Clan Korval saved Liaden civilization from insurrection within, and its reward has been relentless pursuit by enemies. Now, the exiled clan leadership has sent Korval Master Trader Shan yos'Galan to establish new trade routes—the sooner the better. Korval’s very existence depends on his success.

But Shan’s ship, Dutiful Passage, has been denied docking at respectable ports and cheated at those less respectable. Struggling to recuperate from an attack on his life while managing his daughter Padi’s emerging psychic talents, Shan is running out of options—and time. Now Shan must band with risky allies and turn the Passage toward a port only just emerging from Rostov’s Dust. A port awash with strange energies. Yet a port that may be worth gambling it all in one desperate, brilliant Trader’s Leap!

2185 CE: Humans have conquered our Solar System, and now the starship Victoria carries 10,000 colonists to a world beyond. There, those colonists will build a new civilization. There, the original actors upon the stage of a new world will become celebrated in story and song. There, they will become the stuff of legend. For on any frontier it is the pioneers—the brave, the not-so-brave, the whip-smart, and the foolish—who establish the resonances that echo into the halls of the future they hope to build. Call it destiny. Call it the Founder Effect.

All-new fiction from Dragon Award winner and New York Times best-selling author David Weber, Dragon Award winners Brad R. Torgersen and D.J. Butler, Jody Lynn Nye, Chris Kennedy, Mark Wandrey, and more. With an introduction by multiple New York Times best-selling author Larry Correia!

Brash and idealistic, they were rebels without a cause in a world governed by science, reason . . . and immortality. Banished for their troubles to the starship Newhope, they now face a bold future: to settle the worlds of Barnard’s Star. Now King Bascal Edward de Towaji Lutui, former prince of the Queendom of Sol, together with Captain Xiomara “Xmary” Li Weng and her lover, first mate Conrad Mursk, face a perilous voyage with thousands of their fellow exiles. The journey will last a century, but with Queendom technology, it’s no problem to step into a fax machine and “print” a fresh, youthful version of yourself.

But what this crew of rebels will find is far from the paradise they seek. Before long, their optimistic young colony has started to show signs of strain. And worst of all, death itself has returned with a vengeance.

This month, Baen celebrates the pioneering spirit with the all-new anthology The Founder Effect, which explores how the early settlers of a distant planet shape the culture and society that follows in their footsteps. Which got us thinking, which character from Baen Books would you bring along on your space colonization mission and why? Let us know in a short paragraph (100 words or fewer) to win a copy of the anthology, signed by the editors!

Last month we asked you to do your patriotic duty and vote for President of the United States of America. Of course, on our ballot were characters from Baen Books. Congrats to Joe Arnaud. While his preferred candidate might not be moving into the White House next year, we hope the signed copy of the new Ring of Fire novel 1637: No Peace Beyond the Line takes some of the sting out of the defeat.

Read which Baen Books character Joe Arnaud would have voted for and why here.

Listen to the Baen Free Radio Hour now.

This holiday season give the Baen lovers in your life what they really want—more Baen Books! You decide the amount! (Remember eARCs are $15 apiece, monthly bundles $18.) Pretty sure they already have everything? Head on over to the Baen CafePress store and check out our wide variety of Baen merchandise. With travel mugs, T-shirts, tote bags, and more, there is something for every Baen fan! And don’t forget the Baen Challenge Coins!

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