The Golden Queen [Paperback]

Dave Wolverton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1995

Attempting to rally the forces of humanity against the Insectoid Dronon invaders, Semaritte, the clone of a slain ruler, enlists the help of a cocky bodyguard, an orphan, and an intelligent bear. Reprint. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though billed as science fiction, the latest novel by the author of this summer's Star Wars yarn ( The Courtship of Princess Leia ) reads more like fantasy. Gallen O'Day lives on a backward planet where he works as a bodyguard along with his friend, the genetically enhanced talking bear, Orick. They and Maggie Flynn, Gallen's girlfriend, are whisked into the middle of an intergalactic intrigue by two strangers, the Lady Everynne and her protector, Veriasse. Everynne is a clone designed as the perfect human, beautiful beyond compare and so good that she wishes only to serve the best interests of our species. At this time, humanity has been conquered by the Dronon, an insect-like race controlled by a hive mentality and ruled by a Golden Queen. The Dronon want to genetically reengineer humanity along insect-like lines, a fate that Everynne and her escorts try to deter by challenging the Golden Queen's protector in battle. The story features many charming moments; especially appealing is the talking bear, who retains his ursine nature while still yearning to become a Christian priest. On the other hand, there's little depth or moral force to the losses the characters suffer. Wolverton is obviously trying to gain SF legitimacy (his discussions of genetic research go on for pages), but he relies on fantasy fundamentals time and again, including a standard quest format, stereotypical characterizations and a predictably happy ending. Yet the legions of Star Wars fans will probably devour this mix of familiar themes, archetypal characters and moderately interesting alien technologies. Major ad/promo.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

From the author of the recent Star Wars yarn The Courtship of Princess Leia (p.254), a hybrid sword/science-fiction space opera set in a far future where humans, having spread through the galaxy, are now threatened by invading insectoid dronons who have killed Semaritte, the human ruler, and taken over her planet-size computer. So Semaritte's wise and ancient Lord Escort, Veriasse, has cloned Semaritte and plans to challenge the dronon Golden Queen's Lord Escort in battle according to the dronons' own code. If Veriasse wins, Everynne, the charismatic clone, will recover Semaritte's powers. On Tihrglas, an Irish-flavored planet deliberately shielded from the superscience prevalent elsewhere, Everynne acquires some helpers: warrior Gallen O'Day, his girlfriend Maggie, and Orick the talking bear. Pursued by ``vanquishers'' and other fearsome creatures, they leap from planet to planet via Gates opened with Keys, enduring perils at every turn, until a final showdown decides the fate of the galaxy. Sound familiar? Well, despite Wolverton's contorted superscience, feeble plotting, and jerry-built prose, fans of his Star Wars outing will probably wish to investigate. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 10 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812552555
• ISBN-13: 978-0812552553
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, Thrilling, finally a great ending, October 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Golden Queen (Paperback)

I purchased this book at a bargain book sale, you know the kind where there are thousands of books all stacked on tables. I just so happened to see this one and I recognized the author. Previously I had read The Courtship of Princess Leia. Generally, I'm a some-what of a medium reader, I read this book in three days, I couldn't put it down. The action was nonstop, and then there was a little romance thrown in on top of it. I have given the book to several friends to read, and they all enjoyed it as well. I'm definately going to read the remaining two books in this series, as well anything else Wolverton decides to right. As I said, the ending was great, even though the story continues, there was no cliff hanger, and I had no clue about the ending until I read the last few paragraphs.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of adventure!!!, August 18, 2000

By 

"valai" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Queen (Paperback)

If you like adventurous books I recommend this one to you!!! Usually I am not the most excited fan over Star Wars but I read the Courtship of Princess Leia and thought that book was nicely written and couldn't put it down till I was finished!

Gallen O'Day is a seasoned fighter, a guide, and a guard. He longs for adventure and for excitement. He has a widely known reputation for being a very efficient guard, robbers know his name and fear him.

Maggie Flynn works in an alehouse and thinks Gallen is handsome and the best guard/guide around. She and Gallen have an odd sort of relationship. They have an attraction to each other but Gallen doesn't make any of the moves, thinking Maggie is too young.

The adventure for Gallen starts when two strangers come to the alehouse. A man who wears two swords, walks and looks like he knows how to fight and it appears he's the bodyguard of the second stranger.

The second stranger is young, beautiful, petite, and ... perfect. And to top it all off the stranger is female. Immediately Gallen feels the urge to protect her and thinks he's fallen in love. But what are two strangers who obviously are different doing here? The strangers reveal that they want to travel to the ancient arch called Geata na Chruinne. They need someone to take them there and it can't be a boy, it has to be a soldier, or someone who knows how to fight.

Gallen is the only one who knows the way and who can fight. So they make a deal that they would travel there later. That night Gallen has another job to deal with. He guides and guards a man but unfortunately they meet robbers on the road. Gallen is awestruck when a sidhe helps him but is puzzled when the sidhe tells him that he will hold Gallen accountable for any oaths he makes this day. When Gallen finally returns he finds himself making an oath that he will help whoever his heart is hot to aid. And his heart is hot to aid ... the strangers.

A creature, a monster that no one has ever seen the likes of before comes into town and is killed. But the strangers have seen that kind of monster before, they aren't shocked as the townspeople are. Orick knows (Gallen's bear friend) because he saw their faces and he decided to follow the two strangers and take Maggie with him.

When Gallen goes to take the strangers (he finds the woman's name is Everynne and the bodyguard is Veriasse) to the arch he discovers that they have the monsters following them. When the arch appears Everynne takes a key and disappears along with Veriasse. The monsters have a key too and are about to follow them when Gallen pops out of hiding and takes the key ... going through the arch taking Maggie and Orick along. They find that they have been transported to a different world.

When they manage to find Maggie and Veriasse again things become more clear. Everynne is going to challenge the Golden Queen for her position. She is the last person of a certain race called Tharrins and if she suceeds she will be the Golden Queen. The present Queen will have to step down ... Everynne hopes to save the worlds that are being destroyed by the Queen's people (vanquishers).

But the one who does the fighting is her companion, guard, and friend Veriasse. He has to battle the Lord Protector and the Lord Protector is not human but something else that can easily cut a person in half.

Who will win in the end and what about Gallen? Gallen is a seasoned fighter ... is it possible that he could learn to defeat the monster before it's too late? Or will they all die and more worlds will be destroyed?

What about Maggie and Gallen? Gallen and Maggie have something special ... all they have to do is respond to their inner hearts before their feelings of love turn into feelings of hate ...

This book is great!!! It's full of adventure and around every corner lurks danger and death ... flashes of romance spark, and this book interwines different ways of thinking and ways of power (both good and bad) as well as showing peoples good sides as well as their bad sides ... A fantastic book and the pages seem to magically fit the story together. A book to read again and again.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Wolverton's best, September 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Golden Queen (Paperback)

<i>The Golden Queen</i> is the beginning of the saga of Maggie Flynn, Gallen O'Day, and Orick the bear. Hired to guide an otherworlder, Everynne, to the gate to the Maze of Worlds, the three journey through the gate and help save Everynne's people from the Dronon.