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The Black Star
Carter, Lin
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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About the author
Lin Carter
415 books171 followersLin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 23, 2021
Decent pulp fantasy by Carter. I grew up on reading such tales-- Carter, L. Sprague De Camp, Howard, etc.-- back in the 70s and 80s. I always thought Sprague De Camp and Howard were better writers, but Carter can still tell a story. TBS was to be the first of the Atlantis trilogy, and tells the tale of the fall of the great Atlantian dynasty. An evil sorcerer with terrible powers returned to Atlantis after banishment at the head of a nasty army. The ruling Emperor of Atlantis, along with three allied armies, were felled by the evil one and the great capitol city abandoned. Diodric, a temple/palace guard was one of the last defenders of the city until he too fled, taking a lovely (of course!) maiden from the court under his wing. Although Diodric did not know it, she carried the Black Star, a precious relic/artifact that granted the possessor rule of Atlantis-- no emperor could hold the throne without it. The Evil One immediately set out a team of blood thirsty killers to track down the duo, who in turn came under the wing of a powerful sorcerer as well. Decent plotting-- Diodric and company encounter one trial after another, and when all seems lost, something comes along to save the day. Pure pulp, heroic fiction, but nothing to really make it a classic. 3 stars.
October 13, 2019
One of Carter's better solo sword & sorcery novels (and, in the original edition, with a very nice Frazetta cover).
Diodric, a young Atlantean warrior, is fleeing the destruction of the capital (the City of the Golden Gates) by a barbarian horde when he rescues Niane, one of the queen's handmaidens (who is carrying, although Diodric doesn't know it, the Black Star, a mystical gem of great significance.
As is the style of many of Carter's novels, stuff just starts happening, then keeps happening, like a DM endlessly rolling on a random encounter table until things attain some kind of conclusion. As is the style in many of Carter's novels, the writing is kind of sloppy, but carried along under the impetus of Carter's boundless affection and enthusiasm for the genre.
As this is a novel of Atlantis, he draws heavily on various mystical and theosophical writers (William Scott-Elliot primarily, and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, amongst others) for background and setting.
While this was intended as the first of a trilogy (no other volumes of which were completed, as far as I'm aware), it works well enough as a standalone book.
Diodric, a young Atlantean warrior, is fleeing the destruction of the capital (the City of the Golden Gates) by a barbarian horde when he rescues Niane, one of the queen's handmaidens (who is carrying, although Diodric doesn't know it, the Black Star, a mystical gem of great significance.
As is the style of many of Carter's novels, stuff just starts happening, then keeps happening, like a DM endlessly rolling on a random encounter table until things attain some kind of conclusion. As is the style in many of Carter's novels, the writing is kind of sloppy, but carried along under the impetus of Carter's boundless affection and enthusiasm for the genre.
As this is a novel of Atlantis, he draws heavily on various mystical and theosophical writers (William Scott-Elliot primarily, and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, amongst others) for background and setting.
While this was intended as the first of a trilogy (no other volumes of which were completed, as far as I'm aware), it works well enough as a standalone book.
February 21, 2014
Despite a promising start--the aftermath of the evil horde conquering the City of Golden Gates and people scattering from the onslaught--it soon devolves into Carter's same-old-same-old story pattern of a small group (1) on a hero quest through wilderness, random monster encounters, and unlikely rescues, none of which have really evolved from when Edgar Rice Burroughs used them.
Instead he concentrates on the style of the telling. He wields a high narrative/dramatic tone with frequent I-the-narrator-mention-myself references ("It would be to little purpose were I to describe in detail..." p. 97) that is really jarring to read until one realizes that the narrator is in fact a storyteller interacting with the audience. It's still jarring afterwards, of course, but now it's also pretentious. Double pretentious given other excesses: Excessive Object And Location Capitalization; hiding the name, nature, and presence of the Black Star itself even though the reader hasn't been introduced to its significance (2); and an entire (short) chapter devoted to the description of a wizard's tower...only for the owner to immediately leave it and not return until story's end.
