The book of Skaith: The adventures of Eric John Stark (Hardcover)

~ Leigh Brackett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Stark grasped hs own ankle and found the off hand that did not belong there. He shifted his grip to the alien wrist. All the time he and the sea thing were plunging deeper the milky light from above growning dimmer. The smooth descent finally stopped. The game was over..

Product Details

• Hardcover: 468 pages
• Publisher: Nelson Doubleday; [Book club ed.] edition (1976)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0006FATW8
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,097,887 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT TRIOGY, August 18, 2006

By	D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This particular book is a three in one and includes "The Ginger Star," "The Hounds of Skaith," and "The Reavers of Skaith." This is good, adventure SiFi in the Burroughs tradition. The book follows the adventures of one Eric John Stark. Leigh Brackett is quite strong in character development, is an excellent story teller and keeps the pages turning. This paricular book was published in 1976 but the stories go back to a publishing date of 1974. All in all this is a good read and a pleasing way to spend a weekend. Recommend.

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Reader, December 11, 2008

By	Blue Tyson "- http://freesf.blogspot.com" - See all my reviews

An omnibus edition from the 70s of all three of the Eric John Stark novels.

Book Of Skaith : The Ginger Star - Leigh Brackett
Book Of Skaith : The Hounds of Skaith - Leigh Brackett
Book Of Skaith : The Reavers of Skaith - Leigh Brackett

The Dark Mark cometh.


The title refers to the color of the sun of the planet Skaith, where this series is based.

Stark ventures there looking for an old friend and mentor, someone who was pivotal in his survival and upbringing.

Then it gets stranger. Skaith is a backwater, and speak of the Dark Man and other such Robert E. Howard appellations - that is what a prophesy suggests Stark might be - a pivotal figure in the planet's conflict.

Once he arrives, he could be in a Burroughs or Howard story, Witchfire story, backstabbing madwomen, tough guy enemies - ok, apart from the telepathic hounds, perhaps.

Certainly monster fighting and sword swinging to be done, however.

Not a brilliant book by any stretch, as you would probably guess, but it is very compelling, as he who was N'Chaka the wild man, the Wolfshead (has anyone been called by the titles of two Howard stories in one book before?), searches for his friend among many deadly enemies on a planet full of people disinclined to believe in the existence of the outsided Galactic Union.

I don't think anyone who likes the whole family of space hero/planetary romance supermen type of story will regret reading these books for a second, as Brackett certainly has more talent than most of the writers of the same.

A 3.5 if you like.

3.5 out of 5



Fire and Sword.


Stark already has released the Hounds, and he puts them to very good use in this battle of progressive and conservative forces across the planet.

Under siege, the forces of his allies need help, and he can find them some. With his friend Simon's political influence, getting some technological assistance from a ship in the area could make raising a siege like bullseyeing womp-rats in the T-16 back home.

A somewhat more powerful set of events than in the first novel, I think.

Really excellent, and definitely better than the first of the trilogy.

4.5 out of 5


Last stand for a dying order.


Stark and his allies (even those who would be more than happy to stick a sword in his neck), have to try and do what they can to save as many people as possible.

Cities start to crumble on the dying world of Skaith and only mass evacuation can save the half of the population that will die.

The old powers would rather stay and see that happen, and our hero has to try and change it, avoid crazed madwoman, and stay alive in the process.

4 out of 5

5.0 out of 5 stars mesmerizing, February 3, 2005

By	Gilles Benson (Beauvais, France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this three book sequel is among the best novels ever written about alien people and setting; an extraordinary man (Stark) meets his doom while searching for his would be father on a remote planet (Skaith) circling a dying star. A magnificent story of love, death and survival through strange places and trading with weird aliens. Much better than the silly ER Burrough Mars story people keep comparing it with...