Helm

In Helm, Gould spins the tale of Leland de Laal, the young son of a shrewd but minor nobleman on a world far from Earth. Leland, disobeying his father's edict, dons a helm of ancient power, an artifact brought from Earth centuries ago. Gradually, he gains access to knowledge implanted in his mind by the helm, only to find that he is no longer alone in his head. He absorbs the martial-arts discipline of aikido, but before he can come to terms with either his new powers or his growing affection for his overlord's daughter, he is submerged in betrayal and war on many fronts. His homeland's worst enemy seeks the helm, ready to use it to subjugate the world. In this, his third novel, Steven Gould has whipped up a smooth fantasy story, seasoned with science-fictional elements, romance, and a lot of high-kicking action. He continues to explore the coming-of-age theme, as he did in his previous two novels, Jumper and Wildside. --Blaise Selby