Horseclans Odyssey

Horseclans #7

by Robert Adams

The call has gone out and the clans are gathering to hear the words of the war chief, Mile or Morai - words of prophecy that promise an end to wandering and a land of their own, the legendary homeland from which their ancestors had come ages ago. Yet before they can abandon their present hunting grounds, the Horseclansmen have one last debt to settle.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Ebooks, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic

241 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1981

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

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite their many flaws, Robert Adams' Horseclans novels are a uniquely interesting read. In fact, I can't think of another fantasy series that maintains its charm in the face of so many strange decisions, and that's to say nothing of Adams' clunky prose! It's a perfect storm of idiosyncratic storytelling that somehow keeps pulling you back more. That being said, Adams has one annoying tendency that has worsened as his series progresses, counteracting his improvement as a writer and repeatedly forcing me to reconsider whether I should continue reading. Here I'm talking about Adams' bizarre inability to maintain narrative focus. Unexpected time jumps, chapters-long detours following secondary characters, and skipping past key events in his own chronology- it's all extraordinarily frustrating, to such a degree that the books sometimes read like an unedited manuscript. Uniquely interesting, indeed.

With such an unusual approach to narrative storytelling, it comes as little surprise that Adams would eventually abandon a linear approach to the overarching plot of the series. There was no other way that he could insert all of that background detail without abandoning the pulp fiction format. And this brings us to Horseclans Odyssey- the seventh installment in the Horseclans series, and Adams' first book that isn't as a sequel to any of its predecessors. Horseclans Odyssey actually functions as semi-prequel to the rest of the series. I use "semi" here not only because it technically takes place after the prologue of The Coming of the Horseclans, but because it includes the eastward migration of the Horseclans as a secondary, almost incidental component of its plot. What you actually have with Horseclans Odyssey is a story about the downfall of several "Dirtmen" duchies along the Mississippi River. The primary characters are Count Martuhn- a hyper-competent mercenary captain who commands military forces in one such duchy, and a trio of Horseclans children who are abducted from the Steevuhnz clan. Two of those children eventually come under the protection of Martuhn, shortly prior to the arrival of the Horseclans "horde" at the Mississippi River.

All of this gives Horseclans Odyssey a distinct feel from its immediate predecessors and, although this is mostly for the better, I expect mixed reactions from established fans. On one hand, Adams' abandonment of his core plotline means even fewer fantasy elements: apart from all the mindspeak (and mindspeaking animals), the novel reads more like historical fiction. Adams also includes even more raping and pillaging than usual, with much of the Steevuhnz storyline revolving around the pedophilic desires of an Ehleenhee merchant. So if you didn't tolerate the "grittier" and less fantastical aspects of earlier Horseclans books, Horseclans Odyssey should be even more of a challenge. Fortunately, the narrower scope of the novel also results in a more cohesive story. In fact, I'd rank Horseclans Odyssey as the most focused entry in the series, up to this point, with fewer pages spent on inconsequential backstories or the minutiae of military arrangements. The only remaining frustration in this regard is Adams tendency to rush past honest-to-goodness action sequences, in lieu of conversations that recount those events. The Horseclans series continues to demand that readers accept it as it is.

Personally, I think that the comparatively engrossing plot of Horseclans Odyssey more than makes up for its lack of distinctive worldbuilding. I just wouldn't say that it's enough to raise the novel from "merely good" to "excellent". Thus the same 3-star rating that I awarded to both The Savage Mountains and The Patrimony (though this is a particularly strong three stars…). I'll close by noting that it should be possible to appreciate Horseclans Odyssey after completing only The Coming of the Horseclans. As such, if you soured on earlier volumes in series but are willing to give Robert Adams one more chance, you may want to consider jumping forward to this installment.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This instalment intentionally predates the first novel and in this tale we hear of Milo Morai still trying to unite the clans.
But his plans are hampered when some of the Horseclans children are kidnapped and sold to Urbhanos who wishes to use them for perverted causes hence the Horseclans ride to the rescue and set out to teach their enemies what happens to those that harm whom they love...
An exciting episode set in the world of nomads and Knights.

[David Palazzolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole one of the better of the series—though it should have been book 2 as it seems to pick up shortly after the first. There were a few good twists in the novel but it ended abruptly and a little unsatisfactorily. I don’t know if the next book will pick up directly at the end of Odyssey but it’s my understanding that it too will take place between books 1 and 2.

[Robert Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nostalgic reas

I read this book back in high school and it has lost none of the magic it had then. Some books I have re-read have been a let down, but not this series. Anyone who enjoys post apocalyptic stories will really enjoy these books.

[Michael]

I got this on Kindle. Too many errors in editing to read the Kindle version. I remember reading a few books in this series when I was in high school, and liking them. Sword&Sci-Fi kind of stories. I liked them back in the day, but I can't read a book with this many mistakes in it. Too bad.

[Robert Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possibly the rapiest of the Horseclans books, which is saying something.

These really don't hold up well. I mean, the 40-year-old man marrying a 14-year-old girl might be the _least_ problematical part.

[Jutta Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I have always wished that the Norwegians series could be made into a movie, outstanding characters and storyline. A must read.

[Matthew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty homophobic and a little racist. Seems like some kind of right wing fantasy. I had nostalgia for the books from the 80s but less so now.

[John Somers · Rating 2 out of 5]

07/20.

[Mohammad Ali Abedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

(There are 18 books, and I read until Book 10, Bili the Axe)

I read a bunch of these books, and eventually I got bored of it, but man, what a ride. The story is set in a post-apocalypse world. Everything has gone wrong, from nuclear warfare to plagues, so nothing remains from our time. This new world is run by barbarians and swords. In the new world, there are a few changes. Some clans have the ability to mindspeak to a few select animals, such as big cats (which are more like panthers), and a select few have the power of immortality. Such as our main character, the Undying High Lord Milo!

Milo starts up as a small clan leader, and eventually his clan starts growing bigger as the novels progress.

The series is a manly fantasy story with none of the silly dancing elves stuff. Every few pages, someone gets either killed or raped, and the good guys usually are responsible for both. There isn’t a really strong plot or characters to speak off, but if you have to want to pretend you are a man and raping some villagers and chopping off heads, then it can be fun.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this once, while I read the first few a couple of times over the years. The first few books are pretty good. Nothing superb, but a fun, fast read if you like this kind of thing. It's more of a fantasy, but there is a Science Fiction basis - it's a post apocalyptic (nuclear war) world where a nomadic people are the good guys. Some super smart animals, a few immortals & such dropped in.

By about book 6 or 7, I got a little worn out with the series. I've been meaning to go back & read it again, since I didn't have the entire series all at once, but read it out of order, in scattered pieces across the years.

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably the best of the Horseclans novels. It's the tale of a young Horseclans' girl and her brothers; there's almost no mention of the immortal leaders of the clans and the homophobia is at a minimum.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Horseclans series is probably the best blend of fantasy and SiFi I have ever read. Pretty much something for everyone in these books. Great characters, epic storyline, fantastic writings. My highest recommendation

[Fatbaldguy60 · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best ones, different characters.

[Kione · Rating 5 out of 5]

YAY!! Another Horesclans book :D I'll let you all know how it is in a few days.

[Tim Weakley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good one. The story is told from the point of view of a young girl. Much less of a "big picture" story within the series.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review of the Horseclans series under Swords of the Horseclans, Horseclans #2

[Steve]

Horseclans