Friday, April 30, 2010

Queen Of the Martian Catacombs - Hero Machine

Berild, Queen of the Martian Catacombs.


1 out of 5

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_cNxVxKzFadA/S9rjxKykAzI/AAAAAAAACqc/7toB_WdqpE4/s512/BerildScreenShot001.jpg

Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Novella

Number of words : 25000
Percent of complex words : 5.0
Average syllables per word : 1.4
Average words per sentence : 12.5

READABILITY INDICES

Fog : 7.0
Flesch : 79.9
Flesch-Kincaid : 5.2




CHARACTERS

Eric John Stark

N'Chaka, Man Without a Tribe. Looking for his lost friend.

Malthor

Captain of the ship Stark takes to Shuruun.

Helvi

A friend of Stark's who disappears in Shuruun.

Larrabee

An Earthman, and now Shuruunian who assists Stark. Survives as a medical practitioner.

Zareth

The young daughter of Malthor, who tries to warn Stark.

Varra

Lhari woman.

Bor

Lhari youth and fond of dragons.

Egil

Lhari man who wants to marry Varra. Slavemaster.

Arel

Older Lhari woman.

Grandmother

Large, monstrous Lhari ruler.

Treon

A cripped and apparently worthless Lhari man, according to the others.

Tika

A dead girl.

Tobal

Helvi's brother, died in Shuruun.

Cond

Lhari and Egil's brother.


PLACES

Red Sea

Venusian Ocean

Mountains of the White Cloud

Beyond which lie the Red Sea.

Shuruun

Venusian pirate city.

Twilight Belt

Mercurian zone inbetween the two sides.

Yarell

A town near where Helvi hails from.

High Plateaus

Area of Venus where the Cloud People come from.

Sinharat

Martian ruined city.

Jekkara

A Low Canal town.

Valkis

A Low Canal town.

Callisto

Has buried tombs.

Arianrhod

Site of the cliff-caves.


RACES

Lhari

The Lords of Shuruun. Rulers and slavers, with access to remnants of ancient possibly alien technology.

Cloud People

Live on the Venusian High Plateaus.


CONCEPTS

The Lost Ones

Those taken by the Lhari as slaves.


ANIMALS

Dragon

A small flying pet of the Lhari.

Lord of the Rocks

A large lizard.


WEAPONS

Black Rod

An energy weapon Egil uses.

Shock-weapons

Used by the guards to control the Lost One slaves.


TECHNOLOGY

Collars

Used to control the Lost One slaves. Hurt or kill if a barrier is crossed.

Cosmic ray machines

Technology used by the Lhari to change living cells. There a variety of types, including tomblike.


PLOT

Eric John Stark is looking for his friend, a barbarian princeling. He has disappeared in Shuruun, a city of outlaws and pirates on Venus. Stark hires one such to take him there over the Red Sea.

He finds a city in the grip of the Lhari, the remnants of an advanced race, using those they can catch as slaves on a technology project to restore their former glory.

The arrival of an uncowed and fearless Stark throws the Wild Man among the pigeons, and draws the attention of one of the women - provoking jealousy in the man who would wed her. He places Stark among the slaves. A bad move, as Stark is not one to be caged. His friend Helvi is there also, to show him the ropes until their can organise a fight for freedom.

There are divisions among the Lhari, too. Treon has been doing his own technology work, unknown to the others, even though the monstrous Grandmother still rules.

The Lhari also have well armed guards and minions like Malthor the pirate who brought Stark to them, and the slaves have to fight their way past these before they can take on the Lhari. Their internal jealousies help the slave revolt, but the slaves and Stark and Helvi are still in trouble, until the arrival of Larrabee with some of the locals.

4 out of 5

http://www.archive.org/details/EnchantressOfVenus

Cosmic ray machines : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Technology used by the Lhari to change living cells. There a variety of types, including tomblike.


4 out of 5

Collars : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Used to control the Lost One slaves. Hurt or kill if a barrier is crossed.


4 out of 5

Shock-weapons : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Used by the guards to control the Lost One slaves.


3.5 out of 5

Black Rod : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

An energy weapon Egil uses.


4 out of 5

Lord of the Rocks : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A large lizard.


3 out of 5

Dragon : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A small flying pet of the Lhari.


4 out of 5

The Lost Ones : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Those taken by the Lhari as slaves.


