Under the Green Star (Green Star, #1) in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

Jun 03, 2020 Karl rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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DAW Collectors #30

Cover Artist: Tim Kirk

Name: Carter, Linwood Vrooman

Alternate Names: H. P. Lowcraft, Grail Undwin

Interplanetary Adventure tales, it would be that the World of the Green Star (WotGS) has many
In the book there are geographic and plot similarities with Egar Rice Burroughs Amtor. In both, the hero (unnamed on the "UotG" and Carson Napier on Amtor or Venus) from Earth, lands on the portion of the cloud-shrouded planet rearing city-bearing forests with a civilization or city (the La DAW Collectors #30

Cover Artist: Tim Kirk

Name: Carter, Linwood Vrooman

Alternate Names: H. P. Lowcraft, Grail Undwin

Interplanetary Adventure tales, it would be that the World of the Green Star (WotGS) has many
In the book there are geographic and plot similarities with Egar Rice Burroughs Amtor. In both, the hero (unnamed on the "UotG" and Carson Napier on Amtor or Venus) from Earth, lands on the portion of the cloud-shrouded planet rearing city-bearing forests with a civilization or city (the Laonese of Phaolon on UotGS) and the Vepajans of Kooaad on Amtor) in dire need of succor. And naturally, there is a princess (Duare/Niamph) to be saved and her heart and hand won.

Both Carson Napier and Lord Chong (Chongaphon tai-Vena-Vena) soon fall from a tree and are saved by the web of a giant spider (xoph on the World of the Green Star and targo on Amtor). It is later learned that these gigantic forests cover only a small portion of the planet and the action does extend to oceans and far-off lands. The geography of both planets seem compatible. So much so that I bet Den Valdron could write an essay claiming that both worlds are in fact, one and the same. Naturally the difference in solar systems would have to be explained.

it is probably noted that neither our adventurer from Earth or the planet he visits, are named. Only the astrally/spiritually inhabited body of the in-stasis hero (Lord Chong) is named and Carter keeps referring to the planet as the 'World of the Green Star'. Strange that not one civilization would have a name for their world. similar to Andre Norton's Witch World in this regard.

Visually, the cover for "Under the Green Star" is stunning.

Carter was extremely prolific, publishing an average of 6 books a year in the late 1960s. He was a self promoter, often citing his own writings in his nonfiction and always including his own pieces in the anthologies he edited. His work is often considered derivative, something he himself readily admitted, often identifying his models in the introduction of his novels.

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