Shaman of Karres

Captain Pausert is on a mission to save the galaxy, but an enemy has convinced the Imperial Fleet that he is a wanted criminal. He and the witches of Karres join an interstellar traveling circus to save the galaxy, dealing with a slaver-culture and a quest for a long-lost alien pet. The youngest witch, the Leewit, begins to come to her full powers as a healer, generating chaos in her wake.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2022
Publisher: Baen Books

Captain Pausert has quite the unfortunate streak going on! Firstly, he managed to make an enemy out of his fiancée, his home planet, the Empire, and even the Worm World, the most menacing threat to humanity in the entire universe. How did he manage that, you ask? Well, all because he helped rescue three slave children from their cruel masters. Of course, these three young women happened to be the infamous witches of Karres, but who could have guessed?

After defeating the Worm World (with a little help from the witches, of course), the Empress herself sent him on a top-secret mission to stop a raging nanite plague that was spreading across the galaxy. But here's where it gets even more complicated. An enemy managed to convince the Imperial Fleet that Pausert was actually a wanted criminal, so after a fierce battle, his ship ended up in urgent need of repairs. Undeterred, Pausert and the witches of Karres joined an interstellar traveling circus to save the galaxy!

Now, Pausert and the witches of Karres are back in action, exploring the vast spaceways and dealing with a peculiar slaver-culture that somehow manages to make slaves happy in servitude. Oh, and let's not forget their quest for a long-lost alien pet, which brings forth the youngest witch, the Leewit, as she begins to tap into her full healing powers. Of course, this leads to quite a bit of chaos in her wake.

For Pausert, it's just another day on the job. But can he ask for a break, just once? After all, he's been through so much!

The Shaman of Karres is a delightful adventure that promises all the whimsy, daring-do, and absurd hijinks you'd expect from a Pausert and the witches story. I challenge any reader to not smile at least once within the first ten pages.

The Witches of Karres series is a sequel that lives up to the original in every way. It's a rollicking ride, filled with excitement, a rousing conclusion, and plenty of humor, imagination, and absurdity. Fans of humorous science fiction will thoroughly enjoy this outing.

Matches Schmitz's narrative style and high standard of humor, imagination, and absurdity. It's a must-read for anyone who appreciates a good laugh while exploring the depths of space and beyond.

ISBN-13: 9781982191924