4 out of 5

Cloud People : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Live on the Venusian High Plateaus.


3 out of 5

Lhari : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

The Lords of Shuruun. Rulers and slavers, with access to remnants of ancient possibly alien technology.


4 out of 5

Arianrhod : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Site of the cliff-caves.


3 out of 5

Callisto : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Has buried tombs.


3 out of 5

Valkis : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A Low Canal town.


3 out of 5

Jekkara : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A Low Canal town.


3 out of 5

Sinharat : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Martian ruined city.


3 out of 5

High Plateaus : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Area of Venus where the Cloud People come from.


3 out of 5

Yarell : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A town near where Helvi hails from.


3 out of 5

Twilight Belt : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Mercurian zone in between the two sides.


3 out of 5

Shuruun : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Venusian pirate city.


4 out of 5

Mountains of the White Cloud

Beyond which lie the Red Sea.


4 out of 5

Red Sea : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Venusian Ocean


4 out of 5

Cond : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Lhari and Egil's brother.


3 out of 5

Tobal : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Helvi's brother, died in Shuruun.


3 out of 5

Tika : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A dead girl.


3 out of 5

Treon : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A crippled and apparently worthless Lhari man, according to the others.


3.5 out of 5

Grandmother : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Large, monstrous Lhari ruler.


3.5 out of 5

Arel : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Older Lhari woman.


3 out of 5

Egil : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Lhari man who wants to marry Varra. Slavemaster.


3.5 out of 5

Bor : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Lhari youth and fond of dragons.


3.5 out of 5

Varra : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Lhari woman. Keeper of a dragon. Pursuer of Stark.


3.5 out of 5

Zareth : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

The young daughter of Malthor, who tries to warn Stark.


3.5 out of 5

Larrabee : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

An Earthman, and now Shuruunian who assists Stark. Survives as a medical practitioner.


3.5 out of 5

Helvi : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

A friend of Stark's who disappears in Shuruun.


3.5 out of 5

Malthor : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

Captain of the ship Stark takes to Shuruun.


3.5 out of 5

Eric John Stark : Enchantress of Venus - Leigh Brackett

N'Chaka, Man Without a Tribe. Looking for his lost friend.


5 out of 5

Enchantress of Venus - Hero Machine

Varra, the Enchantress herself.




http://lh6.ggpht.com/_cNxVxKzFadA/S9rmf1vkeAI/AAAAAAAACqg/5XnhholPVRo/s512/VarraScreenShot001.jpg

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Martian Quest - Leigh Brackett

Interior story illustration, showing a Khom.


3.5 out of 5

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_cNxVxKzFadA/S8qDcFKnaFI/AAAAAAAACog/B57lwatBcMU/s400/ASF40-02%200079.jpg

Saturday, April 17, 2010

The Queer Ones - de Giunta

Interior illustration from Venture Science Fiction for this story.


3 out of 5

http://www.collectorshowcase.fr/images2/intvent_5703.jpg

The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - William A. Kolliker

Interior illustration from the first magazine appearance of the story in Astounding.


http://lh4.ggpht.com/_cNxVxKzFadA/S8l3Aqc4h8I/AAAAAAAACoc/9rHB6w3keNc/s512/ASF42-03%200036.jpg


3 out of 5

The Vampire's Ghost - Leigh Brackett and John K. Butler

An almost horror movie if you like. Set in a town called Bakunda, in Africa. Multiple deaths of locals have happened, all with puncture marks in the neck.

The outsider in town is a gin-joint owning gambler complete with exotic accented dancer in tow.

Being Africa, got to have a safari - through cheesy sets - and said gin-joint owner tags along. Shootings, traps, and putting people in your power. All that sort of thing. Of course, the bloke he is safari with has a woman of interest (and a not very quick on the uptake variety, being the last of them to defend the vampire).

Hypnotised one, bumps off some more, has plans to vampirise the women - but promptly forgets about his dancer and moves on to other ritual plans.

Some stalwart locals know what the score is, and Phantom fans would be pleased with their jungle telegraph - the drums being the best bit of a cheesy movie with no acting talent. The vampire is around 400 years old, too, he says. Fortunately it is only about an hour long.

Interestingly the vampire can actually wander around whenever he wants - but bright direct light he is not a fan of. Shady jungle not so bad, it appears.


