Moonsinger

~ An Omnibus for the Moon Magic Series by Andre Norton

(Series aka) Free Traders or Moon Singer

Contains ~

• Moon of Three Rings (1966) Published by Viking, HC, LCCN 66006943, 316pg ~ cover by Robin Jacques

• Exiles of the Stars (1971) Published by Viking, HC, 0-670-30112-4, LCCN 72136817, 255pg ~ cover by Robin Jacques

Synopsis ~

Write-up from the front flap of 2006 hardcover edition ~

It was the time of the Moon of the Three Rings when the Free Trader ship Lydis landed on the world of Yiktor, a planet the Combine was seeking to control for the power the Three Rings would bring them.
The life of a Free Trader was all junior crew member Krip Vorlund knew, but when he visited a beast show on Yiktor he was strangely attracted to the owner of the show animals, a delicate and mysterious woman named Maelen. Soon Vorlund was caught up in a vicious struggle by powerful opponents of the fate of a planet - and learned the nature of Maelen's sorcery when he found his mind trapped in the body of a wolflike creature.
Krip would again inhabit a human body - though not his own - and on a second planet he and the crew of the Lydis would be caught in a battle of ancient powers and nameless evil. Only Maelen the Moon Singer could save them with her superhuman powers - if she didn't bring death and destruction instead...

Write-up from the rear of the 2007 Paperback edition ~

Beware the Moon of Three Rings

It was the time of the Moon of the Three Rings when the Free Trader ship Lydis landed on the planet Yiktor and junior crew member Krip Vorlund visited a beast show. He was strangely attracted to the owner of the show animals, a delicate and mysterious woman named Maelen. Soon Krip was caught in a vicious struggle by powerful opponents over the fate of Yiktor - and he learned the nature of Maelen's sorcery when he found his mind trapped in the body of a wolflike creature.
Krip would again inhabit a human body - thought not his own - and on a second planet, Thoth, he and the crew of the Lydis would be drawn into a battle between ancient powers and nameless evil. Only Maelen the Moon Singer could save them with her superhuman powers - if she didn't bring death and destruction instead....

Write-up from a fan ~

Moon of Three Rings ~ The world of Yiktor comes to life under Andre's talented pen and the Thassa are one of the most interesting races she ever created.
Krip Vorlund, youngest and newest crewman of the Free Trader Lydis on leave at the great fair on Yiktor visits a "Beast Show" run by a mysterious Thassa moonsinger, Maelen. He later accompanies her to an animal dealer who has a badly treated Barsk, a dangerous wild predator (similar to a wolfhound). The dealer tries to kill Maelen, but Krip stuns him and saves Maelen's life. Later Kirp is kidnapped and tortured by a local warlord who hoped to trade him for advanced weapons so he can take over the world. He manages to escape and is found by Maelen and her troupe. He is in bad shape and when the soldiers of the warlord are about to overtake them, she uses her magic to transfer him into the body of the Barsk. She claims that Krip's body was under a powerful curse and protection of a local god, but they take it anyway. All kinds of mayhem follows as they try to get back his body to change him back. Maelen is in deep trouble with the Thassa for all her use of their moon-powered magic on an off-worlder. Action-packed, riveting. I visit yiktor often.

NOTE: Yiktor' moon, Sotrath shows two of its rings at all times and the Thassa can draw power from it. On occasion, the third ring appears and while it is visible, their power is multiplied, and greater deeds can be done. ~ PG

Exiles of the Stars ~ Second book in the Moonsinger series. Krip Vorlund in the body of the Thassa, Maquad and Maelen, disgraced Thassa Moonsinger in the body of a Yiktorian glassia join The FreeTrader Lydis where he was a crewman, both of them having esper talents came in handy for the ship. What started out as a routine haul-for-hire job carrying forerunner artifacts from a temple on Thoth to the temple on the neighboring planet, Ptah takes a sinister turn when the ship is sabotaged and has to make a emergency landing on Sekhmet. They cache their cargo and send two men to find the Patrol emergency beacon and send for help. They also modify their com to send out an SOS, which to their surprise is answered by a patrol Scout ship. Krip, Maelen and a couple of Patrolmen take a flitter to find the missing crewmen. They find the Lydis' flitter, but not the men, On the way back to the Lydis, all the humans come under control of a mysterious psionic force. They sit there like statues. Maelen escapes and discovers a huge Jack operation taken over by Forerunners who have enslaved/possessed the two missing crewmen. Maelen has to find a way to break the alien controlling force. Like Moon of Three Rings, the narrator’s name starts each chapter. If they survive, the crew of the Lydis will be wealthy beyond their wildest, dreams. This is an amazing story, but I would recommend reading Moon of Three Rings first. ~ PG

Bibliography of English Editions ~

• (2006) Published by BAEN, HC, 1-416-52061-9, $25.00, 464pg ~ cover by Alan Pollack

• (2006) Published by BAEN, DM, 1-416-52061-9, $6.99, 416pg ~ cover by Alan Pollack

• (2007) Published by SFBC, HC, #1225358, $12.99, 405pg ~ cover by Alan Pollack

• (2007) Published by BAEN, PB, 1-416-55517-9, $7.99, 419pg ~ cover by Alan Pollack

• (2021) Created by Trantor Audio, Audible, length 16hrs & 09mins, $21.43 ~ narrated by Chris Abernathy & Chelsea Stephens

View the 1999 BAEN contract

• Moonsinger - 2006 hc Moonsinger - 2006 hc
• Moonsinger - 2007 pb Moonsinger - 2007 pb
• Moonsinger - 2021 Moonsinger - 2021
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