need help with sci-fi book please

[elof5]

Hi,
I've forgotten title and author of a sci-fi book i read at least 15 years ago(maybe alot longer!).Plot involves grandson of refugee returns to grandfathers planet,people ranked by number(the 4th or the tenth etc) and can move up ranks by duelling i think.Granson ends up inheriting grandads position as 1st.He can control facial muscles to fool people and is nifty fighter.I even seem to remember some sort of talking bird(? a robot) being involved!

Any ideas?

[Who's Wee Dug]

Sounds like Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series which juxtaposes Fantasy and SF.

[elof5]

Thanks,i'll check that out!

[elof5]

Originally Posted by Who's Wee Dug

Sounds like Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series which juxtaposes Fantasy and SF.

Sorry,checked out Piers Anthony but dont think he's the author,there wasn't any fantasy in this one.Possibly the main character was clled Gabriel but i couldn't swear to it!I think he meets a girl who turns out to be his main rivals daughter though he doesnt find out about that straight away.I also think the duelling plays a large part in the story and he is very good at it and consequently feared.Anyway i'll keep looking.Thanks for the suggestion!

[Who's Wee Dug]

The only other one I can think about was the Battle Cicrle 3 books 1st Var the Rope, what got me was the parrot as in the adept there were alternate sections which could not see each other on the Sf one the area games where you had to fight to get a citizen status which was Proton and phaze which was Magic one some could traverse both and there were robots involed in both.

But if it is not it it's not. happy hunting