1.5 out of 5

The Big Jump - Virgil Finlay

Illustration from the Space Stories magazine version.


4 out of 5

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XhAzekAG0tg/S8ioZkXUQtI/AAAAAAAADoE/SwZbmI9Pi5Q/s320/Virgil+Finlay+-+The+Big+Jump+by+Leigh+Brackett.jpg

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Los Angeles Noir 2 The Classics - Denise Hamilton

LOS ANGELES NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS
edited by Denise Hamilton

Mystery/Fiction Anthology | Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-936070-02-2 l 300 pages | $15.95

"Classic stories by: Raymond Chandler, Paul Cain, James Ellroy, Leigh Brackett, James M. Cain, Chester Himes, Ross MacDonald, Walter Mosley, Naomi Hirahara, Margaret Millar, Joseph Hansen, William Campbell Gault, Jervey Tervalon, Kate Braverman, and Yxta Maya Murray."

(Yet another publisher that is too hopeless/lazy to list the contents of their anthologies).


1.5 out of 5

http://www.akashicbooks.com/losangelesnoir2.htm

Friday, April 9, 2010

PageTurner Editions - Leigh Brackett

Planets of Adventure #4: Red Witch of Mercury by Emmett McDowell & The Beast Jewel of Mars by Leigh Brackett

Another of this fine series, and another double, too.


4 out of 5


http://shop.pageturnereditions.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ST-PD-213

PageTurner Editions - Leigh Brackett

Here they have a Brackett and Gardner Fox 'double'

Planets of Adventure #5: The Man the Sun Gods Made by Gardner F. Fox & The Black Amaazon of Mars by Leigh Brackett.

(I definitely recommend all the 'Planets of Adventure' series for fans of this sort of work, too.)


4 out of 5

http://shop.pageturnereditions.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=STINE-PT-03

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Planetary Adventures of Eric John Stark - Leigh Brackett

Looks like Wonder ebooks has done their own version of the public domain Eric John Stark stories - which you can find at archive.org too, of course - links on this site.

However, if you want a nice multiformat package, these are on sale with a multiformat rebate right now.


5 out of 5

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b107547/The-Planetary-Adventures-of-Eric-John-Stark/Leigh-Brackett/?si=0

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Lorelei of the Red Mist - Leiji Matsumoto

(If anyone has seen this manga, would love to hear more!)

From Kinejun Magazine (August, 1978):

"Interviewer: You once adapted a story co-written by Ray Bradbury and Leigh Brackett in an old SF magazine.

Matsumoto: Yes, it was titled Lorelei of the Red Mist. But it was difficult to draw as a manga [in 1958]. When I draw, it's much easier to use my own inclinations. My best parts don't come out when I adapt a novel written by someone else."


3.5 out of 5

http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=305

Japanese Translations - Leigh Brackett

Is what I think this list is. My Japanese skills are non-existent, so if anyone knows more here would love to hear.


4 out of 5

http://homepage1.nifty.com/ta/sfb/brackett.htm

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Meet the Artists - Marcus Boas

""Frank Frazetta was my main influence," said Boas. "I started seeing his stuff on Creepy and Eerie and Vampirella magazines and the Conan paperbacks. So when I first started out I took a couple of my favorite Frazetta paintings and I just tried to copy it, to see if I could do it. That's how I actually started and got an idea of how to do it."'

...

""One of my favorite authors was Robert E. Howard. I was reading the Conan paperbacks, I got into illustrating the Conan hardcover books and I did a lot of magazine covers and paperback covers for a lot of Robert E. Howard characters back then.""

http://www.kasocomics.com/marcusboas.html

Lorelei of the Red Mist - Marcus Boas

I have one of the Lorelei of the Red Mist comics now, number 2. This is the rear cover art (and will scan a bigger version some time)

http://www.kasocomics.com/boasprints/evilqueenofvenusL.jpg

The artist is Marcus Boas and he does sell prints at pretty good prices it appears.

Fans of sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy not to mention John Carter of Mars type artwork should definitely have a browse.


4.5 out of 5

http://www.kasocomics.com/boasprints/barbarian.html

Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Novel

Number of words : 40000
Percent of complex words : 5.7
Average syllables per word : 1.4
Average words per sentence : 9.6


READABILITY INDICES

Fog : 6.1
Flesch : 80.2
Flesch-Kincaid : 4.5



CHARACTERS

Richard Gunn Urquhart

Rick, man with a destiny, and ability to cast a long Shadow.

