The Winds of Gath 1967

Plot Dumarest finds himself on a tourist trap of a planet called Gath, a world famous throughout the galaxy for the startling acoustic effects caused by annual wind storms during which the dead are rumored to speak.  He uncovers a plot by the Cyclan to abduct the successor to the Matriarch of Kund and replace her with a double more sympathetic to their counsel.  He defeats this plot, kills a psychotic nobleman who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, rescues the genuine successor, kills Cyber Dyne, and gets to hear the much-ballyhooed Winds of Gath to boot.  And the winds are really, really cool, in a terrifying, insanity-inducing kind of way.

Clues of Earth Nothing useful, but Dumarest hypothesizes that the reason Cyber Dyne tries to kill him is not to keep him quiet about the Cyclan’s plot against Kund (which by then he has already exposed to all involved), but has something to do with his knowledge of or quest for Earth.  Throughout the rest of the series there will be subtle hints and implications that the Cyclan has something to do with all knowledge of Earth having been lost or destroyed in the distant past, and that they still strive to keep that knowledge secret.  However, this book contains the most definite assertion that this is the case until much closer to the end of the series.

The Cyclan Dumarest begins the series seeming to simply mistrust the Cyclan, their methods and their agenda because of their total lack of emotion.  By the end of this novel, he has spoiled one of their elaborate plots, they have attempted to kill him and he has succeeded in killing one of them.  Not exactly getting off on the right foot.

The Journey Dumarest begins Book 1, The Winds of Gath, on a ship three days out from Gath (although he had booked passage to Broome and the destination was changed after he was aboard and frozen, traveling Low).  The book ends with Dumarest still on Gath contemplating the next step of his journey but no intended destination is mentioned.

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