The curious part of the overuse of style and the genericness of the plot is the amount of research Carter put in, all of which is on display to the reader as random Atlantis/Lemuria quotations taken Plato all the way to Blavatsky and especially Scott-Elliot. He justifies much of what he's done in these terms, making it similar at least in scope to Peter Valentine Timlett's The Seedbearers. And like that work, the end of the book is a given, as specified almost exactly by Scott-Elliot, .
I didn't realize that the book is actually an adjunct to Carter's Thongor series: it takes place long after the fall and disappearance of Lemuria. The technology of that time has dwindled to a few irreplaceable artifacts, and the heroes of that time are barely legends, their names distorted into near-unrecognizability. So this story is a reset on the situation of the late Thongor series, but the connection is so heavily referenced and the features (airboats, etc.) are reused so that it makes this story seem a repeat of the earlier ones. It was planned the first part of an Atlantean trilogy (the second being The White Throne) but the rest never came to pass.
----
(1): Bet you can name the constituents of the party. That's right, it's a soldier, a wizard, a helpless maiden, and later a save-the-day primitive warrior!
(2): The Black Star itself is a plot device pure and simple, with no function other than being cosmic football that must be brought across the goal line. Curious parties are referred to "The Well-Tempered Plot Device" by Nick Lowe (originally in Ansible 46).
Instead he concentrates on the style of the telling. He wields a high narrative/dramatic tone with frequent I-the-narrator-mention-myself references ("It would be to little purpose were I to describe in detail..." p. 97) that is really jarring to read until one realizes that the narrator is in fact a storyteller interacting with the audience. It's still jarring afterwards, of course, but now it's also pretentious. Double pretentious given other excesses: Excessive Object And Location Capitalization; hiding the name, nature, and presence of the Black Star itself even though the reader hasn't been introduced to its significance (2); and an entire (short) chapter devoted to the description of a wizard's tower...only for the owner to immediately leave it and not return until story's end.
The curious part of the overuse of style and the genericness of the plot is the amount of research Carter put in, all of which is on display to the reader as random Atlantis/Lemuria quotations taken Plato all the way to Blavatsky and especially Scott-Elliot. He justifies much of what he's done in these terms, making it similar at least in scope to Peter Valentine Timlett's The Seedbearers. And like that work, the end of the book is a given, as specified almost exactly by Scott-Elliot, .
I didn't realize that the book is actually an adjunct to Carter's Thongor series: it takes place long after the fall and disappearance of Lemuria. The technology of that time has dwindled to a few irreplaceable artifacts, and the heroes of that time are barely legends, their names distorted into near-unrecognizability. So this story is a reset on the situation of the late Thongor series, but the connection is so heavily referenced and the features (airboats, etc.) are reused so that it makes this story seem a repeat of the earlier ones. It was planned the first part of an Atlantean trilogy (the second being The White Throne) but the rest never came to pass.
----
(1): Bet you can name the constituents of the party. That's right, it's a soldier, a wizard, a helpless maiden, and later a save-the-day primitive warrior!
(2): The Black Star itself is a plot device pure and simple, with no function other than being cosmic football that must be brought across the goal line. Curious parties are referred to "The Well-Tempered Plot Device" by Nick Lowe (originally in Ansible 46).
April 10, 2017
I bought this and read it based on the Frazetta cover and the somewhat unflattering mention in a Frazetta art book. In no uncertain terms: Carter really made a mess of this book. At various points the reader is outright told that a grand epic of huge proportions is unfolding, but it never really bothers to show it. It's supposed to be the beginning of a series, but it's pretty evident from reading why there was no demand for more.
"The Black Star" stiffly escorts the blonde muscly protagonist, female love interest, and wizard dude through a handful of "epic" episodes which lead up to... well, to a disappointment. I guess Lin Carter was aiming for something like Tolkien here, which might be why I couldn't get into it. I am solidly not a part of the Tolkien crowd.
