story identification - Trying to remember a book where technology is split amongst different political groups

I think I read this in the early 90's. In this story, technology was divided up and zealously guarded by the cultures that use it. Different groups held different tech. One group held the secret of internal combustion. The protagonist was from off world and knowledgable. He had to travel from place to place and used his wits to assist/escape from those he encountered along the way.

Answer

This is likely book #2 from Deathworld cycle by Harry Harrison. Citing Wiki blurb:

Jason is kidnapped by a self-righteous enemy out to bring him to justice for his various crimes. He forces a crash-landing on a planet where the human population has regressed. The technology is extremely primitive and knowledge is split up among many small clans, each one jealously monopolizing what it knows. Jason uses his ingenuity to survive, trading his knowledge for protection and power in one of these clans. He eventually reaches the clan who has the knowledge of electricity...

Comments

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