Forerunner Foray

Forerunner #3B

by Andre Norton

Forerunner Foray is actually 3rd in the Shan Lantee series (see "Storm Over Warlock" and "Ordeal in Otherwhere"), although it won't be apparent until you're well along in the book. The evening our story begins, Ziantha, a Guild Esper, ventures into the office of one of the many power-brokers who reside on the pleasure-planet Korwar. She's not there even to touch any of the valuable artwork - just to use her talent to identify specific computer memory cubes in his safe, and to copy their contents into her own memory without touching them, or leaving any trace. But while her defenses are down for the transfer, she is drawn to one of the artifacts - the ugly lump of rock on the coffee table, which is more than it seems. Ziantha's superior, the Lady Yasa, organizes an expedition to trace the artifact back to its origins, during which Ziantha is drawn into its past. This book provides a different view of life on Korwar (the starting point for several of Norton's science fiction novels), more Forerunner civilization(s), and a closer look at the Guild. --Michele L. Worley, Amazon review

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult, Speculative Fiction, Sci Fi Fantasy

286 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1973

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

[Peter Tillman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this a lot, back when I was about 14, and still remember a few bits:
The scene I remember was underground, in the Forerunner tunnels. They are lit in a dim gray light by Forerunner light tubes?, which are VERY old. The team is deep in the tunnels when the lights start to fade....

FADE TO BLACK.

Genuinely scary moment!

Here's the review to read: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
"...The alien artifact has an agenda of its own. It wishes to be reunited with its 'twin' and leads Ziantha and her masters to a burned-off planet, then hurtles the psychic back through time, into the body of a war slave who has been chained into her captor's tomb!"

'Reread' in progress, 5/3/22. I apparently had this book confused with another, earlier Norton. In 1973, when it was published, I was 27! Anyway, the yarn is off to a good start --& the cover art, a wraparound painting by Charles Mikolaycak, is stunning.

Well. Here in 2022, I'm discovering a couple of things:
1) Books I found thrilling and strange in the long-lost days of my youth, may not seem that way now, nearer to sunset.
2) This isn't the book I dimly recalled. The Forerunner stuff here is just window dressing.
3) At the moment, I have an embarrassment of riches of books, both from the library and from recent purchases. So I'm putting this one on hiatus for now, and perhaps forever. Competent, journeyman work to be sure, and the cover art is GREAT. But how much time do I want to spend on a book that I keep picking up, reading a chapter or two, and putting aside again? Well. we'll see.

Did not finish, Returned, not worth more of my time. But it's competently written....

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story we are back in Korwar, the setting for Catseye: that city of sybarites, corruption, and the Thieves' Guild. Andre Norton makes an effort to bring women into the foreground, showing that they can have the control and the adventures. Unfortunately, she makes the main female character, Ziantha, a human teenager who is too easily led and not rebellious enough.

Ziantha has been adopted by the fascinating female master criminal, Yasa, a feline Salariki. Yasa is a force to be reckoned with in the Thieves' Guild and uses Ziantha's psychic ability for her own ends. The story opens with Ziantha undertaking a 'foray', a thieving expedition, against an old criminal has-been, High Lord Jucundus, who has some important information that Ziantha can retrieve using her powers. The mission is successful; however, there is an object in Jucundus' possession that exercises its own will on Ziantha, impelling her to return and steal it.

That object is the key to the story. Once Ziantha has it and shows it to Yasa, her Svengali-like sidekick Ogan, and a small tentacled alien with a toucan-like bill, the formidable psychically talented Harath, they realise it could be the means of leading them to a priceless Forerunner treasure. Yasa and Ziantha, with Ogan following discreetly as back-up, go in search of answers. They end up at the ruined site of the ancient city of Singakok. Now, to any British readers the name Singakok is nothing to snigger at - we're not twelve year olds any more. This is a serious delve into science fiction psychometry, parapsychology and crystallomancy. Ziantha is able to use the object to transport herself back into the past and finds herself in the personality of the rebel warrior queen Vintra, entombed alive with the dead body of Singakok's ruler, Turan.

After this the plot doesn't so much thicken as become buried in layers of detail. Turan's body is brought temporarily back to life by another psychic, a chap called Ris Lantee (he was trained in his talents by the Wyverns of Warlock – it links to an earlier Norton story: Ordeal in Otherwhere). Using Turan's memories, he and Ziantha realise that the object – which contains a gemstone – is one of a pair and the other lies on an island, oh, miles away. They are able to fly out to it, where Ziantha/Vintra transports back to an even earlier civilization and becomes the female amphibian D'Eyree, one of a group of females responsible for using the sea slug-type Lurla to strengthen the walls of the city. The males of that civilization want power in their own hands and Ziantha has arrived in the middle of the chaos.

