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Alacrity FitzHugh and Hobart Floyt #1
Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds:
Minor Terran bureaucrat, Hobart Floyt, has been left a mysterious inheritance by the ruler of an empire located many light-years away. Earth's government is broke and its functionaries want Floyt to collect the money. To make sure he succeeds, they blackmail a brash young spacer named Alacrity Fitzhugh into shepherding him on a dangerous interstellar quest.
Unknown Binding
First published April 12, 1985
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About the author
Brian Daley
47 books97 followersBrian was born in Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey on Dec. 22, 1947. A blizzard kept him and his mother at the hospital over Christmas, and the nurses sang "Away in a Manger" to them.
His middle name is Charles. He grew up in Rockleigh, NJ. His mother's name was Myra and his father's name was Charles. He has an older brother, David, and a younger sister, also named Myra. He had no children of his own, but he was always great with his two nieces and four nephews.
He went to Nathan Hale Elementary School in Norwood, NJ, and a consolidated High School - Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ.
Brian loved to read, drive his '74 Corvette Stingray, spend summers with me on Martha's Vineyard, and travel to wild and exotic places like the jungles of Guatemala and Mexico, and the mountains of Nepal.
He said he wanted to write from an early age, about third grade. He also read a LOT of science fiction as a kid, and that inspired him.
After he graduated from high school in 1965 he joined the army and went to Vietnam for a year's tour of duty. Then he went to Berlin, Germany.
After the army he went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While attending college and working as a waiter at a local steak house, he also wrote his first novel, Doomfarers of Coromande. Del Rey Books accepted it and started him on his writing career. The editor picked Brian's manuscript out of the "slush" pile (unsolicited manuscripts) because it was the most neatly typed, but it wasn't accepted right away. The editor made Brian do a lot of re-writing.
When the first STAR WARS movie came out Brian saw it, and he was elated. He said he came out of the theater fundamentally changed. His editor asked which character he would like to write about for a movie-related novel. Brian said he picked Han Solo because Han was the only one who made a moral decision... he started out on the wrong side of the law, but joined with the good guys. And to tell you the truth, Brian was a whole lot like Han, a maverick.
He died of pancreatic cancer in February of 1996. He had just turned 49. He wrote the adaptation for National Public Radio drama THE RETURN OF THE JEDI while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died at his house in Maryland the night the Jedi radio cast was toasting him at their wrap party, having finished the taping of the shows that day.
When they posted the notice of his death, messages began coming in from all over the world. The gist of them was that his passing created a "disturbance in the Force."
Brian Daley's first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde, was published on the first Del Rey list in 1977. It was an immediate success, and Brian went on to write its sequel, The Starfollowers of Coramonde, and many other successful novels: A Tapestry of Magics, three volumes of The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, and, under the shared pseudonym 'Jack McKinney', ten and one half of the twenty-one Robotech novels. He first conceived of the complex GammaL.A.W. saga in Nepal, in 1984, and worked on its four volumes for the next twelve years, finishing it shortly before his death in 1996.
His middle name is Charles. He grew up in Rockleigh, NJ. His mother's name was Myra and his father's name was Charles. He has an older brother, David, and a younger sister, also named Myra. He had no children of his own, but he was always great with his two nieces and four nephews.
He went to Nathan Hale Elementary School in Norwood, NJ, and a consolidated High School - Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ.
Brian loved to read, drive his '74 Corvette Stingray, spend summers with me on Martha's Vineyard, and travel to wild and exotic places like the jungles of Guatemala and Mexico, and the mountains of Nepal.
He said he wanted to write from an early age, about third grade. He also read a LOT of science fiction as a kid, and that inspired him.
After he graduated from high school in 1965 he joined the army and went to Vietnam for a year's tour of duty. Then he went to Berlin, Germany.
After the army he went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While attending college and working as a waiter at a local steak house, he also wrote his first novel, Doomfarers of Coromande. Del Rey Books accepted it and started him on his writing career. The editor picked Brian's manuscript out of the "slush" pile (unsolicited manuscripts) because it was the most neatly typed, but it wasn't accepted right away. The editor made Brian do a lot of re-writing.
