The short review below was likely written c. 2002 C.E. A longer 
summary of the plot may well appear here some time in the future.
Today, I've added some notes on this key novel. These notes (after
the review) are not comprehensive, though I think unlike the notes
to several other of Andre Norton's novels placed on the Solarguard
site over the past few days, these ones will include material also
in the planet list. The notes were added on September 3, 2006 C.E.

FORERUNNER FORAY, Andre Norton, Ace, 1973

As I mention in my srticle on the interrelationship of the Galactic
stories of Andre Norton, this is a very key novel, containing quite
a lot of references to other stories in the Norton corpus and to
that so familiar environment of her High galactic Civilization.

For starters, this tale begins on Korwar and the heroine Ziantha is
in the third group of those exiting the Dipple, that slum wherein
were dumped those displaced by the war. We meet her as a young
apprectice to a veep of the Thieves Guild. The veep is a Salarika,
a female of that feline species Norton first introduced in PLAGUE
SHIP. Ziantha has just successfully completed a well-planned theft
when something else attracts her attention, something of psychic
significance. It forces itself on her. She can't resist going after
it, apporting it and then we are off on a quite curioous adventure.

At first, things are normal enough in this abnormal world. The veep
decides to track the origin of this mysterious and potent artefact.
She finds her authority not quite so firm as she heads out, stopping
in at Waystar, that pirate headquarters mentioned in a few other
stories, especially UNCHARTED STARS. However, soon after Ziantha
lands on the planet where that item originated she's swept back in
time to the burial of a lord. And, after getting mixed up in the
politics of that former period she's swept further back in time to
find herself an alien high priestess in a threatening time. This
second fall backwards in time struck me very strongly with the
impression that I was falling down a well. I've spoken to others
who had a like reaction.

At length, however, Ziantha returns to her present time and the
machinations of the Guild, only to be rescued by a telepath who
is assisting Zacathan archaeologists. He turns out to be the son
of the hero and heroine of two other Norton novels, STORM OVER
WARLOCK and ORDEAL IN OTHERWHERE.

A very curious story with its blend of the familiar High Galactic
Civilization and of two very different historical periods on an
unknown world, FORERUNNER FORAY is perhaps the best portrayal of
a Norton female protagonist within the High Galaxy tales. Aside
from that sense of vertigo as Ziantha falls back in time, it is
quite the delightful read, in my opinion, and there may well be
those that considered that vertigo part of the pleasure of their
read.

Notes to Forerunner Foray

p. 11 persona lock p. 279
p. 12 Thieves Guild p. 20-21
p. 15 Virgal III, Styrian, Lysander
p. 16 personal guard branch of Thieves' Guild
p. 17 Zhol p. 18
p. 18 Tikil
p. 19 Salarika
p. 19 Dipple
p. 22 grav shaft
p. 22 Salarika susceptibility to alien scents
p. 23 eazi-rest
p. 23 proscribed Psych-techs
p. 23 life prolonging treatment
p. 24 koros stones p. 81
p. 26 fresher p. 29
p. 28 Korwar's sun
p. 29 Ioni
p. 30 Patrol
p. 30 vita meal
p. 34 Lydis IV
p. 45 Salariki grey skinned
p. 45 Flame Spice from Andros, Diamond Dust of Alaban
p. 50 Wyvers of Warlock p. 84
p. 51 Thassa of Yiktor
p. 56 Forerunners p. 63
p. 57 fenris p. 89
p. 58 first alien worship object found in 100+ years
p. 62 Zacathans p. 270
p. 62 fabled Terra of Sol
p. 63 pillar city Archon IV; two ports on Mochican & Wotan
p. 63 "Zaati" a Forerunner culture = finds on above 3 worlds
p. 63 two years ago Forerunner city world found
p. 64 Ruhkarv, Rangers
p. 67 Guild Co-ordinator
p. 71 Waystar, Jacks
p. 74 Free Traders p. 89
p. 75 Ziantha originally to Dipple from offworld
p. 79 X-tee
p. 80 green skinned Wyvern male
p. 81 mercenaries of centuries before
p. 82 The veep spoke Basic in an educated voice
p. 82 Sreng p. 81 Patrol Admiral uniform etc (cf Uncharted Stars)
p. 87 Scroll of Shlan
p. 88 Var, Llanfer, Arzor, Limbo
p. 89 Class D Free Trader
p. 92 Arth type one
p. 93 Survey scouts
p. 270 Yaka system, X-One, Zacathans 
p. 271-2 Ris Lantee ref parents
p. 279 laser fire

These notes were first placed here on September 3, 2006 C.E.


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