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Karma Corps
Captain Lars Haggart was a soul waiting to be reborn...but before that blessed event he had been inducted into the Arm of God Regiment fighting for the beleaguered Churchers on a newly colonized planet. Their foe - demons who could pop into existence, slay and pop out of existence the next instant. The demons were winning that war, sending their Unborn opponents back to limbo, driving the living colonists toward extermination.
But this was no fantasy, no business of the religious imagination. The fight was real, blood was blood, and swords cut sharp, for the Unborn were very much alive. Haggart was aware that this was frighteningly contradictory but first he had to fight the demons on their own terms - learn how to appear behind their lines and do to them what they were doing to the humans.
An unusual science fiction novel of a space colony in deepest trouble and of aliens who knew planetary secrets that were never on anyone's Holy Book.
But this was no fantasy, no business of the religious imagination. The fight was real, blood was blood, and swords cut sharp, for the Unborn were very much alive. Haggart was aware that this was frighteningly contradictory but first he had to fight the demons on their own terms - learn how to appear behind their lines and do to them what they were doing to the humans.
An unusual science fiction novel of a space colony in deepest trouble and of aliens who knew planetary secrets that were never on anyone's Holy Book.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
239 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1984
29 people want to read
About the author
Neal Barrett Jr.
133 books44 followersNeal Barrett, Jr. was a writer of fantasy, science fiction, mystery/suspense, and historical fiction. His story "Ginny Sweethips' Flying Circus" was nominated for both the 1988 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and the 1989 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 14, 2022
"Karma" is set on a nameless planet where, two centuries ago, a colony ship crash-landed. Despite reverting to a medieval level of technology, the survivors have created a small civilization, with its own stone-walled Citadel.
Lars Haggart is the Captain of the eponymous Corps; like the 221 soldiers under his command, Lars has no real knowledge of his past, for he is the reincarnation of a deceased member of the colony. What makes Lars and his soldiers special is their ability to instantaneously teleport across small distances, a skill shared by the some of the Demons, a race of werebeasts who also inhabit the planet.
As the novel opens, the Churchers, the theocracy which governs society, are in desperate straits in their perpetual struggle to hold back the demon hordes, who – for reasons unknown- are seeking to expunge the Terrans from the planet. The Church hierarchy is looking to Lars and his Corps to use their unique powers to bring about a decisive victory against the enemy.
But as Lars is to discover, the demons seem to have an uncanny ability to know in advance where he and his soldiers are going to teleport. And far from being the ultimate weapon, the Corps may in fact be a liability. Lars discovers that he will have to act on his own to discover the truth about the reincarnation process, and the strange territories that are home to the disembodied souls from which the Corps is drawn. But asking those types of questions can trigger the wrath of the Churchers….and a further fragmentation of a society teetering on the brink of extinction.
Narrative revolves around the political and personal squabbles and rivalries between Lars and the Churchers. These conflicts are framed as confrontations between emerging humanism and self-awareness on the part of the Corps, versus the orthodoxy and blind obedience fomented by the Churchers.
"The Karma Corps" is DAW Book No. 604, and was published in November, 1984.
The cover illustration was done by Les Edwards.
"Karma" was the 10th sf novel published by Neil Barrett, Jr. (1929 – 2014).
Neal Barrett Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, mystery/suspense, and historical fiction. He also worked under the pseudonyms Victor Appleton, Chad Calhoun, Franklin W. Dixon (Stratemeyer Syndicate house names), Rebecca Drury, and J. D. Hardin.
An unusual science fiction novel of a space colony in deepest trouble and of aliens who knew planetary secrets that were never in anyone's Holy Book.
Lars Haggart is the Captain of the eponymous Corps; like the 221 soldiers under his command, Lars has no real knowledge of his past, for he is the reincarnation of a deceased member of the colony. What makes Lars and his soldiers special is their ability to instantaneously teleport across small distances, a skill shared by the some of the Demons, a race of werebeasts who also inhabit the planet.
As the novel opens, the Churchers, the theocracy which governs society, are in desperate straits in their perpetual struggle to hold back the demon hordes, who – for reasons unknown- are seeking to expunge the Terrans from the planet. The Church hierarchy is looking to Lars and his Corps to use their unique powers to bring about a decisive victory against the enemy.