When the first STAR WARS movie came out Brian saw it, and he was elated. He said he came out of the theater fundamentally changed. His editor asked which character he would like to write about for a movie-related novel. Brian said he picked Han Solo because Han was the only one who made a moral decision... he started out on the wrong side of the law, but joined with the good guys. And to tell you the truth, Brian was a whole lot like Han, a maverick.
He died of pancreatic cancer in February of 1996. He had just turned 49. He wrote the adaptation for National Public Radio drama THE RETURN OF THE JEDI while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died at his house in Maryland the night the Jedi radio cast was toasting him at their wrap party, having finished the taping of the shows that day.
When they posted the notice of his death, messages began coming in from all over the world. The gist of them was that his passing created a "disturbance in the Force."
Brian Daley's first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde, was published on the first Del Rey list in 1977. It was an immediate success, and Brian went on to write its sequel, The Starfollowers of Coramonde, and many other successful novels: A Tapestry of Magics, three volumes of The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, and, under the shared pseudonym 'Jack McKinney', ten and one half of the twenty-one Robotech novels. He first conceived of the complex GammaL.A.W. saga in Nepal, in 1984, and worked on its four volumes for the next twelve years, finishing it shortly before his death in 1996.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 28, 2021
I picked this book up with no prior knowledge of the author at all and pretty soon felt as though I was reading a Star Wars movie script. The descriptions of the scenes and the crazy characters put me right back there. Later I read the author's details and discovered why. Sadly he had a short though apparently very fulfilled life, and he wrote a lot of Star Wars books.
Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds is not a Star Wars book but it is set in the same kind of universe. Hobart Floyt is a Terran citizen who has somehow received an inheritance from another world and needs a guide and protector to assist him in his travels. Alacrity Fitzhugh is that man. The idea of travelling with someone who is entirely ignorant of space travel is a clever one since it gives the author the opportunity to describe everything in detail for the benefit of the reader. This reader got a teeny bit irritated with being told what everyone was wearing but the rest was good.
I enjoyed the story which was left unfinished to make sure you move on to the next book. The characters were entertaining so I am happy to find out what happens to Alacrity and Floyt as they continue their pursuit of the inheritance.
Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds is not a Star Wars book but it is set in the same kind of universe. Hobart Floyt is a Terran citizen who has somehow received an inheritance from another world and needs a guide and protector to assist him in his travels. Alacrity Fitzhugh is that man. The idea of travelling with someone who is entirely ignorant of space travel is a clever one since it gives the author the opportunity to describe everything in detail for the benefit of the reader. This reader got a teeny bit irritated with being told what everyone was wearing but the rest was good.
I enjoyed the story which was left unfinished to make sure you move on to the next book. The characters were entertaining so I am happy to find out what happens to Alacrity and Floyt as they continue their pursuit of the inheritance.
March 16, 2013
The Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh books are the best of Brian Daley's work, although all of his stories are great. Daley was a master of good storytelling, where there was never a wasted page, and the adventure and humor never stopped. In this series, our heros travel from a shantytown on the Moon out to a distant star system to claim a surprise inheritance where they make friends and enemies with some of the most powerful people in the galaxy. There is great science fiction at work here - one of the best examples is Daley's description of the "proteus" that each person carries - a portable device similar to a wrist watch that provides data storage, computer communication, and functionality. Sound familiar?
Above all, these stories are FUN.
Above all, these stories are FUN.
October 23, 2014
This was a fun, humorous book. A well worn plot set in a rather shallow future, but the characters were good & it all worked very well together. There are a couple of others that follow this. All great rainy day material. Candy books that I keep around to read occasionally for relaxation.
December 29, 2010
What a wonderful cast of characters! But more than that, I found Daley's made-up words to be incredibly clever and evocative. The language of this book is simply not duplicated in more current novels; it's rich and decadent. I highly recommend this very well written romp through the spaceways.
