Richard Blade Series by Jeffrey Lord

NO HOPE...Savage warriors, barbaric women, and a mad emperor give Richard Blade his greatest challenge, when he is thrust by a computer into a civilization without hope--Dimension X. It was a land in peril, and Richard Blade was a man in mortal danger. The aristocratic Caths, besieged by the cruel and mindless Mongs, were constantly engulfed in wars and violence. Blade's prime objective was to explore, observe and survive--to try to save Dimension X. That was his duty. His job... moreNO HOPE...Savage warriors, barbaric women, and a mad emperor give Richard Blade his greatest challenge, when he is thrust by a computer into a civilization without hope--Dimension X. It was a land in peril, and Richard Blade was a man in mortal danger. The aristocratic Caths, besieged by the cruel and mindless Mongs, were constantly engulfed in wars and violence. Blade's prime objective was to explore, observe and survive--to try to save Dimension X. That was his duty. His job.Blade was their only hope. But he was a man alone--and time was running out.... less

Savage Women...the trumpet blasted and the women stormed into the arena like a tidal wave. Teeth glinted white and feral in contorted faces; breasts of every size and type bobbled and jounced as female struggled against female to claim her quarry.It was one vast mass of flesh, naked and unshielded, muscles tensed, faces contorted. Some of the women cried, some howled like lost demons, some laughed wildly, working away in deadly, writhing silence... moreSavage Women...the trumpet blasted and the women stormed into the arena like a tidal wave. Teeth glinted white and feral in contorted faces; breasts of every size and type bobbled and jounced as female struggled against female to claim her quarry.It was one vast mass of flesh, naked and unshielded, muscles tensed, faces contorted. Some of the women cried, some howled like lost demons, some laughed wildly, working away in deadly, writhing silence. All of them placed the men in the subordinate position and mounted them brutally, cuffing and kicking their victims into total submission.All of the men were down and conquered. But this was only the start. The sacrificial fire was lit and Sutha proclaimed: "Let the sacred slaying begin!" It was nearly time for Blade to make his move... less

Dream TimeIn a new dimension of time and space Blade finds himself in a strange, crumbling city that seems to be the result of a very advanced technology. Violent gangs roam the streets. The area is brutalized by robbery, rape, and murder.Blade takes refuge in the basement of a building, where he finds a number of steel doors in the wall. As he watches in amazement, a vault door slowly begins to open, and from within emerges a naked and startlingly beautiful woman... moreDream TimeIn a new dimension of time and space Blade finds himself in a strange, crumbling city that seems to be the result of a very advanced technology. Violent gangs roam the streets. The area is brutalized by robbery, rape, and murder.Blade takes refuge in the basement of a building, where he finds a number of steel doors in the wall. As he watches in amazement, a vault door slowly begins to open, and from within emerges a naked and startlingly beautiful woman. She eyes Blade warily as they begin to talk, then invites him into her vault--a luxurious one-room apartment with every imaginable creation of a technology advanced far beyond anything Blade has ever seen.In the center of the room is an upright cylindrical glass chamber containing a gaseous substance that does not seem to escape, even though the door to the chamber is open. Then the woman reveals to Blade that, like most of the upper class of her society, she has been sleeping for a hundred years. They have discovered a way to possess the ultimate ideal--to love any life imaginable, to sustain it indefinitely by sleeping and living through their dreams... less

A SACRED MISSIONLeaving a trail of dead and maimed men behind him, Blade again mounted the magnificent golden steed and rode toward the town ahead. But unknown to him, they were awaiting him, to honor and adore him. And to provide him with perhaps the greatest challenge of his life.It had been written in the most holy of books that he who comes to Pendar riding the Golden Horse would be the Father of Pendar. The Messiah... moreA SACRED MISSIONLeaving a trail of dead and maimed men behind him, Blade again mounted the magnificent golden steed and rode toward the town ahead. But unknown to him, they were awaiting him, to honor and adore him. And to provide him with perhaps the greatest challenge of his life.It had been written in the most holy of books that he who comes to Pendar riding the Golden Horse would be the Father of Pendar. The Messiah. And so it was that he was welcomed as the great and holy Pendaroth--the savior with ten times the strength of a man...a being with great and terrible power.And so it was, also, that he made the decision to become the Pendaroth. And in so doing, to protect the great walls of Vilesh from the mighty siege machines that would destroy it. And from any soldiers who would dare to attack the walled city.This, Richard Blade swore by his honor as a warrior, the thing most sacred to him. less

