Exile's Quest

Gray Lands #1

by Richard Meade, Sandy Kossin (Illustrator)

They call it the Power Stone. Some men called it by other names, Philosopher’s Stone, Grail. A sorcerer has given it to the Queen of the Unknown Lands. King Sigreith wants it, so he sends an exiled swordsman, Baron Gallt, at the head of an army of cutthroats and prisoners into the legendary Unknown Lands. All sorts of monsters and half-men wait along their path.

Genres: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Science Fiction

190 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1970

About the author

Pen name used by Ben Haas.

Reviews

[Jonathan Ammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Haas, AKA Richard Meade, is a hero of mine. This 1970 novel is a more enjoyable and much more creative pulp fantasy than many more famous fantasy novels that came after it. It holds up as good pulpy entertainment and a solid fantasy novel from a prolific author who conquered many genres, but only produced three fantasy novels. I wish there were more of these, and as much as I enjoy Haas's westerns and adventure stories would have been happier had he found acclaim in this genre and produced most of his work in it. He was capable of serious work, and I wish he had received more acclaim and a longer life.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantasy story with a post apocalyptic setting. Evidently the Worldfire destroyed the world long ago... Pretty straight forward and generic read. The main character Gallt is your typical do-gooder noble hero. While Barrt is the typical evil disenfranchised second son of a noble who craves world domination. Between them is the typical beautiful Queen Thayna, whose kingdom has been taken over by Barrt and his army of Weer (bat-men) and the Slyth (lizard-men)-both mutations from the Worldfire. The object everyone has their eyes on to meet their goals is the fabled Powerstone.
It was a decent quick fatasy read. I enjoyed it.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heroic fantasy. Good reading if not exactly earth shaking.