Product Description
Destined to fulfill an ancient prophecy, the warrior Sargon strode through the gates of Chalsadon -- the last refuge of a once-proud empire... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A neglected gem of heroic fantasy
This may well be Lin Carter's finest single novel; it's certainly in the top three of all his work. In it he transcended his love of pastiche (well worth reading for its own merits) & created a moving tale of a dying Empire, drawing upon both the sword & sorcery tradition exemplified by Robert Howard, and the high fantasy tradition exemplified by Tolkien. Although it's a short novel, like all of his work, it's filled with evocative images & ideas. Sargon is a more reflective barbarian hero than most, both bemused by & grappling with the notion of his own supposed godhood. And the landscapes have a haunted, dreamlike quality: we know that not only the once-glorious Empire is doomed, but the very planet itself will one day be nothing but rubble, which adds a dusky poignancy to the tale. If Carter recreates favorite moments from previous fantasy & adventure classics (both Robin Hood & the Battle of Helm's Deep obviously come to mind), he imbues them with a certain melancholy heroism & somber beauty. Of all his work, I find myself returning to this one most often, wishing it had been longer. Here we get a glimpse of the great fantasy epic he might have written, one with his own voice; and we can only regret that it never came to pass. Recommended! ... Read more

Product Description

THE CLASSIC FANTASY SERIES
FROM THE CO-AUTHOR OF
CONAN THE BARBARIAN!

At the height of the Vietnam War, Jon Dark is a helicopter pilot for the International Red Cross, flying numerous rescue missions...until the day his helicopter crashes in the Cambodian jungles. Cut off from American troops, he searches for a way out, only to find a lost city -- and the gateway to another world.

Stepping through the portal, he arrives on Callisto -- a savage, hostile world terrorized by insect-men and the infamous Sky Pirates of Zanadar. It is a world of black and crimson jungles where Jon Dark -- now known as Jandar -- finds not only chilling dangers awaiting him, but also the love of a beautiful princess. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Difficult author to review
I'm a fan of Lin Carter's, but I think it needs to be said that along with his positives, there are serious minuses.

Carter is not very original, he is very good at putting together Edgar Rice burroughs, Robert Howard, Fritz Leiber, and others. I enjoy his books because he does it well, and he made his books short, (using the series format to continue the stories).

The Callisto series is one of his best, (I also recommend the Green Star series).

These are fast, exciting reads that highly imitate earlier, and better authors. I enjoy them for my casual reading on the commute to work.

So why the 4 stars for such a tepid review ? Simple: Carter was head and shoulders above the others of his time, or now, who attempt to do the same thing. It's not as easy as it may seem. Give "Jandar of Callisto" or "Under the Green Star" a try.

There's a reason Carter had so many books published ca. 1967-1980: He was good at what he did. Give him a try if you like the genre.

If you enjoy great fantasy...
I have never heard of Lin Carter until I stumbled onto a copy of "Callisto" at my favorite bookstore six months ago.For the past month, I have started reading it and to my amazement, enjoyed it.Before this, I never read sword-and-sorcery based fantasies such as this, but was overwhelmed by Carter's Thanator world.What I enjoyed about "Callisto" are the characters, the effective use of first-person narration, and the settings.Carter, as well as Jonathan Dark, have done an outstanding job at conceiving this classic.I just hope that a new generation of readers will embrace "Callisto."

Lin Carter was the best!
I first read the Calisto series twenty-five years ago when I was a teen ager.I am currently re-reading the books to my twelve year old son (he's a remarkably good reader, but he still loves to be read to --who doesn't) and am delighted to say that he is as enthralled by the adventures of Jonathan Andrew Dark as I was so long ago.These books aren't high art or particuarly thought provoking, but if you allow yourself to suspend your disbelief a bit, the pay off these books will give you is well worth the effort.A princess to be rescued and a kingdom to be won!Who could ask for more from a read.

YES, FIVE STARS
Lin Carter, of course, didn't write this book; he was merely the editor,transcribing the peculiar parchment delivered from overseas and landsunknown.As an editor, he contributes numerous footnotes and appendixesthat help the reader's understanding of this weird alternate-universeCallisto, whose sky is golden during the day, and at night filled with thegreat orb of Jupiter and its racing moons.If this document were a pieceof fiction, one could say it was derivative of Burrough's Barsoom; butthere is a verisimilitude to these memoirs of the downed pilot John Dark,who stumbles upon a lost city in Cambodia and is transported to Callisto(called Thanator by the natives).His adventures are vivid and various,full of strange creatures, swordplay, mind control, Romance, super science; perhaps they can only be appreciated by an eleven-year-old boy who has yetto read the Burroughs books, and who wishes to encounter a planetaryromance, for once, as it *really* happened.I have always remembered Koja,the insectoid Yathoon warrior; Darloona, the beautiful real-life DejahThoris; grizzled Lukor the master swordsman; the nefarious Sky Pirates intheir floating galleons, the terrible Mind Wizards; and of course the wiseLankar, who is none other than Lin Carter himself, transported to Callistoin Book Six (the locals have difficulty with complex Earth names; John Darkbecomes Jandar, Lin Carter, Lankar).My only regret in this neccessaryreissue is the cover, which is grim and dark, and surely depicts nothing onCallisto.The original Dell covers, by Vincent DiFate, were both vividlycolorful, pulpish and, of course, accurate.

The return of a fantasy great.
In the 1970s one of the foremost writers of action packed heroic fantasywas Lin Carter. This book collects the first two volumes of what wasperhaps Carter's best series. The Jandar of Callisto books were writtenvery much in the tradition of the John Carter of Mars novels by Edgar RiceBurroughs, but without Burroughs' semi victorian language. I read theCallisto books when I was a kid and still find them to be a lot of fun. This book is full of pageantry, romance and swordplay. Callisto, orThanator as the natives call it, is a wondrous world of flying ships anddense jungles teeming with danger. Anyone who enjoys a fast paced adventurestory set on an exotic alien world should definitely give Callisto a try. In addition to his writing, Lin Carter was one of the most influentialeditors of fantasy fiction. He is remembered today primarily for gettingmany classics of the genre back into print. But Carter could spin awonderful yarn, and it's great to see his work available again for newreaders to discover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Dragons, Elves, and Heroes - ed, Lin Carter - The literary roots of fantasy
Published in 1969 as a companion to Lin Carter's anthology of modern fantasy writers, "The Young Magicians," this equally superb volume provided an historical context for fantasy. The selections are uniformly excellent: excerpts from such classic works as "Beowulf," the Norse sagas, Thomas Malory, and "The Kalevela," to such haunting & beautiful poems as "Tom O'Bedlam's Song," Browning's "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came," and Tennyson's "The Horns of Elfland."

