Masks of the Outcasts

Dipple #1-2

by Andre Norton

The planet Korwar was a glittering jewel of a world, inhabited by the galaxy's wealthiest, visited by the upper classes of other worlds in search of diversion. The jewel had a the Dipple, its name coming from a contraction of ''displaced person,'' where the misfits, the hopeless, the penniless eke out a wretched existence on the dole. Two young men hoped to escape from the Troy Horan was deported from his own planet after it lost an interstellar war. When he had a chance to work in an unusual pet shop, offering exotic creatures from other worlds to the wealthy, he though his luck had changed. But the owner was playing a dangerous game of intrigue, and when he was murdered Troy barely escaped with his own life. Aided only by telepathic animals from old Terra who had befriended him, he had no choice but to hide in ruins left behind by the now-vanished original inhabitants of Korwar; ruins which explorers had entered without returning. . . . Nik Kolherne had a face so cruelly scared and disfigured that he wore a mask to cover it. When he was recruited with a promise of being given a new face, a face which would make a young heir think he was someone else, he was uneasy, but accepted the offer. Then he found out that he was party to a kidnapping for more sinister purposes than he had been told, and he was the only hope of the young heir's survival—if the two of them could survive on a planet veiled in eternal night, swarming with dangerous predators. . . . At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (DRM Rights Management).

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy

407 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[***Dave Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Original Review: http://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2008/05/...)

Andre (Alice Marie) Norton was one of my SF/Fantasy staples growing up, and I still reread some of her books. This is a new Baen reissuing of two of her novels: Catseye (1961) and Night of Masks (1964). Alas, neither novel is one of Norton’s finest.

Overall: Fair
Story: Fair
Re-Readability: Fair
Characters: Fair

As with most of these Baen pair-ups, there’s a theme here, in this case a common setting. Both novels start on the planet Korwar, a rich resort world on the outskirts of which lies the Dipple, a bitter refugee camp from worlds destroyed or occupied by a recent interplanetary war. Protagonists in both stories start their tales in the Dipple.

While there are references in common with most of Norton’s shared universe (the Thieves Guild, stunners, blasters, etc.), if it’s meant to be so, it’s early on in that continuity, when Terra was still known and alien races like the Zacathans were not yet encountered.

Catseye focuses on Troy Horan, exile of a “ranch/plains rider” sort of world. He gets an opportunity to work in an exotic pet store, a temporary escape from the Dipple. But the animals being imported there from Terra are not what they seem, and Horan’s unexpected abilities set him in the middle of a power struggle between various factions on Korwar.

This is pretty standard Norton YA fare — intelligent and telepathic animals, heritage of lost worlds, a down-on-his-luck exile making his own way in the world and establishing an identity that defies both his enemies and those would would use him. The book plays out with few surprises, but is entertaining enough.

Night of Masks is far less successful. Nik Kolherne is another Dipple refugee, a rootless orphan, with a hideously disfigured face. He’s offered a job — and a new face — by the Thieves Guild, but soon discovers the mission is (of course) more than he expected, and he’s soon caught in factional fighting as well as pursued by the Patrol, trapped on the nightmare planet of Dis, uncertain who to trust, or who can trust him.

While Nik is like most Norton protagonists — starting from a serious deficit position — he is pretty unsympathetic, battered about by fate and motivated by fear and uncertainty. Only very, very late in the game does he start to redeem himself, but it comes so late and happens so fast that it defies plausibility. While the world of Dis is nicely painted, it holds a lot in common with other “nighmare / humid / wasted world, populate by degenerate / slimy / deadly / psychic creatures who lurk amongst mysterious ruins” locales that are a Norton standard.

NoM is, due to its protagonist, the most disappointing of the books (I kept rooting for greater danger to Nik, just so that he’d either step up or get killed). Catseye is better, but the various plot elements are too cliché especially for Norton, for it to be anything more than pedestrian fare.

[Gerald Kinro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Korwar was a luxurious place where the wealthy play and frolick. Its only flaw was the Dipple slum. After the war of the sectors, the misfits and destitute were sent to “Dipples” or communities for the outcasts. Two novellas of young males trying to leave the Dipple make up this work. “Catseye” is of Troy Horan orphaned and hopeless. He has a chance to work at a pet shop that sells exotic animals to the wealthy. He takes that chance. The shop’s owner, however, is not scrupulous and playing a game of danger. He is murdered and Troy is dragged into a world of danger. He hides where many have not returned, his only allies the animals he once cared for. “Night of Masks” is of Nik Kolherne. Nik’s face is so badly scarred. He is offered a new face and a new life if he participates in a scheme involving the heir of a powerful leader. He reluctantly accepts. He then realizes he is a key part of a devious kidnapping plot.

This is a good book. It focuses on two youths coming of age under extreme duress. The themes are trust, loyalty, and finding out what is really important in one’s life—the deep instead of the superficial. The plots have action, and the writing is tight.

[Ilona Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using this edition as a place setting for the actual Audible book I listened to.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Perfect for my 12+ road trip

[Initially NO · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is actually two stories in the same book. Both interplanetary tales on strange lands with strange creatures that have powers to get inside the mind. Creatures that can speak telepathically and work with humans and creatures that use mind bending whistles to disorientate the mind and lure prey to their death.

It would’ve been good if both stories had linked in with each other more. But they were separate stories only connected by the area of the Dipple, the slums of the galaxy and similar use of weaponry to get out of trouble.

I found both of the protagonists interesting enough to follow, however the first story, ‘Catseye’, far more engaging than the second, ‘Night of masks’.

Both stories focus on saving what some organisation has targeted to kill. And the protagonist sets out to save them. Authority gone wrong and renegade penniless misfits trying to do the right thing.

[Cherisse · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 in 1: Catseye (human-animal contact via telepathy) and Night of Masks (plastic surgery gives a Dipple resident a chance to get out; his sense of right, his courage to save Vandy gives "Hacon" the opportunity).

[Lynn Calvin]

baen ebook

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contains two books.
Catseye
Night of Masks

[Genericeasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Catseye, the first book, but am not so fond of Night of Masks, the second book.