Jack of Swords: The Dumarest Saga Book 14

Science Fiction Noir

Jack of Swords (Dumarest 14) by E.C. Tubb

Things are bleak for Earl Dumarest. He has against found himself stranded on a planet where there is not enough work to earn enough money to get off planet. The local oligarchy keep their poor in another warren of shacks as they get rich raising “Beasts” - which I imagine to be super-bulls made tougher, bigger and meaner by genetic engineering.

He's on this planet because it is named “Terralde” which sounds something like “Terra,” another name for the lost Earth that he is searching for.

When Earl realizes his situation, he leads a group of losers in a raid of a Beast farm, resulting in one dead Beast, some men that will not starve, and an irate owner. The owner gets a break when one of the losers is caught trying to sell Beast meat. A net is thrown over Dumarest. An emissary of Earl's enemy, the Cyclan arrives and...

...Earl is taken off-planet by an owner who wants to locate a fabled treasure world hidden in a vast space nebula.

Never underestimate the role of luck in undermining Cyclan plans.

On the ship, we are introduced to the usual cast of greedy captains, cynical gamblers, and pampered princesses. In this version, though, Earl's unfailing eye for spotting the true among the false leads him to empathize with the Woman Who Has Lost Her Daughter, the Wealthy Old Woman, and the Blind Girl Navigator. Even the cynical gambler seems to have some redeeming qualities.

This story counts as one of the rare happy endings of a Dumarest story, apart from the fact that most of the ship dies and the treasure is absolutely useless. Nonetheless, Earl stays away from the Cyclan, although he does not seem to get any closer to Earth. [In one vision, he does seem to see Earth before it became a nearly dead world, so that may be something.]

That's not surprising. There are still another fourteen books in the series.

Dumarest of Terra is a 33-volume series of science fiction novels by Edwin Charles Tubb. Each story is a self-contained adventure. Throughout the series, Earl Dumarest, the protagonist, searches for clues to the location of his home world, Earth.The stories are set in a future fragmented galactic culture without any central government. Born on Earth Dumarest stowed away on a spaceship when he was young. The saga begins with [b:The Winds of Gath 575295 The Winds of Gath (Dumarest of Terra #1) E.C. Tubb https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332790442l/575295.SY75.jpg 2338703]. Dumarest has traveled so long and so far that he does not know how to return to his native planet. Nor has anyone ever heard of it, other than as a myth or legend.In this entry to the series Dumarest continues his desperate search for his birthplace. And seems to be coming close to the mythical planet Earth. But his attention is diverted. He is involved in a hunt for a vague ghost world in another galaxy. The rumour is that in this fabulous land lies the mysterious Castle of Heart's Desire. A place which fulfils every wish. If Dumarest can discover it, then maybe he will be able to return to the planet of his birth.By this point (the 14th novel in the ‘Dumarest of Terra' series) the plots become relatively predictable. Yet it's still a fun pulp space-opera style adventure that provides a light read. The books possess elements of narrative progression. But are largely stand alone. In each there is enough explanation to bring new readers up to speed.Another great entry in an entertaining series.