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A World Called Camelot

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The natives called Formalhaut II by the name of Fergis. In Galactic listings the Watchers and Adjusters called it Camelot for a good reason.
For one thing, magic seemed to work. For another, knighthood was the order of the day and a strict chivalry ruled the lands. For a third, there was evil in the world to be combatted.
Mere observation from orbit no longer sufficed, because now that evil had assumed menacing and warlike proportions. Armies and huge flying dragons were moving from the sinister southlands to overwhelm this world, much as the legions of legendary Mordor had moved to conquer Middle Earth.
It was time for an Adjuster to step in and unravel the mysteries of Camelot...and that task fell to Kyrie Fern, henceforth to be known as Harl Lenti, swordsman and manipulator of a mightier magic - that of galactic science.

Yeah, I remember this one, and vividly. Arthur H. Landis, in his time, only wrote four works of fiction, but three of these are novels which comprise the fabulous "Camelot" arc. This is a sci-fi/fantasy trilogy which I've read over and over, and have never gotten tired of. A WORLD CALLED CAMELOT, published in 1976, is the first entry, and was actually previously released in a somewhat different version as a 1969 serial titled "Let There Be Magick" under the byline of "James R. Keaveny." I don't know much about Arthur H. Landis, but I do know I'm thankful that he wrote this series.

This story takes place in the distant future, where humanity had long ago gained firm purchase to the stars. The Galactic Foundation is a far flung Terran body benignly keeping tabs on planets with primitive cultures. For the past two hundred years, observers from the Foundation had been avidly tracking the progress of Fregis, the second planet in the Fomalhaut star system. In the Galactic listings, this world is called Camelot. And with good reason. Magic works on Camelot. In this feudalistic society, knighthood is in full flower and chivalry holds sway. And for the Terrans, this makes for fascinating study.

But, of late, dark omens cloud the future. Murmurs begin to spread of an all-out war which threatens to engulf the two continents of Fregis. The Dark One, called the Kaleen, a being of vast and malignant sorcery, is on the move. And the Galactic Foundation decides that something must be done. So, Galactic Adjuster Kyrie Fern strolls in.

Kyrie Fern, or, rather, Sir Harl Lenti, as he'd go down in the annals of Fregis lore, is an engaging and grounded hero, applying a down-to-earth colloquial vocabulary in his first-person narration, but switching to Arthurian vernacular when he addresses his Fregisian colleagues. Thanks to Galactic science, Kyrie is well-equipped to handle the rigors of Fergis, with preconditioning having turned him into a master of arms and a flawless disguise rendering him a normal Fregisian in appearance. Normal, of course, being furry and purply-blue eyed. Kyrie, being good at his job, quickly ingratiates himself into Fregisian society and is soon being hailed as "the Collin," a reincarnation of a famous past hero. Kyrie, it seems, can also trade in manly braggadocio with the best of 'em.

Kyrie reveals his talent for manipulation early on as he begins to speedily affect events in his favor. But it doesn't take long for him to realize that he's not the only non-native player in the game. Enter the Pug-Boos, beloved beasts who look somewhat like koala bears. The Pug-Boos are actually idiotic creatures, no matter that they're so revered. But in the context most important to Kyrie and to the fate of Fergis, the Pug-Boos also occasionally play host to powerful alien beings who might or might not share Kyrie's agenda. Kyrie, throughout, is never quite sure about the Pug-Boos, and, especially, his wiseacre personal Pug-Boo, whose name is Hooli.

This unknown factor, Hooli the Pug-Boo, keeps Kyrie Fern from seeming to be too much of a good thing, as too arrogantly superior to the "primitive" Fregisians. I mean, look at this guy Kyrie; on top of his scientific advantages, Kyrie's home planet has imbued him with twice the strength of a Fergisian. How much deus ex machina can one get? As it is, the Pug-Boos are soon suspected of being more powerful than Kyrie and his team of observers, which is a humbling of sorts.

A WORLD CALLED CAMELOT is about as rousing as it gets. At 220 pages, this story might feel short to those used to 300 pages plus of epic adventure, but Arthur H. Landis, he pulls no punches. Plenty of stirring do-or-die sword and sorcery stuff, of feats of superhuman martial prowess (mostly by Kyrie), and of some serious smoking of despicable villains (Kyrie's deadly combat with the mighty Lord of Gol-Bades is truly brutal). And, hey, there's even a princess in peril. A WORLD CALLED CAMELOT is a seamless melding of science fiction and fantasy, as the galactic troubleshooter pits the might of galactic science against foulest sorcery. So much sheer bravado and virility, that even the ladies are affected. The fiery Princess Murie Nigaard, Kyrie's love interest, is herself very willing to throw down with the vicious steel.

Landis must've had fun with his world-building of Fregis. It's a well-imagined world, peopled with proud heggles (knights), friendly, six-legged dottles (the natives' preferred means of transport), the Pug-Boos, and the intelligent Vuun (who resemble dragons). If you're into the medieval culture and into magic, then you'll be right at home here. Given, the characters in this series aren't really well developed. There are only three characters given any kind of depth: Kyrie, the bold Princess Murie, and Hooli the mysterious Pug Boo. The main bad guy, the Kaleen, is pretty much a non-entity in terms of the reader getting to know him. And yet the story is so much fun and lively and imaginative, and so full of the dazzling stuff every kid dreams of, that, dammit, I've given that a pass.

There's a wish-fulfillment thing going on here. Kyrie Fern is the outsider who comes in and finds favor and love in a strange land. A WORLD CALLED CAMELOT is a far flung cousin of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, but, unlike Mark Twain, Arthur H. Landis comes to you, bearing sequels. I heartily recommend Camelot in Orbit and Magick of Camelot. Landis also wrote Home-to Avalon, a novel similar in theme to the Camelot series but isn't as good. But it's certainly worth reading. Come to think of it, also check out Christopher Stasheff's Warlock of Gramarye novels (beginning with the wonderful The Warlock in Spite of Himself), which is also somewhat reminiscent of Landis's Camelot series.

Last thing: Another lesser known author whose works should've made him better known is Sterling E Lanier. His Hiero's Journey and The Unforsaken Hiero (Panther Books) are awesome stuff, although not of the Arthurian bent. What kept him and Landis forever in the authors' basement, I think, is that they simply did not produce enough material. Sucks for them, sucks more for us.

A superb novel. The three book set: A World Called Camelot, Camelot in Orbit and The Magick of Camelot have been favorites of mine for many years. Here, the old stories of global conflict, Magick (sic), and all the best of feudal society meld in to a fine tale. I was drawn into the characters and the setting. A must read set. Very hard to find now.

Sadly, Arthur Landis and his Camelot series seem to have been all but forgotten these days and, as such, have drifted out of print. The books are wonderfully crafted and were one of my early introductions into the world of science fiction and fantasy. Find copies if you can...you won't regret the time and effort spent in doing so, I promise.