Probably the most frustrating thing in the book is a scene where a room is described, so the story can re-visit it later. If this were a film, that scene would be the camera meandering around an empty set. Boring.
"The Black Star" stiffly escorts the blonde muscly protagonist, female love interest, and wizard dude through a handful of "epic" episodes which lead up to... well, to a disappointment. I guess Lin Carter was aiming for something like Tolkien here, which might be why I couldn't get into it. I am solidly not a part of the Tolkien crowd.
Probably the most frustrating thing in the book is a scene where a room is described, so the story can re-visit it later. If this were a film, that scene would be the camera meandering around an empty set. Boring.
July 26, 2010
One of Carter's standalone novels, and it's pretty good. I actually liked this better than many of his other works. 3 and a half stars.
April 19, 2019
Though by no means a perfect book, and more adventure than anything else, this is one of the better Lin Carter novels I have read — perhaps the best.
It is a novel of Atlantis. And unlike Edwin Björkman’s 1927 monograph, or the popular Aegean Theory turned into a time travel adventure by Poul Anderson in The Dancer from Atlantis, here we have a full mid-Atlantic Ocean continent. And much is made of Lemuria. The lore about which I know almost nothing.
This is an entertainment, a swiftly moving adventure with not much at all in character development. But as adventure, it is not bad. It falls off at the end, as the setup for the rest of an Atlantis trilogy wraps it up. Alas, the two sequels were not written. Still, I am glad I read the book.
I very rarely come away from reading a work of fiction wishing to have known its author. But this time, I did: I think I would have liked Lin Vrooman Carter as a person. Perhaps this impression comes from the novel’s appendices. In part, anyway. I do not know if this makes for any kind of effective recommendation, but there it is.
It is a novel of Atlantis. And unlike Edwin Björkman’s 1927 monograph, or the popular Aegean Theory turned into a time travel adventure by Poul Anderson in The Dancer from Atlantis, here we have a full mid-Atlantic Ocean continent. And much is made of Lemuria. The lore about which I know almost nothing.
This is an entertainment, a swiftly moving adventure with not much at all in character development. But as adventure, it is not bad. It falls off at the end, as the setup for the rest of an Atlantis trilogy wraps it up. Alas, the two sequels were not written. Still, I am glad I read the book.
I very rarely come away from reading a work of fiction wishing to have known its author. But this time, I did: I think I would have liked Lin Vrooman Carter as a person. Perhaps this impression comes from the novel’s appendices. In part, anyway. I do not know if this makes for any kind of effective recommendation, but there it is.
September 5, 2021
I rather enjoyed this fantasy adventure. It wasn’t particularly deep or detailed, but it moved steadily and in an entertaining fashion. Carter I’d not the best fantasy writer, but his enthusiasm for the genre is obvious, and he seems to be having fun telling us this tale. Since it’s the first book of a proposed trilogy that didn’t happen, much remains unresolved and waiting for future adventures. Not excessively violent or sexual, this is some good clean fun that can be enjoyed by anyone, as long as your expectations are low. I’m actually disappointed the other tales never seen print; perhaps Mr. Price could rectify this situation…
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January 13, 2020Spine-tingling.
I read this when it was new 1973 and hung on every word.
I REALLY wanted to read the sequel - the White Throne - and it never showed up... :-(
I read this when it was new 1973 and hung on every word.
I REALLY wanted to read the sequel - the White Throne - and it never showed up... :-(
September 5, 2015
A good fantasy action-adventure novel set in Atlantis, with strong ties to Carter's Thongor series. The warrior Diodric, along with the noble Niane, flee an Atlantean capital under attack, bearing with them an artifact that Atlantis' conqueror needs to take over the world. Some nice action follows, with bits of humor, horror, and romance. The only flaw is that the story ends hurriedly and a bit anti-climactically, mainly due to the fact that it is part one of a proposed trilogy (the next book being "The White Throne").
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews