The Beast Master

Andre Norton’s 1959 novel *The Beast Master*, published by Harcourt, launched the Hosteen Storm series (also called the Beast Master series). The protagonist, Hosteen Storm, is a Navajo former soldier who shares empathic and telepathic bonds with a group of genetically modified animals. After emigrating from Earth to the planet Arzor, Storm takes work herding livestock. He initially seeks revenge on a man named Quade for his father’s murder and harbors anger toward the Xik, his former enemies, but ultimately finds “life and hope” instead. Through Storm’s experiences and the culture he adopts on Arzor, Norton uses metaphor to explore aspects of Navajo culture.

The novel received a three-star rating from *Galaxy* reviewer Floyd C. Gale, who noted it was suitable for younger readers. *Kirkus Reviews* praised the story’s imaginative world-building and the author’s ability to create a convincing atmosphere. (Several *Kirkus* reviews from 1958 to 1963 mistakenly assumed Andre Norton was male, though the review for *The Time Traders* correctly refers to “Miss Norton.”)

Norton wrote one sequel, *Lord of Thunder* (1962), in which Storm resolves a planet-wide crisis. *Kirkus* found that story “secondary to the fascinating description, the imaginative ideas, and the general quality of prose and dialogue,” recommending it for experienced science-fiction readers. Four decades later, New Zealand author Lyn McConchie co-wrote three further sequels with Norton, one of which was published after Norton’s death in 2005. McConchie stated these were “written solely by Lyn from a brief collaborated outline.” The first two of these later novels won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for best novel from New Zealand science fiction fans. *Kirkus* welcomed the 2002 collaboration *Beast Master’s Ark*, calling the series “one of the better SF series going” and praising its “neat, swift, and strongly detailed” prose, adding that “old fans will dance and howl for more.” McConchie has claimed sole authorship of the prose in these collaborations.

The 1982 sword-and-sorcery film *The Beastmaster*, starring Marc Singer, shares only the title and basic concept with Norton’s novel; it is an original screenplay, and Norton’s name was removed from the credits at her request due to her dissatisfaction with the script’s liberties. The film spawned two sequels and a television series.