Destiny Doll

 

By Clifford D. Simak

Four travelers are off an adventure to track down a long-lost man, Lawrence Arlen Knight. They are Captain Ross, experienced spaceship pilot; wealthy, beautiful Sara Foster, owner of the sleek spacecraft that Ross will own upon completion of their misson; George Smith, a blind man who hears a voice that speaks to him across the vastness of space; and Friar Tuck,  George's friend, companion and caretaker. They are four brave souls on a mission to solve the mystery of Knight's disappearance.

Following George's guidance they arrive at an uncharted planet and follow the planet's guidance beam down to a spaceport. It is centered in the middle of a large white deserted city. The huge spaceport is white too as are all they many vessels parked there.

They are immediately greeted by white hobby horses led by one hobby horse named Dobbin. He urges the travelers to quickly follow him as it is dangerous to remain in the open. Dobbin is persuasive and they hurry to remove their baggage and supplies from the ship. But as soon as they do, their ship is engulfed in an impenetrable coating of white, just like all the ships at the spaceport. Angry and upset, they follow Dobbin to safety to escape the beam Dobbin claims the city sends out to destroy any living creature caught out in the open.

But treachery ensues when Dobbin and the other hobby horses toss them through a warp door and onto a desert world where they encounter a very helpful alien creature that Ross names Hoot. And another creature that makes it very clear they are not welcome.

They make it back through the warp door, bringing along Hoot and angrily confront the hobby horses, forcing them into becoming their pack animals. And so they set off to take on a dangerous new world, led only by the voice in George's head.

This is a strange and enchanting story. At times it is like reading someone's fever dream. The title refers to a crudely carved wooden doll with an deeply sad face that George finds in a building on the white city's outskirts. The strange discoveries continue as the travelers try to make sense of the puzzles of this memorable, odd planet. 

Master of the Five Magics

 

By Lyndon Hardy

Once the son of a wealthy lord, young Alodar makes his way alone in the world, surviving by his wits. His inheritance stripped away by the old king, now Alodar finds himself fighting on behalf of the queen, Vendora, the old king's beautiful daughter. 

Something is amiss in Vendora's realm. Attackers besiege her borders and rumors of men possessed by demons spread through her court.  

Alodar meets the queen at an ancient fortress and is much struck by her great beauty. She has promised to give her hand to the man who helps her the most in her battle to repel the invaders and preserve her realm. This is Alodar's chance to redeem his lost inheritance and reclaim his position within the ranks of the nobility. And rule the land as the consort of the beautiful queen.

So begins his quest that to fulfill his dream and set him on the path to becoming the Archmage and the Master of the Five Magics.

This was a really good story. Every time it seems poor Alodar is close to performing that service to the queen that will win her hand, it is cruelly snatched away. He continues on in his quest, becoming wiser along the way and mastering the five attributes required for eventual success: cunning, perseverance, precision, courage and will. 

It's quite an interesting journey with an exciting conclusion.

Swords Against Wizardry

 

By Fritz Leiber

Fafhrd and Gray Mouser are off on two more adventures, chasing after that ever elusive pot of gold.

Their first adventure takes them to the high mountains of the far north. According to a cryptic poem, treasure and romance await the heroes who can scale the mighty mountain, Stardock. Fafhrd, born and bred at the foot of this mountain range, will use his expertise to guide them up the treacherous heights.
But since this is Nehwon, naturally it won't be just mountaineering. Monsters, visions, lusty maidens, and various opponents will play their part too.
The second adventure is in the peculiar kingdom of Quarmall where two princes are eagerly awaiting the death of the king, their father Quarmal. Naturally, each brother desires to be king. So they plot against each other and this is where our two heroes come in. Unbeknownst to each other, they have been separately hired as body guards, Fafhrd to protect Prince Hasjarl and Gray Mouser to protect Prince Gwaay. What none of them know is that the king has his own plot to place his unborn son on the throne instead of either of his two adult sons. And our two heroes are mere pawns in the king's plot against his own children.

Both stories present memorable locations and plots. The lads struggle up the snowy mountains is like reading a climber's story of going up Everest. And the story of Quarmall, which I first read decades ago, is of a place so odd that it has stuck in my memory all these many years.

Men at Arms

 

By Terry Pratchett

Times are changing in Ankh-Morpork. The Patrician has ordered the Night Watch to become more representative of the citizens of the city, resulting in three new hires, Cuddy, a dwarf; Detritus, a troll and Angua, a woman (and a bit more). Captain Vimes doesn't quite know what to think about this new direction for the Night Watch. But it is hardly his problem any more as he will shortly be marrying the richest woman in Ankhj-Morpork, Lady Sybil and his working days will soon be  behind him. Of course, it will be quite an adjustment for Vimes, going from being so poor that he used to line his boots with cardboard when they wore out because he couldn't afford new ones to having anything he wants just by asking for it.

Lady Sybil has a passion for swamp dragons and runs a sanctuary for them and she is worried about the disappearance of one of her dragons, Chubby. So she asks Vimes to keep an eye out for Chubby as he makes his final patrols. And he does find Chubby, or what is left of him. Someone used Chubby to blow a hole in the wall of the Assassin's Guild. All that is left of the little dragon is its blue collar.

It soon become clear that the explosion was used to gain access to a weapon in the Guild's possession, a weapon that they were supposed to have destroyed in the past. This weapon, the "gonne" is unique in a world were explosives are only used in fireworks. And the person who stole the "gonne" has a demented plot to restore a king to the throne of Ankh-Morpork, and his chosen king is the clueless and innocent Night Watchman, Corporal Carrot. And one of his first victims is the ruler of Ankh-Morpork, the Patrician himself.

This is one of Pratchett's best stories, in my opinion. Vimes finally gets the breaks he deserves and three fun, new characters are added to the watch, Cuddy, Detritus and Angua, with the possibility of even more strange policemen in future stories like zombies and vampires. Plus the story introduces us to Gaspode, a scruffy little street mutt, who, as a consequence of sleeping too near the Unseen University, has acquired the ability to talk, even though most humans refuse to hear what he says. 

Some of my favorite Discworld stories are about the adventures of  the Night Watch and this story is one of my favorites of the Night Watch series.

Review by Publishers Weekly.