The Last Protector - Softcover

Daniel C. Starr

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1606190016 ISBN 13: 9781606190012

Publisher: Twilight Times Books, 2008

Synopsis

Who cleans up the mess left by two centuries of careless recreational time travel? In The Last Protector, Daniel Starr's new novel from Paladin Timeless Books, the task falls to a Ranger from the future, a bodyguard from the past, and a serving wench who doesn't believe she has the power to save the world--but is willing to pretend she does, as long as the price is right. With two weeks to reconcile the present of one world and the past of another before the streams of time cross and both worlds come to an end, the three must overcome assassins, dragons, and the demons of their own pasts. Along the way, they encounter a theme-park Cast that's waited a century for its Guests to arrive, a religion built around a comic-strip character, microbots, pyroviruses, and the world's most perfect beer container. They learn that sometimes the world just doesn't want to be saved, and that while duty always calls, sometimes nature calls louder and duty just has to wait. And as a budding romance threatens the brotherhood of two men dedicated to saving the world, all three must ultimately discover within themselves the spirit of sacrifice that will lead them to risk everything for what each truly loves. At once lighthearted and deadly serious, The Last Protector deftly mixes science fiction and fantasy as it explores commitment, abandonment, vengeance and romance. This reverently irreverent adventure just might change the way you think about life, love, sacrifice... and beer.

About this title

About the Author

Daniel C. Starr spent 26 years in the telecom industry, where (among other things) he helped develop one of the first commercial cell phone systems. Since retiring, he's become known as the coolest sub ever in the St. Charles, IL school system. In addition to SF/Fantasy, he writes about project management. Some say it's the same thing.

Review

The Last Protector is a fascinating meld of super-high-tech and medieval machismo, with its mystery cleverly revealed by bits and pieces of its backstory over time. Techno-marvels abound, including the modern equivalent of seven-league boots, nanobots that repair broken limbs, a mind-manipulating musical instrument, and a sword that cuts everything except its owner. ...The Last Protector is wrought with superlative imagination. The action sequences flow smoothly. The suspense and mystery carry the reader through the penultimate question of whether the characters will succeed in saving the worlds of this richly-crafted multiverse. --Lee Denning, author of Monkey Trap

This is as perfect a book as I have ever read. I could not imagine a more perfect one. Character and story development are both masterful, building from intriguing introduction to deep familiarity, without forfeiting any of the mystery. The story deepens and broadens without losing any of its richness. The story flows in and out of present time, delving into multiple threads, without ever getting tangled up in any of them. All resolve together, rather like Saughblade's tartan: torn, blood-stained, ragged, and the fit mantle for any king by the end. --David A. Schmaltz, author of The Blind Men and the Elephant

This is the best fantasy book I have ever edited. Or is it science fiction? I like the characters, I like the world the author built, and I love the humor. But all this is the sugarcoating: as with all great writing, under all the adventure, there are serious messages that deserve thought. --Dr. Bob Rich, writer, mudsmith and psychologist

This is as perfect a book as I have ever read. I could not imagine a more perfect one. Character and story development are both masterful, building from intriguing introduction to deep familiarity, without forfeiting any of the mystery. The story deepens and broadens without losing any of its richness. The story flows in and out of present time, delving into multiple threads, without ever getting tangled up in any of them. All resolve together, rather like Saughblade's tartan: torn, blood-stained, ragged, and the fit mantle for any king by the end. --David A. Schmaltz, author of The Blind Men and the Elephant

The Last Protector is a fascinating meld of super-high-tech and medieval machismo, with its mystery cleverly revealed by bits and pieces of its backstory over time. Techno-marvels abound, including the modern equivalent of seven-league boots, nanobots that repair broken limbs, a mind-manipulating musical instrument, and a sword that cuts everything except its owner. ...The Last Protector is wrought with superlative imagination. The action sequences flow smoothly. The suspense and mystery carry the reader through the penultimate question of whether the characters will succeed in saving the worlds of this richly-crafted multiverse. --Lee Denning, author of Monkey Trap

Edition details

• Publisher: Twilight Times Books
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1606190016
• ISBN 13: 9781606190012
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 306