Bøker av Christopher Stasheff

Spacefaring explorer Rod Gallowglass discovers a lost colony planet with a bizarre pseudo-medieval culture, witches and warlocks, and monsters out of myth and legend. How can a place like this even exist?

SCIENCE AND SORCERY DO NOT MIX-EXCEPT ON GRAMARYESkeptical, cynical Rod Gallowglass is a spacefaring man of science who does not believe in magic. He's also an operative of the agency SCENT, tasked with finding lost colony planets, then guiding them toward democracy and eventual membership in the galactic community.But when he stumbles across the strange new planet Gramarye, he's shocked to discover a medieval society full of witches and warlocks, elves and monsters. How is it even possible? Worse, Rod's advanced technology quickly gets him labeled a warlock, despite his constant denials.Moreover, the Kingdom is in political turmoil, with a young girl-queen on the brink of civil war with her rebellious lords. Rod slowly discovers off-world organizations are behind the unrest, trying to subtly corrupt Gramarye away from democratic rule. His mission is threatened at every turn by fascists, anarchists, and double-dealing royalists playing vicious political power games for the future of the most unique-and perhaps most important-planet in the galaxy.Aided only by a coven of teenage witches, a ragtag army of beggars, and his epileptic robot horse Fess, Rod decides the only way to thwart these destructive influences-both native and off-planet-is for him to become a part of the local fabric and lead Gramarye as one of their own. But to do so, Rod Gallowglass must put aside his own convictions and beliefs, and become a warlock, in spite of himself.

LOST IN TIME, FAR FROM HOME, SURROUNDED BY ENEMIESFive hundred years from their own time and place on the magical planet Gramarye, Rod and Gwen Gallowglass are held captive on another planet at the edge of Terran civilization -- a world where purple-skinned, fur-kilted men challenge them in primitive battle.But escaping this planet is only the first step - together, they must somehow flee all the way to Terra, wherein lies their only hope of returning to their own place and time.Lost in a strange, foreign universe, pursued and hounded by their enemies at every turn, Rod and Gwen must race across the galaxy, fighting for their survival, their freedom, and to return home.

THE FATE OF A KINGDOM RESTS ON FOUR CHILDREN.¿The Kingdom of Gramarye is spiraling into chaos, and the High Warlock is nowhere to be found. With their parents suddenly and suspiciously vanished, the four Gallowglass siblings - Magnus, Cordelia, Geoffrey, and Gregory - are all that stand between peaceful order and violent anarchy. But how can mere children, even with an elfin babysitter, stand against dragons and giants, witches and sorcerers? With armies on the march and monsters on the prowl, these four brave kids must work together and combine the skills of their mother's magic power with their father's training in order to save the kingdom... but only if they can save themselves first!

IF YOU'RE TOO TALL OR TOO SHORT, YOU'RE A SLAVE.Gar Pike, a.k.a. renegade psychic wizard Magnus D'Armand, finds himself on the distant planet Siegfried amid a lost colongy modeled after medieval Scandinavia from Old Earth, complete with the Norse pantheon, dwarves, and even giants.But the three human races have hated each other since the dawn of time, and the planet is beleaguered by racism and prejudice. Giants, dwarves, and humans have waged constant war with each other for as long as anyone can remember.It's a tough nut to crack, even for an experienced psychic liberator. Can Gar unify the peoples of Siegfried, teach them to tolerate and live with one another in peace? And, most importantly, can he teach the lonely girl Alea to live with and - dare he hope - love him?

IN A WORLD OF ANARCHY AND CHAOS, ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE... TO RULE THE WEAK¿¿ Magnus D'Armand, the Rogue Wizard, travels the stars fighting injustice and oppression, sowing the seeds of freedom and revolution throughout the galaxy. But on the planet Durvie, he may have met his match: a lost colony founded by idealistic anarchists, whose civilization has long since crumbled into utter chaos. Dozens of greedy warlords, ruling through fear and violence, wage never-ending petty wars over land and loot while the common folk struggle just to survive. Over the centuries, the history and knowledge of the original colonists has been forgotten, and the people have reverted to a medieval state. With no central government to overthrow, it seems impossible for Magnus to restore peace and order - until he discovers the hidden knowledge harbored by the Fair Folk within the countryside's Hollow Hills.

Magnus Gallowglass finds a lost colony planet where every detail of the citizens lives are dictated by a brutal Protector. It's hard to find anyone who dares oppose it - until Magnus recruits a pair of lovers to lead the revolution.

CAN A FREE CITY STAY FREE?THE ROGUE WIZARDMagnus D'Armand, the renegade son of Rod Gallowglass, Warlock of Gramarye, has set out to prove himself twice the hero and liberator his father ever was, and asks his sentient starship to find him a world in need of revolution. But on the lost colony planet of Petrach, he finds far more than he bargained for: a Renaissance-era world of booming commerce, vicious mercenaries, and Machiavellian political intrigue.THE CITY UNDER SIEGEThe wealthy maritime free city of Pirogia's fledgling republic of merchantmen is about to be wiped off the map by an alliance of nobles determined to maintain aristocratic rule by any means necessary. Worse, the lords are backed by shadowy and powerful off-world organizations interfering with the planet for their own self-serving reasons.Even the Rogue Wizard will need a miracle to keep Pirogia alive and free against such odds!

