Northworld
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Northworld is a 1990 militaristic science fiction novel by David Drake set in a time when the Consensus rules everything except for Northworld, the missing planet. It is the first novel in the Northworld Trilogy. The other novels of the trilogy include Vengeance (1991) and Justice (1992).
[edit] Plot summary
The novel begins with Commissioner Nils Hansen and his Special Units team in a violent battle with android Solbarth and his gang members, who have barricaded themselves inside a building. Hansen is able to talk Solbarth and his gang members into surrendering with the promise that their lives would be spared. As the villains are being led away, Hansen is summoned by Chief Holloway. Chief Holloway brings Hansen the news that the Consensus is in need of Hansen on Northworld.
The planet Northworld, named after Captain North who was in charge of the colonization of the planet, is missing. Captain North is the man that is suspected to have been responsible for the disappearance of Northworld. The Consensus rules the entire universe except Northworld, and the Consensus wants the control of Northworld back. Commissioner Hansen is sent alone to visit the missing planet.
Hansen first arrives in Diamond, a peaceful part of the matrix of Northworld. The people of Diamond forbid any weapons. Hansen encounters a warm welcome from the curious people, but Hansen finds that the weapons he carries begin to disintegrate in Diamond; however, he does not stay in Diamond long. He then travels to a very different part of the Matrix called the Open Lands. There he is greeted by Walker, who later reveals himself as North. Walker, taking on the form of several talking animals, tries to gain Hansen’s oath of allegiance, but Hansen refuses. Instead, he decides to go out on his own, entering into the land filled with warfare.
Hansen is originally ignored and left for the slaves, but he perseveres and follows Lord Golsingh’s army back to camp where he wins a place into the army. The people, though they live in fairly primitive conditions with little technology, have very sophisticated armor. Hansen describes his impression of the world: “The whole thing was barbaric and pre-technological; whereas the warriors’ armor was extremely sophisticated—though idiosyncratic.” Nothing provides insight into how this is so. The smiths that repair the armor claim that the armor cannot be fixed solely with human skill, but the smith must enter the Matrix to be able to fix the armor. As Hansen discovers, the armor is not understood by the people.
Often forgetting his original objective of finding North, Hansen begins to become a part of the society. Hansen learns about the customs of the society and he also teaches the warriors how to fight and become soldiers, but not without obstacles. Previously, the warriors had little tactics and through the training and guidance of Hansen, the army turned into a successful force that would be able to conquer the merchant army in a quest for piece of the war-filled land—a goal that is a priority for Lord Golsingh.
Meanwhile, the gods of the land encounter many problems and friction. The worlds of the matrix are threatened by destruction. Diamond has been destroyed by Ruby, another region of the Matrix, and the gods want revenge. After the battle with the merchants, Hansen finds himself in a room similar to that in which he was briefed on his mission by the Consensus. It is here that Hansen meets the gods that rule Northworld, the head of which is Captain North. Hansen is told to destroy Ruby in retaliation for the destruction of Diamond. In the process, Hansen is made into a god so that he can enter into Ruby from the inside of the Matrix.
