Science Fiction. 105860 words long. Analytical Laboratory Award Winner, Hugo Award Nominee

After a meteor explosion, Rikardon wakes in a new body and in a strange desert land named Gandalara, where he must uncover his purpose—and survive to outwit his enemies...Tarani is the new High Lord of Eddarta, and she intends to end its tradition of slavery and corruption. But before Tarani's rule begins in earnest, she and Rikardon have a mission to complete in Raithskar, where a mindgifted Lord known as Ferrathyn is using the Ra'ira's powers to manipulate the ape-like vineh. The once majestic city is overrun by chaos and fear, and Ferrathyn's ambition extends far beyond Raithskar.But another threat is looming, different and more terrifying than any they've encountered before. In the wake of a major earthquake, Rikardon finally discovers the origin of his new homeland and the reason he was brought here as Ricardo Carillo many months ago. Every battle and hard-won alliance has been leading to this: a race to save a mighty civilization from destruction, and forge a...

After a meteor explosion, Rikardon wakes in a new body and in a strange desert land named Gandalara, where he must uncover his purpose—and survive to outwit his enemies...Hidden somewhere in the ancient city of Kä lies the sword of the Kings—a precious artifact that will help Tarani and Rikardon wrest control away from the malevolent High Lord Indomel. Problem is, not only is the sword lost, but so is Kä itself.Rikardon and Tarani gather their strength in the Valley of the Sha'um, home to war cats like Rikardon's companion, Keeshah. Tarani forms her own mindlink with Keeshah's pregnant mate, Yayshah. Soon they'll journey into the unforgiving desert to search for Kä, guided by memories Rikardon retrieves from the mystic All-Mind. But as Rikardon knows, while the sword can prove Tarani's claim to the throne, it will also reveal a deception that she may never be able to forgive...

The last thing terminally ill language professor Ricardo Carillo remembers is standing on the deck of a Mediterranean cruise ship, watching a giant fireball hurtle toward him. He awakens in the body of a young Gandalaran named Markasset, sharing a telepathic bond with a giant, intelligent feline named Keeshah.Ricardo faces two challenges: navigating this unfamiliar desert world, and learning about his new identity and mission. Markasset turns out to be a talented swordsman with a powerful father, Thanasset, who's a Supervisor in the city of Raithskar. But Markasset's own reputation is more dubious. He has gambling debts and a shadowy past—and he's suspected of stealing a sacred gem, the Ra'ira, that was under his father's protection.With few allies except a beautiful fiancée and the loyal Keeshah, Ricardo is determined to piece together what really happened to the Ra'ira. The truth will either prove his innocence—or endanger the new life he has only just begun.

Ricardo Carillo wakes after a meteor explosion in a new body—and in a strange land of desert and danger named Gandalara, where a stolen gem holds the power to control or destroy.Ricardo, now renamed Rikardon, has cleared himself of accusations that he stole the sacred Ra'ira. But he still has enemies, especially in Gandalara's seamy, dangerous underbelly. A powerful moneylender is threatening Rikardon's loved ones to ensure a debt is repaid. For their safety, Rikardon leaves the city of Raithskar for Thagorn, home to the Sharith—a brotherhood of warcat riders like himself.Thagorn is expecting another new arrival too—an illusionist named Tarani, whose uncle, Volitar, is a famed glassblower with information on the Ra'ira's whereabouts. Rikardon is drawn to the beautiful, intriguing Tarani, though she appears to be plotting against him. Tracking down Volitar forces them into an uneasy alliance...and into the path of a murderous villain intent on using the...

From Robert Silverberg’s “Earthmen and Strangers” anthology, 1966: When human beings begin to encounter strangers in the universe, conflict is likely to erupt. Earthmen, by and large, are an aggressive sort of people, and it would not be surprising to run into a race of equally aggressive, militaristic creatures Out There. This could produce a nasty crash as one culture meets the other in a head-on impact. However, one feature of alien beings is their alienness: They are not likely to think the way we do. This story suggests, in a deliciously deadpan way, how a suitably clever human can befuddle and bamboozle his extraterrestrial captors simply by telling the truth. Randall Garrett, who wrote it, is a bearded, booming-voiced man who now makes his home in Texas and who has spent considerable time studying the art of creating confusion without exactly lying. His high-spirited stories have been appearing in science fiction’s leading magazines since 1944, with some time out for service with the United States Marine Corps.