Split Infinity

A weird blending of robot-serviced cities with charmed, Malory-touched pastoral sorcery: Stile, the best jockey on the planet Proton and a master gamesplayer at the Games, finds himself challenged to a set of mild gladiatorial encounters by glorious android Sheen (she nearly bests him). . . and then - on the lam from some unknown menace who has lasered poor Stile's knees during a horserace - he runs through a shimmering curtain and is transported materially into a fairyland of musical unicorns and magic castles and werewolves. Once again Stile's prowess at games stands him in good stead as he gains magical powers and comes to the attention of a sexy unicorn Neysa - and scintillatingly regal Lady Blue, whose husband is Stile's alter-image and whom he must kill. So there's an ethical climax with three women (well, a unicorn, a robot, and a lady) fighting over the hero - who must choose among them. . . . First volume of a trilogy that promises to be a sort of intellectual, semi-erotic Flash Gordon. (Kirkus Reviews)