This time around, I will be talking about the recently reprinted classic, The Witches of Karres, by James Schmitz.
The Witches of Karres
by James Schmitz
Captain Pausert, of the trading ship Venture, gets more than he bargained for when, as part of a court sentence, he comes into the possession of Maleen, who turns out to be one of the infamous Witches of Karres. Soon roped into rescuing her sisters from similar bondage, Pausert is soon propelled into adventure, intrigue and danger.
Witches of Karres is old school science fiction, of the type that Jack Vance still writes, and that Schmitz has written, too, in the Telzey Amberdon stories, among others. Like the Telzey stories, psionic like talents are a key factor in the story, as the Captain discovers that he, too, has the potential to become a witch like Goth, Maleen and the Leewit.
The style of the writing lends itself to quick reading, and the story, while aged, is highly enjoyable. I suppose that those weaned on cyberpunk and the like might not see the charms of Karres, but the interesting characters and remarkable imaginative events make a visit to the Witches worthwhile. I concur with the opinion of my friend Deb, and probably will seek out the recent authorized sequel by Lackey and Flint based on her positive reaction to that.
Recommended.
Posted by Jvstin at January 12, 2005 7:28 AM