Michael Teitelbaum - Seeds of Evil (Turok, No 2)

THE STORY SO FAR

Our previous tale of Turok opened with Carl Fireseed, locked in a life-or-death struggle against vicious creatures known as the Fireborns. The Fireborns were just one type of mutant Dinosoid that had inhabited The Lost Land of Galyanna.

Like all Turoks before and after him, Carl carried a fringed leather satchel, known as the Light Burden. This seemingly empty bag is filled with the energy source that opens the portal between Earth and Galyanna. It also gives Turok warriors access to an almost infinite arsenal of weapons, magical objects, and powers.

Carl Fireseed wore the Heart of Fire talisman, which helped protect him from the Fireborns' lava-hot, boiling blood. A normal man would have been burned to death in an instant, but Carl fought bravely, despite his injuries. Only when the battle was over and the last Fireborn had been killed did Carl realize his injuries were fatal.

Using the Folding Eye device from the Light Burden a device that enables Turoks to see various portals throughout the universe Carl returned to Earth. His final mission being to pass the mantle to the next in line, his nephew, Joshua Fireseed.

Joshua, a seventeen-year-old high school senior, was a handsome, popular, and talented athlete. The last thing Josh wanted or expected was for the burden of Turok to fall on his shoulders. But when his uncle Carl returned to Earth on the brink of death, young Joshua had no choice but to inherit the Light Burden and the mantle of Turok.

The power of the Light Burden was able to transport Josh along with his wise-cracking, brainy best buddy, seventeen-year-old Barry Hackowitz, and his fifteen-year-old, tragically hip sister, Alison to the savage Lost Land. There, Josh was forced to learn the ways of a Turok and discover the weapons in the Light Burden.

After doing battle with such deadly creatures as T-Rex Dinosoids, huge flying Pteranodons, and giant cave spiders, Josh met Adon, the Speaker of Forever Light. Adon, a holographic image, serves as spokesperson for the Council of Voices, the ruling body of the Safelands. Through Adon, and the dying words of his uncle Carl, Josh learned that the greatest danger ever to arise in The Lost Land now threatens Earth.

Primagen, a being from another universe, whose interdimensional time travel accidentally created Galyanna, as bits and pieces of other universes attached themselves to the huge energy source he carried. Primagen's only desire is to return home. Unfortunately, leaving Galyanna would tear apart the very core of The Lost Land, Earth, and all existing universes.

The only thing preventing Primagen from powering up his Light Ship are twelve Energy Totems, created centuries ago by the Council of Voices. These Totems provide energy for cities and villages in The Lost Land, while at the same time preventing Primagen from channeling the energy to his ship.

It is now up to Adon to lead Josh, Barry, and Alison on a quest. They must journey throughout Galyanna to seize and safeguard the Energy Totems before Primagen's hordes possess them.

Book two opens as we find Josh ready to enter battle with one of the dregs of Lost Land society, known as the Campaigner. Although not a minion of Primagen, the Campaigner is a rabid survivalist. He often stages battles in his arena, forcing the more feeble creatures of The Lost Land into combat.

Josh decides to strike a bargain with the Campaigner. If the young Turok agrees to defeat four foes, which would be handpicked by the Campaigner, then he will be allowed to take the Totems. However, when Barry and Alison sneak into the arena to watch Josh fight, they are captured by the Campaigner's guards.

Now Josh must fight the powerful Campaigner himself. The lives of his sister and best friend, and the existence of all known worlds, are hanging in the balance!

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Gold Key Paperback Original.

Copyright 1998 by Golden Books Publishing Company, Inc.

Story by Fabien Nicieza and Michael Teitelbaum. Written by Michael Teitelbaum and Michael Morgan Pellowski. Additional concepts by David Dientsbier and Jeff Gomez.

ISBN 0-307-16281-8

First Gold Key paperback printing November 1998

Cover art by Art Staff Inc.: Ken Taylor

RetroReadingTime.com

For thousands of years the eldest male of the Saquin tribe protected the passageway between Earth and the Lost Land of Galyanna. In time, this eldest became known as Turok Protector of Earth. The mantel of Turok continues to be pass from one generation to the next in an unending battle to keep Earth from being destroyed.

As Turok searches for a way home, his sister Alison and friend Barry are captured by the newest Campaigner a warlord more depraved, more villainous than any Campaigner ever to exist.

Turok stages a daring rescue, but must once again do battle in the Campaigner's arena, where the rule is Live to Fight! Fight to Live!

Joshua Fireseed tucked his body into a tight ball and rolled out of the way as the Campaigner's massive frame sailed through the air toward him. Josh knew that if the Campaigner's immense bulk were to land on him with full force, he would be joining his ancestors sooner than he'd planned. Luckily, the Campaigner's huge body crashed to the ground just inches from Josh's head.

Josh watched as the Campaigner slowly struggled to get up. If he had ever been a human, it was difficult to see those traces now. His flesh was swollen and rotting, and most of his limbs and organs seemed to have been grafted on from the bodies of fallen Dinosoids. He stood at least seven feet tall, his feet were three-toed talons, and his skin was rancid, pus-soaked, and green from head to toe.

The crowd in the Campaigner's arena was a combination of The Lost Land's aristocracy who watched from elevated boxes above the arena, and the hapless prisoners known as fodder who were brought up from holding cells beneath the arena. Josh understood how cruel it was that the fodder were made to watch a sport in which they would soon be the participants. Both groups, however, chanted for Turok's defeat.