Henry Kuttner
Planet Stories
$12.95, trade paperback, 224 pgs.
This is the second and final tale of Prince Raynor that Kuttner wrote. I don't think it's quite up to the standards of "Cursed be the City", which I discussed earlier in the week. But it's still a good yarn.
The story opens with Raynor and his Nubian servant Eblik coming upon a dying archer in the forest. He's part of a group of refugees they, along with the warrior maid Delphia, had put together after the close of the previous story. Prince Raynor's horse had gone lame the previous day, and he and Eblik had fallen behind the group. The archer is the only survivor except for Delphia, who has been kidnapped. Raynor and Eblik set out in pursuit.
While waiting for the moon to rise, they are approached in the forest by an old man in a robe. From his description, he sounds a lot like Gandalf, and his name, Ghiar, isn't that far off. Only this story predates The Lord of the Rings by a number of years.
