The Sorceress of Karres

The Sorceress of Karres returns readers to the world of Karres begin in WIZARD OF KARRES and tells of Captain Pausert, who again finds himself facing danger when the Empress sends him on a secret mission to stop the nanite plague and save the galaxy. Politics and danger meld in a riveting story perfect for science fiction and fantasy collections.

The third episode in the posthumous series based on James H. Schmitz's "The Witches of Karres" is far better than the second, leading me to believe that Mercedes Lackey was the superfluous chef who spoiled the soup in "the Wizard of Karres.". Gone are the sidetrips into elf-fantasy and a contrived circus adventure: in their place is a welcome return to a universe that has more of the flavor of Schmitz's 1966 original, which earned a Hugo nomination. Set in the same regions of space as the original novel, "The Sorceress of Karres" also provides a look back into Captain Pausert's youth on Nikkeldepain where Goth has time-traveled to save him from an untimely death. We switch back and forth from that past to a present where Pausert and The Leewit are on a mission to learn why ships are still being lost in the Chaladoor. With the exceptions of Moander and Hantis, the Nartheby Sprite, almost the entire casts of the first two novels return in "The Sorceress of Karres." Captain Pausert, Goth and The Leewit are back and we get a cameo appearance by Maleen, now married and a mother-to-be. This seems to be catching as former Imperial agent Hulik do Eldel is carrying the next generation of the hexaperson and heir apparent to the Daal of Uldune, who has become Hulik's husband (husbands?). Vezzarn is more like his old, larcenous self. Toll and Threbus play larger roles than they did in either of the previous books but they are consistent with the characterizations Schmitz created 44 years ago. Himbo Petey makes his return, along with the entire cast of the Petey, Byrum & Keep as authors Eric Flint and Dave Freer smoothly blend them into the storyline. One of the things I like most about this book is the way Flint and Freer were able to advance the continuing story of the Captain and his crew while providing insights into Pausert's background and even some glimpses of Threbus' past life. We learn more about the dreaded Megair Cannibals as Pausert, Goth and The Leewit battle against a mind-controlling plant that threatens the Empire. While the second novel left me thinking Schmitz's original should have been left to stand on its own, this third book makes me hope Flint and Freer can come up with another tale from the wonderful worlds created by James Schmitz.

While Captain Pausert has a lot to do in this story, it's really the now teenaged Goth who leads the way.Karres precogs have forseen a danger coming from a mysterious region in space. Pausert is dispatched to investigate while Goth is sent via the Egger Route to 14 years in the past where she finds herself entagled with the much younger Pausert, whose life is in danger. Fans can observe how Goth gets to learn more about the man she has decided to eventually mary on more or less equal terms.This is a fun story with lots of action and romance where with the help of a vatch or two, good triumphs.Hopefully, there's more to come.

'Sorceress' is the second sequel of Schmitz' classic 'The Witches of Karres', picking up a bit after 'The Wizard of Karres'. This book digs deeper into a number of the background events in 'Witches' but in a novel way, with linked story lines the current time and fourteen years in the past, the latter bringing an almost-marriageable Goth together with a younger Pausert to not only foil some bad guys trying to steal an alien map and resolve an inheritance problem left dangling by Pausert's great-uncle Threbus but set up Goth as Pausert's first love. Yes, we know where this is going but it's still fun to watch things unfold. With the knowledge she picked up in the past, Goth and the current, adult Pausert are able to shut down a galactic menace or two. There are also a few, to me underdeveloped, hints of new Klatha powers for Goth, so expect more stories in this universe. Goody, goody!! Whereas 'Wizard' for the most part kept to the external, no frills narrative style of 'Witches', 'Sorceress' has a somewhat different texture, with more exposition and a deeper view into characters' motivations. This caught me at first, since I've re-read the first two books many times and so expected more of the same. Once I got farther into the story, I came to appreciate the clearer view (fewer "OK, what did he mean by that?" moments) and the necessity of doing so with a plot that takes place simultaneiously in different timelines. Flint & Freer deserve a lot of credit for putting together another great installment in the series.

The Sorceress of Karres (2010) is the third SF novel in the Karres series, following The Wizard of Karres. In the previous volume, Pausert escaped from Alorn by hooking the big vatch. Then he set the Ventura down on Porlumma, despite losing a tube liner just before landing. The drive system had to be fully replaced, as was the electric butler. At the Imperial Capital, Pausert and friends attended the Carnival Ball. Vezzarn picked a lock and Pul found the Empress. Then Pausert led the vatches to lots of dream-candy. In this novel, Pausert is a captain and navigator. He is competent in all aspects of shiphandling except takeoffs. He also has Klatha talents, particularly in handling vatches. Goth is a witch and the second daughter of Therebus and Toll. She has declared her intentions to marry Pausert. Pausert worries about that now and then. The Leewit is a witch and the third daughter of Therebus and Toll. She has several kinds of whistles. Unless properly shielded, the whistles can shatter inanimate objects and damage animate bodies. Vezzarn is a highly experienced spacehand, mechanic and picklock. He originally came aboard the Venture as an agent of the Daal. He has stayed with the Venture, but tends to leave witchery to the witches. In this story, Pausert has a new assignment from the Karres Council. He is acting as bait within the Chaladoor. Something has been causing problems recently in that troubled region. Unfortunately, Goth has another assignment. She takes the Egger Route into the past of Nikkeldepain to guard Pausert as a young boy. When she arrives, Goth finds Pausert hiding within the Xenobiology Botanical Gardens of the Therebus Institute of Xenobiology. Pausert has a key to the Gardens given to him by his great-uncle Therebus. He comes to the place to hide out. Today he is avoiding a gang from his school. Pausert is very concerned about this strange girl who appeared suddenly out of nowhere within the Gardens and then has some type of fit. He offers to fetch medical help, but Goth demurs. He gives her his name and she tells him to call her Vala. Goth soon discovers that two men and a woman are surveilling Pausert. She uses her klatha talents to fool their sight and then follows them. She finds that they are working for a rich xenoarchaelogist named Mebeckey. They apparently are looking for an alien map showing the homeworld of the Illtraming. Meanwhile, Pausert, the Leewit and Vezzarn find a marooned sailor in the Chaladoor. He claims to have been stranded by a xenoarchaelogical expedition that ran into trouble. He says his name is Mebeckey. Pausert learns that the Mebeckey expedition was infested by alien spores from a stasis box. The plants growing from the spores possess and control their human hosts. Yet the plants cannot reproduce within humans. They can only reproduce within Melchins or their Illtraming offshoots. This tale presents the Karres Witches with a large problem. The alien p