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Green Star #3
By the Light of the Green Star
Miscast in the role of assassin, inhabiting the stolen body of a stalwart savage, the star-wanderer from Earth found himself in dangers beyond even his wildest imaginings!
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1974
2 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Lin Carter
420 books171 followersLin 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 17, 2020
DAW Collectors #110
Cover Artist: Roy Krenkel
Name: Carter, Linwood Vrooman, Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, (9 June 1930 - 7 February 1988)
Alternate Names: Corporal Lin Carter, L. Carter, Lin(wood) Carter, Lin Karter,, H. P. Lowcraft, Grail Undwin.
Contents:
By the Light of the Green Star • interior artwork by Roy G. Krenkel [as by Roy Krenkel]
015 - By the Light of the Green Star • [Green Star Rises • 3]
169 - Appendix: A Green Star Glossary • [Green Star Rises] • essay by Lin Carter.
"By the Light of the Green Star" continues the adventures of the crippled man from Earth who has taught his spirit to travel to an unknown planet where he inhabits healthy bodies and has exciting adventures.
The story is told in the first person, but our hero, who is now stranded with some unscrupulous companions on the dangerous forest floor, also narrates the events occurring simultaneously to the princess who is now a prisoner in a city in the air. Our narrator justifies his omniscience by saying he heard her side of the story later.
The series:
Under the Green Star
When the Green Star Calls
By the Light of the Green Star
As the Green Star Rises
In the Green Star's Glow
Cover Artist: Roy Krenkel
Name: Carter, Linwood Vrooman, Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, (9 June 1930 - 7 February 1988)
Alternate Names: Corporal Lin Carter, L. Carter, Lin(wood) Carter, Lin Karter,, H. P. Lowcraft, Grail Undwin.
Contents:
By the Light of the Green Star • interior artwork by Roy G. Krenkel [as by Roy Krenkel]
015 - By the Light of the Green Star • [Green Star Rises • 3]
169 - Appendix: A Green Star Glossary • [Green Star Rises] • essay by Lin Carter.
"By the Light of the Green Star" continues the adventures of the crippled man from Earth who has taught his spirit to travel to an unknown planet where he inhabits healthy bodies and has exciting adventures.
The story is told in the first person, but our hero, who is now stranded with some unscrupulous companions on the dangerous forest floor, also narrates the events occurring simultaneously to the princess who is now a prisoner in a city in the air. Our narrator justifies his omniscience by saying he heard her side of the story later.
The series:
Under the Green Star
When the Green Star Calls
By the Light of the Green Star
As the Green Star Rises
In the Green Star's Glow
June 17, 2018
Standard disclaimer: This review is for the third volume in author Lin Carter’s “Green Star” series, titled “By The Light of the Green Star.” The only book that can be read as a stand-alone is the first volume of the series. All of the other volumes end in cliffhangers or require that you have some sort of a working knowledge of the universe in which the action takes place. You can read my reviews of the first two books here if you are interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I won’t go into much detail about the origins of the series. If you have read this far then you are probably already familiar with the fact that the “Green Star” saga was Carter’s attempt at a tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose “Mars” series both informs and inspires these efforts. Lin Carter built his publishing career as an author in large part by writing pastiches of other people’s works. He mostly abandons that technique here in favor of adopting a tone of reverential respect and recognition of Burroughs as a storyteller, thus the material seems at once both recognizable and yet oddly original.
The action in “By The Light of the Green Star” picks up at the very moment when the previous volume ends, as Karn’s companions beat a hasty escape from Ardha just as Karn and his fellow Assassin Klygon attempt to scale the walls of the building in which they have been held. Realizing that they cannot return to the Assassin’s Guild upon threat of execution, Karn and Klygon make their escape to the wilds of the Green Planet only to be captured by a band of savage albino primitives who hope to enslave them. Meanwhile, Zarqa and his group are captured by a mysterious race of jet-black “Skymen” who inhabit a massive floating city that turns out to be a relic of the Kalood race. The Skymen have advanced technology and assume their captives to be nothing more than beasts that can be experimented upon at will. Again, I’m not going deep on spoilers here. By now you are either on board with the story as a whole or you’re not reading this review in the first place. Either way, it’s all good.
Carter continues his method of alternating the narrative of the book between the two separate groups of main characters. This serves to keep things flowing logically while also giving the reader a chance to get to know all of the players better.
The “Green Star” series serves as a reminder to me that pulp fantasy should be fun, first and foremost. And Lin Carter definitely seems to have had fun writing these fast and furious tales of derring-do on an alien planet. The action never wanes for long, and the characters keep developing in odd little ways that manage to keep things fresh. I also enjoy the fact that the scope of the plot seems to keep expanding ever outwards. Carter keeps introducing new elements to the story that not only serve to push the narrative forward, but help to flesh out the world of the Green Star and add depth and variety to the adventure as a whole.
I read this series sometime in my teens, and I have been lucky enough to reacquire the original DAW paperback editions that I remember so well from back in the day. This particular installment has great cover art and several full-page line illustrations by artist Roy Krenkel. Cover art was a huge part of the appeal of these old paperback novels. A book needed cover art that would stand out amongst all of the other titles crowding the racks, and DAW Books always seemed to manage to get great artists that drew covers and interior art that excelled. Just holding these old volumes in my hands is a joy. The pages may have foxed and yellowed over time, but my sense of excitement at opening the books hasn’t dulled at all over the intervening years.
“By The Light of the Green Star” is classic swords & science fantasy written by a man who clearly had his tongue placed firmly in his cheek and a mischievous gleam in his eye as he bent himself over his typewriter. I will now be on to the fourth volume of the tale, “As The Green Star Rises.”
Remember, gang, and to quote the mighty John Mellencamp: “Growin’ up leads to growin’ old and then to dyin’....and dyin’ to me don’t sound like all that much fun.” A diet of books like this assures that I will never have to worry about that sort of thing……
BONUS! Collector’s corner!!! This has nothing to do with the review, so you can easily skip if you want to.
I’m sometimes asked how one can go about repairing old books that may have seen better days, specifically paperbacks, though I have also repaired many a hardback volume in my time. I was fortunate enough to work at the M. D. Anderson Library on the University of Houston campus when I was attending classes there. Although I worked in the reshelving department, I made friends with folks in other areas, and I picked up a ton of helpful tips from the folks who worked in the restoration department.
I often find that older paperbacks usually have a few simple problems that can easily be dealt with. Page and cover tears and creases can be solved by the careful application of common Scotch tape, but it’s important that you only use the CLEAR tape. Avoid the stuff that has that satiny finish, as that makes repair lines very visible. If you take your time and cut the tape to fit the area of repair you will find that clear tape makes an almost invisible fix. It’s worth the time to be a little bit obsessive about it.
Spine problems and loose page issues can benefit from a dollop or two of plain old Elmer’s glue. Elmer’s will dry clear and it’s a simple formula devoid of any chemicals which might serve to harm a book in the long term. The key is to not overapply. When I say use a dollop, I MEAN use a dollop. A little bit of glue goes a long way when it comes to book repair.
Finally, you can store those old paperbacks in clear plastic sleeves once you have repaired them. You can get these on Amazon or other hobby websites, and they are well worth the investment if you want to preserve your collection for the long haul. Most sleeves are made of archival quality plastic and will serve to keep dust and other particulates off of your books. If you tape the back of the sleeve up completely, you can also reduce the effects of oxygen on the paper. Over time, oxygen exposure leads to yellowing and degradation of paper. The sleeves also serve to keep moisture at a minimum, which reduces the effects of mold and helps keep foxing to a minimum. Keep those old books dry and out of direct sunlight and you can add years to their lifespans.
Repairs of hardback books will be for another time. It’s a bit more of a complicated process. You should also note that any repairs made to books MAY reduce their value as a collectible, though with most pulp paperbacks that really isn’t much of an issue. Most of the books I collect go for $2.00 - 5.00 on the secondary market, so their value isn’t really going to be affected much by performing a repair. As with anything, research what you have before you go tinkering with it. Truly rare items need to be handled with care by professionals in the book preservation business.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I won’t go into much detail about the origins of the series. If you have read this far then you are probably already familiar with the fact that the “Green Star” saga was Carter’s attempt at a tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose “Mars” series both informs and inspires these efforts. Lin Carter built his publishing career as an author in large part by writing pastiches of other people’s works. He mostly abandons that technique here in favor of adopting a tone of reverential respect and recognition of Burroughs as a storyteller, thus the material seems at once both recognizable and yet oddly original.