But as Lars is to discover, the demons seem to have an uncanny ability to know in advance where he and his soldiers are going to teleport. And far from being the ultimate weapon, the Corps may in fact be a liability. Lars discovers that he will have to act on his own to discover the truth about the reincarnation process, and the strange territories that are home to the disembodied souls from which the Corps is drawn. But asking those types of questions can trigger the wrath of the Churchers….and a further fragmentation of a society teetering on the brink of extinction.
Narrative revolves around the political and personal squabbles and rivalries between Lars and the Churchers. These conflicts are framed as confrontations between emerging humanism and self-awareness on the part of the Corps, versus the orthodoxy and blind obedience fomented by the Churchers.
"The Karma Corps" is DAW Book No. 604, and was published in November, 1984.
The cover illustration was done by Les Edwards.
"Karma" was the 10th sf novel published by Neil Barrett, Jr. (1929 – 2014).
Neal Barrett Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, mystery/suspense, and historical fiction. He also worked under the pseudonyms Victor Appleton, Chad Calhoun, Franklin W. Dixon (Stratemeyer Syndicate house names), Rebecca Drury, and J. D. Hardin.
An unusual science fiction novel of a space colony in deepest trouble and of aliens who knew planetary secrets that were never in anyone's Holy Book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2025
review of
Neal Barrett, Jr.'s The Karma Corps
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - December 31, 2025
I picked this up b/c it was in the Science Fiction section priced at $1.50. I wasn't familiar w/ the author & the cover had a somewhat generic guy-w/-sword image. It's funny how much SF features time-&-space-travellers finding themselves in worlds that approximate knights-in-armor (& such-like) on Earth. For most of my reading of this I decided that it was more appropriately categorized under Fantasy than SF but, then, the 2 usually get mixed together. It eventually turned into SciFi for me, wch I prefer, but it was fine as Fantasy too.
The main character, Lars, is the commander of a rag-tag group of warriors called The Arm of God or The Karma Corps. They're people reputed to've been brought back from Limbo by someone in the ruling church to fight w/ special abilities against purported demons who the church has been in conflict w/ for 200 yrs. Lars is walking & stops to watch the training of his troops.
"As Lars watched, the wheat-haired corporal gave a sign. Abruptly, the greens disappeared. There was a single crack of sound, as air rushed in to fill the body-sized vacuums. Instantly, the greens reappeared some twenty meters away. Most landly truly in their circles, or close enough to count. Turning quickly about each trooper loosed a wicked bolt at his target, vanished, appeared back at the start, cranked up his crossbow and disappeared again." - p 10
This ability to disappear from one place & reappear close to instantaneously at another place is called jumping. Unfortunately for them, some of the 'demons' are able to do it too & are better at it. The leader of the Church is a woman known as the Holy Mother, the Voice of God. Audiences w/ her are usually restricted to Church hierarchy so people outside the Church, like Lars, have never met her & don't know anything about her. Lars is summoned to her.
""You do not—speak to Her Holiness. Only to—the Veil."
""And is that what I'm to call her?" asked Lars. "Your Holiness is proper?"
""Didn't you—understand a thing I said, young man? You don't call Her anything. You speak—only to the Veil!"" - p 56
The fighting increases in intensity & The Karma Corps are losing massively. Lars gets lost in his jumping.
"It was the creatures they were sitting upon that struck him cold. They were neither pigs nor oxen, but something leaner and far swifter; sleek-tendoned beasts with powerful legs and heads like hammers. Like the warriors themselves, these beasts were strangely familiar. God's Breath, Lars thought of a sudden, I've sat one of the damnable things myself!" - p 126
Lars & close associates are fleeing from the adversarial forces in the deeps of the castle (yes, of course there's a castle!) & this is when the Fantasy becomes more SF. They're getting into the buried spaceship that the Chruchers arrived in.
"Lars heard a slight whisper of sound. Sister-Major stepped back. The circle sprang clear a good inch. Slepping her fingers around the edge, she pushed the portal aside with no effort.
""It works like a marvel," said Lars. "And after all this time!"
