Transit to Scorpio

It was 1973 I was 14 years old, I went with my Mother to do our regular shopping at the PX and Commissary on Ramey Air Force Base in PR. My mother always encouraged my love of reading even if she didn't always care for some of my choices lol. She thought it was important for a person to develop a love of reading to be able to get ahead in life. I had my meagre allowance one dollar could buy me 10 comic books back then and we are talking the classic X Men, Avengers, Thor and Fantastic Four etc all were only a dime then! Plus I had two more dollars, I loved getting the DAW science fiction paperbacks, most were between .95 cents and maybe $1.25. If I had enough money I could get two or three books and a load of comics, I would be happy for a good while. I am forever grateful to my mom for encouraging my love of reading. I can still remember when I saw the cover for Alan Burt Akers Transit to Scorpio. The Rapa guard with his whip in his clawed hand caught my attention like being struck by a bolt of lightning! I knew this was what I was looking for, an exciting swashbuckling adventure in the style of the great Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter of Mars or the many excellent Lin Carter series like Under the Green Star, and I was not disappointed. There were some 40 books written in the series, the first twenty or so were pretty good but as the years passed and Kenneth Bulmer Akers real name, got older his writing became a little bit too repetitive. That's sad because he had created an amazing world full of amazing characters and a plethora of creatures and races that few writers have ever equaled. Sadly he passed away before concluding the series. For some that would mean why bother to start, but again the first dozen or so books are great reads and this first volume alone is worth reading to experience an amazing adventure on far off Kregen under the red sun of Antares. The great Dray Prescott and his beloved princess Delia of Valia are great characters that will stick with you forever. If you like stories of adventure set on far off worlds then you will enjoy Transit to Scorpio. And last of all I say thank you mom, for a wonderful gift that in many ways changed my life.