The Beast Master

Beast Master Chronicles, Book 1

By: Andre Norton

Narrated by: Richard J. Brewer

Left homeless by the war that reduced Terra to a radioactive cinder, Hosteen Storm - Navaho commando and master of beasts - is drawn to the planet Arzor, to kill a man he has never met.

On that dangerous frontier world, aliens and human colonists share the land in an uneasy truce. But something is upsetting the balance, and Storm is caught in the middle. He had thought the war was over - but was it?©2009 Brilliance Audio (P)2005 Andre Norton

Critic reviews

"Miss Norton endows this story of a homeless, revenge-driven man with her own inimitable touch. The result is a compelling and compassionate tale." ( The New York Times Book Review)

one of Norton's best

One of the best of sci-fi of the late 50s. probably not on everybody's reading list but that's a shame.

Looking back on Norton's work, even long time readers might be surprised to realize that her abiding theme was the aftermath of War. whether the hero was a veteran or a refugee or a displaced veteran with PTSD, as this novel concerns, most of her work, up to the first novel of the Witch World Series, spoke to the recovery and new beginnings of victims of war.

This book is one of the very few recordings where Audible gives the Norton books a professional reader that her work deserves. I gave him a four instead of a five because they should have selected a Native American reader. most of the rest of Andre Norton offerings on Audible suffer from well meaning but underperforming amateurs.

Absolutely Top Notch

Every bit as enthralling as when I first read it some 45 years ago! Actually, hearing it read improved the experience, enormously.
Andre Norton is just as spellbinding a wordsmith now as she was then.
Thank you to Audible Books and the extraordinarily skilled reader for bringing this truly fascinating story to life. I can hardly wait to get to her other stories.

Outstanding Sci-Fi

I class this book with Frank Herbert's "Dune" series. Fantastic storyline, considering when it was written, with Richard Brewer drawing the listener in with his narration.

If you are fans of Frank Herbert, Clive Barker and even Isobelle Carmody, and enjoy sci-fi with a difference then this download is for you! I will certainly be downloading the sequel for this...

Nostalgic Childhood Story

The narrator was good, though not terribly distinctive - he certainly didn't detract at all. The story is a SF Western. Good fun, especially if you discovered it when you were young. Had fun encountering it again.

Classic since fiction

Being born in 1979 I feel like I missed out on the golden age of science fiction and as such can not truly know what that is. This book personifies it for me tho. It's not to fussy or complicated. Less is more on this one.

A Story for Storytelling

Loved hearing The Beast Master read to me again, wondering as did my father did to me in Albuquerque, New Mexico, year's ago.

Beasty Book

When I was a kid I loved Andre Norton so I thought I'd give one of her classics that I read years ago a try.
It is definitely more suited to juvenile tastes.Seriously,I think it's well suited for pre-teens and teens and should be treated as such by audible.Of course Hunger Games and Harry Potter were designed for young people and read by all.
The mind thought melding with animals was what always appealed to me as a young man.The plot is kind of like a Zane Gray Western with some Sci Fi mixed in.I can't really recommend it for adults.

Engaging, Vintage Sci Fi

Hosteen Storm was raised on Terra where he learned Navaho discipline and gentle but firm handling of animals. When war decimated his home world of Terra he became a commando for the Planetary Confederacy forces with a designation as beast master. His superior was reluctant to let him go due to the volubility of the Terran survivors. But Storm has survived a year without incident and there is no apparent reason for his superiors to withhold permission for him to travel to Arzor, a frontier world. Storm travels with his special team with whom he has special telepathic abilities: two meercats, a dune cat and an eagle.

Storm has not let anyone know his history and the reason he seeks access to Arzor. Storm makes his way on the frontier planet by proving his value to a man hired to drive cattle and horses. Storm shows his skills by managing a horse who is added to his team.

One of the other drivers is immediately hostile to Storm who has learned to observe carefully and watch over his shoulders. Storm makes a friend with a young Norbie who is a native people whose anatomy precludes them from vocal talk so they have developed sign language that Storm picks up fairly quickly. It seems their culture is very similar to that of Storm's early life. But there are other native tribes and natural land hazards, including floods and huge beasts, that threaten the men on their trek.

The crew reaches a way-station after surviving the wild hazards. There Storm runs into the man he is seeking but he is surprised and unprepared for the character of the man. Storm takes on another job with an archaeological research group. They run into problems too and Storm uncovers evidence of a danger that no one has expected on this planet. He must survive the wilds and enemy attacks to get word of the danger to those who can take action. He is met with surprising revelations before it is over.

Hosteen Storm is a wonderful hero. I really enjoyed the whole package of characters, animals and plot with secrets and dangers. I was impressed by the engaging writing and the extent of the plot especially considering this was written in 1959. I was surprised that I had never read this series (which apparently is not really followed in the movie of same name). I look forward to reading more books by Andre Norton.

Audio Notes: Richard Brewer does a good job with the narration. He gives enough distinction to the characters to make it interesting. I became engrossed in the story and the narration made this an easy read for me which I finished in one day.

Good story. Marginal performance.

A fair story. Not as good as I remember it from my youth 55 years ago, or so. But an enjoyable stroll down memory lane. Norton has always been an exceptional story teller.

That brings us to the marginal performance. Why does the narrator, and his director, feel a monotone delivery with underlying tones of despair makes this as an enjoyable read. I felt totally drug down throughout the whole book. It was like struggling down the bottom a narrow, dark ravine in thigh deep thick, sticky mud. There was no life in the narration. I dearly hope this is not Mr. Brewer's normal style. If so, he has missed his true calling, professional reader is not it.

On to book two.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series!!

I really enjoyed this first book of the Beast Master Series. I have already bought the next book in the series Lord of Thunder. I really wish 🤞that I could find the rest of the books i this great series.