Colonized and left to its own devices, the planet on which Lehnik the horsemaster lives has, over a thousand years, reached a medieval level. Sent with an orphaned child to the hold of the Sisters of Silence, the soldier learns that their order exists to guard the very sophisticated – and perilous – weapons left to them by their Terran ancestors.
When Garrouche invades Trans-Kell, after its ruler has overcome the Order in his own country and stolen its weapons, Lehnik joins the Order in Trans-Kell. and undertakes a hazardous journey to find and destroy the devices that could wreak havoc on their world.
"One of Mayhar's best. Lehnik, a cynical professional soldier, tranforms himself by joining a contemplative order of philosopher-agents, seeking to save their civilization from advanced weaponry left by their Terran ancestors. A great premise marvelously realized!" – Robert Reginald
Ardath Mayhar
Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar (born 1930) began her writing career as a poet when she was nineteen. She began writing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Award, and won the Balrog Award for a horror narrative poem in Masques I. She has had numerous other nominations for awards in almost every fiction genre and has won many awards for poetry. In 2008 she was chosen by Science Fiction Writers of America as their Author Emeritus.
Mayhar has written over 60 books ranging from science fiction to horror to young adult to historical to westerns; with some work under the pseudonyms Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst, and John Killdeer.
Joe R.
