"The Stars My Destination" is a fast-paced sci-fi story from the mid-1950s about one man's single-minded quest for revenge. Set in the far future, when the human race has spread throughout the solar system and colonised many other worlds, the backdrop for the story is a time of war between three Inner Planets (plus the Moon) and the United Outer Satellites (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Rhea, Titan and Lassell). One casualty of this war is the S.S. Nomad, a spaceship owned by one of Earth's most powerful magnates, "Presteign of Terra". The Nomad is struck by a rocket and set adrift halfway between Mars and Jupiter. The sole survivor aboard the wreckage is the main protagonist of the story: Gulliver (Gully) Foyle, a 3rd class mechanic’s mate and typical "common man". After six months adrift, his daily fight for survival is interrupted by the appearance of a Presteign-owned sister ship, the Vorga-T: 1339. However, instead of the expected rescue, the Vorgo passes by and leaves Foyle stranded. This betrayal triggers a switch in Foyle's mind and the common man becomes a hunter with just a single goal in his mind: find the Vorga and take revenge!

What is striking about this book is how well it has aged considering that it was written in the 1950s. That is the same period that saw derring-do from squeaky clean "Dan Dare" in Eagle Comics - the opposite side of the spectrum from this rough and gritty story that reads as though it was written in more modern times. That does not mean that this book is packed full of convincing science and space technology, in fact, the converse is true. The introduction describes the concept of "jaunting" - this is the ability for a normal person to teleport between two locations just by thinking about it. They have to actually visit their intended destination beforehand to memorize it (3-D photographs do not suffice). Then, by concentrating hard and using the method of “Location/Elevation/Situation,” they can teleport themselves to their destination at will. This is patently ridiculous and anchors the story in the more fantastical "soft" science fiction category. However, "jaunting" can't be dismissed because it is pivotal to the story. Soft, "cyber-punk" style sci-fi coupled with fast-paced action, results in a story that would feel at home in a comic book, albeit one more like Rebellion's 2000 AD rather than Dare's Eagle.

The title "The Stars My Destination" will leave the reader confused because 99.99% of the story takes place in the Solar System. It does not become clear what the title means until the very end of the book. Apparently, the original title for the book was "Tiger! Tiger!", named after William Blake's 1794 poem "The Tyger", the first verse of which is printed at the beginning of the novel. This title will make more sense to the reader but it was probably ditched because it does not reflect a novel in the sci-fi genre. Driven by his desire for revenge, Foyle manages to repair the thrusters on the Nomad sufficiently to drift towards the asteroid belt. There he is captured by "The Scientific People", savages that were descendants of a research team of scientists that had been marooned in the asteroid belt two centuries before. They tattoo a dramatic tiger mask on Foyle's face that forever marks him. Although he manages to have it (painfully) removed halfway through the story, the tattoo marks become visible again "flaming blood-red under the skin" whenever he shows strong emotion.

Foyle is quite brutal and not a charismatic character but you certainly have to admire his single-minded determination. There is a bit of a disorientating jump in the story between the first and second parts but overall this book is an entertaining read. We learn that the stakes are high because the Nomad was of great importance to the Terran (Earth) authorities. Not only was it carrying a secret cargo of platinum bullion it also carried the total world supply of a special, extremely explosive substance called "PyrE" that is believed could change the course of the war with the Outer Satellites. Also, Foyle's quest for revenge does not go according to plan and he certainly gets a shock when he finds out who is really responsible for leaving him marooned. Ultimately, however, this is not just a simple revenge story. At a deeper level it is about unlocking the power of human potential and what can be achieved if we can release the "inner tiger" within us.