Steel of Raithskar — Randall Garrett

“A fast, light and entertaining read which sets up the Gandalara Cycle very well . . . an escapist adventure in the classic mold” (SFF Chronicles).

The last thing terminally ill language professor Ricardo Carillo remembers is standing on the deck of a Mediterranean cruise ship, watching a giant fireball hurtle toward him. He awakens in the body of a young Gandalaran named Markasset, sharing a telepathic bond with a giant, intelligent feline named Keeshah.

Ricardo faces two challenges: navigating this unfamiliar desert world, and learning about his new identity and mission. Markasset turns out to be a talented swordsman with a powerful father who's a Supervisor in the city of Raithskar. But Markasset's own reputation is more dubious. He has gambling debts and a shadowy past -- and he's suspected of stealing a sacred gem, the Ra'ira, that was under his father's protection.

With few allies except a beautiful fiancée and the loyal Keeshah, Ricardo is determined to piece together what really happened to the Ra'ira. The truth will either prove his innocence -- or endanger the new life he has only just begun.

Praise for the Gandalara Cycle

“Entertaining and well-paced . . . Full of swordplay and giant cats.” -- Theodore Sturgeon, The Twilight Zone Magazine

“This series as a whole is possibly the best of its kind in many years.” -- SF Chronicle