Slaves of the Klau
Reviewed date: 2013 Dec 16
Rating: 3
130 pages
Roy Barch is kidnapped by the Klau, and carried to Magarak to work as a slave. Instead, he escapes, joins a band of wild men living in the mountains, and plans to escape back to Earth. He soon realizes that the only reason this small band of escaped slaves is allowed to live is to serve as prey for Klau hunting parties.
Barch attacks a band of Klau hunters and steals their anti-grav raft. Using the raft, he steals a barge. His plan: construct an airtight dome on the barge, then fly it back to Earth.
He succeeds, sort of. The barge is eventually made space-worthy while Barch is away on a guerilla raid. Barch destroys the central computing unit on Magarak, and during the havoc that ensues, his party departs without him. Barch is stranded.
Fortunately Barch recruits another crew, builds another space barge, and flies home to Earth.