Runner

By William C. Dietz

Book Overview

In a crumbling futuristic society, Earth is only a myth, the technological advances of centuries have faded into distant memory, and space travel depends on a fleet of run-down, unreliable ships. Only the brave or foolhardy undertake such risky journeys. The brave, the foolhardy and the runners...Jak Rebo is one such runner, whose current job is to deliver a future religious leader to his people, while avoiding assassins. If that s not enough, he gets involved with a very beautiful woman who holds the secret to instantaneous travel between star systems a secret that some would kill for.With death waiting at every port, Jak soon realizes that this time he is running for his life..."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0441013260
• ISBN13: 9780441013265
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Ace
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.3" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Taking the Divine Wind to Traha

Runner (2005) is the first SF novel in this series. It takes place at least a million years in the future, at a time when technology is slowly failing. The Techno Society has been trying to reestablish the star gate system to replace the failing AI starships, but are finding little support for their efforts. In this novel, Jak Rebo is an interstellar runner, riding the starships between planets to deliver messages and other items. He has just delivered a package to its addressee on Anafa and is resting between missions. Then another potential client asks him to visit that evening. Tra Lee is a ten year old boy. The Red Hat monks believe him to be the reincarnation of Nom Maa, a famous teacher who is destined to lead a great revival of their religion. Since he was two years old, Lee has been raised in the Red Hat monastery in Seros. Lanni Norr is a sensitive, a genetically altered variant of humanity who has psionic talents. She can see and hear spirits of the dead and can channel them to communicate with the living. However, channeling means being possessed by the spirit. Jevan Kane is an operative of the Techno Society. He was a favorite of Milos Lysander, a deceased scientist and former head of the Techno Society. Now the society is being run by Omar Tepho, a normal human who had been born with a spinal deformity and other defects. Kane is not one of his favorite people. Bo Hoggles is a heavy, a variant genetically modified for living in heavy-gravity. He is running from something, but keeps his secrets. In this story, the Red Hat Monastery in Seros needs to send Lee to CaCanth on Thara to be tested as the reincarnation of Nom Maa and to possibly to become the leader of their religion. The Black Hat sect has also sent a candidate to CaCanth. Unfortunately, the Black Hat monks contend that Lee is an impostor and are willing to kill him to prevent his arrival at CaCanth. The Red Hat monks want to hire Rebo to deliver Lee to CaCanth. Rebo meets the boy that evening and learns about the mission. Since he himself was born on Thara, Rebo is pleased that the mission would take him to his home planet. However, he has had bad experiences with delivering humans and is leery of repeating such occurrences. After talking to Lee, explaining his rules and listening to the boy's responses, Rebo agrees to take the mission. He asks the monks provide a double for the boy to cover his departure. He also asks the monks to deliver him to the local runner headquarters in an unobtrusive way. Norr needs money to hide herself for a while. So she risks a public demonstration of her talents, charging a small fee. Unfortunately, she is possessed by the spirit of Lysander, who introduces himself and tries to recruit people into the society. When he manifests himself, a robot in the audience notes his identity and follows Norr after the performance. Kane leads an assault on the hostel previously entered by Norr, killing the landlord and others

It's all in the setting

This is the first Dietz book i have read. I enjoyed the book very much. in reading some of the other reviews i can see the author writes another style of book that is a lot more "bang,bang,bang" style. I do not like that style. This story featured a very unique setting and i have learned that in Sci fi "Setting" is everything. often the world the story is set in is the most interesting element of the story. For example the world and music of "blade runner" is far more interesting than the story line. In the world of "Runner", technology has decayed to the point that man cannot even repair the ageing technology it uses ,much less invent new tech. as a result only a few planets have electricity and transportation is on foot or animal. High rise buildings are vacant except the first five floors because that is how high it is acceptable to climb stairs. A Runner ,Jak Rebo is employed to deliver a young monk to a nearby planet to see if he is the reincarnated leader of "The Way". That is the whole premise and the rest of the book takes them on an adventure in this world of specially bred humans. of course there are bad guys trying to stop them. Jak encounters sentient AI space ships,"heavys"(hoggles), "sensitives"(noor),star gate seeds,bad guys(Kane), ghosts(lysander)and a rude AI master computer named Logos. Funny thing is that logos is in the form of a ratty old overcoat. Now that combination of characters and events make for an entertaining read. If you are prepared to entertianed by a brave new world and interesting characters, you will enjoy "Runner".

Very entertaining

A very entertaining read. This is the first book I've read by the author, but just finished it and ordered the sequel. It's a sci fi book that feels more like a fantasy quest novel. Likeable charactors to root for and lots of action. No complaints here, pure escapist fare. Will look forward to reading more by this author.

Lots of Fun

Science Fiction mixxed with a touch of fantasy lots of adventure and some new age and you have a story that has the feel of Star Wars without being so hockey. My first book by Dietz but it won't be my last.

Strong tale of Tibetan Buddhism in outer space

In the distant future humans have traveled throughout the star systems using interstellar portals, but over time the technology became lost. Antiquated ships deliver cargo and passengers between planets, but are slow and no major inter-galaxy travel exists anymore. Runner Jak Rebo delivers a package that he carried for two years to a customer's wealthy brother on planet Anafa, colonized over 10,000 years ago. Not long afterward, Brother Sua Qwa hires him to deliver a special golden child Tra Lee to the holy city of CaCanth on planet Thara where the lad will be proclaimed as the Norm Maa. Qwa warns the runner that a rival black hat sect has their own candidate and will try to assassinate the boy. Sensitive Lanni Norr reads individual energy fields that enable her to speak with the dead. During a performance, deceased scientist Milos Lysander using a metal man as his source tries to take over Lanni's body. She manages to escape, but has to flee. Lanni and Jak meet when separate people try to harm them; they unite while people chase after them and his cargo Tra Lee. Runner is an exciting thriller that sort of places Tibetan Buddhism in outer space at a time when civilization is imploding. The background comes alive as readers will believe they are at a time when earth is so distant a memory that the planet is considered by most as the mythos home world. Jak and Lanni are an interesting duo as they escort Tra Lee while another sect provides not only another heir contender, but attempts to kill the trio because they feel so strongly that they have the next Norma Maa. William Dietz is at his best with this strong science fiction tale. Harriet Klausner