FLIGHT IN YIKTOR

A frail, diffident sequel to Exiles of the Stars, from the veteran author of, most recently, Forerunner: the Second Venture (1985). Farree, a pathetic, crippled slave of unknown ancestry, lives in the Limits (slums) of Grant's World; he is purchased by a pair of human-alien Thassa, the former Moon Singer Maelen and her companion Krip, because of his telepathic powers. Maelen and Krip are headed for planet Yiktor, once a stronghold of the Thassa, now mostly deserted. But they are stalked by agents of the Thieves' Guild who believe that Maelen and Krip will lead them to caches of ancient Thassa weapons and artifacts. So while Maelen and Krip struggle to ingratiate themselves with the skeptical Thassa authorities, the Guild kidnaps Farree and baits a trap with him. Farree, helped by some telepathic animals with whom he has been confined, escapes—but during the pursuit his hunchback splits open: the reviled cripple is transformed into a beautiful winged creature. In most of Norton's works, the characters, situations, and voices are inescapably juvenile. This one is no exception. The ambiance is magical rather than science fictional. The backdrop is mostly froth. And the narrative sounds absurdly like a muffled groan. So, overall, this one would look better—though by no means convincing—on the YA shelf.