The action in “By The Light of the Green Star” picks up at the very moment when the previous volume ends, as Karn’s companions beat a hasty escape from Ardha just as Karn and his fellow Assassin Klygon attempt to scale the walls of the building in which they have been held. Realizing that they cannot return to the Assassin’s Guild upon threat of execution, Karn and Klygon make their escape to the wilds of the Green Planet only to be captured by a band of savage albino primitives who hope to enslave them. Meanwhile, Zarqa and his group are captured by a mysterious race of jet-black “Skymen” who inhabit a massive floating city that turns out to be a relic of the Kalood race. The Skymen have advanced technology and assume their captives to be nothing more than beasts that can be experimented upon at will. Again, I’m not going deep on spoilers here. By now you are either on board with the story as a whole or you’re not reading this review in the first place. Either way, it’s all good.
Carter continues his method of alternating the narrative of the book between the two separate groups of main characters. This serves to keep things flowing logically while also giving the reader a chance to get to know all of the players better.
The “Green Star” series serves as a reminder to me that pulp fantasy should be fun, first and foremost. And Lin Carter definitely seems to have had fun writing these fast and furious tales of derring-do on an alien planet. The action never wanes for long, and the characters keep developing in odd little ways that manage to keep things fresh. I also enjoy the fact that the scope of the plot seems to keep expanding ever outwards. Carter keeps introducing new elements to the story that not only serve to push the narrative forward, but help to flesh out the world of the Green Star and add depth and variety to the adventure as a whole.
I read this series sometime in my teens, and I have been lucky enough to reacquire the original DAW paperback editions that I remember so well from back in the day. This particular installment has great cover art and several full-page line illustrations by artist Roy Krenkel. Cover art was a huge part of the appeal of these old paperback novels. A book needed cover art that would stand out amongst all of the other titles crowding the racks, and DAW Books always seemed to manage to get great artists that drew covers and interior art that excelled. Just holding these old volumes in my hands is a joy. The pages may have foxed and yellowed over time, but my sense of excitement at opening the books hasn’t dulled at all over the intervening years.
“By The Light of the Green Star” is classic swords & science fantasy written by a man who clearly had his tongue placed firmly in his cheek and a mischievous gleam in his eye as he bent himself over his typewriter. I will now be on to the fourth volume of the tale, “As The Green Star Rises.”
Remember, gang, and to quote the mighty John Mellencamp: “Growin’ up leads to growin’ old and then to dyin’....and dyin’ to me don’t sound like all that much fun.” A diet of books like this assures that I will never have to worry about that sort of thing……
BONUS! Collector’s corner!!! This has nothing to do with the review, so you can easily skip if you want to.
I’m sometimes asked how one can go about repairing old books that may have seen better days, specifically paperbacks, though I have also repaired many a hardback volume in my time. I was fortunate enough to work at the M. D. Anderson Library on the University of Houston campus when I was attending classes there. Although I worked in the reshelving department, I made friends with folks in other areas, and I picked up a ton of helpful tips from the folks who worked in the restoration department.
I often find that older paperbacks usually have a few simple problems that can easily be dealt with. Page and cover tears and creases can be solved by the careful application of common Scotch tape, but it’s important that you only use the CLEAR tape. Avoid the stuff that has that satiny finish, as that makes repair lines very visible. If you take your time and cut the tape to fit the area of repair you will find that clear tape makes an almost invisible fix. It’s worth the time to be a little bit obsessive about it.
Spine problems and loose page issues can benefit from a dollop or two of plain old Elmer’s glue. Elmer’s will dry clear and it’s a simple formula devoid of any chemicals which might serve to harm a book in the long term. The key is to not overapply. When I say use a dollop, I MEAN use a dollop. A little bit of glue goes a long way when it comes to book repair.
Finally, you can store those old paperbacks in clear plastic sleeves once you have repaired them. You can get these on Amazon or other hobby websites, and they are well worth the investment if you want to preserve your collection for the long haul. Most sleeves are made of archival quality plastic and will serve to keep dust and other particulates off of your books. If you tape the back of the sleeve up completely, you can also reduce the effects of oxygen on the paper. Over time, oxygen exposure leads to yellowing and degradation of paper. The sleeves also serve to keep moisture at a minimum, which reduces the effects of mold and helps keep foxing to a minimum. Keep those old books dry and out of direct sunlight and you can add years to their lifespans.
Repairs of hardback books will be for another time. It’s a bit more of a complicated process. You should also note that any repairs made to books MAY reduce their value as a collectible, though with most pulp paperbacks that really isn’t much of an issue. Most of the books I collect go for $2.00 - 5.00 on the secondary market, so their value isn’t really going to be affected much by performing a repair. As with anything, research what you have before you go tinkering with it. Truly rare items need to be handled with care by professionals in the book preservation business.
