Bladesman of Antares

Bladesman of Antares

First edition cover
Author	Kenneth Bulmer
Cover artist	Jack Gaughan
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Dray Prescot series
Genre	Sword and planet
Published	1975
Publisher	DAW Books
Media type	Print (Paperback)
ISBN
Preceded by	Fliers of Antares
Followed by	Avenger of Antares

Bladesman of Antares is a science fiction novel written by Kenneth Bulmer under the pseudonym of Alan Burt Akers, and is volume nine in his extensive Dray Prescot series of sword and planet novels, set on the fictional world of Kregen, a planet of the Antares star system in the constellation of Scorpio. It was first published by DAW Books in 1975.

The Dray Prescot series is made of several cycles of novels, each cycle essentially forming a series within the series. In addition to being the ninth volume in the series as a whole, Bladesman of Antares is also the fourth of six volumes in the Havilfar Cycle. It is set on the fictional continent of Havilfar.

The 52 completed novels of the Dray Prescot series were written by Bulmer between 1972 and 1997, when a stroke stopped his writing, also the later Dray Prescot books, after 1988, were originally only published in German. The series is in the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter of Mars series.

The book follows on almost directly from Fliers of Antares with Prescot journeying back to Havilfar and the Empire of Hamal after an undisclosed time back in Valka. He narrowly escapes a storm and then comes to the rescue of a village attacked by flutsmen, mercenaries mounted on large birds on a slaving raid. He enjoys the hospitality of the remote Paline Valley and its master, Naghan ham Farthytu, while he recovers. He leaves the valley but returns soon after to find it once more under attack. Prescot beats of the attackers but finds almost all of the valleys inhabitants killed and Naghan dying. To fulfil the dying man's wish he accepts to take on his dead sons identity and become Hamun ham Farthytu.

Prescot continues his journey to the capital of Hamal, Ruathytu, exploring the country in the process, in company of Nulty, servant of Naghan and sole survivor of the valley, disguised as Amak of the Paline Valley. He finally reaches the capital but quickly makes enemies with another noble and is challenged to a duel. While preparing for it Prescot is once more teleported away by the Star Lords, back to Earth. He spends an undisclosed time there, mainly in the United States before being returned to Kregen. He is sent to rescue a group of Djang under attack by slavers and beats them off. From there he returns to the capital of Djanduin, his Kingdom. He receives news that the Empire of Hamal has become even more expansionist and now refuses to sell flying boats abroad, instead purchasing boats from Hyrklana as well.