The Warlock Of Rhada - Alfred Coppel

Galactic Empires fall - and new ones rise.

First, however, they have to get out of the barbaric current state of humanity. The only advanced technology is controlled under the guise of religion and the navigators. The only other known race in the galaxy, the Vulk, and treated badly and often as slave communicators thanks to their long distance telepathic abilities. Spaceships are operated by rote ritual, and life support systems have failed - meaning they are often used to carry men and horses around planets. Weapons are medieval.

This scenario is played out on a planet of one of the Vega stars. A more intelligent, ambitious warlord officer is seen as a threat by the ruler, and sent on a mission to take over a territory that has refused their usual tax/tribute. This has been done to split him from the herd and take him and his men out, as well as give the Navigator in charge access to ancient imperial technology available nearby.

The existence of a briefly revived from cryostasis high ranker from the old empire throws a wild card onto the table. Especially when our military genius and his intelligent and more progressive out of favour Navigator friend work out who he is and what they have stumbled across. Add in a mutant telepathic village chieftain's daughter, and they have a defensible position against the starship full of men and horses arriving to take them out.


3.5 out of 5