Sky Pirates of Callisto

Callisto #3

by Lin Carter

Jandar the Alien
SAVAGED

Stumbling upon the Lost City of Arangkhor in the trackless jungles of Cambodia, Jandar was mysteriously transported to the strange world of Callisto where the teeming black and crimson jungles sprawl under skies of golden vapour.

Now Jandar the Alien fears for the safety of the beautiful princess Darloona, a captive of the dreaded Sky Pirates. He resorts to a desperate plan to free her but fate and treachery alter his course and Jandar is taken by the Perushtarians. Abandoned in the loathsome slave-pens of Narouk, his destiny is to fight for his life in a barbaric arena of death...

Cover Illustration: Bruce Pennington

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Sword and Planet, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Pulp

189 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was bothering me: Are the Sky Pirates actually pirates? They don't actually seem to engage in piracy, to attack with the goal of theft. Their city-state given tribute by those less advanced and powerful, but it's never quite established what threat "fragile airborne vessels with no artillery and no ability to land" really poses.

I suppose "Sky Merchant Marine of Callisto" doesn't have the same ring to it.

Lin Carter again delivers in the mode of Edgar Rice Burroughs without really exploring what is possible or logical or even what would be truly interesting. It starts with the city of Shondakor needing to rescue a princess and having at its disposal a captured Sky Pirate vessel.

If you were expecting sky-navy battle adventures with the capture of more ships and enlisting allies, possibly with evidence of why the Sky Pirates are so feared, you would be wrong. Because Carter does the ERB thing of separating Jandar from his compatriots and gradually and inevitably delivering him to the Sky Pirates. This for the inevitable climactic battle in the gladiatorial arena that will decide the fate of Jandar, Darloona, Shondakor, and the Sky Pirates themselves. It's like the author is working from a spare bullet list of widely-separated ideas and spends all his time fiddling with the connective tissue. Burroughs packed an incredible amount of activity into his slender novels, but Carter struggles to balloon his two ideas into two hundred pages.

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Het derde boek in de avonturen van Jonathan Andrew Dark alias Jandar op de planeet Callisto.
Prinses Darloona is weer eens vermist en er wordt een expeditie uitgerust om haar te bevrijden.
De cover is typisch sci-fi uit de tijd dat dit boek voor het eerst gepubliceerd werd.
De plot verloopt als verwacht op basis van de voirge boeken uit de reeks: een reis met veel avonturen, verraad, nieuwe vriendschappen en gevangenneming tot alles weer samenkomt en het doel bereikt wordt. Veel spanning en aktie met de nodige verchtpartijen. Tijdens de reis een heel onverwacht voorval dat de rest van het verloop van het verhaal bepaald.
En dan een happy end en weer een open einde in de hoop dat er nog een volgend deel komt.

[Julian Worker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Jandar series sees the hero heading to Zanadar, the city in the clouds, the city of the Sky Pirates aboard one of their own captured ships called Jalathadar. Jandar wants to rescue the love of his life, Princess Darloona, who has been kidnapped.

Jandar is the captain of the Jalathadar and takes along for the ride a captured sky pirate called Ulthar. Ulthar betrays the trust shown in him by Jandar by pushing him off the ship. Jandar lands in the ocean and manages to swim to shore where he is taken prisoner and becomes a slave. He is angry as he believes he's missed the opportunity to rescue Darloona.

However, Jandar is selected to be part of a tribute to the Sky Pirates and he's taken to Zanadar.

This is a really good story and an entertaining read.

[KEVIN · Rating 1 out of 5]

The cover sold this book to me. What was inside was practically unreadable. But..........oh....that cover !!

[Eddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Energetic and entertaining but a complete rip-off of the Barsoom books (no doubt intentional as it even references them from time to time!). But still - not very original.

[J.R. Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

It won me over, it had a good build up and was a fun read

[Philip Athans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried to like this series--I kinda liked the first two books, but wow, did it slow down here, and I found myself just walking past it sitting there on the table and not reading it at all. Then I thought no, go ahead and get into it, so I tried, then saw that the very old copy I have is missing pages 99-128 and that clinched it for me. Sorry, Jandar, I just couldn't hang.

[SOTERO RIVERA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome third book of Callisto.

I really liked this third book in the Callisto series by Lin Carter. It follows the adventures of Jandar and his many warrior friends. In this installment, after all his battles, he finally gets the princess.
I highly recommend all the Callisto books, they are fast, fun reads with great character development and readable plots.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable sword and sandal adventure from Mr. Carter. This is the third book in the series but much of the back story is explained, providing any knowledge needed from the previous adventures of Jandar of Callisto.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good title. About average for the series. Enjoyable but doesn't knock your socks off.