Book of the Beast Trilogy

A shapeshifting beast struggles to find its place among humanity in this classic science fiction adventure, a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Novel. No one, not even the beast itself, knows where it came from or what it is. Witnesses' descriptions vary. A big dog, a wolf, a lynx. A cross between a gorilla and a bear. A fiend out of hell . . . Roving the American Midwest in the midst of the Great Depression, it hunts in the dark, finding prey where it can. Then, one night it is trapped in a hayloft by a farmer with a shotgun. Sensing the man's fear, the beast transforms . . . into a five-year-old boy named Robert Lee Burney. The boy finds happiness living with the farmer and his wife, and enjoys learning about their ways. At night, he allows the beast to get out to hunt and play, but a terrifying attack on the farm changes everything in a moment . . . On the run, the beast strives to understand the confusing and dangerous world in which it now finds itself. It must also search for a new home and figure out what-or who-it is. The first book in a trilogy for fans of Clifford D. Simak and Ray Bradbury. Praise for Robert Stallman "Stallman reminds me of Ray Bradbury . . . A big talent." -Peter Straub, author of Ghost Story "A vision of the perilous coming-together of a man-soul and monster-soul in us all. The result is an exciting blend of love and violence, of sensitivity and savagery." -Fritz Leiber, author of Swords and Deviltry "The Orphan is frank, violent, and at times erotic in jarring, unexpected ways. The bottom line? Highly recommended." -Black Gate

A shapeshifter's love for a human sends him on a dangerous journey in the second entry of this science fiction trilogy for fans of Ray Bradbury and Clifford D. Simak. The shapeshifting beast has grown and is now on his third human form: Barry Golden, a handsome young man in love. Unfortunately, Barry has fallen for a married woman whose husband isn't about to let her go. Instead, he attempts to take Barry's life, forcing the critically wounded man to transform into the beast and flee to the woods for his safety. As time passes, the injured beast discovers he can summon other creatures with his mind. At first small animals, then two humans. With their aid, he acquires a safe place to heal . . . until his mind control slips. The beast is captured and displayed as the star of a sideshow. Now caged and heavily guarded, he fears he will never escape. But perhaps there is one last chance to be free . . . Praise for Robert Stallman "Stallman reminds me of Ray Bradbury . . . A big talent." -Peter Straub, coauthor of The Talisman "An exciting blend of love and violence, of sensitivity and savagery." -Fritz Leiber, author of Swords and Deviltry "The Orphan is frank, violent, and at times erotic in jarring, unexpected ways. The bottom line? Highly recommended." -Black Gate

A shapeshifter learns he's not alone on earth in the finale of this acclaimed science fiction trilogy for fans of Ray Bradbury and Theodore Sturgeon. The shapeshifting beast's human form has settled down in Albuquerque. Barry Golden is a loving husband and father, and a reporter for the local paper-but the beast still hunts at night. One evening in the desert, he receives a stunning revelation-he is not alone. There are others like him. And he must find a mate and prepare for something called The Leap . . . Meanwhile in Chicago, George Beaumont is dying of cancer. His desperate search for a miracle leads him to a strange creature who offers to save his life, and to a mysterious young woman named Lilly who guides him through a peculiar alternative therapy until he is finally cured. George wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with Lilly, but she feels a call from the Other, someone waiting for her . . . In New Mexico, big changes await two creatures who once thought they were alone in the world but have now found each other at last. Praise for Robert Stallman "Stallman reminds me of Ray Bradbury . . . A big talent." -Peter Straub, coauthor of The Talisman "An exciting blend of love and violence, of sensitivity and savagery." -Fritz Leiber, author of Swords and Deviltry "The Orphan is frank, violent, and at times erotic in jarring, unexpected ways. The bottom line? Highly recommended." -Black Gate

The adventures of a shapeshifting beast living amongst humanity are chronicled in this acclaimed science fiction trilogy. The Orphan No one, not even the beast itself, knows where it comes from or what it is. Witnesses' descriptions vary. A big dog, a wolf, a lynx. A cross between a gorilla and a bear. Powerful jaws like a shark. A fiend out of hell . . . After a startling encounter in a Michigan barn, the beast transforms into a five-year-old boy named Robert Lee Burney and is adopted by a farmer and his wife. He begins learning about human society and lives peacefully among them until an attack on the farm forces him to flee . . . The Captive The shapeshifting beast's new human form is a handsome young man named Barry Golden. He finds love, but it leads him down a dangerous path resulting in imprisonment in a seedy sideshow with little hope of escape . . . The Beast Barry has settled into a new life in New Mexico with a family and a job as a reporter. But that could all change when the beast discovers he's not the only one of his kind on Earth. He must find a mate and prepare for something called The Leap . . . Meanwhile, another shapeshifter on the other side of the country saves a dying man from cancer. He wants to marry her, but she feels a call from the Other, someone waiting for her . . . A terrific read for fans of Ray Bradbury, Clifford Simak, and Theodore Sturgeon. Praise for Robert Stallman "Stallman reminds me of Ray Bradbury . . . A big talent." -Peter Straub, author of Ghost Story "A vision of the perilous coming-together of a man-soul and monster-soul in us all. The result is an exciting blend of love and violence, of sensitivity and savagery." -Fritz Leiber, author of Swords and Deviltry "The Orphan is frank, violent, and at times erotic in jarring, unexpected ways. The bottom line? Highly recommended." -Black Gate