March 8, 2012
I read this series back when it first came out and loved it. I was excited to be able to get the ebook edition and after reading through the first book again I am very pleased at how well it has aged. Many SF books from that era did not. Both main characters are well fleshed out and likable, the plot moves along well and the world is a lot of fun. The plot does suffer a bit near the end as it becomes clear that it is part of a longer series, but overall I highly recommend it even now.
February 3, 2012
I LOVE this series. I was thrilled to see it finally available in Kindle version. A great sense of humour which never seems like it's trying too hard, fabulous inventiveness, and characters you can actually like and root for. HIGHLY recommended.
April 28, 2020
Hearing this on audio for the first time is a treat.
April 3, 2022
This deserves a movie, or perhaps a miniseries. :)
December 3, 2009
Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds would make a great movie. The main characters are a nice spin on the classic mismatched "buddy" duo, and the inheritance / will-reading gag is not one you see too often in science fiction. What really shines in Daley's work, though, is the loving treatment given to alien cultures and habitations. From the odd gift-giving habits of the "lashup" families, to the property-hungry alien who gets turned on by a game of Monopoly, Daley's setting is clever, funny, and a great backdrop for the action. I'm looking forward to revisiting the next two books (tragically, once again, difficult to come by).
October 27, 2013
I am definitely biased on this one. I discovered this some enchanted summer when I was 16 and way too into sci-fi because girls were hard to come by when home-schooled and living in the woods of Maine. This series did the trick. Plenty of epic science fiction and just enough sex and adventure to keep my hyper active teenage mind engaged.
For me, this series, by the writer of the Han Solo Star Wars books, was far bigger and better than Star Wars itself, with much more realism and fun.
For the young boy adventurer in everyone.
For me, this series, by the writer of the Han Solo Star Wars books, was far bigger and better than Star Wars itself, with much more realism and fun.
For the young boy adventurer in everyone.
December 27, 2024
Getting an inheritance can be a life-changing event. Some money from an aunt, maybe, or perhaps a favourite knick-knack from a beloved grandmother. I’ve had the latter, but it’s safe to say I’m not about to be named in the will of an interstellar conqueror of nineteen planets, a man who could gift me an entire solar system.
That is exactly what has happened to Hobart Floyt, low-level bureaucrat who in Requiem for a ruler of worlds finds himself named as a beneficiary in the will of a former slave turned ruler who unified an empire to bring about a golden age of culture and technology across human civilisation.
Like many inheritances, this gift isn’t without it’s complications. Firstly, no-one knows what Floyt will actually receive. Secondly, he will have to travel light years to find out. Thirdly, Floyt is an administrator on an authoritarian future Earth, where humanity has expanded to the stars and our old homeworld has become a xenophobic backwater, and the powers that be are very keen to take his bequest for themselves.
These powers resolve to send Floyt to collect his prize, and then return it to them. Their xenophobia though, means that none of their lackeys have any experience in interstellar travel, so they instead frame an off-world tourist – one Alacrity Fitzhugh – for murder and after some rather brutal mental conditioning force him to accompany Floyt on his journey.
And so begins a trilogy of space adventures.
This is capital A Adventure SF, where things happen. They happen fast, and they happen often, so often in fact that I occasionally got reader’s whiplash at the pace of the narrative, and the rapid-fire high-stakes scenarios the protagonists constantly find themselves in.
The constant happenings occasionally feel a little farcical – the main protags face multiple grand assassination attempts over what feels like a couple of days – but they're always entertaining, and Daley’s imagination never lets up. Strange alien beasts, weird cultures, crazy clothes, exotic weaponry – all the trappings of science fiction adventures are present.
This isn’t a thinky novel. It’s no Lake of Darkness or Solaris, grappling with the big questions of philosophy or faith. That isn’t a negative though - sometimes a fun, kinetic read is just what you need, and Requiem for a ruler of worlds is exactly that.
Three and a half spunky space swashbucklers out of five.
P.S: Back in the pre-internet era, when finding books could be a real struggle, I had the third novel in this series. Teenage me loved it – there’s ‘splosions aplenty, and the main characters aren’t adverse to hooking up with any and all the beautiful women they meet, which matched my fourteen-year-old aspirations in life. There were a tonne of references in the story to the events of the previous two novels, and it has been a lot of fun to read this novel thirty years later and finally get what was going on in the third book.
