Clash of Star-Kings

by Avram Davidson

Set during the reign of the Aztecs in Mexico, two alien forces, dormant for centuries, enter a confrontation on a remote mountain that will decide Earth's fate. The Great Old Ones benevolently ruled before the cruel Aztecs were shaped by the Huitzil, who came from the Evil Stars and taught the Aztecs how to conquer and demanded endless human sacrifice.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Collections, Fiction

156 pages, paper

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Avram Davidson was an American Jewish writer of fantasy fiction, science fiction, and crime fiction, as well as the author of many stories that do not fit into a genre niche. He won a Hugo Award and three World Fantasy Awards in the science fiction and fantasy genre, a World Fantasy Life Achievement award, and a Queen's Award and an Edgar Award in the mystery genre. Davidson edited The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction from 1962 to 1964. His last novel The Boss in the Wall: A Treatise on the House Devil was completed by Grania Davis and was a Nebula Award finalist in 1998. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction says "he is perhaps sf's most explicitly literary author".

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sturm und Drang! ancient god-aliens coming back to earth to raise the people up! it's a revolution, against the Mexican government and the terrible monster-god-aliens who come from the Evil Stars! the Aztecs rise again to commit bloody atrocities! hearts are pulled from chests! battles with lightning and thunder and rain! two mountains shall rise! original gangstas Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochitli battle it out with kindly giants The Great Old Ones over the weaponized heart of the rain god Tlaloc! yeah baby yeah!

oh I wish. all of the above is in the narrative, sure, but one could barely tell from the offhand, minimal descriptions. it is like Davidson was actually shy about recounting anything genuinely exciting, let alone pulpy and over the top. this should have been a thrill ride but instead it was just waiting in line for the ride, and then being told that waiting in line was the actual ride. I couldn't believe the amount of time he spent with three tedious Americans abroad who are barely even a part of the story. even worse was having to read about one of the Americans baby-talking a cat and whining endlessly about having to do the dishes. why, Avram, whyyyyy? you had such a grand story here. but such piddly execution.

still, this isn't a one star book because I do appreciate Davidson's gentle, culturally sensitive hand when depicting village life and in particular the various pre-Aztec races. he also seems to despise the revoltingly bloodthirsty Aztecs, which is fine by me.

[Fuzzy Gerdes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both the title and back cover blurb of this slim novel rather overstate the excitement contained within ("they came from the Evil Stars!"). Which is not to say it was a disappointment, but rather than a grand adventure it's a short, tense tale of a small Mexican village where things are not as they seem (ala The Wicker Man ) and the few scifi elements mentioned (a brief mention of a "star ship") could easily be discarded to leave this a disturbing fantasy.

(The description listed on Goodreads and Amazon is inaccurate, by the way. The book is set in modern times (well, 1975)).

[Garry Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stuck with this but got half way through and realised nothing much had actually happened.
The author's knowledge of Mexico did, however, impress.
So I stuck at it and the story, such as it was, unfolded at what seemed a leisurely pace, and you never really got "into" the characters as you do in some books.
Anyway (spoiler alert!), the good guys (well, Gods actually) won and, if I'm honest, by the end, I wasn't sure I cared!
Toyed with a "2" rating, but was well written in parts, so a "3" it is.
It's my first Avram Davidson book, so maybe there is better out there, who knows?

[Warwick Stubbs · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember thinking "the most non-book book I've read" or something like that. I just did not feel like I had read a book, almost like I'd been cheated out of a proper novel. Massively disappointing.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel as though I’m close to catching the dragon, the one where Davidson’s skills are one full display.