Well, by various means she manages to find the other stone and return to the physically decaying Turan, just in time to save his other half, Lantee, from a fate far worse than death. They escape back into their own time only to find that a Jack force (the Jacks are criminal looters) has disposed of Yasa – we never find out quite what has happened to her – and now want the gems for themselves. As does Ogan, who is now there and has turned nasty, or even nastier than he was before. It all turns out well in the end with Ziantha and Lantee fluttering their eyelashes at each other and rocketing off into deep space.

The book was published in 1973 and, at that time, it was a brave effort to bring female characters to the fore is what would have previously been an all-male adventure. The problem, as I said at the start, is that Ziantha is too young to impose herself. She is always too ready to take orders, understandable as herself but even as Vintra, warrior and leader though she is, Ziantha follows Turan's lead. It is only in the form of D'Eyree that Ziantha fights back; unfortunately by that time it is hopeless, D'Eyree has been bested by her enemies.

Also, while Ziantha appears to be white: the only description is: “Her appearance was not in any way remarkable. She had no outstanding features, hue of skin, inches of height, which could easily place her”; Ris Lantee is clearly black: “[Ziantha] had been right about the hue of his skin: that was a warm dark brown, which she was sure was natural, and not induced by long exposure to space. And his hair, in the sun, shown in tight black curls.” They walk off into the sunset almost hand in hand. Quite a daring scenario in the 1970s.

Overall it is an enjoyable romp, but over-complicated. And the Forerunner city of Singakok gives the appearance of being more like 20th-century New York than a futuristic, technologically advanced, wonderworld. Ziantha notes that the Singakokian flying machines are nowhere near as reliable, or safe, as the flitters of her own time; and their method of war against Vintra's people involves the use of air raids and high explosive bombs. The Zacathans, Ris Lantee's employers, would be so disappointed.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book that I ever read by Alice Norton - known as Andre Norton. She was basically a SF&F writer who began writing back in the 1950s. Most of her books deal with Psychic traits, links between animals and humans, and psychic links between objects and humans. Her development of characters that you care about, actually care about is one of the best in the field.

I originally purchased this book at the Airport while waiting to take a flight down from New York to visit my Grandparents in Florida. Most likely over Winter break during the holidays sometime during my Freshman year at Geneseo State. Once I read this book I was hooked. I began to search out her other novels in used bookstores and probably picked up most for 25 or 50 cents each back then. During my time at Geneseo I would read her books to escape from my mundane life of studying, studying, and more studying - hey, there was so much hard science a person could do without going a bit insane. So I fell back to reading escapist literature. It helped me keep my mind balanced, and helped me forget about Organic Chemistry and heavy duty Genetics. UGH. Sometimes I wonder, really wonder how I got through those years. I know I never took a full load of classes, that was nigh on impossible. Why? Taking umpteen Science Biology, Geology, Chemistry, plus the ones needed for my Environmental Sciences Minor, plus taking their so-called "Common Core" Humanities classes - which included English Lit, where one had to read about a novel a week, plus working 15 hours a week, and having some sort of a social life, well you get the idea. I had to escape into my fictional lands of fantasy. It was the only way I could survive mentally.

And there were plenty of others who shared my love for SF&F and other escapist literature - my books would be passed around our circle, and of course we'd spend hours discussing this character and that one, and to heck with classwork for a time.....It kept us sane (right Lisa?)

Years ago when I cleaned out my Collection I only held onto certain books, certain series that I knew I would reread someday. I kept all of my Andre Norton books, all Marion Zimmer Bradley, Ardath Mayhar, CJ Cherryh, Pat McKillip, and Jo Clayton - oh, and any old first edition hardcovers I had happened to come across during my years of hunting. At that time Geneseo had a relatively small collection of SF&F books, so I donated about 500 books to them. A few months later I received a letter from the librarian thanking me, and telling me that a little under 400 books had been added to their SF&F Collection in my name - they even created a Bookplate for me, stating I was the one who donated them.

Of course since then I began collecting them all over again, and I still have too many books. When I cleaned out my Library a few years ago, I only kept the older collectible books that I then owned. The rest went up for sale, or were donated to Goodwill. AS of today, the ones I kept are still boxed up in my basement, waiting, yes waiting for the time when my Den's library is finally set up.

All thanks to one book, by one Author, Forerunner Foray, by Andre Norton.....