Sacred Murder!Blade's newest adventure finds him in a bizarre and savage riverland. Its murky waters teem with ferocious man-eating creatures; giant batlike oranki dart from the dense jungles, looking for prey. And dead bodies carved with batwing symbols litter the streets of the city of Ayocan.In Ayocan a religious cult as cruel as the land from which the people spring threatens the peace of this primitive civilization... moreSacred Murder!Blade's newest adventure finds him in a bizarre and savage riverland. Its murky waters teem with ferocious man-eating creatures; giant batlike oranki dart from the dense jungles, looking for prey. And dead bodies carved with batwing symbols litter the streets of the city of Ayocan.In Ayocan a religious cult as cruel as the land from which the people spring threatens the peace of this primitive civilization. Intended as their sacrifice, Blade escapes his captors and learns that the renegade priests have erected secret temples in the nearby kingdom of Gonsara. It looks as if Ayocan and Gonsara will soon be embroiled in a deadly struggle for power.Disguised as a lay servant of this fantastic religious order, Blade plans to infiltrate the temples of Gonsara to find out what is really going on. But time is running out, and he and the other lay servants are being fed increasing doses of a drug which turns the into assassins for the cult. less

The War MatriarchyAfter fourteen successive trips to Dimension X, Blade is still the most nearly perfect physical and mental specimen on planet Earth. But on this, his fifteenth journey through time and space, all his faculties as both a warrior and a man are stretched to their outermost limits.He is in the matriarchal place called Melnon--at once a highly advanced and appallingly simple civilization... moreThe War MatriarchyAfter fourteen successive trips to Dimension X, Blade is still the most nearly perfect physical and mental specimen on planet Earth. But on this, his fifteenth journey through time and space, all his faculties as both a warrior and a man are stretched to their outermost limits.He is in the matriarchal place called Melnon--at once a highly advanced and appallingly simple civilization. There, under the leadership of the magnificent and insatiable Queen Mir-Kasa, he becomes the Tower of the Serpent's chief warrior...and the Queen's official Steward and Lover.The War Wisdom has endured as basic law among the Towers for fifteen generations. By this fiat the High People remain totally separated from the Low People and guarentee their rule with the lethal white wand. But Blade finds this way of being intolerable--deadly boring to the Highs and unbearably sadistic to the Lows. And so, with all the considerable powers at his command and risking the blood of thousands, he sets out to forge a new way for the people of Melnon. less

The Empire of NurnIn his most challenging adventure, Blade is held captive in a new Dimension by a marauding race of amphibious mermen. But Blade quickly learns that none are so treacherous as the double-dealing Nurnians who conspire to pit the mermen against the floating Sea Cities of Talgar in a lethal struggle to end in mutual annihilation... moreThe Empire of NurnIn his most challenging adventure, Blade is held captive in a new Dimension by a marauding race of amphibious mermen. But Blade quickly learns that none are so treacherous as the double-dealing Nurnians who conspire to pit the mermen against the floating Sea Cities of Talgar in a lethal struggle to end in mutual annihilation.Escaping from the mermen with the assistance of a beautiful and influential woman, Blade has learned the bitter truth--the Nurnians will stop at nothing in their insatiable quest for power. But in their blinding lust for dominance of the Crystal Seas, they have become careless.Blade, disguised as a Talgarian arms buyer, penetrates the Empire and kidnaps one of the leading merchants. The astounding revelation of the Nurnian treachery and their evil deception bonds the mermen and Talgarians together against the Empire. But the new alliance must first survive the all-out attack of the formidable Nurnians, who remain determined at all costs to rule the Crystal Seas. less

Ritual DeathBlade arrives in the Empire of Gaikon--a feudal society--a land much like Japan ruled by the Tokugawa Shoguns. In search of clothing, he appropriates a dark-blue robe not knowing that blue is a color reserved for the ruling class. He is rewarded by a fight to the death. He wins. Having proven himself to be worthy of the dabuno, or warrior class, he becomes an ally of an important and wealthy lord... moreRitual DeathBlade arrives in the Empire of Gaikon--a feudal society--a land much like Japan ruled by the Tokugawa Shoguns. In search of clothing, he appropriates a dark-blue robe not knowing that blue is a color reserved for the ruling class. He is rewarded by a fight to the death. He wins. Having proven himself to be worthy of the dabuno, or warrior class, he becomes an ally of an important and wealthy lord.The Hongshu, who rules in the name of the Emperor, engages Blade's lord in a human chess game with the "pieces" fighting to the death. Blade is victorious, but he seeks further vengeance after the death of his lord. Blade's final strategy is successful and by law and custom he is given the supreme honor for his valor--permission to commit ceremonial suicide! less

BLADE VS. BEASTBlade arrives in the dimension of Trawn--whose army is made up of huge spider-like beasts. It is there that he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Princess Neena. When Blade tries to rescue her from the mad king's harem, he himself is captured and imprisoned.But Blade manages to escape from Trawn with Neena and they return to her home kingdom... moreBLADE VS. BEASTBlade arrives in the dimension of Trawn--whose army is made up of huge spider-like beasts. It is there that he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Princess Neena. When Blade tries to rescue her from the mad king's harem, he himself is captured and imprisoned.But Blade manages to escape from Trawn with Neena and they return to her home kingdom. Her father is overjoyed to see her but tells Blade that he is afraid that the king of Trawn will now attack his people---and there is no defense against the great spider-beasts.Blade devises a new weapon--air guns filled with a sticky anaesthetic liquid that should immobilize the spider army. The beasts attack. And Blade leads a heroic defense of the kingdom and the woman he loves...a war of man against beast to preserve the human condition in infinite time. less