That is exactly what has happened to Hobart Floyt, low-level bureaucrat who in Requiem for a ruler of worlds finds himself named as a beneficiary in the will of a former slave turned ruler who unified an empire to bring about a golden age of culture and technology across human civilisation.
Like many inheritances, this gift isn’t without it’s complications. Firstly, no-one knows what Floyt will actually receive. Secondly, he will have to travel light years to find out. Thirdly, Floyt is an administrator on an authoritarian future Earth, where humanity has expanded to the stars and our old homeworld has become a xenophobic backwater, and the powers that be are very keen to take his bequest for themselves.
These powers resolve to send Floyt to collect his prize, and then return it to them. Their xenophobia though, means that none of their lackeys have any experience in interstellar travel, so they instead frame an off-world tourist – one Alacrity Fitzhugh – for murder and after some rather brutal mental conditioning force him to accompany Floyt on his journey.
And so begins a trilogy of space adventures.
This is capital A Adventure SF, where things happen. They happen fast, and they happen often, so often in fact that I occasionally got reader’s whiplash at the pace of the narrative, and the rapid-fire high-stakes scenarios the protagonists constantly find themselves in.
The constant happenings occasionally feel a little farcical – the main protags face multiple grand assassination attempts over what feels like a couple of days – but they're always entertaining, and Daley’s imagination never lets up. Strange alien beasts, weird cultures, crazy clothes, exotic weaponry – all the trappings of science fiction adventures are present.
This isn’t a thinky novel. It’s no Lake of Darkness or Solaris, grappling with the big questions of philosophy or faith. That isn’t a negative though - sometimes a fun, kinetic read is just what you need, and Requiem for a ruler of worlds is exactly that.
Three and a half spunky space swashbucklers out of five.
P.S: Back in the pre-internet era, when finding books could be a real struggle, I had the third novel in this series. Teenage me loved it – there’s ‘splosions aplenty, and the main characters aren’t adverse to hooking up with any and all the beautiful women they meet, which matched my fourteen-year-old aspirations in life. There were a tonne of references in the story to the events of the previous two novels, and it has been a lot of fun to read this novel thirty years later and finally get what was going on in the third book.
April 11, 2022
Where has this book been all my life! Seeing the author's name caught my attention at a used book store; Brian Daley did quite a bit for Star Wars in its early days (highly recommend his Han Solo trilogy). I was skeptical about the covers and titles but the store had the entire trilogy for $1 each so I figured what the heck. Even though most people do, this was a clear case of don't judge a book by its cover. Requiem for a Ruler of Words was just some good, old fashioned science fiction; pure in its world building and fresh characters.
A little setup for the plot: the story takes place about 900 years in the future. Humankind have been populating other planets during two large expansions called Breaths, but over 200 years before the events of this book there was a great war with an alien race which ended in a massive bombing of Earth. There was no invasion but the result was 'Earthers' becoming very isolated and xenophobic, almost completely cutting themselves off from the universe. There's one planetary government that keeps people in line with propaganda and psychological conditioning; which I'm sure is a reference to the works of George Orwell. It's extremely rare that people both visit and leave the Earth, so when citizen Hobart Floyt is named in somebody's will, it raises a few eyebrows to say the least. The rest can be gleaned from the book's writeup.
The only negative points I have is the handful of times it feels a bit dated, which I can overlook given when it was written, and that it starts to drag somewhat near the end. That's it! There are themes and style choices that may have been popular at the time, but I'm confident in saying that there are many aspects that quite possibly could've been used by Suzanne Collins for the Hunger Games, and James Corey for The Expanse, and probably others.
If you're looking for a relaxing, uncomplicated sci-fi story... bordering on space odyssey/adventure, then try to track this one down; it was a lot of fun in a time where that's hard to come by!