THE FINAL ADVENTURE IN THE PHENOMENAL SERIESAfter an incredible 35-year run, the story of Rod Gallowglass - the Warlock in Spite of Himself - comes to its fantastic finale in the weird and wonderful world of Gramarye. When Gwendolyn - the witch-wife of Rod Gallowglass, the Lord High Warlock of Gramarye - suddenly dies, she leaves behind a husband dangerously unhinged by grief and a land without a Protector.So it''s the worst time for the Gallowglass''s ancient enemies - Durer and the Mocker - to return for one last bid to overthrow the monarchs of Gramarye and seize power. Stirring up a peasant revolt, manipulating politics to trigger a civil war between the Crown and the Lords, all while orchestrating a monster invasion and attempting to trying to turn the Gallowglass children against each other, Gramarye may face its greatest challenge yet.

THEY ROCK! THEY ROLL! THEY''RE AFTER YOUR SOUL!A plague of mysterious singing stones have flooded the kingdom of Gramarye. Emanating beautiful, mesmerizing music of all sorts, they''re capturing the eyes-and ears-of the good folk, young and old alike.Entertaining, yes. But what exactly are these strange, musical rocks? Where did they come from? Why do they have such influence over the thoughts and feelings of everyone who hears them? And to what purpose?Lord High Warlock Rod Gallowglass, accompanied by his wife and children, intends to see the stones in concert and find out-before his kids sell their souls to rock & roll . . .

A WORLD OF TROUBLES - TIMES TWO!Matt Mantrell -- Her Majesty''s Wizard -- conjured himself from magical Merovence to Jersey City for a long-delayed visit to his parents. Back in his hometown vicious, drug-dealing gangs had reduced Matt''s old neighborhood to a wasteland, driven his father out of business, and forced his parents to the brink of destitution and homelessness. The only answer was for Matt to transport them -- permanently -- to Merovence.But once back in that realm with his parents in tow, Matt found that Merovence and the neighboring Kingdom of Ibile faced imminent subjugation by the conquest-hungry Moors. As Queen Alisande led her army to engage the enemy head-on, Matt launched his own campaign -- with the aid of his fledgling wizard father, the faithful dragon Stegoman, and a hapless tag-along thief. Grappling with djinnis, matching wits with a Moorish military genius, and trading spells with sinister sorcerers, they sought to root out the real enemy behind the mayhem: a cunning and deadly wizard who served the most evil master of all . . .

CAN A SECULAR SOVEREIGN SURVIVE IN A WORLD OF PURE GOOD AND EVIL?In sunny Latruria, the wicked old king was dead, and the new king spurned the rule of Evil. But turmoil began to spread, even across the border, when the new king also resisted Good! In nearby Merovence, Lord Wizard Matt Mantrell donned a disguise and set off to investigate, never dreaming that Latruria''s malevolent prime minister was mobilizing his minions . . ."Minstrel" Matt sang his way south, dodging deadly enemies and music critics alike. He was teamed with a lovesick lad, menaced by a manticore, haunted by a ghost from Greece, and swept along in a flood of youngsters fleeing the provinces for the "glamour" of the city. But when they all washed up in the capital, harsh reality awaited them, not gold-paved streets.   An even harsher reality awaited Matt: cutthroat court politics vying for control of Latruria''s King . . . and if he refused to be controlled, he''d have to be eliminated. To keep Latruria''s secular monarch on the throne, Matt would have to square off against corrupt conspirators and sinister sorcerers backed by all the power of Hell. In the end, the Lord Wizard would face the ultimate test of magic-and he would need a lot of help to pass!   

AN UNBREAKABLE VOW Matt Mandrell, unsuspecting graduate student, never imagined his research would lead him to a strange scrap of parchment that would change his life forever. . . . Crossing the void of time and space, Matt is whisked away to an enchanted world where speaking in rhymes works the most dazzling magic. There he wins not only fame and power as the Lord High Wizard, but the heart of the beautiful Queen Alisande. His dreams are shattered, though, when he learns that he can''t marry his true love; wizard or not, Matt is just a commoner in this bizarre land. So Matt makes a foolish vow: to conquer a kingdom, any kingdom, if that''s what it takes to claim his bride. But, as Matt discovers, in this world of enchantment, such an oath cannot be broken. He has truly committed himself to win a crown or die trying. In search of lands to conquer, Matt sets his sights on neighboring Ibile, where the evil Gordorgrosso rules with an iron fist and sinister magic. Matt marches off against the tyrant, gathering a small band of unlikely allies, including a surly dracogriff, a well-spoken cyclop, and a damsel in distress. But against Gordogrosso''s foul genius, Matt is going to need much more than a few stout-hearted companions and some clever rhymes . . . . For all the fans of the classic Her Majesty''s Wizard, here at last is the eagerly awaited sequel - an action-packed, laugh-laden new medieval fantasy.

ENEMIES AT THE GATES... AND A DEMON WITHIN. Something sinister is creeping over the northern duchy of Gramarye. Fleeing refugees carry rumors of a warlock army conquering barony after barony, invading and controlling the minds of innocent people. Rod Gallowglass, the Lord High Warlock of Gramarye, is sent to investigate, accompanied by his wife and children. Who is behind all the turmoil? The mysterious sorcerer Alfar who frightened peasants whisper about? Or something even worse? But before he can confront the rebel warlocks, Rod must find a way to reign in his violent, explosive temper. If he loses control at the wrong moment, he''ll lose more than his temper, he''ll lose his head-or, worse, his family!