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Star Lord
A Welsh family is caught up in the struggle between the supernatural powers of a mountain and the technological powers of a star lord who crashes into it.
176 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 1978
31 people want to read
About the author
Louise Lawrence
39 books58 followersElizabeth Holden, better known by her pen name Louise Lawrence, is an English science fiction author, acclaimed during the 1970s and 1980s.
Lawrence was born in Leatherhead, Surrey, England, in 1943. She became fascinated with Wales at a young age, and has set many of her novels there. She left school early on to become an assistant librarian. She married and had the first of her three children in 1963. Her departure from the library, she recalls, gave her the potential to turn toward writing: "Deprived of book-filled surroundings, I was bound to write my own."
Lawrence was born in Leatherhead, Surrey, England, in 1943. She became fascinated with Wales at a young age, and has set many of her novels there. She left school early on to become an assistant librarian. She married and had the first of her three children in 1963. Her departure from the library, she recalls, gave her the potential to turn toward writing: "Deprived of book-filled surroundings, I was bound to write my own."
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 28, 2017
He had never lived through minutes so terrible.
This was kind of an interesting little book, one I picked up randomly at my favorite bookstore. Because why wouldn't I want to read a book written in the '70s by a woman and entitled STARLORD? That was enough to sell me because honestly, the backs of little SF books like this say basically nothing about the plot, but manage to sound all grand anyway.
I liked the story well enough, though it was rather small in scale. It takes place almost entirely in one house and the surrounding area. The few characters talk a lot, having the kinds of conversations where not a lot is said. I liked the writing style, but I wish there had been a bit more depth and connection between certain characters, and more description.
Overall this was a quick read and not a bad way to pass the time.
2.5 stars.
"You think I'm young? I'm not. I'm ageless. For me there is no time, not as you know it. You stay still in it, wait as it passes you, wither and die. But I travel it."
This was kind of an interesting little book, one I picked up randomly at my favorite bookstore. Because why wouldn't I want to read a book written in the '70s by a woman and entitled STARLORD? That was enough to sell me because honestly, the backs of little SF books like this say basically nothing about the plot, but manage to sound all grand anyway.
I liked the story well enough, though it was rather small in scale. It takes place almost entirely in one house and the surrounding area. The few characters talk a lot, having the kinds of conversations where not a lot is said. I liked the writing style, but I wish there had been a bit more depth and connection between certain characters, and more description.
Overall this was a quick read and not a bad way to pass the time.
2.5 stars.
"You think I'm young? I'm not. I'm ageless. For me there is no time, not as you know it. You stay still in it, wait as it passes you, wither and die. But I travel it."
October 18, 2015
Rhys lives with his mother, sister, and grandfather in their grandfather's tiny house in the countryside of Wales. In the shadow of the mountains, Rhys has discovered a new sort of life from the one his mother tried to make in the city. But things change when something crashes into the side of the mountain. And now Rhys is faced with something unbelievable, something the government wants very badly . . .
This was fairly well written, but I don't really like relentlessly depressing stories. Rhys's family is poor, and nobody seems to get along except for Rhys and his grandfather. And then when the alien boy does show up, the mood sours further because people have different ideas what to do about him.
In terms of actual plot, most of it is people arguing with each other, some of the rest is the family trying to put off the government, and the last bit is stuff that happens on the mountain. The chapters are short and terse. So, a fast read, but not one I enjoyed overmuch.
Overall this wasn't something I cared for. There's no real problem with the book; it's more a matter of taste. I rate this book Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This was fairly well written, but I don't really like relentlessly depressing stories. Rhys's family is poor, and nobody seems to get along except for Rhys and his grandfather. And then when the alien boy does show up, the mood sours further because people have different ideas what to do about him.
In terms of actual plot, most of it is people arguing with each other, some of the rest is the family trying to put off the government, and the last bit is stuff that happens on the mountain. The chapters are short and terse. So, a fast read, but not one I enjoyed overmuch.
Overall this wasn't something I cared for. There's no real problem with the book; it's more a matter of taste. I rate this book Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
April 8, 2014
I honestly thought this book was brilliant. It may have been a bit boring in the beginning but the end is quite amazing. I loved it!
April 7, 2019
The beginning is very good, painting a picture of this family in this remote Welsh town, a single mother, her teen daughter and younger son, the cantankerous grandfather, the sheep dog.
"Wow," I thought, "I've discovered a lost classic!"
Then... well... the spaceman is discovered and a number of irritating things happen, the first of which is that the female characters step back to let a 12-year-old boy and ailing old man take responsibility for sneaking said alien over the mountain away from government troops because... hale bodied adult woman isn't a better choice? The teen girl just throws hysterics because no one UNDERSTANDS. She LOVES him.
Everyone loves the alien, instantly. It makes you expect he's really evil.
The ending is rushed and there's a bit of a time jump that could have been easily done with relativity and space travel but instead involves a door opening in the mountain and a "dream sequence" and I realize horribly that this alien is really just a metaphorical fae. Which... okay I could have forgiven if the ending weren't so rushed.
Still, I'll see if I can find other works by this author, as the writing at the beginning was quite good.
"Wow," I thought, "I've discovered a lost classic!"
Then... well... the spaceman is discovered and a number of irritating things happen, the first of which is that the female characters step back to let a 12-year-old boy and ailing old man take responsibility for sneaking said alien over the mountain away from government troops because... hale bodied adult woman isn't a better choice? The teen girl just throws hysterics because no one UNDERSTANDS. She LOVES him.
Everyone loves the alien, instantly. It makes you expect he's really evil.
The ending is rushed and there's a bit of a time jump that could have been easily done with relativity and space travel but instead involves a door opening in the mountain and a "dream sequence" and I realize horribly that this alien is really just a metaphorical fae. Which... okay I could have forgiven if the ending weren't so rushed.
Still, I'll see if I can find other works by this author, as the writing at the beginning was quite good.
August 16, 2025
While this book reads like a Young Adult novel, it does include a few surprises near the end that aren't typical of most YA books. I purchased a copy of this book at a local used book store based on the cover alone. I had no idea who the author was.
May 2, 2017
I didn't care for her writing style on this one.
March 30, 2009
Yawn. Why are there more people named "Rhys" in terrible fantasy/sci-fi paperbacks than there are in real life?
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews