The Beast Master

Did You Know?

• In German translation the novel was published as Der Letzte der Navajos, literally 'The Last of the Navajo'.
• The first two latter-day sequels by Norton and McConchie were named the year's best novel by New Zealand science fiction fans (Sir Julius Vogel Award).
• The film adaptation was followed by two sequels and a TV series.

Plot summary

Hosteen Storm, a Navajo and former soldier with empathic and telepathic links to genetically altered animals, emigrates from Earth to the planet Arzor to herd livestock. He harbors wrath toward the Xik and seeks revenge on a man named Quade for his father's murder. According to Kirkus, he finds 'life and hope' instead. The novel uses metaphors from Navajo culture in Storm's life and the culture he adopts on Arzor.

Reception

Floyd C. Gale of Galaxy gave the novel four out of five stars, but only "for youngsters," predicting they would be completely captivated. Kirkus Reviews found the fantasy believable thanks to the author's daring imagination and total commitment to the created atmosphere. That review, like several others from the late 1950s and early 1960s, mistakenly assumed Andre Norton was male. In the 1962 sequel Lord of Thunder, Hosteen Storm tackles a planet-wide crisis. Kirkus felt that story took a back seat to the vivid descriptions, inventive concepts, and strong writing, recommending it for seasoned sci-fi fans. The 2002 continuation Beast Master's Ark, co-written with Lyn McConchie, was welcomed by Kirkus as part of a top-tier series, praising its lean prose and predictable but satisfying plot, and promising that loyal readers would be thrilled. McConchie has stated she wrote the prose alone.

Series

The series comprises The Beast Master (Harcourt, Brace, 1959), Lord of Thunder (Harcourt, 1962), Beast Master's Ark (Tor Books, 2002) by Norton and Lyn McConchie, Beast Master's Circus (Tor, 2004) by Norton and McConchie, and Beast Master's Quest (Tor, 2006) by Norton (deceased) and McConchie. Omnibus editions include Beast Master Team (SFBC, 2004) containing the 2002 and 2004 collaborations, and Beast Master's Planet (Tor, 2005; SFBC, 2005) containing the first two books.