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Forerunner series. Good read, and written for a younger audience. The main character in the book is a young woman named Ziantha from the slums of a pleasure planet, that had some abilities to sense the past of objects she held. Overall the book explores the possibility of using Parpsychology in a universe of the future. She was taken in and trained by the thieves guild, and expected to work for them. While on a assignment, she found a item of interest that called to he talent of Parpsychology, which she then went back and using telekinesis took it from a locked apartment to herself. Her adventures then began, moving to the planet the artifact was taken from. While their she found herself moved back in time several times to confront major historical events in the history of the planet. While struggling to return to her own time, she finds love, and eventually freedom from the thieves guild, and future happiness.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

While labelled third in the Forerunner series, you won't spoil anything in the first two books if you read this one first. Ris Lantee, Shann Lantee's son(?) is a character, but Norton never kills off protagonists so this won't be a shocker. Also, there's not any significant content from earlier in the series you need to know to enjoy this.

Ziantha is a bit bland and with less agency than Charis Nordholme of the second book and the time travel sequences felt a bit jammed together. A decent read but the first two were better.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third in the series, though much less connected than Storm Over Warlock and Ordeal in Otherwhere. (Blink and you'll miss it.) And it opens on the same planet where Catseye takes place

Ziantha also sprang from the Dipple and escaped it; Yasa, a catwoman, a high-ranking veep of the Thieves' Guild, recognized her as a sensitive and took her in. The story opens with her raiding an information stash kept by a politician now in exile -- and happening on a rough clay lump in his rooms. It obsesses her so much that she goes to apport it out of the place.

And she knows that another sensitive picked up her doing it.

Yasa is pleased enough with the prospect of more treasure from it that she sets out with Ziantha to track down the source. And the rest of the tale involves Jacks (space pirates) and a secret port of theirs; mentally traveling through time, a process which has her meet a sensitive from her own time that she never met there; a discovery of a pair of gems: the Eyes; a little psychic alien that switches allegiance; and taking advantage of appearing as high-ranking people in a society, though with the little difficulty that one of them was dead.

I read this years ago at a tale of action and adventure, which it was, though nowadays I was pondering what sort of impact their actions as figures in long-ago Forerunner history had on that history. It might be bad, might be good, but we get only that the widow of the dead man was treacherous toward him. Since they only engage in their own treasure hunting, a lot of things could result; they never even try to help the men loyal to the dead man he appears as.

[Surly Gliffs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this one up at an estate sale for 50 cents. Cover art is superb. In the 70s, all the cool fantasy authors decided that magic was passe, but powers of the mind are *really real* (Uri Geller bends spoons, etc.). Toward that end, Norton faithfully applies the rules from the AD&D Psionics Handbook (2nd Edition) and takes us on a glorious adventure with a 12th-level psionicist.

My spouse read this one first and accurately called it Inception with mind powers. The plotting is cool, both in tone and pace, and relentlessly tracks its McGuffin. Dialogue could be read as grandiose or pedantic, which I suppose you should expect from Norton. There's cat-people and a nice boss battle at the end. Recommended for fans of 70s-era psychedelic fantasy.

[Gary Fortuin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick easy read that didn't sacrifice style or quality. Kind of a psionic space opera tale of intrigue and action adventure. Hard to pin it down, but it's a good story with some interesting twists in it at the end.

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a time warp within itself because it harked back to atime when parapsychology and psychometry actually were being explored for potential guidence by archeologists. The early 70's were a very credulous time in many ways, probably the result of some of the mindopeing experiences of the late sixties.
I also caught myself wondering how conversant Norton was with Dion Fortune, so if anyone knows about who Norton kept in contact with please let me know.
With that being said I listened to this book so my edition statement is simply not true, and also I will not be able to spell any of the characters names correctly. The main character, our Psychometrist, has difficulty keeping her identity straight as she works for the Thieves Guild, sheltered by magical cloaks that conceal her, mislead survellience. On her masters level assinment she picks up an extra object that then compels her to do certain things. Sadly she is parted from an alien, who resembles a four-tentacled, blue Toucan. Instead of this well meaning creature she is managed by the Spy Master, a feline sort who takes her off planet for her safety. And for further exploitation. They are followed by a scientist who roughly equates to her handler. What happens after they land is ost peculiar. The scientist lags far behind and our psyche is forced to read for a barrow that terrifies her. The male pirate captain looking for salvage is impatient and separates her from the Cat Theif. He forces her and her psyche rips into an ancient dentity. It happens several times in the course of the book, each time going back to a time beyond the memory of the time she landed in previously. It's a ripping good adventure, and the only congruence with the Founders are the black columns she treads as the Eyes of the merpeople. And we remeet Lan Shan who crops up in another Founders book, but here he seems all grown up. Looking forward to the next one.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally considered a sequel to Storm Over Warlock and Ordeal in Otherwhere, but the ties are slender. The background universe is the same, and an important character is the son of the protagonists of the previous book. He also is a telepath trained by the Wyverns of Warlock. Previous books in this loose series were SF adventure written in a clean style. In this book, Norton often writes in a pseudo-archaic style probably in an effort to make the book more exotic. For me, it just makes the book more difficult to read. Norton's world inventing is enough to make the book exotic, especially when the plot includes two mind-trip-time-travels to previous alien civilizations. An entertaining enough book, but I doubt I will read later books in the Forerunner series.

