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First in the sci-fi series "packed with exotic beings, ancient secrets, and futuristic worlds" from the New York Times-bestselling author (The Portalist). As Cluster opens, the alien envoy Pnotl of Sphere Knyfh seeks help from Sphere Sol in a shared galactic‑level crisis: Galaxy Andromeda has discovered the secret of energy transfer and intends to use it to steal the basic energy of the Milky Way Galaxy. Knyfh offers the secret of aura transfer on the understanding that Sphere Sol will show more spread the technology to help create a galactic coalition to find and defeat agents of Andromeda. Sol's highest‑Kirlian individual is Flint, a green‑skinned native of Outworld, who has a Kirlian aura of two hundred, an eidetic memory (useful for memorizing the complex equations of Kirlian transfer that he will need to communicate to other spheres). He has extraordinary intelligence and is highly adaptable. His mission is complicated, however, by the fact that he is pursued everywhere by a very high Kirlian female Andromedan agent and, somehow, the Andromedans are able to detect and trace Kirlian transfers. Flint embarks upon several missions to bring transfer technology to neighboring spheres, inhabiting various alien forms. His efforts are successful despite attacks and sabotage by the Andromedan agent. Through the conflict, however, the mutual attraction of their two vastly superior auras begins to undermine their individual loyalty to their own Spheres. Flint and a group of other entities recover the information that will allow them to detect and trace transfers, and a member of the group is revealed as the Andromedan agent. One result is the catastrophic destruction of the local habitat. Flint and his nemesis are transferred into alien Mintakan bodies to survive. Choosing to leave things with parity between their two galaxies, Flint and the Andromedan mate and remain together until their auras fade (which happens rapidly, since their physical bodies have been destroyed). show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Piers Anthony is such a disgusting misogynist that even though he wrote an intelligent female character that is more than a match for his hero, he had said hero rape her at least twice before getting them together.
If the world-building and concept of the characters being able to 'transfer' into other alien host bodies and experience their cultures wasn't so fascinating, I'd have tossed this book after the third chapter.
It's mystifying to me that Anthony is able to write with such interest in and compassion for alien species and societies but persists in treating women (as well as alien females) as second-class, muddle-headed sluts who are all 'asking for it' and must 'like it, at least somewhat' when they're raped.
If the world-building and concept of the characters being able to 'transfer' into other alien host bodies and experience their cultures wasn't so fascinating, I'd have tossed this book after the third chapter.
It's mystifying to me that Anthony is able to write with such interest in and compassion for alien species and societies but persists in treating women (as well as alien females) as second-class, muddle-headed sluts who are all 'asking for it' and must 'like it, at least somewhat' when they're raped.
Flint, a physically adept but primitive human with a high-power Kirlian aura, is sent by the interstellar Cluster to transfer his mind into various alien bodies to resolve galactic crises, ultimately falling for a rival Andromedan agent.
The Milky Way is threatened by the Andromeda Galaxy, which has developed transfer technology to possess others. Flint is a caveman from a colony world with an exceptionally high Kirlian aura, making him capable of interstellar consciousness transfer. He navigates multiple alien civilizations, often facing and later becoming involved with a female agent from the enemy Andromeda galaxy.
The Milky Way is threatened by the Andromeda Galaxy, which has developed transfer technology to possess others. Flint is a caveman from a colony world with an exceptionally high Kirlian aura, making him capable of interstellar consciousness transfer. He navigates multiple alien civilizations, often facing and later becoming involved with a female agent from the enemy Andromeda galaxy.
Due to his high Kirlian aura, Flint of Outworld is recruited to be an agent for Earth to find and defeat an invasion.
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Author Information
370+ Works 145,171 Members
Piers Anthony Dillingham Jacob was born in August, 1934, in Oxford, England. He graduated from Goddard College in Vermont in 1956. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen while serving in the United States Army in 1958. He served in the U.S. Army from 1957-1959. In 1977, he received a British Fantasy Award for A Spell for a Chameleon. Anthony's show more family emigrated to the United States from Britain when he was six. Highly popular because of his science fiction and fantasy works, Anthony is also known for the Jason Striker series and martial arts novels co-written with Roberto Fuentes. A highly prolific author, Anthony's other works include Bio of a Space Tyrant, Cluster, and the Omnivore series. Anthony makes his home in Tampa, Florida. He also writes under the pseudonym Robert Piers. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Cluster
- Alternate titles
- Vicinity Cluster
- Original publication date
- 1977
- People/Characters
- Flint
- First words
- "We have ascertained that this person is an alien creature occupying a human body," the Mister of Alien Spheres said formally.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Chaining the lady would be quite a task!
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 904
- Popularity
- 29,888
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.41)
- Languages
- English, French, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 12
- ASINs
- 7