Llaw's grandmother

A seeress who forsees Rick's destiny.

Karadok

Ancient Martian king of Ruh.

Beudach

Chief of the fighting men of the Ruh.

Llaw

A Martian dwarf.

Haral

Last of the line of Karadoc.

Parras

Seer of Ruh.

Ed Fallon

Head of the Terran Exploitations Company.

Jaffa Storm

His right hand man. Rather large Terro-Mercurian.

Hugh St. John

Unionist politician.

Vargo

Venusian muscle leader.

Mayo McCall

Anti-Terran activist and technician.

Jimmy

Press-ganged rebel.

Eran Mak

Civilised Martian Low-Canaler bandit and leader.

Christy

One of Fallon's.

Kyra

A Winged One woman.

William Lee Yancey

A young ship crewman Rick leaves money too that helps him get back on Mars.



ANIMALS

Black Apes

Used as press-gang hounds by the Terran Exploitations Company.


ORGANISATIONS

Terran Exploitations Company

Just as bad as they sound.

Crimpers

Press-gang groups.

Moderates

Political group of compromise between Earth and Mars.

Pan-Martians

Pro Mars political group.

Union Party

Unionist political group that wants to promote Earth's role on Mars.

Interplanetary Co-ordination Authority

Interworld legislative body.Has a Labor Board.

First Interplanetary Bank of Mars

Has an office in New York.

MPG

Martian Planetary Government.

MPP

Martian Planetary Patrol.




PLACES

Thieves' Quarter

Dodgy part of Ruh.

Phobos

Moon of Mars.

Street of Nine Thousand Joys

Street where you can purchase time with ladies of questionable virtue, in Ruh.

Ruh

Martian City-State.

King City

Capital of Ruh.

Deimos

The other Moon of Mars.

Administration Pylon

Large building, holds the TEC offices.

New Town

City being built.

Arianrhod

Has cliff caves.

Old City

In Ruh.

Kahora

Martian Trade city.

Polar Cities

The Thinkers live here, in a fabled cold region.

Darkside

Cold shadowed side of the planet.

Number Five Drift

Where one of the press gangs works.

Tower of Destiny

Place of seers.

Vhia

Trade City of Venus.

Jekkara

Martian Low Canal city.

Caer Hebra

Ancient city.

Thieves' Quarter

Dodgy part of Ruh.

Losanglis

Earth city.

Valkis

Low Canal city.

Jekkara Port

City spaceport.

Madame Kan's

Dodgy bar in Jekkara.


RACES

Marshies

Derogatory term for the locals.

Middle-Swampers

Venusians. Used as muscle by Fallon.

The Thinkers

First race of Mars. Still live in the Polar Cities.

Winged Ones

Ancient Martian flyers.

Shunni

Martian tribe.



PLANTS

Yrl-wood

Martian tree.


CONCEPTS

Low Martian

Common dialect.

Goliath

Biblical giant.

High Martian

Ancient dialect.


TECHNOLOGY

Venusian spider-silk

Used to make clothes.

Blaster

Energy hand weapon.

Collar of Ruh

Symbol of authority.

Visaplate

Part of a telescreen.

Fallonite

The chemically amorphous substance that was already beginning to revolutionize the Terran plastic industry.

Florent mirror

Uses infra red instead of visible light.

Tsamo

A Martian knockout drug.

Thought Projector

Thinker shield to keep people out.



MEDIA

Banner of the Twin Moons

Ruh war symbol.

Winged Victory of Samothrace

Old earth statue.


WEAPONS

Banning Shocker

Large non-lethal beam weapon.

Mickey shocker

Handgun beam weapon, non-lethal.

Disintegrators

Thinker weapon.

Mental amplifiers

Thinker weapon.

Energy projectors

Thinker weapon.


VEHICLES

Mary Ellen Dow

Ship they wanted Rick to leave on.


PLOT


Rick is not too keen on being pressganged into the rapacious and growing aptly named Terran company.

He also runs into prophecy when it is told that he will be an important player in the future of Mars - although he is not anyone of any particular note.

Others of import include a Winged Race woman, a technician who also opposes Fallon and company, a local gangster and a politician. If they can work out some sort of arrangement and leadership they will have the resources to oppose Fallon and his even less scrupulous and violent enforcer Jaffa Storm and his force of hired Venusian thugs.


