Teardrop spaceships go "free" for space travel, villain killed rolling through machine gun fire

[LewMacklin]

What was the name of the book where the good guys ("Marines" of some sort?) drive spaceships that go "free" in order to reach interstellar space travel, vs 'normal' drive when they fight or have to interact with other ships or planets.
The power systems, or shielding, seemed to have capacity based on the cross section dimension of a certain type of rare metal that was used as an energy 'bus' (i.e. power transfer connector).
At the end, the good guy and the villain were fighting and the good guy had a specially reinforced bullet-proof spacesuit while the villain did not, so as they rolled through a machine gun volley, the villain was killed by the bullets while the good guy rolled through. (that was his plan)

Anyone remember this one?
Thanks.

 

[farntfar]

Sounds like Triplanetary by E.E. Doc Smith to me, though many of the Lensman series had the "Go free" (Free is inertia free) and "teardrop" design elements.

It's a long time since I read them so I can't be sure which one held the last bit, but it sounds like one of the earlier ones.

Welcome to the Chrons, Lew.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Sounds like Triplanetary by E.E. Doc Smith to me, though many of the Lensman series had the "Go free" (Free is inertia free) and "teardrop" design elements.

Rings a similar bell with me. I can't remember either. Not the earlier Skylark though, I think.

 

[LewMacklin]

Excellent. You got me on the right path. It is "Galactic Patrol," by Smith. Now to find a copy and see if the book still matches the memory I have of it!
Thank you!

 

[farntfar]

The book after Triplanetary then, if I remember correctly.
Glad to be of help.
I hope it still lives up to your memories.

Maybe now you're a member you'll stay and enjoy some of the other delights we have on offer on the Chrons.
We've lots of discussions both serious and less so going on, and we're a very friendly bunch. So stay and have a look round.
And then join in.

 

[PaulMmn]

You need to read the entire series! Both of them! (;
--Paul E Musselman

 

[TMR]

What was the name of the book where the good guys ("Marines" of some sort?) drive spaceships that go "free" in order to reach interstellar space travel, vs 'normal' drive when they fight or have to interact with other ships or planets.
The power systems, or shielding, seemed to have capacity based on the cross section dimension of a certain type of rare metal that was used as an energy 'bus' (i.e. power transfer connector).
At the end, the good guy and the villain were fighting and the good guy had a specially reinforced bullet-proof spacesuit while the villain did not, so as they rolled through a machine gun volley, the villain was killed by the bullets while the good guy rolled through. (that was his plan)

Anyone remember this one?
Thanks.

That is the Lensmen Series. 7 books in total I believe. EE Doc Smith

 

[unfunk]

And, if I may suggest, you might want to take a look at his other 'classic' series; Skylark. Four shortish novels that capture the swashbuckling nature of early space operas. Doc Smith had a flair for adventure, but you'll have to get past the decidedly 1940s attitude to women, if that's something that could bother you.

Books in Motion ( booksinmotion.com - I promise I'm not a corporate shill!) have pretty good audiobooks of the Skylark & Lensman series, if that's something that interests you, too.