BLADE IN BATTLEBlade enters a strange new Dimension inhabited by primitive warriors, wild beasts, robots, and androids. The ordinary people of this world have programmed all violent and aggressive tasks into their machines and have themselves degenerated into a totally passive state. They are incapable of action and even their population growth rate has reached zero proportions.The citizenry is now threatened by the advance of a menacing army... moreBLADE IN BATTLEBlade enters a strange new Dimension inhabited by primitive warriors, wild beasts, robots, and androids. The ordinary people of this world have programmed all violent and aggressive tasks into their machines and have themselves degenerated into a totally passive state. They are incapable of action and even their population growth rate has reached zero proportions.The citizenry is now threatened by the advance of a menacing army. Can Richard Blade awaken this sleeping civilization? Can he energize them and trigger their survival instincts to save them and the beautiful woman he has come to love?A great battle, with Blade in the center, will determine the human condition in this far away Dimension, in another time, another realm. less

VALLEY OF THE HASHOMIBlade enters a sinister new dimension--the Land of the Hashomi. Here people are conditioned from birth to be totally immune to pain and fear. By a combination of indoctrination and drugs they have been made into the ultimate fighting machine.The ever-virile and strong Richard Blade--who is drug-free--poses a threat to the Master of Hashomi. A free mind in a strong body cannot be manipulated... moreVALLEY OF THE HASHOMIBlade enters a sinister new dimension--the Land of the Hashomi. Here people are conditioned from birth to be totally immune to pain and fear. By a combination of indoctrination and drugs they have been made into the ultimate fighting machine.The ever-virile and strong Richard Blade--who is drug-free--poses a threat to the Master of Hashomi. A free mind in a strong body cannot be manipulated.Blade joins forces with Baran, the enlightened leader who rules the other half of the dimension. Large supplies of Hashomi drugs are discovered among the Thieves Guild and war has now become inevitable.Can reason and sanity, aided by Richard Blade, battle against the drug-controlled warriors of the Hashomi? Can a civilized society be saved? less

An Empire DividedRichard Blade, special agent for a top-secret intelligence unit, is a human guinea pig, paving the way for mankind's space travel. On this trip, his incredible ride to Dimension X is in the new shock-absorbing, stress-reducing KALI capsule. Feeling surprisingly alert and refreshed, Blade lands squarely in an old Phoenician merchant ship about to be attacked by pirates.Blade returns to Gohar with the victorious crew, passing as a historian sent from the future to study the past... moreAn Empire DividedRichard Blade, special agent for a top-secret intelligence unit, is a human guinea pig, paving the way for mankind's space travel. On this trip, his incredible ride to Dimension X is in the new shock-absorbing, stress-reducing KALI capsule. Feeling surprisingly alert and refreshed, Blade lands squarely in an old Phoenician merchant ship about to be attacked by pirates.Blade returns to Gohar with the victorious crew, passing as a historian sent from the future to study the past. Every Gohar faction fights to make a good impression upon both Blade and history. When Blade learns of the rebellious colony of Mythar, struggling for independence from Gohar, his sympathies are divided...until he confronts Gohar's scheming and ruthless prime minister. Banished to an exotic island, Blade takes up the banner of a free Mythar, as underground leader of the rebel movement....Before Blade's mission is over, he must run the gauntlet of Gohar's power-hungry prime minister, deadly assassins, and blood-crazed reptilians--leaving in his wake, death, destruction, and more than a few satisfied women. less

Plants Bite ManThrust into a medieval feudal society, Blade, as the scheming queen's favored lover, learns of an insidious plot abrew between the Jaghdi nation of farmers and the Elstani nation of mountain miners, who are separated only by a forest of killer carnivorous plants.Economically interdependent, these two peoples cannot survive without each other--yet neither can they survive in harmony... morePlants Bite ManThrust into a medieval feudal society, Blade, as the scheming queen's favored lover, learns of an insidious plot abrew between the Jaghdi nation of farmers and the Elstani nation of mountain miners, who are separated only by a forest of killer carnivorous plants.Economically interdependent, these two peoples cannot survive without each other--yet neither can they survive in harmony. When Blade learns that the Jaghdi queen has discovered a secret that will allow her army to get through the man-eating forest alive to conquer the Elstani, Blade decides to borrow the secret potion and warn the Elstani.Will Blade get through the forest of killer plants alive and in time to save the Elstani from an all-out war with the Jaghdi? less