Family d’Alembert Books In Order

Publication Order of Family d'Alembert Books

The family D’Alembert is a series of science fiction novels that follows the lives of a futuristic family – the D’Alemberts. The first novella was published in an If Magazine issue in 1964 by E.E. “Doc” Smith. Unfortunately, Smith died before he could create more stories in the series and the idea behind the story languished for ten years. In 1974, Roger Elwood the editor at Laser Books (then Pyramid Books) commissioned Stephen Goldin to novelize the original novella and write nine additional books in the series.

The D’Alembert family is no ordinary family. As natives of DesPlains, a planet with a high gravity pull, the family is endowed with extraordinary coordination, speed and strength. The family decided to put these powers to good use by creating and operating the Circus of the Galaxy. The mobile circus is the family’s platform where they show off their unusual talents to millions. It is rare for the family to visit any planet twice considering the huge demand for their shows in different sun systems.

At the same time, the family has another hidden secret only known to the D’Alembert family and the absolute ruler of DesPlains, the reigning Duke. The family circus was a rich ground for the Service of The Empire (SOTE), the imperial intelligence agency, to recruit agents and skilled professionals in diverse fields. In addition, the security is tight around the circus since it is run by family members who seldom talk to anybody else apart from themselves and the Head.

When the circus is summoned to earth, Jules and Yvette D’Alembert, a brother and sister aerialist team, is called upon to leave the stage and become what they have been truly trained to be – secret agents of SOTE.

Family D’Alembert in Imperial Stars

The D’Alembert family is first introduced to us through this novel. The first in the series in which the family is the hero element, the original idea was conceived by Smith before it was converted to a novel by Goldin. The novel is rated as one of the leaders into the world of science fiction writing considering that Smith is also considered as the father of sci-fi novels.

As we are introduced to the circus family, we also find ourselves in the year 2447 and the Empire of Earth has managed to occupy a thousand solar systems. However, the Empire is facing a growing threat as insidious elements seek to dethrone the rightful emperor and the SOTE is finding it hard to contain it. As a last ditch effort to save the Earth Empire, the spy organization turns to Jules and Yvette D’Alembert for help.

The novel features an intriguing cover and is inside as entertaining as the cover. Written in 1972, we find ourselves in space opera where flying cars, lasers, strange planets and gold hot-pants are an everyday occurrence. Making it an even more interesting read is the fact that the villain spots a goatee and adorns red silk robes. In the words, we find ourselves in the middle of a world of heroic feats, daring deeds, humor and plenty of action.

Family D’Alembert in Stranglers’ Moon

In this second installation in the Family D’Alembert series, we see more of what the brother and sister team can do and the extent of their supernatural powers. Jules and Yvette have to work together and figure out how more than 250,000 people can just disappear into thin air from the resort moon Vesa. As the duo investigates, they come across another sinister conspiracy that threatens the existence of the Empire of Earth. Even though they are battle hardened and have so far managed to overpower some of the greatest and most dangerous foes as a team, Jules and Yvette this time find themselves in a peculiar position. This time, they have to battle the deadly evil forces, each on their own.

As Jules and Yvette investigate the disappearance of people, we learn that it is all happening underground. At a rate of 30 people going missing a day, it is astonishing that the authorities – who seem to have been compromised – have only stood by and done nothing for 20 years. Our heroes have to fight through the forces of evil through old fashioned bravado, kung fu and bluster.

Conclusion

The Family D’Alembert was first created by Smith. The original author was a chemical engineering graduate and PHD holder who spent most of his working life as a food engineer. He brought to the world earlier science fiction novels that are today called Space Operas. The Family D’Alembert was one such story that was categorized under the banner of wonder stories. Through the series, we also encounter Space Opera in a pure and powerful form. It is all between the covers, a story that describes wars that will take place millions of years from now, deception led by cunning villains and the strength of the human nature against evil through the Empire of Earth.

Born in an era when horseback was by far the fastest means of transport, Smith took us on our first fledgling steps into space. The fact that his era did not have much to show in terms of technology compared to today did not stop Smith from envisioning a world that is beyond where we had gone, have gone and will perhaps never go. Through Family D’Alembert, Smith was among the first few writers to introduce to the possibility of a multi-species government where humans were masters. In truth, the series Family D’Alembert has gone on to do what most of Smith’s novels did, made clichés as well as shattered several.

Family D’Alembert used technology that did not exist during its writing, but in the same breath treats technology as just that and not magic. The series shows that war progression is not only of men and weapons, but something that can be done via ideas and words, and describing propaganda war in a world where it had yet to be conceptualized. By far, Family D’Alembert series is one of the purest forms of wonder ever written that shows that good can win despite all the evil surrounding us and that the cost is worth it to attain victory.