3.5 out of 5

Mary Ellen Dow : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Ship they wanted Rick to leave on.


3.5 out of 5

Energy projectors : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Thinker weapon.


3 out of 5

Mental amplifiers : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Thinker weapon.


3 out of 5

Disintegrators : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Thinker weapon.


4 out of 5

Mickey shocker : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Handgun beam weapon, non-lethal.


4 out of 5

Banning Shocker : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Large non-lethal beam weapon.


4 out of 5

Winged Victory of Samothrace : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Old earth statue.


3 out of 5

Banner of the Twin Moons : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Ruh war symbol.


4 out of 5

Thought Projector : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Thinker shield to keep people out.


4 out of 5

Tsamo : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

A Martian knockout drug.


3.5 out of 5

Florent mirror : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Uses infra red instead of visible light.


4 out of 5

Fallonite : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

The chemically amorphous substance that was already beginning to revolutionize the Terran plastic industry.


4 out of 5

Visaplate : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Part of a telescreen.


3 out of 5

Collar of Ruh : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Symbol of authority.


4 out of 5

Blaster : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Energy hand weapon.


3.5 out of 5

Venusian spider-silk : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Used to make clothes.


3 out of 5

High Martian : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Ancient dialect.


3 out of 5

Goliath : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Biblical giant.


3 out of 5

Low Martian : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Common dialect.


3.5 out of 5

Yrl-wood : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian tree.


3 out of 5

Shunni : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian tribe.


3.5 out of 5

Madame Kan's : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Dodgy infamous bar in Jekkara.


3 out of 5

Jekkara Port : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

City spaceport.


3.5 out of 5

Winged Ones : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Ancient Martian flyers.


4 out of 5

The Thinkers : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

First race of Mars. Still live in the Polar Cities.


4 out of 5

Middle-Swampers : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Venusians. Used as muscle by Fallon.


4 out of 5

Marshies : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Derogatory term for the locals.


4 out of 5

Valkis : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Low Canal city.


3.5 out of 5

Thieves' Quarter : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Dodgy part of Ruh.


4 out of 5

Caer Hebra : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Ancient city.


4 out of 5

Jekkara : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian Low Canal city.


3.5 out of 5

Vhia : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Trade City of Venus.


3 out of 5

Tower of Destiny : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Place of seers.


4 out of 5

Number Five Drift : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Where one of the press gangs works.


3.5 out of 5

Darkside : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Cold shadowed side of the planet.


3 out of 5

Polar Cities : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

The Thinkers live here, in a fabled cold region.


4 out of 5

Kahora : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian Trade city.


3.5 out of 5

Old City : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

In Ruh.


3.5 out of 5

Arianrhod : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Has cliff caves.


3 out of 5

New Town : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

City being built.


3.5 out of 5

Administration Pylon : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Large building, holds the TEC offices.


3.5 out of 5

Friday, April 2, 2010

Deimos : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

The other Moon of Mars.


3 out of 5

King City : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Capital of Ruh.


3.5 out of 5

Ruh : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian City-State.


4 out of 5

Street of Nine Thousand Joys : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Street where you can purchase time with ladies of questionable virtue, in Ruh.


3.5 out of 5

Phobos : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Moon of Mars.


3 out of 5

Thieves' Quarter : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Dodgy part of Ruh.


3.5 out of 5

MPP : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian Planetary Patrol.


3 out of 5

MPG : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Martian Planetary Government.


3 out of 5

First Interplanetary Bank of Mars : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Has an office in New York.


3 out of 5

Interplanetary Co-ordination Authority : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Interworld legislative body. Has a Labor Board.


3.5 out of 5

Union Party : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Unionist political group that wants to promote Earth's role on Mars.


3.5 out of 5

Pan-Martians : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Pro Mars political group.


3.5 out of 5

Moderates : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Political group of compromise between Earth and Mars.


3 out of 5

Crimpers : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Press-gang groups.


3.5 out of 5

Terran Exploitations Company : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Just as bad as they sound.


4 out of 5

Black Apes : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Used as press-gang hounds by the Terran Exploitations Company.


3.5 out of 5

William Lee Yancey : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

A young ship crewman Rick leaves money too that helps him get back on Mars.


3 out of 5

Kyra : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

A Winged One woman.