December 15, 2017
Nice Swords and Planets (or Planetary Romance if you prefer that title) SiFi story. Nice easy enjoyable read. Recommended
November 7, 2011
I have two problems with this book.
The first is endemic to the series: I'm having trouble imagining the treetop cities. They're described as being jewel boxes perched on the limbs of five mile high trees, but I can't wrap my head around how a city-sized structure would sit there given the assumed scale. This would be a minor concern except that Carter periodically mentions the cities and sets events there, and I can't get a good picture in my head of what this actually looks like.
The second is that Carter appears to have two set pieces in mind: the flying city of Calidar, and the tunnels of the albino cannibals at the base of the forest. For some reason Carter was unwilling to use any form of summarization or skipping ahead, so getting the characters to these locations and acquainted with them takes nearly half the book. As a result, upon their escape (which the author again felt compelled to detail) the reader is left wanting more. Carter drops little hints about life in the flying city among the regimented, cloned society, and of the ongoing war in the cannibals' tunnels with an insectoid intelligence, but the characters and the reader is whisked out of there before anything more could be said.
The first is endemic to the series: I'm having trouble imagining the treetop cities. They're described as being jewel boxes perched on the limbs of five mile high trees, but I can't wrap my head around how a city-sized structure would sit there given the assumed scale. This would be a minor concern except that Carter periodically mentions the cities and sets events there, and I can't get a good picture in my head of what this actually looks like.
The second is that Carter appears to have two set pieces in mind: the flying city of Calidar, and the tunnels of the albino cannibals at the base of the forest. For some reason Carter was unwilling to use any form of summarization or skipping ahead, so getting the characters to these locations and acquainted with them takes nearly half the book. As a result, upon their escape (which the author again felt compelled to detail) the reader is left wanting more. Carter drops little hints about life in the flying city among the regimented, cloned society, and of the ongoing war in the cannibals' tunnels with an insectoid intelligence, but the characters and the reader is whisked out of there before anything more could be said.
February 19, 2009
Third in the series. I don't have the rest of them, but hopefully I can get them soon.
Alright, I've read better books, but I've read far worse. I don't have the rest of the series, so there's no telling if reading them would change my views. Honestly, it was an enjoyable story, but there were a few things that frankly irritated me. First was the reiterating of information multiple times in the same book. It became rather monotonous hearing exactly how they got a specific item or met a certain person several times in the same book. Once is enough for me to grasp it and remember it. Lin also seemed to have a hard time writing the female personality. This is not too surprising for a book of its age. Many male writers had problems with that (and in some cases still do). Still, the story was good and the world is pretty interesting, as are the races and creatures. I will definitely go and find the rest of the books to see how the story and writing progresses.
Alright, I've read better books, but I've read far worse. I don't have the rest of the series, so there's no telling if reading them would change my views. Honestly, it was an enjoyable story, but there were a few things that frankly irritated me. First was the reiterating of information multiple times in the same book. It became rather monotonous hearing exactly how they got a specific item or met a certain person several times in the same book. Once is enough for me to grasp it and remember it. Lin also seemed to have a hard time writing the female personality. This is not too surprising for a book of its age. Many male writers had problems with that (and in some cases still do). Still, the story was good and the world is pretty interesting, as are the races and creatures. I will definitely go and find the rest of the books to see how the story and writing progresses.
February 19, 2012
By the Light of the Green Star continues the adventures of the crippled man from Earth who has taught his spirit to travel to an unknown planet where he inhabits healthy bodies and has exciting adventures. The previous volume, When the Green Star Calls, ended on a cliffhanger. Our hero is still in the body of the savage youth and he’s still trying to rescue the princess who he loves but who will not know him if he even manages to find her.
The story continues to be told in the first person, but our hero, who is now stranded with some unscrupulous companions on the dangerous forest floor, also narrates the events occurring simultaneously to the princess who is now a prisoner in a city in the air. Our narrator justifies his omniscience by saying he heard her side of the story later, but it doesn’t really work — it’s rather ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The story continues to be told in the first person, but our hero, who is now stranded with some unscrupulous companions on the dangerous forest floor, also narrates the events occurring simultaneously to the princess who is now a prisoner in a city in the air. Our narrator justifies his omniscience by saying he heard her side of the story later, but it doesn’t really work — it’s rather ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
September 14, 2017
I began this book at Pennsic War XLVI, having completed the second volume there in its entirety. The adventure continues in an engaging way, which is both dated to the period it emulates, that of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and of the early '70s, the time when it was written. Quite enjoyable vacation reading.