As always, Carter's notes & introductions are informative & enjoyable. And he makes a strong case for fantasy as a central part of literature, not merely frivolous & disposable trash. Clearly the most powerful works of fantasy deal with mythic material, drawn from the very depths of the psyche -- there's a connection here between Carter's thesis and, say, the work of Joseph Campbell.

Once again, I'm reminded of just how much the modern fantasy reader owes to Lin Carter. His enthusiasm & determination in getting so many classic works reprinted (or even collected for the first time) in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series was a watershed event -- although he shouldn't be held responsible for the flood of formulaic, mass-produced junk that's flooded the bookshelves in the decades following, alas.

Much of this material can be found elsewhere, of course. But this paperback original, nearly 40 years old now, remains a seminal volume in the creation of a modern genre -- and it's one of high literary quality, as well. If you should come across a used copy, it's well worth picking up -- recommended! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

As the sun goes down over a wonderful series
The legendary Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series was approaching its final few volumes when this anthology appeared, although readers still hoped for many more years of it. Published in conjunction with its more classical literary companion, "Golden Cities, Far," it offered another superb selection of fantasy short stories & poems, complete with copious notes from editor Lin Carter.

While not drawing upon the work of quite so many fantasy masters this time around, Carter did give readers a more eclectic mix. So we have a short piece by Poe, a humorous but thoughtful fairy tale from George MacDonald, some high quality sword & sorcery from the likes of C. L. Moore (one of her best Jirel of Joiry tales) & Robert E. Howard (an ancestral memory tale, rather than more of the immortal but familiar Conan) -- and more besides!

Particularly interesting is a lost chapter from Mervyn Peake's "Titus Alone," and another fragment of Carter's own never-written epic "Khymyrium." Anything by Peake is worth reading, of course! And Carter's fragment is a reminder of what might have been, had he pushed himself past pastiche in the 1970s, rather than losing his way & much of his inspiration.

But there's a sense of something lost about this whole anthology, not only because the series as a whole was ending, but because the times were changing so much. The creative fire of the 1960s was fading, and fantasy would soon become one more mass-market niche, with plenty of new authors, but little of the magic that made the older works glow so brilliantly. Even the cover art was soon to change to something more generic, alas.

As always, you can find most of these stories in other collections now. But if you should come across a copy of this paperback, pick it up as a memento & treasure of a golden era in fantasy. Most highly recommended! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Reading & Writing of Quality Fantasy
Lin Carter has often gotten short shrift from the world of fantasy readers, but he deserves to be remembered, both as creator & historian. This is one of his finest books, one of the first attempts to write about heroic fantasy as a genre, providing an essential guide to the traditional & sometimes neglected masters of the craft. Highly opinionated, of course; but that's really part of its charm. And the final chapters, regarding the actual craft of writing fantasy, are still well worth reading. I only wish Carter had eventually expanded those chapters into a book of their own. Now out of print & hard to find, it's an important addition to the collection of any serious fantasy reader. Recommended! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The saga continues
It happens with dreary regularity in these long-lived series. After the first few volumes, the author becomes self-indulgent. In this, the sixth Callisto book, Carter's self-indulgence is to insert himself into the epic and to narrate his part in his own voice.

Carter and his wife start the story by traveling to the lost city that Jandar (hero of the series) unwittingly used as a launch point toward one of Jupiter's moons. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Carter himself gets launched as well. After he arrives at Callisto, alone and naked, one of his first acts is to save a fierce othode (Callistonian for 'big doggy,' I think) from a lingering death. This touches the huge carnivore's large and doggy heart so deeply that he dedicates himself to Carter. Bozo (the undignified name Carter hangs on him) then spends much of the book saving Carter's earthly butt from the unearthly dangers of this very dangerous world.

As one may have expected, Carter (aka Lankar) catches up to Jandar, his beautiful wife (the local queen) and his brave retinue. In a mad example of "who you know, not what you know," even Carter's indirect acquaintance with Jandar is good enough to get Carter elevated to the highest rank that Callisto offers, other than Jandar's own, of course.

Despite his utter ineptitude, Carter joins the war party in wiping out the Mind Wizards, helped yet again by loyal Bozo. After some amount of literary contrivance, Carter triumphantly returns to Earth. Despite the well-worn tropes of the genre, this offers fine amusement - as long as you don't try to take it too seriously.

-- wiredweird ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Totally confusing
Could not finish this book.I am not one to ever stop reading a book, but this was almost painful.Confusing.Nothing to grab the reader.Definitely not recommended.

A fairytale for adults
Fred Barber is an American diplomat posted to the U.S. embassy in Spain at the beginning of World War 2.Although the U.S. is still a neutral country Barber is wounded in an explosion and sent to the British countryside to recuperate.From his temporary billet in Yorkshire, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gurton, Barber can hear the German bombs shattering the near-by city of Leeds.At nighttime the sky glows red in the distance where the city burns. Unable to relax or sleep easily Barber uses sleeping pills to nurse himself into a calmer state.Then on St John's Eve Barber finds himself in the house alone, except for the Gurton's baby who sleeps in his room peacefully.Determined not to resort to pills again Barber reaches instead for the scotch bottle.Wandering around the house Barber comes upon a saucer of milk, which Mrs. Gurton has left on the front doorstep.Intrigued Barber remembers that he has read in The Golden Bough that superstitious people believe that on certain nights of the year a tribute of milk should be left out for the fairies.Not to do so will result in the child of the household being stolen away and a changeling left in its place.In a slightly tipsy state Barber is amused by his find. He decides to drink the milk and leave his scotch in its place.The milk has a soporific effect and Barber happily goes to bed.In the middle of the night Barber thinks he dreams of a strange creature, with a huge smile, entering his room.Later in the night Barber awakes and finds himself out of doors in a very strange land surrounded by a crowd of very strange beings.Much to his surprise Barber finds that he has been transported to Fairyland, to the court of King Oberon and Queen Titania.Just how did he get here, Barber wonders, and how is he going to get back to Yorkshire?