""They were a different kind of folk," said Sister-Major. "Past our understanding, for certain."" - p 188
I enjoyed this very much & was glad every time I resumed reading it after a break. Like almost all Fantasy/SF the plot was imaginative & engaging. Even tho I'm a very critical person & dislike almost everything about pop culture I find myself embracing SF like it's a still-horny girlfriend that I haven't seen for awhile. Take that!
Neal Barrett, Jr.'s The Karma Corps
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - December 31, 2025
I picked this up b/c it was in the Science Fiction section priced at $1.50. I wasn't familiar w/ the author & the cover had a somewhat generic guy-w/-sword image. It's funny how much SF features time-&-space-travellers finding themselves in worlds that approximate knights-in-armor (& such-like) on Earth. For most of my reading of this I decided that it was more appropriately categorized under Fantasy than SF but, then, the 2 usually get mixed together. It eventually turned into SciFi for me, wch I prefer, but it was fine as Fantasy too.
The main character, Lars, is the commander of a rag-tag group of warriors called The Arm of God or The Karma Corps. They're people reputed to've been brought back from Limbo by someone in the ruling church to fight w/ special abilities against purported demons who the church has been in conflict w/ for 200 yrs. Lars is walking & stops to watch the training of his troops.
"As Lars watched, the wheat-haired corporal gave a sign. Abruptly, the greens disappeared. There was a single crack of sound, as air rushed in to fill the body-sized vacuums. Instantly, the greens reappeared some twenty meters away. Most landly truly in their circles, or close enough to count. Turning quickly about each trooper loosed a wicked bolt at his target, vanished, appeared back at the start, cranked up his crossbow and disappeared again." - p 10
This ability to disappear from one place & reappear close to instantaneously at another place is called jumping. Unfortunately for them, some of the 'demons' are able to do it too & are better at it. The leader of the Church is a woman known as the Holy Mother, the Voice of God. Audiences w/ her are usually restricted to Church hierarchy so people outside the Church, like Lars, have never met her & don't know anything about her. Lars is summoned to her.
""You do not—speak to Her Holiness. Only to—the Veil."
""And is that what I'm to call her?" asked Lars. "Your Holiness is proper?"
""Didn't you—understand a thing I said, young man? You don't call Her anything. You speak—only to the Veil!"" - p 56
The fighting increases in intensity & The Karma Corps are losing massively. Lars gets lost in his jumping.
"It was the creatures they were sitting upon that struck him cold. They were neither pigs nor oxen, but something leaner and far swifter; sleek-tendoned beasts with powerful legs and heads like hammers. Like the warriors themselves, these beasts were strangely familiar. God's Breath, Lars thought of a sudden, I've sat one of the damnable things myself!" - p 126
Lars & close associates are fleeing from the adversarial forces in the deeps of the castle (yes, of course there's a castle!) & this is when the Fantasy becomes more SF. They're getting into the buried spaceship that the Chruchers arrived in.
"Lars heard a slight whisper of sound. Sister-Major stepped back. The circle sprang clear a good inch. Slepping her fingers around the edge, she pushed the portal aside with no effort.
""It works like a marvel," said Lars. "And after all this time!"
""They were a different kind of folk," said Sister-Major. "Past our understanding, for certain."" - p 188
I enjoyed this very much & was glad every time I resumed reading it after a break. Like almost all Fantasy/SF the plot was imaginative & engaging. Even tho I'm a very critical person & dislike almost everything about pop culture I find myself embracing SF like it's a still-horny girlfriend that I haven't seen for awhile. Take that!
September 20, 2015
An interesting-enough premise, but not very well developed/executed. The volume I read had LOTS of typos (editors issue, not authors - and from DAW, I expected better...BUT, that was from back in the day when spell-check was just a baby!). Still that was only part of the problem with this book. The characters were only partially developed, and the main premise of space/time jumping was loosely explained. This story had potential, but was a struggle to follow - logically. I'm becoming a fan of Neal Barrett's, so I'm willing to overlook this as one of his "pot boiler" stories. But, to say something positive, the writing style (mechanics and dialogue usage) was well-done. I'll read more of Neal's books, but hope they are more artfully developed.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews