''Outworlder'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

novel by American writer

Lin Carter Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. Lov ...

, the third in his History of the Great Imperium series. It was first published in paperback by

Lancer Books Lancer Books was a publisher of paperback books founded by Irwin Stein and Walter Zacharius that operated from 1961 through 1973. While it published stories of a number of genres, it was noted most for its science fiction and fantasy, particula ...

in January 1971. The first British edition was issued by Gateway/Orion (as an ebook) in December 2019. The book has also appeared in German translation.

Plot summary

Reluctant protagonist Morgan, an exile from the Imperium, finds himself drawn into a seemingly magical quest to save a planet from a dire threat from the dark magicians of Bargelix.

Relation to other works

Carter projected his History of the Great Imperium as a series of eight to twelve stand-alone novels collectively covering thousands of years of an invented future history of the galaxy.Carter, Lin. "Author's Note" in ''Star Rogue'', Lancer Books, 1970. Of these, only three, ''

The Man Without a Planet ''The Man Without a Planet'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Lin Carter, the first in his History of the Great Imperium series. It was first published in paperback by Ace Books in December 1966 together with the unrelated John Rackh ...

'' (1966), ''

Star Rogue ''Star Rogue'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Lin Carter, the second in his History of the Great Imperium series. It was first published in paperback by Lancer Books in 1970, and was reissued in hardcover and trade paperback by Wil ...

'' (1970), and ''Outworlder'' (1971) were published, though critic

John Clute John Frederick Clute (born 12 September 1940) is a Canadian-born author and critic specializing in science fiction and fantasy literature who has lived in both England and the United States since 1969. He has been described as "an integral part ...

includes two additional Carter science fiction novels, '' The Star Magicians'' (1966) and '' Tower of the Medusa'' (1969) in the series.Clute, John.
Carter, Lin
(entry in ''SFE: the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'', updated 14 April 2025. According to a note by the author in the back of the present volume, while issued last, is chronologically the earliest of the three published works, preceding ''The Man Without a Planet''.

Reception

John Clute, briefly assessing Carter's science fiction corpus, notes that his "History of the Great Imperium sequence ... adheres moderately closely to sf protocols and to the 'feel' of sf."Clute, John.
Carter, Lin
(entry in ''SFE: the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'', updated 14 April 2025. The novel was reviewed by Fred Patten in ''Locus'' no. 87, June 25, 1971, and Chris Lowder in ''Shadow'', September 1971.

References

{{Lin Carter (books) 1971 American novels 1971 science fiction novels Novels by Lin Carter