REVIEW: The Lost Empire of Sol
Scott Oden presents The Lost Empire of Sol: A Shared World Anthology of Sword and Planet Tales
Cover Art by M.D. Jackson
Edited by Jason M. Waltz and Fletcher Vredenburgh
Published by Rogue Blades Foundation, a not-for-profit publisher. Their tagline is “Exploring Heroics!”
Sword and planet is my favorite genre. From Lost on Venus by Burroughs to The Thief of Llarn by Fox to Banners of the Sa'yen by Stateham to the Dray Prescot series by Kenneth Bulmer–I am a big fan. When I heard about this anthology I was very excited. More so when I was able to obtain a review copy for a fair and honest review.
What I encountered was something seemingly different than I was expecting. Traditionally an earthman arrives somehow, and has to make his way on an alien world with his wits and prowess. I was unprepared for this. These stories read to me like science fiction. None matched up to what I was used to.
So I looked up the definition of the term.
Sword and planet is a subgenre of science fiction that features rousing adventure stories set on other planets, and usually featuring humans as protagonists. The name derives from the heroes of the genre engaging their adversaries in hand-to-hand combat primarily with simple melee weapons such as swords, even in a setting that often has advanced technology.
This anthology is epic in presentation. It also boasts a who's who of authors and contributors. If you are active in the online community you are familiar with most if not all the names attached to this work.
Prologue by Scott Oden
A being called The Emissary discovers some wreckage. Finding the mummified remains of a person, he picks through its memories to learn more of this dead primate and its people.
The Emissary reminds me of one of the many heralds of Galactus from Marvel Comics.
To Save Hermesia by Joe Bonadonna and David C. Smith
Hermesia is dying. Some welcome annihilation. Others strive for life; two such individuals, a young warrior woman and an old mentalor, seek an ancient transmitter in a remote place. The road is perilous.
The Lost Princess of Themos by Tom Doolan
Beauty and the beast. Attacked and separated from her subjects, a young woman is forced to flee on foot and somehow survive in the wilderness. Rescued by a beast-man with telepathic speech, they both learn they have a shared destiny.
What Really Happened at the Center of the Earth by Christopher M. Blanchard
Told in first person perspective. The lone survivor of an expedition is grilled about his account of the events. Sort of a Lost World tale underground with giant spiders and lizard men.
A Sand Ship of Mars by Charles Allen Gramlich
Witnessing the crash of a star craft, the crew of a Martian vessel investigate. Recovering only a strange deceased body, they continue on to their destination. Only the new passenger isn't dead. A tense, fun read.
Whispers of the Serpent by Howard Andrew Jones
Told in first person perspective. A woman and her companion steal a ship only to crash it on a planet. Upon waking, she is surprised she is not dead. Even more surprising is how long she and her companion have slept. Hunted by bio-engineered creatures, they seek a way off world.
I felt like the story ends abruptly, as if there is more to come...
Outcasts of Jov by Mark Finn
An ambush leaves only three survivors. Collected by a crew of enterprising individuals the survivors are returned home for a possible ransom. The ship is attacked and forced to flee to an unimaginable place, discovering a heresy and a political coup in progress.
Another story abruptly ends. The crew was reminiscent of the television series Firefly.
Written in the Lightning by Keith J. Taylor
A man and woman are running for their lives. They seek the only escape open to them: an ancient Gate of the Empire of Sol. Waking on another world they discover their bodies have transmuted into forms compatible with their new environment. It seems their appearance has been prophesied, but not everyone is happy with their appearance. Conspiracies are afoot.
Another partial story.
Survivors of Ulthula by E. E. Knight
A freight ship discovers wreckage with life forms on board. A nightmare of first contact awaits the boarding party.
Hunters of Ice and Sky by David A. Hardy
Like most fathers, Pepper wants the best for his son. When a big score falls into his lap he gears up and sets out which pits him against the Red Priest and his acolytes. One last job turns into a fight for survival.
A Gate in Darkness by Paul R. McNamee
A city under attack. One lone barbarian warrior. An attempted rescue of the Princess. A mysterious cowled figure and his secret. All culminating at one of the Empire's star gates.
Epilogue by Scott Oden
The Emissary is troubled by what he has learned. Taking his tidings to his masters, the Triune, they discover the handiwork of the Nameless One. The Emissary is given the task of seeking and destroying the Nameless One.
Each story stands on its own. All are self contained with several endings that leave quite a bit unresolved. Many of the main protagonists are women, which is odd because every single author is male. This seems intentional with its reoccurrence. Although, Mr. Oden has assured me that the prevalence of female protagonists was organic without outside stimuli.
This is an excellent anthology. Although it was too loosely strung together considering the framework presented in the Prologue and Epilogue. I don't see the cohesive whole; what I see is pieces of a puzzle. Perhaps all will be made more clear with a companion anthology in the near future?