The Flying Warlord

Conrad Stargard #4

by Leo Frankowski

UNCERTAIN VISIONFor a twentieth-century man, Conrad Stargard had done a lot in thirteenth-century Poland. In just nine years, he had "discovered" universal education, aircraft, radios, steamboats, and machine guns. More important, he had prepared Poland to defeat the bloodthirsty Mongols in 1241.But now that the Mongol hordes had arrived, something was disturbing the flow of history. Even the Time Masters who secretly watched over Conrad couldn't predict his future, because they no longer even knew their own past . . .

Genres: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fiction, Fantasy, Alternate History, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

232 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Radiant Warrior is the fourth book (though a prequel appeared some years later, which I suppose makes this one the fifth) in a series about a man who's swept back in time from the present to 1231, ten years before the Mongol invasion. Conrad Stargard got drunk in a bar and passed out in the storeroom, which happened to be a time machine. It's similar to de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall and Flint's 1632 universe and, heck, Twain's Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. This one picks up pretty much where the third one, The Radiant Warrior, ended. Conrad had resolved to save Poland and Europe from the Mongols but kept getting sidetracked. Finally, though, the Mongols are knocking on the door and it's time for the big battle for which he's been preparing. There's more participation of the mysterious time masters, and the viewpoint changes a little abruptly. As before, some of Conrad's plans and developments are quite clever, and the plot is obviously well thought-out, though this one seems a little more diffuse than the previous books. Also as before, the character's character continues to reveal him to be an insufferable and smug pedophile, though Frankowski continues to try to present him as a charming rogue. Frankowski wasn't a great writer, but he was a pretty good storyteller, and this one is another interesting volume for history buffs. And we learn that the end is not the end... This one has a very interesting appendix that explains details of Conrad's army and world.

[Matthew Esham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come people, a trend downward from the first three books (on goodreads)? This as the best so far!!!

Who couldn't love the scene where the mongol ambassador comes and asks for the young Duke to bow down, and to show how feirce they are, seveal of the mongols cut their own throats. Conrad asks if another would do it, and another, and the mongol ambassador gets mad, asking what he is tryign to do. Conrad's reply is that if he can get them all to cut their down damn throats, he's got nothing to worry about. And then, Krystyana duels one naked, playing with her prey before dispatching him.

That leads into the horse "race" as Conrad escorts them away on Anna and a group of others mounted on "Big People".

And then everything ends in a glorious battle on the rivers as they try to keep the mongols out of Poland. I guess there is something about fighting a losing battle that appeals to me. The few versus the many against horrible odds.

Overall, if you like cheesy sci fi this is a great book for you.

And best of all, Baen finally fixed the MOBI issue so I was able to get it onto my kindle.

[Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The culmination of the original plotline and the book where it all comes together. The changing of narrative styles and essentially going fast-forward for the last 5 years was a pretty major departure in style from the previous 3 books. Unlike more "modern" series that never seem to end and reach a conclusion to their original premise, though, this book wraps up most of the original premise. This book has very little characterization and feels more like reading a history book in places. But it's an INTERESTING history and it's quite satisfying to see all the work that Conrad and others have done in the previous books all come together.

The one major exception, in my opinion, to the lack of characterization, was the end of Count Lambert. His end was equal parts heroic, exasperating, and just plain stupid...and it totally matched the character and the way he lived. Brilliant.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

[Garrisonjames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the series by Mr. Frankowski. Excellent engineering details, some fun time travel shenanigans, a good bit of military adventure and a protagonist who is a lot of fun to read about, despite his personal foibles. Conrads' preparations to survive and fight against the impending invasion by the Mongol Horde are an incredible journey of technological innovation, social reaction and interpersonal development that is a lot of fun to read about. There is some old fashioned sexism in the protagonists' viewpoints, and the author does lecture on some things here and there much in the way that Heinlein or Piper and others have done...but overall this is an excellent series and is well worth the reading.

[beancounter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The role of women in this series always leaves me conflicted 'long about Book 4. (This is my second or third read through the series.) On one hand, for a modern-day fellow, the protagonist has really sexist ideas of what women are good for. On the other hand, he is living in the 13th c., where such ideas were prevalent, yet he does give them many more opportunities than before.

And as a woman who has read (and liked) everything Heinlein ever wrote, it's not as if I'm a stranger to that author's dichotomous attitude about the capabilities of women.

[Barry Haworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book brings Conrad's quest to save Poland to a conclusion, ending with the final battle with the Mongols. Like the previous books there is a lot of building of technologies along the way; this book also has the same flaws as its predecessors, though perhaps not quite so bad as some of them.
I see that there is a fifth book in the series which promises to tie up some of the lose ends, which I shall probably read at some point.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't look for alot of philosophical discussion here just enjoy.

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

God from the machine gun so to speak. Exciting end to the current story line over 4 books.

[Sean Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seemed to end an era, the big battle, which Conrad had been tooling up to repel for all these years, draws close.

[Brentman99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this fourth part to the series, two major events occur. first, the long awaited Mongol invasion occurs. Second, and to a degree even more profound, Conrad gets married.

My only real issue with the series is that I would have liked the battle with the Mongols to have been given more pages than it was. It was the driving reason behind Conrad’s work to build Poland’s industrial base and train an army, but it was not given a lot of space in the novel, which was a hit disappointing.

Also, I see more of the stuff that women likely won’t enjoy in the book, but hey, it was written in the late 1980’s so know one should be surprised.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I found the section at the end interesting and think that it would have been much better if included in either this volume, or volume 3 where training the army was one of the major challenges discussed in the book.

As with the others, overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was worth the time spent reading. There are some interesting approaches to solving problems that are discussed tha5 I thought added to the book.

[Nelson Glowacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fighting of the Mongols was awesome. Zipped through in one setting.

[Molly Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but the plot with the historians observing the story slightly became more interesting than the final battle after a while.

[Jacob Steckbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper beats rock, guns beat calvary with bows

[Bryan457 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that take a character and move him out of his time and place such as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, or The Chronicles of Narnia. This is one of my favorites. I love the world building. I could do without all the sex with nubile young women, but I'm not offended by it.
Time for Conrad and his army of radiant warriors to fight the mongols.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. Now that the final book is published, I am rereading a few and finishing the ones I haven’t read to finish the series. If you are a fan of this series, this book is just as good as all the others.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just as good as the first 3. The higher rating that I'm giving this book is meant to apply to the series as a whole. Individually they are all 3 stars. But as a whole, I'm giving the series 4 stars.

[MB (What she read) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally! The Mongols get their come-uppance! And WHAT a comeuppance! That was enjoyable.

However the misogyny and brain-less female characters are getting to me...

[Howard]

14

[Geldar · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's up with this Leo Frankowski guy?

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mongols finally arrive and the defense of Europe is in the balance.

[Paul L · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

On to number 5

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly good series. The baisc man-out-of-time story line but very involved. Excellent characters and story. Highly recommended.

[Suprio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Fatbaldguy60 · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite time travel books/series ever.