The Mantle of Kendis-Dai: A Starshield Novel (Starshield, Book 1) [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Margaret Weis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Starshield, Book 1 | Publication Date: November 12, 1996

Enter a universe of wonders and adventure, where ancient's hold the key to civilization...Starshield, from the bestselling creators of the popular worlds of Dragonlance "RM" and the Death Gate Cycle!

The truth is out there...and discovering the truth is the grand quest of the Omnet, the organization that is the backbone of galactic civilization. For it is the Omnet's information that drives the governments, the economies, and the cultures of myriad worlds.

But someone is sowing seeds of disaster amidst the worlds of the Omnet and threatening civilization with collapse. The only hope to stem the tide of rebellion is an ancient artifact: the Mantle of Kendis-dai. No one knows if the Mantle really exists. No one knows what the Mantle really is. But legend tells that whoever wears the Mantle will be gifted with all knowledge. The Mantle is Power -- and Merinda Neskat of the Omnet is determined to find it.

Unfortunately, the key to her quest is a lost and bewildered crew of human astronauts, bound to follow Merinda in a dangerous race against time and deadly enemy forces...in search of a mysterious world which holds the secret of ancient wisdom that could save them -- or disrupt the path of civilization forever!

Dragonlance Chronicles, Volume 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight; Volume 2: Dragons of Winter Night; and Volume 3: Dragons of Spring Dawning, by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, are also available from Random House AudioBooks.

Kate Burton has appeared in such films as August and Life with Mikey. Her theater work includes roles on Broadway in Doonesbury and the revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company. She has previously read Intensity and Spring Collection for Random House AudioBooks.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The veteran SF team of Weis and Hickman (the Dragonlance and Deathgate series) plunges into a new universe with this soap operatic tale of a galactic chase. Exactly 3256 years after a family row sent supreme god Kendis-dai "into mortality" after losing his sister-lover Shuana-kir, "Omnet sifter" Merinda Neskat loses her own lover, Queekat Shn'dar. Even grimmer, Omnet, the governing intergalactic organ of information dissemination, is threatened by the revolt of its synthetic minds?the faster-than-human components that run every aspect of the automated universe, from computers to household appliances. To save Omnet, the grief-ridden Merinda must recover an ancient artifact, the Mantle of Kendis-dai, symbol of the lost Kendis civilization and key to a secret wisdom that could save civilization or disrupt it forever. After searching for eight years, Merinda meets the remnants of Earth's first mission beyond its solar system. Led by the inept Jeremy Griffiths, the bumbling Earth team helps Merinda defeat the evil forces lurking both inside and outside her own shaky, heartbroken psyche. Ludicrous dialogue ("Get out of my sight!... You are a black hole in my existence") and particularly cheesy characterizations spoil this introduction to a potentially intriguing universe where "quantum weather" disrupts the laws of physics and allows magic to intersperse with science. In addition, the mythical, far-future and contemporary Earthling plot lines lack convincing linkages, boding ill for future volumes in this series. $150,000 ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

A new fantasy tale from a venerable fantasy duo (e.g., The Seventh Gate, LJ 8/94).
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio (November 12, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679452788
• ISBN-13: 978-0679452782
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,899,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( W ) > Weis, Margaret

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 A Breath of Fresh Air!, November 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sentinels (Starshield, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Maybe most people wouldn't exactly call this book a classic: it takes pride in being frivolous and fun and steering clear of too many deep messages with its tongue-in-cheek action. Nor can it seriously be called a science fiction book - this is straight fantasy, but at its absolute pinnacle. When people read this they don't seem to notice all the good things it's doing, not only is it the most enjoyable adult fantasy book I have ever read, but it presents a fantastic female character in Merinda Neskat, which should be particularly appreciated in this genre when we run the risk of being swamped by females like Eddings' Ce'Nedra, Feist's Carline, or any of Gemmel's gorgeous young heriones inexplicably attracted by the 40+ year-old hardened hero.
Starshield is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre! For once it's trying something new and, even more amazing - it succeeds completely! I have become so sick of the fantasy genre where everything is so formulaic: medieval setting with magic; a huge war between good and evil involving at least one royal person... etc, etc. Starshield is wonderfully different. The science fiction/fantasy blend is superb. Weis and Hickman's universe creation is entertainingly ridiculous, yet not so much as to be entirely unbelieveable so the reader doesn't feel alienated. Jeremy Griffiths is the quintessential anti-hero, while Merinda is perfect as the tough herione. Sure, the TFP processors are a ridiculous idea, but you can forgive anything in this book. Nightsword is a great follow-up to it.
The only thing I can say against Starshield is that, because of its lack of popularity, it seems that the final book of the trilogy will never be published. This is a real tragedy, particularly considering the popularity of Weis and Hickman's other, far more mediocre books. However, Starshield and Nightsword also work as stand-alone books, so this doesn't damage a reading of them.
This book fully deserves a rating of 5/5: it's a near-perfect book and a true masterpiece of modern fantasy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Starshield Novel, July 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sentinels (Starshield, Book 1) (Hardcover)

This was an excelent book, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman lived up to their reputation. It starts off a little slow, like many new series but quickly picks up and is a page turner.

5.0 out of 5 stars sf fantasty, September 30, 2011

By 

Stephen Dunklee "bookgeek" (arkansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sentinels (Starshield, Book 1) (Hardcover)

sf fantasty about as good as it gets. this book creates a new alternate reality universe which combines both fantasty and scifi. Dont try to anaylize it, just read it and have fun. In this universe anything is possible.