A little setup for the plot: the story takes place about 900 years in the future. Humankind have been populating other planets during two large expansions called Breaths, but over 200 years before the events of this book there was a great war with an alien race which ended in a massive bombing of Earth. There was no invasion but the result was 'Earthers' becoming very isolated and xenophobic, almost completely cutting themselves off from the universe. There's one planetary government that keeps people in line with propaganda and psychological conditioning; which I'm sure is a reference to the works of George Orwell. It's extremely rare that people both visit and leave the Earth, so when citizen Hobart Floyt is named in somebody's will, it raises a few eyebrows to say the least. The rest can be gleaned from the book's writeup.
The only negative points I have is the handful of times it feels a bit dated, which I can overlook given when it was written, and that it starts to drag somewhat near the end. That's it! There are themes and style choices that may have been popular at the time, but I'm confident in saying that there are many aspects that quite possibly could've been used by Suzanne Collins for the Hunger Games, and James Corey for The Expanse, and probably others.
If you're looking for a relaxing, uncomplicated sci-fi story... bordering on space odyssey/adventure, then try to track this one down; it was a lot of fun in a time where that's hard to come by!
April 24, 2018
Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh barely know each other…or at all…. But when the latter, an alien to Earth, is taken to task for a trumped-up charge, and the former xenophobic Earth-dweller is bequeathed an unknown part of the recently-deceased galactic director’s will, the rather trepid twosome will learn a lot about each other very quickly. But will they survive to hear (and enjoy?!) what Floyt might inherit?
A quick-read sci-fi adventure that blends a fish-out-of-water with a lot of other disparate tropes into an interesting and fun read. Certainly light-hearted, especially with pun-names, but without detracting from the story, Requiem promises to be the start of a neat little trilogy.
A quick-read sci-fi adventure that blends a fish-out-of-water with a lot of other disparate tropes into an interesting and fun read. Certainly light-hearted, especially with pun-names, but without detracting from the story, Requiem promises to be the start of a neat little trilogy.
August 1, 2023
I enjoy the relationship that builds between Alacrity and Hobart. Some of their adventures are enjoyable. Too much of this book is a chaotic mess.
The author goes through exhaustive effort to use complex words for simple concepts or using the alternate words where the common ones would make sense. This is done to show the change of language in the future. The problem comes from Daley overloading certain scenes with this approach early on and then barely using it later. It is like even he got tired of the effort and gave it up.
New words are also used for common items. The reader is required to guess at things based on the description given. If scenes were well fleshed out, that would be okay. This complexity also makes understanding what is going on a challenge.
There is so much going on in the story that makes no sense even when I understand what is going on. It just all seems so far-fetched. It is kind of like Hitchhiker's Guide, but is more coherent. I like how some obstacles are overcome, but was bored through so much of the book. The end has a hook for the sequel. It isn't interesting enough to read further.
The author goes through exhaustive effort to use complex words for simple concepts or using the alternate words where the common ones would make sense. This is done to show the change of language in the future. The problem comes from Daley overloading certain scenes with this approach early on and then barely using it later. It is like even he got tired of the effort and gave it up.
New words are also used for common items. The reader is required to guess at things based on the description given. If scenes were well fleshed out, that would be okay. This complexity also makes understanding what is going on a challenge.
There is so much going on in the story that makes no sense even when I understand what is going on. It just all seems so far-fetched. It is kind of like Hitchhiker's Guide, but is more coherent. I like how some obstacles are overcome, but was bored through so much of the book. The end has a hook for the sequel. It isn't interesting enough to read further.
March 9, 2022
3.5 - a light, easy read, but ultimately fairly forgettable and with a bit of confusion towards the end with a lot of characters that tended to blend together. Also clearly a set up for future stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 23, 2025# Mass Market Paperback # Publisher: Del Rey (April 12, 1985) # Language: English # ISBN-10: 0345314875 # ISBN-13: 978-0345314871 # Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches # Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
April 14, 2019
Interesting thoughts but not his best book
January 17, 2021
As good an adventure story that I have read for a long time. I have already bought the next book in the series.
November 16, 2021
As fun as I remembered it being. A great space romp.