3.5 out of 5

Christy : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

One of Fallon's.


3 out of 5

Eran Mak : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Civilised Martian Low-Canaler bandit and leader.


3.5 out of 5

Jimmy : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Press-ganged rebel.


3 out of 5

Mayo McCall : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Anti-Terran activist and technician.


3.5 out of 5

Vargo : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Venusian muscle leader.


3 out of 5

Hugh St. John : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Unionist politician.


3.5 out of 5

Jaffa Storm : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

His right hand man. Rather large Terro-Mercurian.


3.5 out of 5

Ed Fallon : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Head of the Terran Exploitations Company.


3.5 out of 5

Parras : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Seer of Ruh.


3.5 out of 5

Haral : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Last of the line of Karadoc.


3 out of 5

Llaw : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

A Martian dwarf.


3 out of 5

Beudach : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Chief of the fighting men of the Ruh.


3 out of 5

Karadok : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Ancient Martian king of Ruh.


3 out of 5

Llaw's grandmother : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

A seeress who forsees Rick's destiny.


3 out of 5

Richard Gunn Urquhart : Shadow Over Mars - Leigh Brackett

Rick, man with a destiny, and ability to cast a long Shadow.


4 out of 5

Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Novelette

Number of words : 10000
Percent of complex words : 7.5
Average syllables per word : 1.4
Average words per sentence : 11.4


READABILITY INDICES

Fog : 7.6
Flesch : 74.1
Flesch-Kincaid : 5.8





CHARACTERS

Max Brandon

A grave-robber. Or adventurous explorer, depending on who you ask.

Jarthur

Head of the Society for the Preservation of Martian Relics.

Sylvia Eustace

Wants to marry Brandon. A bit of an adventurer herself.

Dhu Kar

Venusian. Brandon's rival.

Tobul

Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Dead.

Kymra

Tobul's rival.


ORGANISATIONS

Society for the Preservation of Martian Relics

Respecters of Martian culture.


RACES

Prira Cen

The Blue Hairs, the oldest race of Mars.

Sorcerers of the Lost Islands

Rulers of Mars 40,000 years ago.


PLACES

Rhiannon

Place where the Lost Sorcerers ruled.

Lost Islands

Sorcerer hangout.

Phobos

Moon of Mars.


TECHNOLOGY

Circlet

Allows one of the dead minds to control a body.


WEAPONS

Needle gun

Handgun.

Projector

Can finish off one of these dead minds.

Prism

A negative energy device of destruction.


PLOT

Max Brandon is a charismatic archaeologic of questionable ethics, that ends up in trouble in the desert. He is looking for the Lost Islands of Rhiannon, where the ancient Sorcerer race dwells.

He gets more than he bargained for when he is possessed by a dead sorcerer, thanks to good old-fashioned super science crown. Even worse, the woman who wants to make an honest man of him is also taken by Tobul's arch enemy of another race.

Super science destruction looms, until a rival archaeologist arrives and they decide to make a deal - two ancient Martian figures with a body sharing arrangement could make a differenc for Mars.


3.5 out of 5

Prism : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

A negative energy device of destruction.


4 out of 5

Projector : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Can finish off one of these dead minds.


4 out of 5

Needle gun : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Handgun.


4 out of 5

Circlet : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Allows one of the dead minds to control a body.


4 out of 5

Phobos : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Moon of Mars.


3 out of 5

Lost Islands : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Sorcerer hangout.


3.5 out of 5

Rhiannon : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Place where the Lost Sorcerers ruled.


3.5 out of 5

Sorcerers of the Lost Islands : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Rulers of Mars 40,000 years ago.


3.5 out of 5

Prira Cen : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

The Blue Hairs, the oldest race of Mars.


3.5 out of 5

Society for the Preservation of Martian Relics : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Respecters of Martian culture.


3 out of 5

Kymra : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Tobul's rival.


3.5 out of 5

Tobul : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Dead.


3.5 out of 5

Dhu Kar : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Venusian. Brandon's rival.


3 out of 5

Sylvia Eustace : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Wants to marry Brandon. A bit of an adventurer herself.


3.5 out of 5

Jarthur : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Head of the Society for the Preservation of Martian Relics.


3 out of 5

Max Brandon : The Sorcerer of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

A grave-robber. Or adventurous explorer, depending on who you ask.


4 out of 5