Order of A. Bertram Chandler Books

A. Bertram Chandler was a prolific writer in the science fiction pulp tradition, penning more than forty novels and 200 short stories throughout his literary career. Science fiction readers know him primarily for three major series: the John Grimes novels, the Rim World series, and the Empress Irene series.

His talent earned him recognition in the form of several awards, including multiple Australian Ditmar Awards. Before becoming a full-time author, Chandler served as an Anglo-Australian merchant marine officer, and this maritime background heavily influenced his storytelling. His vivid portrayals of life aboard spaceships drew directly from his real-world experience on oceangoing vessels. Another hallmark of Chandler's work was his frequent use of parallel universes as a storytelling mechanism, often featuring characters who move between different dimensional realities.

Road to Rim launches the Grimes in Federation Service series, presenting John Grimes in his earliest days—long before he would command his own vessel or influence the fate of the galaxy. In this inaugural tale, Grimes appears as an inexperienced junior officer just graduated from the academy. When no military transport is available for his first assignment, he must travel aboard a civilian merchant vessel. Though the ship's captain attempts to warn Grimes about the crew, it's ultimately the captain himself who becomes Grimes' adversary when his scheme to use pirates as bait goes awry.

In another Chandler work, Rendezvous on a Lost World, protagonist Alan Kemp pursues his vision of establishing shuttle service between the rim worlds at the galaxy's edge. His ambitious plans encounter complications when he discovers two forgotten colonies: one populated by enormous mechanical insects, and another controlled by the bloodthirsty heirs of a pirate legacy. Kemp must decide what he's willing to give up to make his dream a reality.