Gardner Francis Fox's Warrior of Llarn

Warrior of Llarn is a 1964 sword-and-planet adventure by Gardner Francis Fox. Maybe Fox wasn’t the greatest writer in the world but I’ve read a lot of his stuff and so far I haven’t come across a single boring book of his.

It has a classic sword-and-planet setup. Alan Morgan is a regular guy living in the modern United States, except that for years he has heard a mysterious voice giving him enigmatic messages. And for reasons he can’t rationally explain he has become an expert swordsman. He believes that something important is expected of him but he has no idea what it might be.

In a sword-and-planet story there is no reason to stress about finding a scientifically plausible explanation for the fact that the hero suddenly finds himself transported from 20th century Earth to a distant planet (called Llarn). It’s a much-used trope in this genre and one of the conventions of the genre is that no explanation is required.

Fox always believed in getting straight into the action so almost immediately Alan is set upon by four horned blue-skinned men riding horned horses. And then a flying machine appears, pursued by four other similar machines. The first machine crashes and Alan rescues the pilot and disposes of the pursuers. The pilot is a very pretty golden-skinned girl.

You won’t be at all surprised to find out that she is a princess. Or that an evil usurper now occupies her father’s throne.

But Alan will soon meet a second princess. She’s a beautiful but evil princess. Or that’s what she appears to be.

There are several humanoid species on Llarn, some closely related and some distantly related. Some of them only came into existence after The War. This is one of those stories in which atomic radiation can do absolutely anything - it can create new species and change existing species but it can also create bizarrely non-human lifeforms. Lifeforms that are possibly not even organic. Maybe not corporeal at all. Lifeforms with extraordinary powers. Powers that resemble magic.

Sword-and-planet stories usually do not involve actual magic. That is one of the things that distinguish the genre from sword-and-sorcery. But they can involve highly advanced technologies that seem magical. This novel does involve magic but it’s not really magic since atomic radiation can explain anything.

I don’t have a huge problem with this. Sword-and-planet stories do not have to follow the rules of hard science fiction. And let’s face it, a lot of actual hard science fiction stories involve impossible technologies that might as well be magic.

What matters is that this is a well-written fast-paced action-packed tale, it has some hints of horror, it has some weird coolness elements and there’s a fine love story. There’s a brave noble resourceful hero and a proud noble heroine. And there’s an interesting romantic triangle. There’s action on land, in the air, at sea and in the gloomy dungeons of ancient castles.

The author understands pulp fiction. This is pure entertainment. Recommended.

A second book, Thief of Llarn, appeared in 1966 but Warrior of Llarn works just fine as a standalone novel.

Gardner Francis Fox wrote in multiple pulp genres. His sexy spy thrillers such as the Cherry Delight books (beginning with The Italian Connection) and the Lady from L.U.S.T. books (beginning with Lust, Be a Lady Tonight) are huge amounts of fun. His 1967 black magic novel The Druid Stone (which combines occult thriller and sword-and-sorcery elements) is truly excellent.