The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung taught that we should play more attention to dreams, myths, folktales and stories of the extraordinary.These fantastic narrations are often dismissed as 'mere fancy', of no value except to entertain children and the weak-minded.But according to Jung the fantastic appeals to the unconscious.It provides an outlet for the less logical, more intuitive, side of ourselves.The unconscious is often neglected and suppressed in our ultra-logical, materialist, conscious world.If ignored for too long our unconscious will break out in rebellion, resulting in psychological disturbance.So if you find the stress of modern life too much De Camp and Pratt's book may be just what the doctor ordered.The authors have drawn heavily on folklore to create a strange, dream-like world that is entertaining, intriguing and sure to make you smile.The book is called and this is indeed a place where worker-day logic does not hold.The unconscious can find plenty of events here that don't obey conscious reason, but none-the-less have an intuitive rightness, a hidden order of their own.This is certainly not a book for children.The hero is an adult who has a cynical, tempestuous girlfriend back in Spain.King Oberon dallies with a beautiful, winged sprite, his lover, who he hides from his wife.The pleasures and pains of adult life are clearly depicted.This is a book to delight the adult unconscious mind.

The plot of the novel moves along very nicely and is never dull.We meet a great array of characters most of who are disconcerting in their unreasonableness.As Barber travels through Fairyland he looses some of his conscious up-tightness and enters into the spirit of the intuitive unconscious.This is certainly not a book of Nobel Prize winning themes, inspiring symbolism or astounding structure, but it is very successful in what it sets out to do.

Of course most books have their source in earlier works and this tale is clearly inspired in part by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1872) and Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies (a Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby) (1863).De Camp and Pratt clearly declare their indebtedness to these earlier books in the text of their own work.

A fairytale for adults
Fred Barber is an American diplomat posted to the U.S. embassy in Spain at the beginning of World War 2.Although the U.S. is still a neutral country Barber is wounded in an explosion and sent to the British countryside to recuperate.From his temporary billet in Yorkshire, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gurton, Barber can hear the German bombs shattering the near-by city of Leeds.At nighttime the sky glows red in the distance where the city burns. Unable to relax or sleep easily Barber uses sleeping pills to nurse himself into a calmer state.Then on St John's Eve Barber finds himself in the house alone, except for the Gurton's baby who sleeps in his room peacefully.Determined not to resort to pills again Barber reaches instead for the scotch bottle.Wandering around the house Barber comes upon a saucer of milk, which Mrs. Gurton has left on the front doorstep.Intrigued Barber remembers that he has read in The Golden Bough that superstitious people believe that on certain nights of the year a tribute of milk should be left out for the fairies.Not to do so will result in the child of the household being stolen away and a changeling left in its place.In a slightly tipsy state Barber is amused by his find. He decides to drink the milk and leave his scotch in its place.The milk has a soporific effect and Barber happily goes to bed.In the middle of the night Barber thinks he dreams of a strange creature, with a huge smile, entering his room.Later in the night Barber awakes and finds himself out of doors in a very strange land surrounded by a crowd of very strange beings.Much to his surprise Barber finds that he has been transported to Fairyland, to the court of King Oberon and Queen Titania.Just how did he get here, Barber wonders, and how is he going to get back to Yorkshire?

The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung taught that we should play more attention to dreams, myths, folktales and stories of the extraordinary.These fantastic narrations are often dismissed as 'mere fancy', of no value except to entertain children and the weak-minded.But according to Jung the fantastic appeals to the unconscious.It provides an outlet for the less logical, more intuitive, side of ourselves.The unconscious is often neglected and suppressed in our ultra-logical, materialist, conscious world.If ignored for too long our unconscious will break out in rebellion, resulting in psychological disturbance.So if you find the stress of modern life too much De Camp and Pratt's book may be just what the doctor ordered.The authors have drawn heavily on folklore to create a strange, dream-like world that is entertaining, intriguing and sure to make you smile.The book is called and this is indeed a place where worker-day logic does not hold.The unconscious can find plenty of events here that don't obey conscious reason, but none-the-less have an intuitive rightness, a hidden order of their own.This is certainly not a book for children.The hero is an adult who has a cynical, tempestuous girlfriend back in Spain.King Oberon dallies with a beautiful, winged sprite, his lover, who he hides from his wife.The pleasures and pains of adult life are clearly depicted.This is a book to delight the adult unconscious mind.

The plot of the novel moves along very nicely and is never dull.We meet a great array of characters most of who are disconcerting in their unreasonableness.As Barber travels through Fairyland he looses some of his conscious up-tightness and enters into the spirit of the intuitive unconscious.This is certainly not a book of Nobel Prize winning themes, inspiring symbolism or astounding structure, but it is very successful in what it sets out to do.

Of course most books have their source in earlier works and this tale is clearly inspired in part by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1872) and Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies (a Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby) (1863).De Camp and Pratt clearly declare their indebtedness to these earlier books in the text of their own work.

A fairytale for adults
Fred Barber is an American diplomat posted to the U.S. embassy in Spain at the beginning of World War 2.Although the U.S. is still a neutral country Barber is wounded in an explosion and sent to the British countryside to recuperate.From his temporary billet in Yorkshire, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gurton, Barber can hear the German bombs shattering the near-by city of Leeds.At nighttime the sky glows red in the distance where the city burns. Unable to relax or sleep easily Barber uses sleeping pills to nurse himself into a calmer state.Then on St John's Eve Barber finds himself in the house alone, except for the Gurton's baby who sleeps in his room peacefully.Determined not to resort to pills again Barber reaches instead for the scotch bottle.Wandering around the house Barber comes upon a saucer of milk, which Mrs. Gurton has left on the front doorstep.Intrigued Barber remembers that he has read in The Golden Bough that superstitious people believe that on certain nights of the year a tribute of milk should be left out for the fairies.Not to do so will result in the child of the household being stolen away and a changeling left in its place.In a slightly tipsy state Barber is amused by his find. He decides to drink the milk and leave his scotch in its place.The milk has a soporific effect and Barber happily goes to bed.In the middle of the night Barber thinks he dreams of a strange creature, with a huge smile, entering his room.Later in the night Barber awakes and finds himself out of doors in a very strange land surrounded by a crowd of very strange beings.Much to his surprise Barber finds that he has been transported to Fairyland, to the court of King Oberon and Queen Titania.Just how did he get here, Barber wonders, and how is he going to get back to Yorkshire?

