is a wonderful balance between the discipline of a highly trained crew and the panic and fear of facing something they don't understand and may not be able to fight.