The Knights of the Black Earth: A Mag Force 7 Novel [Paperback]

Margaret Weis (Author), Don Perrin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mag Force | Publication Date: March 1, 1996

Seeking revenge against the traitor who made him into a cyborg, Xris, the leader of the mercenary team Mag Force 7, is thwarted by the Knights of the Black Earth, a deadly fanatical group. Reprint. AB. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Weis (the Dragonlance series, etc.) returns to her Stars of the Guardians series (The Lost King, etc.), this time collaborating with military expert and first-time author Perrin, formerly of the Canadian Defense Department. Cyborg Xris and the six other members of his mercenary Mag Force 7 team are back as well, seeking to foil a plot to assassinate the galactic ruler, King Starfire. High-tech combat and violent death permeate the narrative, which initially focuses on Xris's mission to do away with his former colleague, the transsexual Darin Cowan/Darlene Mohini. Xris, who was once wholly human, believes that Cowan betrayed him, leading to the accident that left the Force ruler imprisoned in a cyborg body. When a foppish, drug-using member of the team is kidnapped during that mission, the Force discovers the plot by the Knights of the Black Earth to kill the king. Adventures and misadventures, leavened with plot twists, humor and ample quotes from Sun Tzu, follow. Unexpectedly subtle yet filled with fast-paced action, this above-average space opera will please Weis's many fans.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The cyborg warrior Xris and his team of professional mercenaries seek out an elusive target whose past betrayals warrant speedy execution; their plans change abruptly, however, when they uncover a plot to destroy the galaxy's young king, the last living bearer of the Blood Royal. Set in the same universe as Weis's "Star of the Guardians" series, this effort by the popular sf/fantasy author and first-timer Perrin is a fast-paced galactic adventure designed to introduce the motley crew of antiheroes known as the Mag Force 7. Spiced with humor and a dash of romance, this space opera should appeal to most fans of sf adventure.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Roc (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451455142
• ISBN-13: 978-0451455147
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,419,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Weis graduated from the University of Missouri in 1970 with a BA in Creative Writing and Literature. Following a career in publishing she became an editor with TSR in 1983, and now lives with her husband and two cats in a converted barn near Lake Genva, Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great,captivating mix of sci-fi and magic Must read!, August 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Knights of the Black Earth (Mag Force) (Hardcover)

This book is another great one in the Mag Force 7! Mixing science fiction and magic and plot twists and humor and mystery, Margaret Weis comes up with a fun to read book! The characters are detailed and have their own troubles and triumphs which make them seem like real people. The fights between good and evil are balanced by both sides winning and losing sometimes. This book got me hooked on her other series'. Overall this book is A1, numero uno, first, cream of the crop and if you think this book was great, wait till you read her other books!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing piece of writing, May 18, 2004

By 

Pomai Kajiyama "Crazedweasels" (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knights of the Black Earth: A Mag Force 7 Novel (Paperback)

I usually don't read Sci-Fiction, but this book caught my eye at the library, so I decided to give it a try, and I am so happy that I did. This story takes place in the same universe as the Star of the Gaurdians series (good series, but not as interesting as the Mag Force 7 series). This is a great book with a whole host of crazy characters, and more plot twists than a mystery novel. It follows the story of Xris, an ex-Federal agent who was betrayed by his own partner. He is now a cyborg, and the leader of a mercenary group called Mag Force 7. This adventure takes you all over the universe and introduces you to a whole bunch of interesting characters (Raoul and the Little One being the most interesting). This is a must have for any Sci-fi/Fantasy reader

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Idea, but could have been taken a bit further, October 22, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Newport News, Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knights of the Black Earth (Mag Force) (Hardcover)

I feel that Margaret Weis's and Don Perrin's " Knights of Black Earth " was a good premise for a book but it just didn't go far enough with the characters and their talents, which were described early in the book. About a quarter of the specialists never even came into play as what they should have been; like Tycho, the sniper. He never even used his sniper rifle, and only pulled it out once. Jamil was pretty much the same story; he never used anything you would call a heavy weapon. The beginning couple of chapter's that detailed the assassination of the Queen made a nice introduction to Raoul and the Little One, but those two (whom I thought were the books most interesting characters) were effectivly removed from the better part of the book. All in all, I feel that this book is worth a one-time read, but it just doesn't have the power to it that another book, such as Starship Troopers or Armor might have that would warrant a second reading. Justin Beal ([e-mail])