Exiles of the Stars (Moon Singer/Free Traders, Bk. 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)Andre Norton published four books in her Moon Singer series: "Moon of Three Rings (1966); "Exiles of the Stars (1971); Flight in Yiktor (1986); and "Dare to Go A-Hunting (1989).
"Exiles of the Stars" combines Norton's SF Free Trader and Forerunner themes, with some magic mixed in to add weird undertones. These aren't the stodgy (but wonderful) free traders of her 'Solar Queen' series. The crewmates of the starship 'Lydis' are edgy, shape-shifted mutants with extra-sensory powers. Krip Vorlund, one of the first-person narrators was once human, but got relocated into an alien Thassa body in "Moon of Three Rings." He couldn't go home again, so to speak, because his original body was spaced. The second narrator, the Moon Singer herself (who switched Krip then got switched herself) inhabits a sort of large-clawed, dog shape in 'Exiles,' but retains her intelligence and at least some of her esper powers.
The Forerunner theme weaves into the mix when the 'Lydis' sets down on the planet, Thoth in the Amen-Re system, which happens to be particularly rich in Forerunner artifacts. 'Lydis's officers seal a bargain with Thothian priests to transport some of the alien treasure to the planet Ptah for safekeeping (Thoth is in the midst of a nasty civil war). So far so good. But shortly after lift-off from Thoth, the 'Lydis' has to make an emergency landing on the uninhabited planet, Sekhmet.
Almost as soon as she touches down, the 'Lydis' comes under attack.
Krip Vorlund and the former Moon Singer, Maelen set out on a rescue mission through the ancient, underground ways of Sekhmet, where they encounter jackers (space pirates), Patrolmen, ghosts from their own past, and yet more Forerunner super-technology.
The Moon Singer books are not my favorite Nortons. They are a thematic hodge-podge, and it's hard to love a hero and heroine who inhabit non-cuddly alien bodies with super-human powers. However, if you are already a Norton fan and are particularly fond of her Forerunner novels (I think the very first one was the 'Solar Queen' adventure, "Sargasso of Space"), read "Exiles of the Stars"--but only after you've finished "Moon of Three Rings."

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Galactic Derelict (Ross Murdock/Time Traders, Bk. 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I was 11, Andre Norton was my god. I think I read every Norton book in the Beaumont Public Library. I remember how shocked I was when I learned "Andre" was a SHE! Somehow the books were never the same...I had identified so strongly with all those youthful male heroes, to learn that they sprang from the female imagination was a little unnerving to my adolescently male mind.
The time travel books were awesome...Galactic Derelict, The Time Traders, Key Out of Time, all ranged wildly into strange alien technologies and vistas, and there was plenty of danger and suspense. I'm a little sad to learn that so much of Norton's ouvre is out of print.
If you catch this somewhere, pick it up.
Oh, and by the way, it wasn't an original 1979 edition as mentioned in another review here, the original was written in 1959.

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Atlantis Endgame: A New Time Traders Adventure Review

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(More customer reviews)Atlantis Endgame (2002) is the seventh novel in the Time Traders series, following Echoes in Time. It tells the further adventures of Ross Murdock, his wife, Eveleen Riordan, and his partner, Gordon Ashe. It also adds a new character, Linnea Edel, an old acquaintance of Gordon.
In this story, Linnea has found an anachronistic earring with a modern jeweler's mark in a site on Thera, the probable location of legendary ancient Atlantis. While interesting in and of itself, it becomes extremely intriguing when found to be identical to an earring belonging to Eveleen. This existence of this object in ancient layers of soil suggests that it was lost circa 1628 BC, shortly before the island was destroyed by an huge volcanic eruption.
The Project suspects Baldie intervention in the eruption and intends to send a team back in time to investigate. The Russian time travel group cooperates with the Project to send a small ship with six agents aboard back to Kalliste, the ancient name of Thera before the eruption.
From there, they travel to Akrotiri -- the major town on the island -- where they discover signs of Baldie tech in the volcano vents both on land and in the sea. Later a group of Baldies are seen on the beach, apparently looking for indications of THEM. They also find a Baldie ship in the sea, but can't locate the Baldie onshore base. They do find a couple of Fur Faces, a alien sentient species encountered only once before; however, they do not seem to be allies of the Baldies.
The natives are anxiously awaiting word from their oracle, but nothing new has been spoken in the past few months. Some Kallistans have left the island anyway, terrified by the frequent earthquakes and the steam, smoke, ash and rock ejected by the volcano. Linnea claims to be an Egyptian Earth-Goddess priestess to infiltrate the Oracle's household and is there when the seer orders the evacuation of the island.
This novel is driven by the imminent threat of eruption, so is more like a hit and run than the almost leisurely exploration in the other tales in this series. The team are all disappointed by the lack of opportunity to study this almost unknown culture, but Linnea, the newcomer, is particularly frustrated by the time limit.
Recommended for all Norton fans and anyone who enjoys tales of ancient societies in a SF setting. For those who have not previously read this series, the initial volume is The Time Traders.
-Arthur W. Jordin

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