Serpent's Tooth

~ A Novella by Andre Norton

serpents.tooth

 

Synopsis ~

Rentarn the young Betweener guide is chosen by Modic the Seeker to lead him through the Questionable Land to the old city of Lonscraft. Abandoned long ago and inhabited only by the Demons. There they find the Serpent brought down from the Heavens long ago and one doesn’t return.

 

Write-ups from fans ~

A Seeker comes to a village of the Betweeners to acquire a guide into the Questionable Lands. He refuses the ones properly chosen by lot and demands Rentarn, a youth who has no close friends or kin in the village. Though they have heard many tales of Betweeners killed by the ones they were guiding, the village lets him go, fearing destruction of the village if the Seeker is angered. The Seeker appears to know where he wants to go, but it turns out to be one of the Forbidden Cities, and he intends to sacrifice his party of warriors to the evil within the city, so as to be allowed to gain the hidden treasure. ~ SL

 

Another post-nuclear war short story. Scaled Betweener, Rentarn is picked by human "seeker" Modic as a guide to the lost and forbidden city of Lonscraft. Modic seeks a vast treasure and is willing to sacrifice any of his party to obtain it. They have to face many dangers such as horrible creatures and booby traps. ~ PG

 

Bibliography of English Editions ~

  • (1987) Published by Andre Norton Ltd., TP, no ISBN, $18.00 signed, $13.00 unsigned, 52pg ~ cover art by Chip Weston, interior art by Mary Hanson-Roberts ~ Limited to 999 copies, with 750 signed.
  • The SFWA Grand Masters, Vol. 2 (2000) Edited by Frederick Pohl, Published by TOR, HC, 0-312-86879-0, $25.95, 432pg ~ (pg 65)

Contains:
    Introduction (The SFWA Grand Masters, Volume 2) • (2000) • essay by Frederik Pohl
    Mousetrap • (1954) • short story by Andre Norton
    Were-Wrath • (1984) • novelette by Andre Norton
    All Cats Are Gray • (1953) • short story by Andre Norton [as by Andrew North]
    Serpent's Tooth • (1987) • novella by Andre Norton
    Rescue Party • (1946) • novelette by Arthur C. Clarke
    The Secret • (1963) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
    Reunion • (1971) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
    The Star • (1955) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
    A Meeting with Medusa • (1971) • novelette by Arthur C. Clarke
    The Last Question • (1956) • short story by Isaac Asimov
    It's Such a Beautiful Day • (1955) • novelette by Isaac Asimov
    Strikebreaker • (1957) • short story by Isaac Asimov
    The Martian Way • (1952) • novella by Isaac Asimov
    Disappearing Act • (1953) • short story by Alfred Bester
    Fondly Fahrenheit • (1954) • novelette by Alfred Bester
    Comment on Fondly Fahrenheit • (1970) • essay by Alfred Bester
    The Four-Hour Fugue • (1974) • short story by Alfred Bester
    Hobson's Choice • (1952) • short story by Alfred Bester
    The City • (1950) • short story by Ray Bradbury
    All Summer in a Day • (1954) • short story by Ray Bradbury
    There Will Come Soft Rains • [The Martian Chronicles] • (1950) • short story by Ray Bradbury
    The Affluence of Despair • (1998) • essay by Ray Bradbury
    The Million-Year Picnic • [The Martian Chronicles] • (1946) • short story by Ray Bradbury

 

Non-English Editions ~

(2002) As Dente di serpente [Serpent's Tooth] ~ Published in Milan, Italy; by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Edited by Giuseppe Lippi, €4.05, 460pg ~ translations by Fabio Feminò ~ Italian book title Urania #1442 I grandi maestri della fantascienza 2 [Urania # 1442 The great master's of science fiction 2] ~a collection of 22 short stories by various authors w/essays about each author by Frederick Pohl, (pg. 67) ~ cover by Franco Brambilla 

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Interior Illustrations;

View the embedded image gallery online at:
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