Pages 49 ~ 56 ( Chapter 6 ) were completed on a bus headed to Charlotte NC. I recommend this book as I have the other two, but with the caveat that you must start with the first in order to know what is going on. The books pick up where the previous left off with very little background or explanation as to what went before. I shall begin book 4 at the dawn of next years' vacation, Pennsic XLVII!
Pages 49 ~ 56 ( Chapter 6 ) were completed on a bus headed to Charlotte NC. I recommend this book as I have the other two, but with the caveat that you must start with the first in order to know what is going on. The books pick up where the previous left off with very little background or explanation as to what went before. I shall begin book 4 at the dawn of next years' vacation, Pennsic XLVII!
July 28, 2010
The Green Star books was Lin Carter's best series in my opinion. Good action and, although there are a lot of similarities to ERB's work, I thought Carter achieved some pretty good originality here. This is number 3 in the series.
February 25, 2015
Though the first half of this book dragged (the first half of the book should have been condensed down to a few chapters) by the end I was more involved with the characters than the last book and I can't help but want to read the next.
August 10, 2016
I imagine Lin Carter was a lot like Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. That's not really relevant to this review I just thought it was funny.
February 24, 2024
“By the Light of the Green Star”, third volume in the series, continues where the cliffhanger ending of “When the Green Star Calls” leaves off, as our nameless protagonist, still inhabiting the body of Karn of the Red Dragon, escapes from the Assassins of Ardha and, accompanied by erstwhile-teacher-and-potential-enemy-but-now-ally Klygon, perseveres in his quest to be reunited with the beauteous Princess Niamh of the jewel city of Phaolon.
As with other “sword-and-planet” series, once the initial “sense of wonder” of travel by some mysterious, unexplained means to another exotic world where the protagonist has a chance to fulfill every dream and adventure denied him in his ordinary life, the author must maintain readers’ interest by the introduction of new locales, races of intelligent beings, and flora and fauna which will give the hero new challenges to face, enemies to defeat, and obstacles to overcome (but not completely, for there has to be some unresolved issue as a lead-in to the next book in the series!). In this volume readers are introduced to the gloomy, almost pitch-black surface world (the “Abyss”) at the bottom of the miles-high giant trees which cover the planet of Lao, where hardly any sunlight penetrates and illumination comes from a ghostly phosphorescence emitted by giant fungi; a great inland sea sprinkled with archipelagoes, where the sun is able to reach the surface (a source of wonder to all who behold it!); and the magnificent floating city of Calidar, which, like the dead, monster-haunted city of Sotaspra, is a creation of the ancient winged Kaloodians, of whom Zarqa is the sole survivor.
The “Abyss” is inhabited by a race of degenerate, albino savages who herd the Yngoum, fat, mindless worms they use as food which are somehow related to the Sluth, ridden by the savages and the largest, immense example of which, as long as several football fields, they worship as a god. The floating city of Calidar is peopled by a black-skinned race of sky-men who believe themselves to be superior to all the other races living in the trees below them and who run the city as a sort of fascist dictatorship, and who ride the Zawkaw, giant roc-like birds which the sky-men use to capture residents of the tree-cities in order to use them as experimental subjects in a perverted quest to attain immortality. The sky-men are somewhat reminiscent of the rather comical Zanis of Burroughs’ “Escape on Venus”, although portrayed in a more sinister vein, and it’s rather obvious where the inspiration for the Venusian name and the “experiments” comes from.
These plot elements are certainly enough to keep the story bubbling along, and the author does not disappoint! There is another cliff-hanger ending to tantalize readers into seeking out the next volume, “As the Green Star Rises”. More to come!
***** review by Chuck Graham *****
As with other “sword-and-planet” series, once the initial “sense of wonder” of travel by some mysterious, unexplained means to another exotic world where the protagonist has a chance to fulfill every dream and adventure denied him in his ordinary life, the author must maintain readers’ interest by the introduction of new locales, races of intelligent beings, and flora and fauna which will give the hero new challenges to face, enemies to defeat, and obstacles to overcome (but not completely, for there has to be some unresolved issue as a lead-in to the next book in the series!). In this volume readers are introduced to the gloomy, almost pitch-black surface world (the “Abyss”) at the bottom of the miles-high giant trees which cover the planet of Lao, where hardly any sunlight penetrates and illumination comes from a ghostly phosphorescence emitted by giant fungi; a great inland sea sprinkled with archipelagoes, where the sun is able to reach the surface (a source of wonder to all who behold it!); and the magnificent floating city of Calidar, which, like the dead, monster-haunted city of Sotaspra, is a creation of the ancient winged Kaloodians, of whom Zarqa is the sole survivor.
The “Abyss” is inhabited by a race of degenerate, albino savages who herd the Yngoum, fat, mindless worms they use as food which are somehow related to the Sluth, ridden by the savages and the largest, immense example of which, as long as several football fields, they worship as a god. The floating city of Calidar is peopled by a black-skinned race of sky-men who believe themselves to be superior to all the other races living in the trees below them and who run the city as a sort of fascist dictatorship, and who ride the Zawkaw, giant roc-like birds which the sky-men use to capture residents of the tree-cities in order to use them as experimental subjects in a perverted quest to attain immortality. The sky-men are somewhat reminiscent of the rather comical Zanis of Burroughs’ “Escape on Venus”, although portrayed in a more sinister vein, and it’s rather obvious where the inspiration for the Venusian name and the “experiments” comes from.
These plot elements are certainly enough to keep the story bubbling along, and the author does not disappoint! There is another cliff-hanger ending to tantalize readers into seeking out the next volume, “As the Green Star Rises”. More to come!
***** review by Chuck Graham *****
December 2, 2022
By the Light of the Green Star 🪐
This is the third book in Lin Carter's sword and planet epic, and definitely my favourite so far! This instalment explores not only the branches of the miles-high trees of the World of the Green Star, but also the nightmarish, monster-ridden, ever-dark ground floor, as well as the floating cities of the sky far above the treetops. There's tons of world-building here, with new comrades introduced, epic battles of man-vs-beast at every turn, and even noticeable character growth at times.
Now, as I've said in previous reviews, this series certainly isn't perfect. There are some technical flaws, along with plot points that might fall apart under closer scrutiny... but damn it, I'm not reading this expecting Tolkien or Shakespeare. By the Light of the Green Star is everything I could ask for from a pulpy science-fantasy adventure, and I raced through this one even more easily than the previous two.
For that reason... five green stars from me!
This is the third book in Lin Carter's sword and planet epic, and definitely my favourite so far! This instalment explores not only the branches of the miles-high trees of the World of the Green Star, but also the nightmarish, monster-ridden, ever-dark ground floor, as well as the floating cities of the sky far above the treetops. There's tons of world-building here, with new comrades introduced, epic battles of man-vs-beast at every turn, and even noticeable character growth at times.
Now, as I've said in previous reviews, this series certainly isn't perfect. There are some technical flaws, along with plot points that might fall apart under closer scrutiny... but damn it, I'm not reading this expecting Tolkien or Shakespeare. By the Light of the Green Star is everything I could ask for from a pulpy science-fantasy adventure, and I raced through this one even more easily than the previous two.
For that reason... five green stars from me!
April 17, 2022
Actually 3.5 stars, but best one in the series so far. Two plot lines: (1) princess Niamh, Janchan, Arjala, and Zarqa are captured by beautiful black men from the floating city in the sky and are considered to be dumb beasts, (2) Karn and Klygon fall to the ground level of the planet a mile below the treetops and encounter pitch darkness, giant worms, grubs and race of albino humanoids. How they cope with their predicaments and escape make for interesting reading. This is the author's way of honoring Edgar Rice Burroughs (specifically, the Venus series) - by copying his writing style, plotting, and characterizations, but for those who have not read ERB, do yourself a favor and read his works first.
June 1, 2018
Carter is very derivative. But I find where his work shines most is his world building. He creates cool places you want to day dream of. This book does a lot world building for the green star world. Which is fun but the story has some minor inconsistencies. It still a decently fun yarn.
November 20, 2024
This is my least favorite, thus far, of the Green Star books. The book just drags and seems like a much longer read than it actually is. It has its moments and ends well, which always a good thing, but it's really just serving as a bridge between me and the next volume in the series.
November 2, 2020
In book three, we start getting to explore more of the planet of the Green Star. The main character gains a new nemesis, and things generally become more of a challenge to him than ever before.
June 15, 2024
a bit racist and sexist im ngl. got me kinda invested in characters but i get invested easily. prose was ok. defo dated. also like the third one in the series, awkward. i did enjoy it though.
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