Bladesman of Antares

Bladesman of Antares is the ninth book in Kenneth Bulmer's Dray Prescot series, set in the distant Antares star system on the planet Kregen. The novel continues the story of Dray Prescot as he returns to the continent of Havilfar and becomes entangled in local conflicts. The book forms part of the Havilfar Cycle, following Prescot's adventures in a land where massive birds serve as mounts and slavery remains a constant threat. After surviving a dangerous storm, Prescot finds himself defending a remote valley settlement against raiders and accepting a new identity to honor a dying man's request. This science fantasy novel combines elements of planetary romance with sword-and-sorcery action, following in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter series. The themes of honor, identity, and the moral complexities of assuming another's role drive the narrative forward.

Readers describe this as a standard entry in the Dray Prescot series that follows the familiar formula, though some find it less engaging than earlier books. The book receives limited discussion online, with few detailed reviews available. Liked: - Fast-paced sword fighting scenes - Continues the established world-building - Works as a standalone story despite being part of a series Disliked: - Repetitive plot elements from previous books - Less character development than earlier entries - Several readers note it feels "rushed" compared to other Dray Prescot novels Ratings: Goodreads: 3.84/5 (31 ratings, 0 written reviews) Amazon: 4.5/5 (2 ratings, 0 written reviews) The book has minimal online discussion or detailed reader feedback compared to other entries in the series. Most commentary comes from series completists rather than new readers.

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🔹 Kenneth Bulmer wrote under 15 different pen names and authored over 160 novels, including the entire Dray Prescot series under the pseudonym Alan Burt Akers 🔹 Antares, the star around which Kregen orbits, is a red supergiant and one of the brightest stars visible from Earth - approximately 550 light-years away 🔹 The Dray Prescot series spans an impressive 52 books, making it one of the longest-running sword-and-planet series in science fiction literature 🔹 Many of Bulmer's novels, including the Dray Prescot series, were initially published by DAW Books, which was the first publishing company dedicated to science fiction and fantasy 🔹 Like his contemporary Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter series, Bulmer's protagonist Dray Prescot is transported from Earth to another planet, a popular trope in the sword-and-planet subgenre of the 1960s and 70s