Warrior

Disgraced in the eyes of his own tribe, the Dog People, Gan Moondark journeys across what used to be the Pacific Northwest in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. Gan forms many alliances as he rises to power over the peoples of the region. He links up with the Rose Priestess Sylah, a war healer; Tate, a soldier from the past time of the ``giants'' who must keep her origin a secret; and Clas, who becomes Gan's ever-dependable friend and fighting instructor. Together they battle evil in all its forms, ultimately challenging the sadistic King Altanar. McQuinn ( Targets ), a retired major in the Marine Corps, graphically informs his epic with a solid understanding of military tactics. And he includes much that could lift the tale out of the company of Conan the Barbarian , such as a dose of feminism and conflicting allegiances to church, state and personal interests. But these elements are secondary to the well-worn story of a male hero fulfilling a violent destiny of conquest. ``Like the stars above, he had his course.'' And, for the most part, it's one we've seen before. (Nov.)