After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain all of Earth's scientific knowledge.
Once in a generation, the heir to the province of Laal begins the arduous training required to survive the imprinting of the Glass Helm and acquire the knowledge of the lost Earth. But Leland de Laal, the youngest son of one of Agatsu's greatest leaders, has climbed the forbidden rock spire where the Helm is kept and donned it, unaware that its knowledge has a terrible price. To an unprepared mind, it brings madness, agony, and even death.
Amazon.com Review
In Helm, Gould spins the tale of Leland de Laal, the young son of a shrewd but minor nobleman on a world far from Earth. Leland, disobeying his father's edict, dons a helm of ancient power, an artifact brought from Earth centuries ago. Gradually, he gains access to knowledge implanted in his mind by the helm, only to find that he is no longer alone in his head. He absorbs the martial-arts discipline of aikido, but before he can come to terms with either his new powers or his growing affection for his overlord's daughter, he is submerged in betrayal and war on many fronts. His homeland's worst enemy seeks the helm, ready to use it to subjugate the world. In this, his third novel, Steven Gould has whipped up a smooth fantasy story, seasoned with science-fictional elements, romance, and a lot of high-kicking action. He continues to explore the coming-of-age theme, as he did in his previous two novels, Jumper and Wildside. --Blaise Selby
From Publishers Weekly
Faced with insufficient resources in their overcrowded shelters, the Moon-based survivors of a war that has rendered Earth uninhabitable send most of their population to establish a colony on a world in orbit around another star. Since these survivors can't spare any technology, they "imprint" the colonists with enough rudimentary knowledge to insure that hygiene and literacy will lead to an eventual rebirth of techno-culture. Flash forward a few hundred years, and the colony is a success, glowing with rustic charm. But there's an apple in this Eden?one of the imprinting devices, which somehow survived transit and is reverently referred to as "the Helm." When teenaged Leland De Laal places it on his head, he unwittingly injects the lost wisdom of the ancients?science, medicine, foreign languages?into his mind. Although Leland's father, Dulan, the Steward of Laal, is then forced to raise his youngest son as his successor, the family's fortunes are overshadowed by the threat of war. Because his father is tough on him, Leland grows into a hard warrior prince, tender enough to fall for the pretty Marilyn de Noram but not shrewd enough to recognize how his enemies scheme to take over the family fortress. The only magic in this amusing mix of SF and fantasy is the disembodied voice that "speaks" in Leland's head, but fantasy fans should enjoy all the pageantry and sword fights that lead to Leland smashing his enemies and reclaiming his heritage. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Description:
After global devastation, the last remnants of Earth sent a handful of colonists of a distant terraformed world to give humanity one last, desperate chance. Unable to provide the technology required for an advanced civilization, the founders instilled in the colonists a strict code of conduct and gave them a few precious imprinting devices: glass helmets that contain all of Earth's scientific knowledge.
Once in a generation, the heir to the province of Laal begins the arduous training required to survive the imprinting of the Glass Helm and acquire the knowledge of the lost Earth. But Leland de Laal, the youngest son of one of Agatsu's greatest leaders, has climbed the forbidden rock spire where the Helm is kept and donned it, unaware that its knowledge has a terrible price. To an unprepared mind, it brings madness, agony, and even death.
Amazon.com Review
In Helm, Gould spins the tale of Leland de Laal, the young son of a shrewd but minor nobleman on a world far from Earth. Leland, disobeying his father's edict, dons a helm of ancient power, an artifact brought from Earth centuries ago. Gradually, he gains access to knowledge implanted in his mind by the helm, only to find that he is no longer alone in his head. He absorbs the martial-arts discipline of aikido, but before he can come to terms with either his new powers or his growing affection for his overlord's daughter, he is submerged in betrayal and war on many fronts. His homeland's worst enemy seeks the helm, ready to use it to subjugate the world. In this, his third novel, Steven Gould has whipped up a smooth fantasy story, seasoned with science-fictional elements, romance, and a lot of high-kicking action. He continues to explore the coming-of-age theme, as he did in his previous two novels, Jumper and Wildside. --Blaise Selby
From Publishers Weekly
Faced with insufficient resources in their overcrowded shelters, the Moon-based survivors of a war that has rendered Earth uninhabitable send most of their population to establish a colony on a world in orbit around another star. Since these survivors can't spare any technology, they "imprint" the colonists with enough rudimentary knowledge to insure that hygiene and literacy will lead to an eventual rebirth of techno-culture. Flash forward a few hundred years, and the colony is a success, glowing with rustic charm. But there's an apple in this Eden?one of the imprinting devices, which somehow survived transit and is reverently referred to as "the Helm." When teenaged Leland De Laal places it on his head, he unwittingly injects the lost wisdom of the ancients?science, medicine, foreign languages?into his mind. Although Leland's father, Dulan, the Steward of Laal, is then forced to raise his youngest son as his successor, the family's fortunes are overshadowed by the threat of war. Because his father is tough on him, Leland grows into a hard warrior prince, tender enough to fall for the pretty Marilyn de Noram but not shrewd enough to recognize how his enemies scheme to take over the family fortress. The only magic in this amusing mix of SF and fantasy is the disembodied voice that "speaks" in Leland's head, but fantasy fans should enjoy all the pageantry and sword fights that lead to Leland smashing his enemies and reclaiming his heritage.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.