The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung taught that we should play more attention to dreams, myths, folktales and stories of the extraordinary.These fantastic narrations are often dismissed as 'mere fancy', of no value except to entertain children and the weak-minded.But according to Jung the fantastic appeals to the unconscious.It provides an outlet for the less logical, more intuitive, side of ourselves.The unconscious is often neglected and suppressed in our ultra-logical, materialist, conscious world.If ignored for too long our unconscious will break out in rebellion, resulting in psychological disturbance.So if you find the stress of modern life too much De Camp and Pratt's book may be just what the doctor ordered.The authors have drawn heavily on folklore to create a strange, dream-like world that is entertaining, intriguing and sure to make you smile.The book is called and this is indeed a place where worker-day logic does not hold.The unconscious can find plenty of events here that don't obey conscious reason, but none-the-less have an intuitive rightness, a hidden order of their own.This is certainly not a book for children.The hero is an adult who has a cynical, tempestuous girlfriend back in Spain.King Oberon dallies with a beautiful, winged sprite, his lover, who he hides from his wife.The pleasures and pains of adult life are clearly depicted.This is a book to delight the adult unconscious mind.

The plot of the novel moves along very nicely and is never dull.We meet a great array of characters most of who are disconcerting in their unreasonableness.As Barber travels through Fairyland he looses some of his conscious up-tightness and enters into the spirit of the intuitive unconscious.This is certainly not a book of Nobel Prize winning themes, inspiring symbolism or astounding structure, but it is very successful in what it sets out to do.

Of course most books have their source in earlier works and this tale is clearly inspired in part by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1872) and Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies (a Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby) (1863).De Camp and Pratt clearly declare their indebtedness to these earlier books in the text of their own work.

A fairytale for adults
Fred Barber is an American diplomat posted to the U.S. embassy in Spain at the beginning of World War 2.Although the U.S. is still a neutral country Barber is wounded in an explosion and sent to the British countryside to recuperate.From his temporary billet in Yorkshire, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gurton, Barber can hear the German bombs shattering the near-by city of Leeds.At nighttime the sky glows red in the distance where the city burns. Unable to relax or sleep easily Barber uses sleeping pills to nurse himself into a calmer state.Then on St John's Eve Barber finds himself in the house alone, except for the Gurton's baby who sleeps in his room peacefully.Determined not to resort to pills again Barber reaches instead for the scotch bottle.Wandering around the house Barber comes upon a saucer of milk, which Mrs. Gurton has left on the front doorstep.Intrigued Barber remembers that he has read in The Golden Bough that superstitious people believe that on certain nights of the year a tribute of milk should be left out for the fairies.Not to do so will result in the child of the household being stolen away and a changeling left in its place.In a slightly tipsy state Barber is amused by his find. He decides to drink the milk and leave his scotch in its place.The milk has a soporific effect and Barber happily goes to bed.In the middle of the night Barber thinks he dreams of a strange creature, with a huge smile, entering his room.Later in the night Barber awakes and finds himself out of doors in a very strange land surrounded by a crowd of very strange beings.Much to his surprise Barber finds that he has been transported to Fairyland, to the court of King Oberon and Queen Titania.Just how did he get here, Barber wonders, and how is he going to get back to Yorkshire?

The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung taught that we should play more attention to dreams, myths, folktales and stories of the extraordinary.These fantastic narrations are often dismissed as 'mere fancy', of no value except to entertain children and the weak-minded.But according to Jung the fantastic appeals to the unconscious.It provides an outlet for the less logical, more intuitive, side of ourselves.The unconscious is often neglected and suppressed in our ultra-logical, materialist, conscious world.If ignored for too long our unconscious will break out in rebellion, resulting in psychological disturbance.So if you find the stress of modern life too much De Camp and Pratt's book may be just what the doctor ordered.The authors have drawn heavily on folklore to create a strange, dream-like world that is entertaining, intriguing and sure to make you smile.The book is called and this is indeed a place where worker-day logic does not hold.The unconscious can find plenty of events here that don't obey conscious reason, but none-the-less have an intuitive rightness, a hidden order of their own.This is certainly not a book for children.The hero is an adult who has a cynical, tempestuous girlfriend back in Spain.King Oberon dallies with a beautiful, winged sprite, his lover, who he hides from his wife.The pleasures and pains of adult life are clearly depicted.This is a book to delight the adult unconscious mind.

The plot of the novel moves along very nicely and is never dull.We meet a great array of characters most of who are disconcerting in their unreasonableness.As Barber travels through Fairyland he looses some of his conscious up-tightness and enters into the spirit of the intuitive unconscious.This is certainly not a book of Nobel Prize winning themes, inspiring symbolism or astounding structure, but it is very successful in what it sets out to do.

Of course most books have their source in earlier works and this tale is clearly inspired in part by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1872) and Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies (a Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby) (1863).De Camp and Pratt clearly declare their indebtedness to these earlier books in the text of their own work. ... Read more

Product Description
Legendary master of fantasy Lin Carter is known aroundthe world as the creator of wildly memorable characters and the fieldof Psychic Detectives is no exception. This modern day wizard, themysterious and arrogant Dr. Anton Zarnak is one of the best craftedsupernatural gumshoe ever to see print. This is the first evercollection of all the Zarnak tales written by Lin Carter,C.J. Henderson, Robert M. Price, Joseph S. Pulver,Sr., John L. French,Pierre Comtois, James Chambers, Simon Bucher-Jones, and JamesAmbuehl. This anthology is edited by world-renowned Lovecraftianeditor Robert M. Price. Cover art by Erica Henderson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Nice Collection of Occult Detective Stories
If you're a fan of Seabury Quinn and his master criminologist/occult expert Jules de Grandin, you'll appreciate this collection.Lin Carter was quite open that this was intended to be an homage to de Grandin (as well as Howard's Steve Harrison and Rohmer's Neyland Smith), but Carter's stories stand alone very well.The stories by other authors are interesting, but the love for (and knowledge of) this sub-genre shines through in Carter's two offerings.

The reviewer who found no Cthulhu Mythos in these stories was mistaken.Every single story makes reference to things Lovecraftian.

Where's the Mythos?
For fans of Lovecraft? From what I've seen this has nothing to do with the Cthulhu Mythos. No Cthulhu, R'Lyeh, Nyarlathotep.I don't think you should have "psychic gumshoe" in horror stories.It sounds like something from the kid's section.If you want Mythos buy Lovecraft.

Great Collection!!
This is a great collection of stories. Recommended for not only fans of Carter and Lovecraft, But for people who want some good old fun action packed horror/adventure stories. I highly recommend this!!

