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Book Reviews of The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I

The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I
The Gandalara Cycle Vol I
Author: Randall Garrett
ISBN-13: 9780553259421
ISBN-10: 0553259423
Publication Date: 4/1/1986
Pages: 515
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 20

4.1 stars, based on 20 ratings
Publisher: Spectra
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

5 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I on + 1568 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is an omnibus of 3 novels; THE STEEL OF RAITHSKAR, THE GLASS OF DYSKORNIS, and THE BRONZE OF EDDARTA.
One moment he was Ricardo Carillo, an aging language professor from our own world. The next, he found himself in a young, strong body in the exotic desert world of Gandalara.
He was now a master swordsman telepathically linked to a giant warcat called Keeshah. And he was a man on the run, accused of murder and the theft of a precious gem with awesome, perhaps magical, powers.
With the aid of Tarani, a beautiful illusionist, he set out on a perilous quest to recover the sacred gem he had supposedly stolen and to clear his newfound name.
----Great adventure fantasy----
reviewed The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I on + 122 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a omnibus edition of The Steel of Raithskar, The Glass of Dyskornis, and the Bronze of Eddarta. This is an awesome series! I really enjoyed reading this one! A bit of Scifi mixed with fantasy. Very good stuff!
Kibi avatar reviewed The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I on + 582 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Simply astounding, February 25, 2000
Reviewer: Julie Gele (Austin, TX (USA))

All seven of this wonderful series will keep you intrigued. Full of mystery, color and wonderfully sarcastic cats, the surprise ending with shock you. I never saw it coming and in a day where everything is so cut and dry, something as creative as this is a diamond in the rough. I was lucky enough to find all seven book at a half price book store and was shocked to now discover them out of print. These series should be on the shelves for ages to come.
Gandalara avatar reviewed The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I on + 23 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Ricardo Carillo, an aging language professor, is on a Mediterranean cruise ship when it is hit by a meteor. He wakes up in a blinding hot desert, sharing the body and some of the memories of a young man named Markasett. Not quite human - supraorbital ridges around the eyes and large canine teeth.

The first being he encounters is a huge cat, bigger than a horse, called a sha'um. The sha'um's name is Keeshah, and recognizes Carillo as Markasett. Carillo discovers that the 2 of them are linked telepathically, after being scared half to death.

They make their way back to 'civilization', where he is accused of murder and theft of the Ra'ira, a precious gem. With the help of Tarani, an illusionist, they set out on a quest to recover the gem and clear his new name.

Vivid characters, sword play, great giant cats, and a desert world called Gandalara....sort of like Arabian Nights? :) The book was originally released as 3 short novels, 'The Steel of Raithskar', 'The Glass of Dyskornis', and 'The Bronze of Eddarta'.
mrrob avatar reviewed The Gandalara Cycle: Vol I on + 83 more book reviews
This is a riveting story that, in my opinion, closes the gap between fantasy and sci-fi. Even though it falls under the category of Si-fi, it could easily be categorized as fantasy. The Cycle: Volume 1 contains the first three books in the series and was a treat to read them all as one volume. The authors have done a great job of creating an alien world similar to, but different from, ours. The main character is somehow propelled into this alien world after a meteor strikes the Mediterranean cruise ship he is vacationing on killing everyone aboard. However, he then awakens, not only realizing he's alive, but finding himself lying face down in a desert with a large cat-like animal stalking him!
The action begins there and pulls the reader along with him into the intriguing and strange, yet somehow familiar world in which he finds himself!