The Tar-Aiym Krang

The Tar-Aiym Krang (1972) is the first SF novel in the Flinx series. It is also the first novel about the Humanx Commonwealth and Church founded by the Amalgamation of humans and the insectoid thranx. And it introduces their adversaries, the reptilian AAnn. In this novel, Philip Lynx is an orphan in Drallar on Moth. He was fairly normal as a poor street kid, but he was also highly intelligent and avidly curious about many things. Flinx has developed some unusual powers as he grows older. He seems to be aware of things that he shouldn't know and he can often sense the emotions of most people. Pip is an Alaspin minidragon, a flying reptile with a deadly toxic venom. A much younger Flinx found her scavenging for food in the garbage and they have been inseparable ever since. Although she is carnivorous, Pip also eats plant foods such as bread, raisins and pretzels. Pip has a highly developed telempathic sense and generally knows whether a person is friendly or hostile. If anyone acts out his hostility, she is likely to spit in their eyes. They usually die within a minute. Mother Mastiff is very old and definitely not getting any younger. She had bought Flinx from the slave coops and raised him to be independent. She had hired various performers to teach him a trade, but they were understandably nervous around Pip and tended to spend little time with him. Fortunately, he has grown into his own unusual trade. In this story, Flinx is performing outside Mother Mastiff's shop, answering questions asked by his audience. After correctly answering the question of how much change is within the pocket of somebody in the crowd, two tough looking characters ask the location of a red-headed man with a treasure map. As Flinx is searching for an answer, a red-headed man suddenly leaves the crowd and the two toughs chase after him. After the performance, Flinx heads toward Small Symm's bar for liquid refreshment and food for Pip and himself. On the way, they hear sounds of a fight in an alley. Flinx is ready to ignore the clash, but Pip flies off to investigate. When Flinx enters the alley, he finds the two toughs hovering over the red-headed man. The toughs are swatting at Pip and then attack Flinx. Defending themselves, Pip and Flinx kill the toughs, but they discover that the red-headed man is already dead. Still, the red-headed dead man is clutching a treasure map in his hand. Sticking the map in his pouch, Flinx continues on to Small Symm's bar. There he takes a job as a guide for Bran Tse-Mallory and Truzenzuzex. He shows the human and thranx around the city and then they enter the inburb where the very rich live. To his surprise, Eint Truzenzuzex shows the guard a card and they are readily admitted. Then they are admitted within the House of Malaika by identifying themselves as highly ranked scholars. Flinx has performed in the tower, but never in the private section where they meet with Maxim Malaika. Bran and Tru speak to M

The book that started it all. It is a must have, if you plan on reading Mid-Flinx and Reunion, A Pip and Flinx Novel. I might add that Alan Dean Foster's Midworld should also be enjoyed prior to reading Mid-Flinx. In all four books, Alan paints a tapestry full of vivid characters, larger than life environments and surprise endings. I highly recommend them!

This one's an old favorite of mine, but I must say I like this new cover much better than mine! Flinx is an orphan living in the slums of the planet Drallar with his venomous, flying minidrag, Pip. Flinx yearns to find out his heritage and the orgin of his strange mental powers. He stumbles across a map leading to a strange alien artifact on an abandoned world and is swept up in a grand adventure. Foster's Humanx Commonwealth and Flinx and all his companions are fascinating creations. If you like this one, try and find all Flinx's adventures, as well as the Icerigger Series. (Icerigger, Mission to Moulokin, & The Deluge Drivers)

Meet Phillip Linx known to his friends as Flix,an orphan sold at the Drallar slave markets, taken in by a kind local Mother Mastive. Thus starts one of the most memorable sagas that I have read, Fosters charecterization brings to vibrant life the players in the marveously evolving galaxy of the Commonwealth. I would thoroughly recommend this book as a spring board into the wonderously convoluted world of Flix of the Commonwealth.