Starship Factory

I can't believe I'm the first person to write a review of this book. Starship Factory is packed with info no sci-fi author should be without! This fast and easy reference guide teaches authors how to design and crew realistic starships. It includes helpful insights on both the big and small picture, like comparing officer stateroom sizes vs. ordinary crew quarters on various size vessels, types of munitions (particle beam, plasma, kinetic, torpedoes/missiles), and types of propulsion (hyperdrive, jump drive, warp drive, ion drive, solar sail, etc.). Common sailor and sci-fi terminology (including astro-navigation terms) are explained, as are the various onboard locations and their purposes along with typical crew encountered there.I also highly recommend Armed Professions: A Writer's Guide, by Clayton J. Callahan. That book covers the military in more depth than Starship Factory, and even though it is mainly focused on the recent past and modern day, it also touches on historical and future military, including military sci-fi, making it a versatile go-to guide no matter what genre or time period you write.

This is a great book. The only thing I don't like is that it goes only with the navy trope. Both American and Russian Space Forces have been Air Force operations and that's what I wanted to do. An Air Force based space armada.

I wish I had this book ten Sci-Fi novels ago. It would have been extremely helpful. However, I'm going to be using it as a resource for my future books. This is a great tool for the average and advanced Sci-Fi novelist.

Having designed my own fictional ships before, I had always felt like I only had half a grasp on ship design, and hand waved over much of the elements. I feel much more prepared now, and have a lovely little vessel taking shape for my next series.LOVED the listing of ship classification and military rankings, jobs, specialties, and everything else. I'll definitely be referencing back to this!

This is such a clever book!If you write Sci-fi (this would apply to any genre actually but it is geared towards sci-fi (space) writers.) this is a book to have. The book is well written and in a manner that is easy to understand comprehensively. Clear details about world building a ship (setting), statesmen (people and their commands), addressing proper communications (dialog), and characters. So much information!I highly recommend!PS. Mr Fender,I have a friend who is needing a book on world build (historical - Pirates) What say you? ;-)