Monsters and Magicians

Stairway to Forever #2

by Robert Adams

FOR A POOR, DOWN-ON-HIS-LUCK EX-MARINE, FITZ WAS DOING OKAY

It all started when "Fitz" Fitzgilbert tumbled down a certain STAIRWAY TO FOREVER -- and found himself in another world. At first it had seemed a world that offered only infinite loneliness, a world of nothing but ocean, sand, and inland desert. But before long this "empty" world had granted Fitz incredible wealth, the love of a beautiful soulmate, godlike telepathic and telekinetic powers-in short, a life of pure and joyful adventure.

But the time of play is ending now. The Elder Gods who called him to this world grow impatient for Fitz to take up the burdens of kingship for which they have summoned him. And though he loves the life he has been living, and does not want to be a king, Fitz learns that for him there is no choice: he must live as a king if he is to live at all.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction

311 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Franklin Robert Adams (August 31, 1933 - January 4, 1990) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, formerly a career soldier. He is best known for his "Horseclans" books. He wrote as Robert Adams, an abbreviated form of his full name.

Adams was an early pioneer of the post-holocaust novel. His Horseclans novels are precursors to many of today's attempts at this type of story, many of which do not exhibit his painstakingly detailed world view or extraordinary plot follow-through (many of his Horseclans books are so interlinked that they make sense only when read in order; he did not create many "stand alone" books in the series).

Hallmarks of Adams' style include a focus on violent, non-stop action, meticulous detail in matters historical and military, strong description, and digressions expounding on various subjects from a conservative and libertarian viewpoint.

Reviews

[Werner]

Having read the first book in this series together, Barb and I also started this sequel together. She liked the series opener better than I did; but even her interest began to flag in this one when the author switched the focus from the two main characters in his present to a lengthy info-dump about an Elder Race of long-lived and magically gifted aliens in the primeval past. These supposedly created human culture by their interventions with and selective breeding of pre-human primates, and later interbred with early humans to create the fairy-folk of Celtic legend. Neither of us were summoning much "suspension of disbelief" for this premise, and when we then have another of the protagonist's dream visions of the remote past in Chapter 4, which features a vivid description of a rape from the viewpoint of the rapist who may or may not be the protagonist; in the first book, the reader certainly gets the impression that Fitz's dream visions are of his own forgotten past, we agreed to bail on the read. So this isn't an actual review of the book, just a note to explain why it's shelved as "started, not finished." (And won't be finished!)

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the last books I read by Robert Adams. In fact, he may have died before I read it. A good book and this series had a lot of promise.

[Earl Pestano · Rating 3 out of 5]

a resounding "okay."

[Avi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author died very shortly after this book was published, and never finished the third book in the trilogy. I think this may not have been much of a loss -- this book is wandering and disconnected, introducing tons of characters and having none of them actually do anything. In fact, the book contains so much introduction and exposition, and so little plot development, I really doubt even the third book could have tied things up in an even partially satisfactory way.

Also there was no sex and very little monster-killing, the only things which made the first book enjoyable.

[Tome Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two of the authors last series, book three was never published. I read both the first two book back to back and really enjoyed them in my youth. I am not sure if I would enjoy them as much as an adult. The mysterious world that captured all forms of creatures and people through time and protagonist that stumbled on the the doorway in his back yard.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent SiFi series by one of my favorite writers. Very interesting storyline concept. Very recommended