[Rebecca Manery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I re-read this book from time to time. One of my very favorites when I was a tween, its Inception-like plot obviously predates Inception by decades. I loved Andre Norton for her strong female characters who, despite being Outsiders, find a way to make their own path through their wit, courage, and psychic talents.

[Nicole Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! In a relatively small book, the renowned Andre Norton has managed to build three completely distinct worlds, rich with detail and unique characters. What a fascinating science fiction, based on a real-life parapsychic c0ncept. Also, I would cherish a downy, blue, tentacled, psychic, birdlike little companion like Harath.

[Greg O'Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had lots of cool ideas. It had the possibility to be something like Inception with time travel. Really interesting stuff actually.

However the ending was a bit of a let down, I felt there was so much potential for a real bang up finish and it just sorta ... finished.

I enjoyed it. and I can recommend it, but I felt it left some on the table.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Next in my rereading of Andre Norton takes a deviation from Warlock and Ordeal to go deeper into races who came before, with powers possibly of great impact as well as great danger. Quite an adventure.

[Jim Mcclanahan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been a lifelong Norton fan and have always enjoyed her stories. Until now. This final volume in the series is aimless and fails to hold my attention. I tried, but had to give up about 3/4 of the way through.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

To much fantasy needed more sci-fi.

[Mizloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interestingly weird. Re-reading Norton is entering a world with no familiar reference points. Engaging, but hard to get a handle on.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young sensitive touches a jewel and is transported into another being living in the far past. A Science Fiction Book Club selection.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time the formula didn't have much zing.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like how this book wraps up the trilogy and references characters from the prior books.

[Ellis Wasend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruh… this was very good, not iron cage level but so far my fave in this series. At the end… Tying this together with the previous books… I can’t cope this author is so good. Bless you Mrs Norton

[pearl]

Wanna read this simply because of the cover art by Charles Mikolaycak.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brings back Shan Lantee, as he helps our young Esper escape from a life of slavery to the powerful Guild. Ziantha is trying to steal information on a memory cube, but is called by an artifact which begs her wordlessly to take it home.

The Guild person who controls Ziantha is intrigued, and begins tracing the artifact, allowing for random events which bring in Lantee. The story shows a different side of the spaceport, and of the all-powerful Guild, while still focusing on one individual.

(note - this book is not part of Forerunner... it has a completely different cast of characters)

[Chak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very simple tale of far-futuristic galactic intrigue seemed more like a short story than a novel. I don't think the writing is what most people would think of as "great," but the very basic of writing mechanics are there - descriptions, building suspense, top-level character development, etc. This would be a great book for a beginning writer to read. I very much enjoyed it as a quick distraction between finishing The Many Colored Land by Julian May, and waiting for the Golden Torc to come in the mail. Forerunner Foray served its purpose well, though I don't feel a need to search out any more Andre Norton.

[S.A. Parham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the Norton books, but not half bad. The general storyline is a wild psychic talent recruited by the Thieves Guild as a child and conditioned against betraying them. Her own survival after tangling with a powerful Forerunner artifact means she finally has to make the choice to become more than a Guild tool. I think my son got more out of the story than I did, so I'll add a half star more than I would normally.

[Valerie]

Not exactly a sequel to Ordeal in Otherwhere. Dating note: this is described as being very shortly after Uncharted Stars.

The story begins on Korwar, and includes a visit to Waystar. On a secondary note, I don't find that Ziantha is treated significantly better by her partner than by her patrons in the Thieves' Guild. One might impugn the motives of the Veep Yasa, and of her employees, but they treat Ziantha with a fair amount of respect, whatever their motives.

[Frank]

I have read all of Nortons work for third until 1990 or so. I have not read any of Her co-authored works because it feels like trading on Nortons name. I don't recall a single novel that wasn't enjoyable read Some of the older works feel a bit dated now. But it's not like reading Ee Doc Smirh. Norton is usually a fun light read

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the very first Andre Norton books I read - and I've read it again since because that was a long time ago and I didn't quite get it at the age of 10. All I knew was it was good and fascinating. :o)

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a kid, and I don't remember much about it, but I must have loved it at the time, because I dressed as the heroine for Halloween that year. Naturally, as with most years, no one knew who I was supposed to be ...

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book. I'm not a huge fan of the "ancient starspanning empire" stories but this is a good one. Maybe I've just seen it a bit much.