Krishna
Andre Norton, or Alice Mary Norton to give her her real name, was a legend in science fiction, having won several awards and having started writing from 1934. This is her return to fiction after several years’ absence.
A group (‘brothers’) meets Shagga, the priest. He announces that the Master is dead and the two chief assistants kill themselves. Shagga hates an outlander Jofre who was adopted by the Master and throws him out of the Brotherhood, after distributing all others to other Brotherhoods. Jofre, though, ends up finding a power crystal in an abandoned place and thwarts the bird that Shagga sent after him. Next a more powerful bird (? spirit?) is sent after him.
Ras Zarn, a merchant, sends a Lady who is the best he has after a secret mission. In the meanwhile he also enlists the help of The Lady, the most powerful assistant, but she declines and goes.
The story gets more interesting when Joffre meets Zurzal of the Zacathan race, a lizard like beings. He rescues him from an attack by unknown enemies and discovers that his arm is regrowing after being cut off. He swears an oath to him to help him.
But both are appealed to by the evil lord for help. Zurzal is experimenting with time travel and the man wants his secret. When Zurzal refuses politely they both are overwhelmed, kidnapped and thrown into a spaceship. In the same ship is a female, issha trained spy as well.
He is taken to the Holder, who seems to have usurped power illegally, as gathered by Joffre.
He attempts to demonstrate the time machine to holder and survives an assassination attempt.
When the next time Zruzal is asked to demonstrate he shows how the current Holder earned his place through assassination, which causes a riot and the rebels capture the Holder. Zurzal, Joffre and the girl all seek the protection of the Patrol. When they try to unlink Jat from the Holder, they inadvertently link it to themselves (both) thus forming a bond. Jewelbright and Joffre now share a bond and he tells her that he is no longer a recognized Brother.
They go and collect weapons from a scrap heap dealer. They are being watched and Jewelbright is given orders to watch both Zurzal and Joffre. She is conflicted. In the meanwhile, Joffre spots a tail who stands out so much that he is amazed.
They hitch a ride to a barren planet. Then things move fast but it all ends abruptly and with no particular premeditation of the plot, it would seem.
Does it read well? Maybe for a moment, maybe in parts. But a simple story, insufficiently woven into any kind of a great story.
Does not make you wonder afterwards, like for instance, the Game of Thrones series does.
Just a 4/10 I would think.
– – Krishna (Sep 2018)