NEW TWISTS ON OLD FAVORITE
Robert Price is a genius editor.Rather than having his eight writers created new stories of the late Lin Carter's hero in the exact same mold as the originator, he let them run loose with the character.The results are 8 marvelous adventures, each giving us
new and different approaches to Anton Zarnak' from action, to horro and even some comedy mixed-in.More anthologies should be this
fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

wild'n'coloured sword'n'sorcery, but without challenge.
This Book Wallops!

very easy to read.clear concise flowing (but not Lord Dunsany poetics) style. it drew me from the git and never let go.

themain problem it has is that it is too predictable and plot events tooconvenient. however, it is very colourful and well paced, and if you acceptthe simplicity as a part of the rollicking genre, it's not so much anissue.

whilst lin carter has not the distinction of fritz leiber, hisstyle is his own and his gory scenes hit on a pitch similar to Robert EHoward's 'Conan'.

the final confrontation is beautifully drawn out andright-on between too quick and too dribbly. some of the descriptions arejust lurid and sent my imagination to frenzy!

in short, this is a greatsword & sorcery book. there are no weak spots in terms of flow andcolour, but its convenience and good nature may be tiresome for those aftermore complexity.

if you want wild'n'crazi reading, and have finished'Conan' and 'Fafhrd & Gray Mouser' (Leiber), then you might like thistale.

if you feel jaded by Dragonlance or Shannara : neither of whom canwrite for @$$$, then check this 'Thonger' series . yih! adamojune '99Australi. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Super Reader
Having gained the Treasure of Tranicos, Conan finds himself assuming the role of a rebel general, as men flock to his banner, little liking the insane king that ruled in Aquilonia, and his sorcerer, Thulandra Thuu.

He has to fight ambushes, the wizard, and Aquilonian and regional commanders to eventually make his way to the palace.

How Conan Becamea King
In this novel, DeCamp and Carter tell the story of the Cimmerian's oft-mentioned revolt agains King Numedides of Aquilonia.Manipulating the madness of the king is Stygian wizard, Thulandra Thuu.(For those of you familiar with the works of Lin Carter, you gotta know that name was from Lin).Carter and DeCamp find a way to maintain the suspense even though any Conan fan knows the outcome of the story. The story shifts between Conan's inexorable march to Aquilonia and Thuu's attempts to stop the rebel army.Numedides is an excellent character, nasty and pitiful at the same time, every character in the book knows what's going on except him.

Chance lost
This book was a great chance to tell a super part of Conan's life. It misses the mark by being too boring and not enough action.

Boring
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. We've all heard that statement before, right? In most cases, it may even be true. Something tells me it isn't so with this book. The two authors of this book point out in the introduction (which, along with the map of Howard's fantasy world, is the only interesting thing about this book) that great care has been taken to carefully reconstruct Howard's prose style while maintaining character continuity with his original stories. Even though I've never read a Howard book before--and I will seek some of them out after this--I don't doubt that the prose and descriptions match the original stories. Unfortunately, in their careful attempts at mimicry, these two authors forgot to craft an engaging story.

"Conan the Liberator" tells the story about a revolution mounted against the evil Numedides, King of Aquilonia, by Conan the Cimmerian, a former general of Numedides. People are fed up with the debaucheries of Numedides, and the high taxes that go along with them. But Numedides is under the spell of the evil Lemurian sorcerer Thulandra Thuu, a man who wishes to further his own interests through the king. Conan has other ideas, and assembles an army with the help of Count Trocero, a nobleman of Poitain; Dexitheus, a priest of Mitra; Publius, a rebel tax accessor; and Prospero, another exiled general. The army assembles in nearby Argos, where spies keep watch on their activities, and a beauty by the name of Alcina, in the employ of Thuu, watches Conan. The entire book is a painfully detailed account of the grinding excursion north to a showdown with Numedides and Thuu.

"Conan the Liberator" is the worst fantasy book I've ever read. Page after page is loaded with meaningless dialogue and politics. I always felt the name Conan was synonymous with action. This book showed me the error of that type of thinking. NOTHING happens in this book. Sure, there are a couple of short battles during the course of the story, and Thuu manages to cast a couple of spells against Conan and his army. But overall, these few scenes are not enough to justify writing this book, let alone reprinting it. Almost every scene manages to land with an earth-shattering thud

Character development is criminally, excruciatingly flat. I've seen better character development in industrial training films. Not one character ever rises above simple human traits such as breathing and moving. It will be a miracle if I remember anything about any of them in a few days.

What is good about this book pertains directly to the creator of Conan, Robert Howard. The introduction is good, and the map of Howard's fantasy world is fascinating. According to the introduction, Howard created a world with a mix of ancient, medieval, viking, and biblical place names. Howard placed his world between the sinking of Atlantis and "the emergence of the cities." Our gods and mythologies, according to Howard, are fragmentary memories of this forgotten age.

Avoid this clunker at all costs. Go out and find the original stories, or rent the Conan movies. Learning Esperanto or cleaning the lint out of your navel would be more fun than diving into this cesspool. I suspect Howard would be quite testy if he was still alive today to witness what others have done with his ideas.

exciting sword and sorcery
A fortyish Conan leads an army trying to overthrow the maniacal tyranny of king Numedides of Aquilonia.Conan believes his rebel force has a great chance of defeating the king's forces led by General Procas and consequently expects to topple a monarch who abuses children and kills concubines on some of mad whim.

Conan and his advisors anticipate and plan a war they expect fought in which blade goes against blade.Instead, the evil sorcerer Thulandra Thuu and his servant Alcina intercede.Soon a mysterious illness threaten to do what the king's forces have failed to do, destroy the rebel army unless Conan can find some way of saving himself, his soldiers and ultimately the people of Aquilonia.

This is a reprint of an exciting sword and sorcery tale released over two decades ago.The story line is fast-paced and loaded with non-magical and esoteric action as expected from the novels starring the pre-history hero.Conan remains dauntless while trying to do what he believes is right while his deadly foe Thuu will return for another day (or is that novel - if this reviewer's memory holds see CONAN THE SWORDSMAN).

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Return to a Mars that never was
Lin Carter is best known for his editorial work in the field of fantasy, particularly in the creation of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series. His own work, alas, all too often emphasized his weaknesses at the expense of some very real strengths. But occasionally those strengths had their chance to shine, as in this solid novel.

While Leigh Brackett may have provided the basic model of his Mars, Lin Carter did something exciting & moving with it. Combining the wish-fulfilling adventure of the best of the pulps, a streak of elegaic poetry, and a clear, direct depiction of a dying culture struggling to resist the rapacious colonialism of a greedy Earth, he created a fine story that lingers after the last page. And while the science has been superseded by real-life discoveries, that hardly matters; the color & haunting, dreamlike longing for something precious but fading is what counts. A worthy addition to the small shelf of autumnal Martian fiction!

Excellent sci-fi/fanstasy book about Mars
Strange and unusual concepts about Mars and it's relationship to Earth, a quest for redemption, and a budding romance all make up this classic by Lin Carter.It is a book that, while short on scientific fact as we know it now (thus resulting in the 4 rather than 5 star rating), is not short on imagination and pure fun!

It is a fast read and not designed to delve too deeply into the background and motivation of the characters other than the main one, but that suits this book as it is not intended to be a character driven story:more a plot driven story with much emphasis on the main character.

An ancient civilization on Mars conflicts with the civilization of Earth and a man tries to regain his own identity amidst the struggle.I do not want to spoil it too much for you, but if you have read and enjoyed the "Martian Chronicles" or any other Martian book regarding ancient civilizations on the Red Planet, this book will also fit your fancy.Get it, you will be happy. ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine a world of gods and demons, where men are warriors, women are beautiful, life is a fantastic adventure, and the fate of kingdoms balances on the bloody blade of a fabulous hero: Conan of the iron thews, the blue-eyed barbarian giant who towers above the savage Hyborian world.For the very first time in trade, this is the work that re-launched Conan in both the 1970s and 80s, back in print after more than a decade. Come live the adventure again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

terrific work
Many of the pastiche works are letdowns in comparison to Howard's immortal stories, though there are exceptions. What most of the books miss is faithful adherence to the established character of Conan, as opposed to some fellow who does X, Y, and Z and happens to be named Conan. This is not the case with these delightful tales by de Camp, Carter, and Nyberg. By sticking to a shorter length tale, they have succeeded in packing more emotional punch into the individual adventures. I was most struck by the entry called "Shadows in the Dark"--because it represented the real Conan, the one I know, better than any other non-Howard work. In the span of only a few short pages, Conan (in addition to the major plot elements) abuses an arrogant young king; knocks said king senseless because he blabbers and could thus disclose their position to the enemy; considers murdering him (but relents); steals his purse, minus a handful of coins; and, finally, leaves the king stranded on a ship to Lord-knows-where. Now, that's the Conan we all love!

Super Reader
This book includes these pastiche stories, de Camp, Carter and Nyberg in various combinations :

Legions of the Dead
The People of the Summit
Shadows in the Dark
The Star of Khorala
The Gem in the Tower
The Ivory Goddess
Moon of Blood

and also a piece by De Camp on the naming strategies that Howard used in his work, and also gives an dictionary style listing of them, and where they are used.

A young Conan is fighting in the North, and against the Witchmen. He rescues his jarl's daughter from captivity, but the Queen sends an undead band of their former warriors to stop them. He manages to get the girl to freedom before being taken captive.

3 out of 5


Conan and companions are attacked by weird apes with ropes, killing one of them. He fakes being strangled, and is drawn up to the remants of a strange people with no irises. He manages to save the girl, and kill the many legged monster.

2.5 out of 5


After Black Colossus, Conan is still serving Yasmela. Not servicing her enough is his problem, even though he has a general. She is too busy with the duties of a queen. If Conan can get her captive brother back, this may change.

After betrayal by a travelling companion and rescue of the king, who doesn't think much of a barbarian in the family, and offers Conan a lesser post. Conan takes money in payment, and starts to go back. He changes his mind, and decides to leave, and seek adventure elsewhere.

3 out of 5


After Shadows in Zamboula, Conan arrives in Ophir. He sees things are not right, and soon finds out why. The king and others plot against the queen, and problems abound. Conan rescues the female noble head, but ends up under siege.

No mean shot with an arbalest, the queen uses the Star of Khorala to summon aid, allowing Conan, the Guard Captain and herself freedom. She leaves for Aquilonia with her military man, and Conan goes on his way.

3.5 out of 5


Following Drums in Tombalku, Conan ends up serving under another Captain. One night, he dreams of a bat-man, only to awaken and find he is real, the product of a dead sorcerer.

3 out of 5


Conan is still travelling with the actress Muriela after Jewels in Gwahlur. He thinks that her skills could be put to use in a similar scam.

However, an actual goddess has a suse for her body in a lot more pragmatic a manner than impersonation.

She spares the Cimmerian and says she will look after the girl when she is finished.

3.5 out of 5


Conan is still beyond the Black River, fighting the Picts with the Aquilonians. Serpent sorcery and a traitorous General are causing lots of problems.

Conan's axework and fast thinking puts paid to this, and gets him a promotion.

In fact, he does so much damage with the aforementioned weapon that both Kull and Druss the Legend would be more than a little impressed.

4 out of 5

Howard Fans Will Enjoy This Homage To The Master
Though nothing compares to Robert E. Howard's original Conan stories, these additions to the canon by Carter and de Camp and Nyberg are welcome newcomers to the mythology.Those unfamiliar with Conan should begin by reading the originals-- several good editions now exist of Howard's seminal stories.Once competed, there are lots of these volumes of stories based on the originals, and this is among the best.de Camp and Carter have a real flair for mimicking Howard, and they clearly revel in the fun of creating new fixes for the barbarian to escape from.

The book also includes a nearly 70-page (!) addendum with all the names Howard made up in his stories, everything from Abdashtarth to Zyras, with notes from de Camp on their derivation.Fun stuff for fans!

strong anthology reprinting legendary 1970s-1980stales
CONAN THE SWORDSMAN, the latest reprint of the now legendary 1970s-1980s Conan revival, is a marvelous short story collection.Each story holds its own with the overall Conan mythos and most add depth to the celebrated character and his world.The delightful eight stories are well written with each tale co-authored by L. Sprague de Camp (had to be a Howard clone) with either Lin Carter or Bjorn Nyberg.Especially good is "Legions of the Dead" that Robert E. Howard would have believed he authored because it reads so much like his original works.Equally fascinating to readers is a seven-page essay that provides plenty of insight into Conan and his world as well as Robert E. Howard from the late L. Sprague de Camp's perspective.Fans of Conan will want to read this wonderful anthology that showcases one of fantasy's most endearing and enduring protagonists.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
Haggard's classic Egyptian novel, filled with magic, wandering Kas (or spirit-doubles), old gods, romance, and adventure -- as only Haggard could write it! Features an introduction by Lin Carter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Much Better Than I Expected
I had never read any of Haggard's work and I was expecting slow, nineteenth century, convoluted prose.
I was greatly surprised to see the straightforward writing, and the incredibly evocative picture Morning Star paints of ancient Egypt.
This is a love story, but not a sloppy, gushy one.The narrative is interesting from start to finish.So far Morning Star has stood the test of time, and I think it will for a number of centuries -- as long as there are people interested in Egypt, or people who like historical novels, or people who simply enjoy good, evocative writing.
It definitely deserves 5 stars, a rating I haven't given very often if at all in these Amazon.com reviews.
Read it.You won't be disappointed.Morning Star

A very well written historical fantasy
Rider haggard at his best. This amazing Fantasy story takes place in ancient Egypt. The hero, a prince, has to go through many extreme challenges to win the throne and the heart of his beloved women. The book gives a great insight on Egyptian religions and culture. It is a great book for Egyption culture fans, adventure and fantasy lovers, and for anyone else too...

captivating,riveting,suspence,action,conter action,love.
when i was about 11years old,i came across this book back home in west africa.it is a story about an egyptian royal family.ramses .it is captivating to the point where,it made me to cry,laugh,and be kept in feverish suspense,but at the same time gave me an understanding of what power,position greed,and betrayal means. an absolute must read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Swords and laser guns
One thousand years ago the interstellar Empire crumbled and eventually mankind, across the galaxy, fell into barbarism.Long lasting items of technology, such as spacecraft, still exist, but once they break down that is the end of them as nobody knows how to fix them.So in this strange world where swords and laser guns coexist strides Thane the warrior.Thane is a servant to none, but also master of none.In the city of Zotheera on the planet of Diakoon in a small tavern Thane has a hostile and fated meeting with Prince Chan of Shimar.Chan wants to use Thane in some scheme but is unable to gain power over the warrior through strength or wealth.Leaving Chan to lick his wounds Thane heads towards his spacecraft when suddenly a beautiful young woman literally runs into him.She is fleeing from a gang of five soldiers who believe she has stolen seven golden dragons.She pleads for help and Thane quickly and ruthlessly jumps to her defense.

This book is technically science fiction but has the feel of fantasy.It is a story of captures and escapes, gruesome fights and rollicking high adventure.For much of the story there seems to be absolutely no themes.Not even the old standby of 'good verses evil' seems to apply as a hero who would instantly chop four men into pieces, rather than be captured, is hardly good.Still Thane of Two Swords is a hero of a kind.He is not quite bad enough to be an antihero and the enemy is evil enough to be considered worse than him.In an interesting reversal of the Western genre convention of 'the bad guy dressed in black' Carter's villain, Prince Chan, is an albino.By making him thus Carter manages to imply that Chan is in some way warped, a mutant, twisted inside.At one point Thane suggests that Chan is also a homosexual, once again implying something 'unnatural' in him.(This certainly may upset real albinos and homosexuals, but none-the-less works as an effective, but crude, plot mechanism.)In the end the book does prove to have the theme of greed and wealth, and Thane evolves into something better than he first was.

Carter easily manages to keep the reader turning pages by including interesting plot twists and cliffhanger chapter endings.As you will have worked out by now this book is pure pulp-fiction, but pulp-fiction at its best.If you want to something light that will entertain you for a few hours this is the book for you, but if you want prize winning fiction which makes you think deeply you should look elsewhere.If the novel has one failing it is the long lists of unpronounceable and meaningless names of planets, cities, gods, etc., which add nothing to the story (though I am sure they are meant to provide 'cultural depth').This book would suit high school readers and up.

Swords and laser guns
One thousand years ago the interstellar Empire crumbled and eventually mankind, across the galaxy, fell into barbarism.Long lasting items of technology, such as spacecraft, still exist, but once they break down that is the end of them as nobody knows how to fix them.So in this strange world where swords and laser guns coexist strides Thane the warrior.Thane is a servant to none, but also master of none.In the city of Zotheera on the planet of Diakoon in a small tavern Thane has a hostile and fated meeting with Prince Chan of Shimar.Chan wants to use Thane in some scheme but is unable to gain power over the warrior through strength or wealth.Leaving Chan to lick his wounds Thane heads towards his spacecraft when suddenly a beautiful young woman literally runs into him.She is fleeing from a gang of five soldiers who believe she has stolen seven golden dragons.She pleads for help and Thane quickly and ruthlessly jumps to her defense.

This book is technically science fiction but has the feel of fantasy.It is a story of captures and escapes, gruesome fights and rollicking high adventure.For much of the story there seems to be absolutely no themes.Not even the old standby of 'good verses evil' seems to apply as a hero who would instantly chop four men into pieces, rather than be captured, is hardly good.Still Thane of Two Swords is a hero of a kind.He is not quite bad enough to be an antihero and the enemy is evil enough to be considered worse than him.In an interesting reversal of the Western genre convention of 'the bad guy dressed in black' Carter's villain, Prince Chan, is an albino.By making him thus Carter manages to imply that Chan is in some way warped, a mutant, twisted inside.At one point Thane suggests that Chan is also a homosexual, once again implying something 'unnatural' in him.(This certainly may upset real albinos and homosexuals, but none-the-less works as an effective, but crude, plot mechanism.)In the end the book does prove to have the theme of greed and wealth, and Thane evolves into something better than he first was.

Carter easily manages to keep the reader turning pages by including interesting plot twists and cliffhanger chapter endings.As you will have worked out by now this book is pure pulp-fiction, but pulp-fiction at its best.If you want to something light that will entertain you for a few hours this is the book for you, but if you want prize winning fiction which makes you think deeply you should look elsewhere.If the novel has one failing it is the long lists of unpronounceable and meaningless names of planets, cities, gods, etc., which add nothing to the story (though I am sure they are meant to provide 'cultural depth').This book would suit high school readers and up.

Swords and laser guns
One thousand years ago the interstellar Empire crumbled and eventually mankind, across the galaxy, fell into barbarism.Long lasting items of technology, such as spacecraft, still exist, but once they break down that is the end of them as nobody knows how to fix them.So in this strange world where swords and laser guns coexist strides Thane the warrior.Thane is a servant to none, but also master of none.In the city of Zotheera on the planet of Diakoon in a small tavern Thane has a hostile and fated meeting with Prince Chan of Shimar.Chan wants to use Thane in some scheme but is unable to gain power over the warrior through strength or wealth.Leaving Chan to lick his wounds Thane heads towards his spacecraft when suddenly a beautiful young woman literally runs into him.She is fleeing from a gang of five soldiers who believe she has stolen seven golden dragons.She pleads for help and Thane quickly and ruthlessly jumps to her defense.

This book is technically science fiction but has the feel of fantasy.It is a story of captures and escapes, gruesome fights and rollicking high adventure.For much of the story there seems to be absolutely no themes.Not even the old standby of 'good verses evil' seems to apply as a hero who would instantly chop four men into pieces, rather than be captured, is hardly good.Still Thane of Two Swords is a hero of a kind.He is not quite bad enough to be an antihero and the enemy is evil enough to be considered worse than him.In an interesting reversal of the Western genre convention of 'the bad guy dressed in black' Carter's villain, Prince Chan, is an albino.By making him thus Carter manages to imply that Chan is in some way warped, a mutant, twisted inside.At one point Thane suggests that Chan is also a homosexual, once again implying something 'unnatural' in him.(This certainly may upset real albinos and homosexuals, but none-the-less works as an effective, but crude, plot mechanism.)In the end the book does prove to have the theme of greed and wealth, and Thane evolves into something better than he first was.

Carter easily manages to keep the reader turning pages by including interesting plot twists and cliffhanger chapter endings.As you will have worked out by now this book is pure pulp-fiction, but pulp-fiction at its best.If you want to something light that will entertain you for a few hours this is the book for you, but if you want prize winning fiction which makes you think deeply you should look elsewhere.If the novel has one failing it is the long lists of unpronounceable and meaningless names of planets, cities, gods, etc., which add nothing to the story (though I am sure they are meant to provide 'cultural depth').This book would suit high school readers and up.

Swords and laser guns
One thousand years ago the interstellar Empire crumbled and eventually mankind, across the galaxy, fell into barbarism.Long lasting items of technology, such as spacecraft, still exist, but once they break down that is the end of them as nobody knows how to fix them.So in this strange world where swords and laser guns coexist strides Thane the warrior.Thane is a servant to none, but also master of none.In the city of Zotheera on the planet of Diakoon in a small tavern Thane has a hostile and fated meeting with Prince Chan of Shimar.Chan wants to use Thane in some scheme but is unable to gain power over the warrior through strength or wealth.Leaving Chan to lick his wounds Thane heads towards his spacecraft when suddenly a beautiful young woman literally runs into him.She is fleeing from a gang of five soldiers who believe she has stolen seven golden dragons.She pleads for help and Thane quickly and ruthlessly jumps to her defense.

This book is technically science fiction but has the feel of fantasy.It is a story of captures and escapes, gruesome fights and rollicking high adventure.For much of the story there seems to be absolutely no themes.Not even the old standby of 'good verses evil' seems to apply as a hero who would instantly chop four men into pieces, rather than be captured, is hardly good.Still Thane of Two Swords is a hero of a kind.He is not quite bad enough to be an antihero and the enemy is evil enough to be considered worse than him.In an interesting reversal of the Western genre convention of 'the bad guy dressed in black' Carter's villain, Prince Chan, is an albino.By making him thus Carter manages to imply that Chan is in some way warped, a mutant, twisted inside.At one point Thane suggests that Chan is also a homosexual, once again implying something 'unnatural' in him.(This certainly may upset real albinos and homosexuals, but none-the-less works as an effective, but crude, plot mechanism.)In the end the book does prove to have the theme of greed and wealth, and Thane evolves into something better than he first was.

Carter easily manages to keep the reader turning pages by including interesting plot twists and cliffhanger chapter endings.As you will have worked out by now this book is pure pulp-fiction, but pulp-fiction at its best.If you want to something light that will entertain you for a few hours this is the book for you, but if you want prize winning fiction which makes you think deeply you should look elsewhere.If the novel has one failing it is the long lists of unpronounceable and meaningless names of planets, cities, gods, etc., which add nothing to the story (though I am sure they are meant to provide 'cultural depth').This book would suit high school readers and up.

Swords and laser guns
One thousand years ago the interstellar Empire crumbled and eventually mankind, across the galaxy, fell into barbarism.Long lasting items of technology, such as spacecraft, still exist, but once they break down that is the end of them as nobody knows how to fix them.So in this strange world where swords and laser guns coexist strides Thane the warrior.Thane is a servant to none, but also master of none.In the city of Zotheera on the planet of Diakoon in a small tavern Thane has a hostile and fated meeting with Prince Chan of Shimar.Chan wants to use Thane in some scheme but is unable to gain power over the warrior through strength or wealth.Leaving Chan to lick his wounds Thane heads towards his spacecraft when suddenly a beautiful young woman literally runs into him.She is fleeing from a gang of five soldiers who believe she has stolen seven golden dragons.She pleads for help and Thane quickly and ruthlessly jumps to her defense.

This book is technically science fiction but has the feel of fantasy.It is a story of captures and escapes, gruesome fights and rollicking high adventure.For much of the story there seems to be absolutely no themes.Not even the old standby of 'good verses evil' seems to apply as a hero who would instantly chop four men into pieces, rather than be captured, is hardly good.Still Thane of Two Swords is a hero of a kind.He is not quite bad enough to be an antihero and the enemy is evil enough to be considered worse than him.In an interesting reversal of the Western genre convention of 'the bad guy dressed in black' Carter's villain, Prince Chan, is an albino.By making him thus Carter manages to imply that Chan is in some way warped, a mutant, twisted inside.At one point Thane suggests that Chan is also a homosexual, once again implying something 'unnatural' in him.(This certainly may upset real albinos and homosexuals, but none-the-less works as an effective, but crude, plot mechanism.)In the end the book does prove to have the theme of greed and wealth, and Thane evolves into something better than he first was.

Carter easily manages to keep the reader turning pages by including interesting plot twists and cliffhanger chapter endings.As you will have worked out by now this book is pure pulp-fiction, but pulp-fiction at its best.If you want to something light that will entertain you for a few hours this is the book for you, but if you want prize winning fiction which makes you think deeply you should look elsewhere.If the novel has one failing it is the long lists of unpronounceable and meaningless names of planets, cities, gods, etc., which add nothing to the story (though I am sure they are meant to provide 'cultural depth').This book would suit high school readers and up.
... Read more