Beast Master's Planet

~ 1st Omnibus for the Beast Master Series by Andre Norton

(Series aka) Hosteen Storm

Contains ~

• The Beast Master (1959) Published by Harcourt Brace, HC, LCCN 59008955, 192pg ~ cover by Richard Powers

• Lord of Thunder (1962) Published by Harcourt Brace, HC, LCCN 62014247, 192pg ~ cover by Tom Canty

Synopsis ~

From the front flap of dust jacket and the back of tradepaper ~

In 1959 Andre Norton published “The Beast Master” a fast-paced science fiction adventure that introduced to readers a new kind of hero, Hosteen Storm. Storm, a Navaho form the American south-west, served in the Planetary Confederacy forces as a Beast Master teamed with an African Eagle, a Meerkat, and a Dune Cat. Telepathically linked to his team of animals, Storm served valiantly in the war that eventually defeated the alien Xiks, though victory could not prevent the aliens from destroying Earth. With his homeworld gone, Storm emigrated to the colonized frontier planet Arzor, where he would have to help fight a holdout Xik force that has brought the war to his adopted home.
In “Lord of Thunder” Storm’s beast master skills and animal partners are needed to unravel the mystery behind a huge gathering of the indigenous Norbies. Only Storm and his half-brother, Logan Quade, can penetrate the Norbies’ clan secrets and discover what is behind the threat of an uprising that could destroy the tenuous peace between the colonists and the aliens who share their planet.
These two novels are science fiction adventure at its best. Here is exciting space opera full of colorful, absorbing SF action on an alien world, as only Andre Norton can write it.

Write-up from a fan ~

The Beast Master ~ Hosteen Storm, Navaho Indian and telepath, was the "head" of one of the Beast Master Teams, working as a scout and saboteur during the war with the Xik.  He is mustered out at the end of the war, only to discover the home planet, Earth, has been burned off.  He is, essentially, left homeless and alone.  Rehab is reluctant to release him, but all tests have shown no signs of instability, so they stamp his exit papers and allow him to emigrate to Arzor, a planet very like his home on Terra.  He intends to carry out his grandfather's vengeance against the man who "killed" his son, Hosteen's father.  However, in the course of tracking this man down, Hosteen encounters a Xik "aper", an alien surgically altered and trained to imitate their enemies--Terrans. This aper has been working to increase the tension between the native race, Norbies, and the human settlers, blaming the Norbies for the disappearance of whole herds of frawns, the local equivalent of the Old West herds of cattle, and the main economy of Arzor.  Storm and his half-brother (unknown to Storm), together with a young Norbie male, manage to blow up the concealed Xik spaceship, leaving the aper alone on the planet. ~ SL

Lord of Thunder ~ Hosteen Storm has adapted well to his new life on Arzor, and found a new family--his stepfather and -brother.  Now an off world "Cit" comes to request help from them in finding his son who was a "tech" in the same military as Storm and has been mustered out from a medical center.  Unfortunately, the ship he was on had some kind of trouble (unspecified) and a number of men escaped from it on a lifeboat, which is believed to have crashed in the Peaks--the Norbie sacred area.  They are, therefore, withdrawing from their positions as riders for the ranchers--in the middle of the Big Dry, which is unprecedented, and may lead to trouble with the natives.  The head of the Native Affairs comes in person to the Quade ranch to reinforce the "Cit's" request, as a means of investigating the disturbance among the Norbies.  Storm reluctantly agrees, and organizes an expedition, but advises the "Cit" to stay behind.  This advice is disregarded, and causes more trouble, as the settlers have an agreement with the Norbies not to overfly their sacred area.  Storm, along with his half-brother Logan manage to get into the Peaks and discover a renegade "Tech" has managed to find his way into one of the Sealed Caves and is using the Old One's machines to convince the Norbies he is the Second Coming. ~ SL 

Bibliography of English Editions ~

• (2005) Published by TOR, HC, 0-765-31327-8, $24.95, 363pg ~ cover by Julie Bell

• (2005) Published by SFBC, HC, # 1189432, $12.49, 363pg ~ cover by Julie Bell {Black Paper Boards & Spine, ISBN, # 1189432 on Rear of Dust Jacket}

• (2010) Published by TOR, TP, 0-765-32586-0, $15.99, 368pg ~ cover by Stephen H. Segal ~ Trade paper edition release for 50th Anniversary of The Beast Master

• (2010) Published by TOR, DM, 0-765-31327-8, $9.99, 368pg ~ cover by Julie Bell

• Beast Master's Planet - 2005 SFBC Beast Master's Planet - 2005 SFBC
• Beast Master's Planet - 2010 TP Beast Master's Planet - 2010 TP
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