This is an interesting story which could be developed much better. As it is, the ending feels too abrupt and the whole story rushed. A hotshot pilot turned star hunter (think safari guide on inter-planet scale) holds a grudge against a wealthy family whose representative crippled him as a result of his arrogance. Now he (the pilot) has a very good change to get even: the only heir of that family is lost somewhere in space, but the pilot/hunter found remains of his equipment on one of the planets which was investigated as yet another candidate for inter-planet safari. So, together with a criminal mastermind they plan to plant a person whose memory is overridden to be the one of the above mentioned heir; it would be possible to control the huge resources (money) through him. The person is found and set on the planet, the memory is replaced, and the first safari expedition is on its way to the planet to "find" a missing heir. Suddenly, two big problems appear: the replacement started to regain his real memories way before the expedition reached the planet and it turns out the planet has intelligent - incomprehensible and meddling - life (everybody was sure it did not). These twists are just first couple of first pages of the book; I can only imagine the possibilities for further development. Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, the story is rushed and the ending is fairly abrupt. Still, this is a good story (with huge undeveloped potential) with a rating between 3 and 4 stars, but closer to 4.
(LibriVox Recording) The story line involves an antihero who finds that he has someone's memories as well as his own, an egotistical antagonist, and an antagonist turned friend on an alien world with dangerous fauna. There are some exciting chase sequences but the story falls apart near the end. This is not the best of Andre Norton's stories. The recording is good and made a good companion while on a long drive. I had read this story in the early 1960's so this was my getting re-acquainted with some light science fiction.
Do You like book Star Hunter (2006)?
Yet another space adventure novella by Andre (Alice) Norton, originally published as part of a twofer as part of the sci-fi goldmine that was the Ace Double series.A hunter who runs safaris on wild planets concocts a plan to inherit a fortune by planting a phony heir at the site of where the real one crash landed.The imposter has to be implanted with some false memories through the process of "brain-channeling", but unfortunately he still vaguely remembers who he is. More unfortunate still, the planet Jumala holds a nasty surprise as the hunter becomes the hunted.This is really perfunctory stuff from Norton, but its short length ensures that the flimsy story doesn't oustay its welcome. Incidentally, the other title in the back-to-back publication was called The Beastmaster, and yes it did inspire those execrable films and TV series of the same name.
—Perry Whitford
