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Skeen #2
Skeen's Return
Trapped in an alternate dimension, the tough and self-confident Skeen confronts slavers, monsters, and alien assassins in a fast-paced space adventure.
Skeen is back! Sexy space pilot and larcenous scoundrel—a tomb raider who could give Lara Croft a serious run for her money—the tough, cunning, and seductive master thief takes on a series of Herculean trials in her attempts to escape an alternate dimension in a witty and wonderful hybrid of science fiction and fantasy, space opera and quest adventure, that will enthrall fans of Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey, and Alan Dean Foster.
A fugitive “rooner” wanted by law enforcers throughout the known universe, Skeen has grit, cunning, and a closet full of more skeletons than a suburban cemetery. Now, the intergalactic outlaw is stuck in a dimension that is not her own, surrounded by a small mob of new friends and followers representing the eight different races that inadvertently stumbled into Mistommerk over the centuries. Each member of the motley entourage shares the same goal: to find a way out through the elusive Stranger’s Gate.
Their road to a possible exit is twisted and dangerous, with all sorts of nastiness waiting around every turn, from hired killers to bizarre ravenous beasts to the terrible shape-shifting Sea Min. Skeen is proving to be a most wily, brave, and determined, if reluctant, leader. But with a confusing plethora of portals leading to numerous strange dimensions and worlds overlapping other worlds, she may be hard pressed to find the right way back—even if she does somehow manage to survive.
A masterwork of ingenious world-building and wild invention, beloved science fiction author Jo Clayton’s Skeen’s Return is a welcome return to the delightfully bizarre universe and alien life-forms so brilliantly imagined in Skeen’s Leap, the first volume in an enthralling trilogy featuring one of the most endearingly outrageous heroines in contemporary speculative fiction.
Skeen is back! Sexy space pilot and larcenous scoundrel—a tomb raider who could give Lara Croft a serious run for her money—the tough, cunning, and seductive master thief takes on a series of Herculean trials in her attempts to escape an alternate dimension in a witty and wonderful hybrid of science fiction and fantasy, space opera and quest adventure, that will enthrall fans of Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey, and Alan Dean Foster.
A fugitive “rooner” wanted by law enforcers throughout the known universe, Skeen has grit, cunning, and a closet full of more skeletons than a suburban cemetery. Now, the intergalactic outlaw is stuck in a dimension that is not her own, surrounded by a small mob of new friends and followers representing the eight different races that inadvertently stumbled into Mistommerk over the centuries. Each member of the motley entourage shares the same goal: to find a way out through the elusive Stranger’s Gate.
Their road to a possible exit is twisted and dangerous, with all sorts of nastiness waiting around every turn, from hired killers to bizarre ravenous beasts to the terrible shape-shifting Sea Min. Skeen is proving to be a most wily, brave, and determined, if reluctant, leader. But with a confusing plethora of portals leading to numerous strange dimensions and worlds overlapping other worlds, she may be hard pressed to find the right way back—even if she does somehow manage to survive.
A masterwork of ingenious world-building and wild invention, beloved science fiction author Jo Clayton’s Skeen’s Return is a welcome return to the delightfully bizarre universe and alien life-forms so brilliantly imagined in Skeen’s Leap, the first volume in an enthralling trilogy featuring one of the most endearingly outrageous heroines in contemporary speculative fiction.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1987
12 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Jo Clayton
71 books68 followersJo Clayton, whose parents named her after Jo in Little Women, was born and raised in Modesto, California. She and her three sisters shared a room and took turns telling each other bedtime stories. One of her sisters noted that Jo's stories were the best, and often contained science fiction and fantasy elements.
Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.
In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.
During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.
After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.
Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.
Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.
Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.
In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.
During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.
After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.
Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.
Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 1, 2021
This series seems much more fantasy than sci fi, but has elements of both...
May 9, 2013
Who doesn't love a sci-fi cover with a hot spiky haired genderqueer character with fabulous jewelry on it? And at the rock bottom price of $0.25 at local Alley Cat Books Discount Sci-Fi bin, how can i go wrong? Right? Actually, the answer is Yes! Its amazing! I went into this little gem with much trepidation, but am falling in love with the ridiculous characters, the overly complex layered worlds and their different Gates to other dimensions and so forth. A true bandit with a heart of gold (and a closet full of demons), the ultimate scrappy character of Skeen as she leads her brood of misfits through loss of limb, life and other worse misfortunes to escape to her home world is a treat. I'm loving it and can't wait to find the rest of this series - hopefully for $0.25.
September 26, 2021
There's not much more to say about this than the first book. The characters develop a little more as the story goes on. It's a really good adventure with some nice turns and a few tight battles. Skeen's character felt a little less stable, but I think part of that was having some of it told from Timka's perspective. It left me looking forward to the final book.
April 17, 2022
In book one (not really a spoiler) Skeen has to figure out how she is going to get back to her own world and find out what happened to her ship and bf etc. Here she has to make her way to the 'Gate' she fell through and get back through. Most companions peel off but a few will go with her into this other universe. Engaging throughout. ****
February 26, 2017
You should read this book right after the first one on the trilogy. The worldbuilding is very convoluted and complex, and there is no explanation for those who are beginning now: the story picks up right where it left off. It's been a while since I read the first book, so I was a bit lost at first; because of that, it took me a while to get into this one.
But this is a very fun, fast-paced, thoroughly enjoyable book. Complex and well developed characters, vast and well written universe, the works. The small dialogues the narrator has with the reader, especially in the chapter titles, are an extra delight. I'm looking forward to the next one.
But this is a very fun, fast-paced, thoroughly enjoyable book. Complex and well developed characters, vast and well written universe, the works. The small dialogues the narrator has with the reader, especially in the chapter titles, are an extra delight. I'm looking forward to the next one.
January 19, 2025
Perhaps a tiny bit more traditional feeling that the first, but also gives a lot more insight into other characters than the previous book. Still does a lot of entertaining things with the narration; and compresses time in various ways - the first _half_ of the book is mostly concerned with a single city over the course of a few weeks, while other journeys are skipped over with a single sentence.
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October 23, 2025Starship pilot Skeen and her band of travelers desperately search for the Stranger's Gate, the only way she can reenter her own universe. Danger, treachery and intrigue meet them at every turn as they must outwit a monster woman, fight a fierce battle inside a slaver's estate and fend off attacks of the feared Sea Min.
January 3, 2019
I had a much harder time getting into this one than the first. I felt the plot points didn't hang together well and parts of the book felt like a rough draft. But the characters are still delightful and profound and I'll be sad to part with them in the next book.
October 15, 2022
Gritty, ugly and realistic.
The story of Skeen continues with her fighting her way back to the gate she entered thru. Skeen does not rely on finesse at the end. High tech or magic brute force often wins the day . One book about Skeen left. It will be a rough ending.
The story of Skeen continues with her fighting her way back to the gate she entered thru. Skeen does not rely on finesse at the end. High tech or magic brute force often wins the day . One book about Skeen left. It will be a rough ending.
August 30, 2018
Not as good as the first book in the trilogy, but I appreciate the fact that Clayton answered the main question in this book, so I don't have to buy the third.
May 14, 2019
I enjoy the world building, a little less so the breaking of the 4th wall, but also it takes a long time to get anywhere.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews