Title
attributed to Andre Norton
Bibliography ~
¯
(1975) * Published by
Viking, HC, 0-670-41467-0, LCCN 75014444,
$7.95, 252pg ~ cover by
Kathy Westray {Maroon Paper Boards, White Cloth Spine, Red End
Papers, code “1 2 3 4 5 79 78 77 76 75”}
¯
(1976) * Published by
Kestrel Books, HC, 0-722-65234-8, £2.95 ~ UK
printing ~
cover by
Michael Jackson
¯ (1976) * Published by ACE, PB, 0-441-45000-, $1.75, 276pg ~ cover by Charles Mikolaycak
¯ Deadly Dreams (2011) * Published by BAEN, PB, 1-439-13444-8, $7.99, 528pg ~ cover by Darrell K. Sweet ~ Omnibus containing Knave of Dreams (1975) & Perilous Dreams (1976)
Synopsis ~
Osythes, Chief Shaman of Ulad, representative of
Powers Unseen, was troubled. He had been asked to search the planes for the one
twin soul to Crown Prince Kaskar- then cause both souls to unite in one body
and destroy themselves on an alternate world. He knew that this was an evil
act. He knew that both he and those of the old nobility that came to him with
this plan would have to answer for it at the end of their days when they faced
the Final Gate. Yet Prince Kaskar was a weak and corrupt man who was under the
control of dark forces. Kaskar's grandfather had forged Ulad into a bastion of
Justice, Peace, and Order in a world of chaos and violence. His father had
maintained the realm against this Darkness. Kaskar, however, was of the third
generation and lacking in courage, strength, and will. He was a weak soul that
had easily become a puppet of hidden Evil- it was the soul of a weakling.
Hence, Osythes sought to banish this weak, corrupt soul to an alternate world
before the old king died and this abomination could take the thrown. He
resigned himself to doing a smaller evil to prevent a far larger Age of Evil.
However, when the Chief Shaman found the twin soul that he had been looking for
(by searching the worlds in dream trance) it was not at all what he expected.
This soul connected to Kaskar belonged to Ramsay Kimble- of the blood of the
Iroquois nation. This was not the soul of a coward, but of a hero. Not only
that, but Ramsay's blood was familiar with the Big Dream and the Spirit Quest.
Such a soul did not have to die locked with that of a weakling- it could cross
over to reanimate Kaskar's empty body. Perhaps the judgment at the Final Gate
wouldn't be too harsh after all, for the soul, and heart, of a hero far
outweighs that of a coward.
Non-English Covers
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