January 1, 2022
The Hobbit meets Star Wars meshed with a mis-matched buddy movie. Fun read! Hope I can find the rest of the series.
December 11, 2024
Some of Brian Daley's Best
What else is there to say? A terrific plot, characters you care about, and enough deus ex machinas to keep you entertained.
What else is there to say? A terrific plot, characters you care about, and enough deus ex machinas to keep you entertained.
January 25, 2012
This is the first of a series of three. I read it long ago, back when Brian Daley was still alive, but it remains in the top three, and maybe even the top one science fiction trilogy I have ever read. Daley puts two unlikely characters together, a space bum and an earth hugger (my terms) and puts together a duo that make amazing chemistry. The story is intriguing, exciting and hilarious, and I remember my relief, as I finished this first book, knowing I had the second book on my desk, ready to be read. To my great dismay, when my wife was doing a purge of my bookshelf, she decided I didn't need this book or its two companions anymore. I wonder if I would like it as much today as I did back then, in the eighties or early nineties.
August 20, 2023
If you haven't read the adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, what are you waiting for?
These two characters are thrown together by dubious means and are forced to work with each other to get Hobart to a mysterious inheritance. They meet friends and make enemies along the way.
What I love most is how they develop as a team who can rely on each other. It feels so natural that these two should go together. And how they work together to defeat one of the villains is just so unique that you'll never see it coming.
With a rich and developed universe with fully fleshed out characters, this is one scifi series you don't want to sleep on.
These two characters are thrown together by dubious means and are forced to work with each other to get Hobart to a mysterious inheritance. They meet friends and make enemies along the way.
What I love most is how they develop as a team who can rely on each other. It feels so natural that these two should go together. And how they work together to defeat one of the villains is just so unique that you'll never see it coming.
With a rich and developed universe with fully fleshed out characters, this is one scifi series you don't want to sleep on.
December 8, 2010
Great book. After a string of epic fantasy novels it was nice to read something short and fast paced. The story is linear, doesn't confuse you with too many characters and takes place in a sci-fi world that is actually somewhat believable. Could have been edited a bit better, I found a handful of typos. The characters are somewhat straightforward, lacking a bit of complexity, but the abscence of description allows the action to take place uninterrupted.
November 25, 2013
I have read the Hobart Floyt / Alacrity Fitzhugh books several times. I'm working on downsizing my library, so I read these one more time before I get rid of them. Fun books - well imagined universe (the Third Breath of Humanity, the Precursors), decent characters (Heart, Dincrist, Baron Mason, the Foragers, Sintilla, Governor Redlock), amusing and imaginative plot lines. They're not great literature, but they are great fun!
November 16, 2014
This series is terrific. The first one is good, but the second and third are great.
The first book starts off a little grim, but Brian Daley knows how to write a fun book, and he really shows it with these. The characters are great - you find yourself wanting to know more about them. Once I got into things, the humor really came out, too.
Man, I wish he had had a chance to write about 3 more books, it felt like things were just hitting their stride.
The first book starts off a little grim, but Brian Daley knows how to write a fun book, and he really shows it with these. The characters are great - you find yourself wanting to know more about them. Once I got into things, the humor really came out, too.
Man, I wish he had had a chance to write about 3 more books, it felt like things were just hitting their stride.
January 27, 2016
This is the first SiFi book of Daley's I have ready. I love his fantasy novels and was not disappointed by his SiFi story. As always he doesn't just tell a story with cool interesting characters he builds amazing worlds for them to occupy. I am very much looking forward to the other 2 books in this trilogy. Highly recommended
September 6, 2016
Rollicking pulp star blazer akin to Abbott and Costello in outer space sans the slapstick. Loveable characters, a quick pace, intriguing verbiage, interesting socio-political undercurrents, and just some good, old-fashioned Saturday serial/matinee adventure.
December 4, 2022
My all time favorite SF series. The prose is dazzling, the vision of humanity’s future is amazing, the villains are quite villainous, the heroes are riff-raff castoffs and scoundrels, the wit sparkling.
October 26, 2009
Great characters, great bad guy (well, bad government) to fight against, and terrific new universe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews